RICHMOND, Va. — Tests on two Richmond-area patients thought to possibly have Novel Coronavirus came back negative, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

“The results from testing performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were negative, indicating that the two individuals do not have the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection,” a VDH spokesperson said. “Test results for a Patient Under Investigation in the Northern Region of Virginia are expected to be received later this week. At this time, Virginia continues to have no confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV.”

UN health chief visits China to help with virus containment

The director-general of the World Health Organization has flown to China to meet with government officials and health experts trying to contain the spread of a deadly virus that has killed 81 people.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said the U.N. health agency wants “to understand the latest developments and strengthen our partnership with China in providing further protection against the outbreak.”

Last week, WHO held off on declaring the virus a global health emergency.

It said China had taken very strong measures _ including locking down cities that have 50 million people _ that it hoped would be effective in containing the virus.