In the three months since China first came across a new coronavirus, the world has been plunged into turmoil. A pandemic has been declared, schools and shops from New York to New Delhi shuttered, half the global population is confined in some form, while governments have scrambled to announce massive aid packages amid recession fears. Here is a look back at the dramatic first months of 2020: A new coronavirus strain On January 8, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) says cases of pneumonia reported since December in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, could be due to a new coronavirus strain.
In December, 59 people are officially diagnosed with the illness, which can cause serious respiratory problems. The confirmed cases include