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A second confirmed U.S. infection of a new viral respiratory illness was reported in Illinois and up to 63 cases are suspected across the country, news agencies reported Friday.

US state and national health officials on Friday announced steps to confront the global spread of a novel coronavirus that emerged in China last month. Meanwhile, France confirmed threevcases of the deadly new virus from China, the first reports in Europe.

The death toll in China reached 41 on Friday. Hundreds of cases of the illness have been confirmed in China since an outbreak began last month in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which cause the common cold. Others have evolved into more severe illnesses, such as SARS and MERS, although so far the new virus does not appear to be nearly as deadly or contagious.

WHAT'S NEW TODAY

— The number of confirmed cases rose to 830. Twenty-six people have died, including the first two deaths outside Hubei.