A pneumonia outbreak was first reported in the city of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, in December 2019. Experts have attributed the outbreak to a novel coronavirus, COVID-19, that has since spread across China and abroad.

Here is what we know so far:

The latest in China:

77,779 confirmed cases

2,666 deaths reported (including 2 in Hong Kong, 1 in Taiwan)

27,323 recovered

Outside China:

Over 2,600 confirmed cases

44 deaths reported

These countries are on alert:

Italy has reported over 320 confirmed cases and 11 dead, the highest in Europe.

Iran has reported 15 deaths and its deputy health minister tested positive for the virus.

South Korea reported more than 970 cases and 11 deaths.