The virus has killed more than 360 people in China, a toll that exceeds the one during an outbreak of SARS in the country in the early 2000s. SARS had a mortality rate of 9.6 percent, but only about 2 percent of those reported to have been infected with the new coronavirus have died. Here are the latest updates.

The details: In the past three weeks, the number of confirmed cases has soared from about 50 in China to more than 17,000 in at least 23 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. Our maps track the spread.

Closer look: Wuhan, the city of 11 million where the outbreak originated, is now under a virtual lockdown. Our correspondent there reports that residents are finding it nearly impossible to get the care they need.

Another angle: Stocks in Asia fell today in response to the outbreak. As China has evolved into a principal element of the global economy, the epidemic represents a potent threat.