BEIJING: The mysterious coronavirus strain in China appeared more sinister on Monday with the World Health Organisation and a Chinese government expert saying it may be spread by transmission between humans.Besides, the number of deaths in the central China city of Wuhan rose from two to three. At least 210 people are confirmed to have been affected by the mysterious coronavirus strain while hundreds of others are suspected of having contracted it across cities, including Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing.The suspicion about human-to-human transmission has sounded alarm bells in China and neighbouring countries because millions of Chinese are set to travel during the ongoing festival season around the Chinese New Year on January 25. One expert, Gao Fu, said the coronavirus was new and changing every day.However, China’s National Health Commission expressed confidence on Monday about controlling an outbreak. “We have confidence about controlling the new coronavirus,” Zhong Nanshan, an expert at the commission, said. The commission confirmed that the disease had spread to other Asian countries and that 95% of it was focused in Wuhan or connected to people who had visited the city.The National Health Commission said two people in Beijing were confirmed as being infected, and one in Shenzhen which borders Hong Kong. It said eight people were under quarantine in Shenzhen and five in the coastal province of Zhejiang, which neighbours Shanghai.The government has warned people, especially those in Wuhan who had the relevant symptoms, including fever and cough, to get tested at hospitals as soon as possible.Government experts said there was no need to panic as China’s prevention and control levels have improved greatly in the past few years.