A leading virologist who helped tackle the SARS epidemic in Asia in 2003 has warned that a new strain of deadly coronavirus from China could lead to an outbreak at least 10 times worse than the health crisis 17 years ago.
Dr Guan Yi, director of the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Hong Kong, confessed to Chinese media that the situation in Wuhan - where the virus originated - was already 'uncontrollable'.
He also claimed that the Chinese authorities missed the 'golden period' to control the virus and prevent it from spreading.
'I have experienced so much and never felt so scared. Most [viruses] are controllable, but this time I am scared,' Dr Guan told the press, predicting the worst is yet to come.
Wuhan, a provincial capital of 11million people, has been put under lockdown. Two more Chinese cities in the same province are shutting down transport today. The last plane out of Wuhan went to Australia.
