Wuhan goes on lockdown following coronavirus outbreak, but WHO isn't ready to declare global emergency

Wuhan, China, is on lockdown following the outbreak of a coronavirus in the city.

The Chinese government decided Wednesday that it was necessary to quarantine the city, which is home to more than 11 million, by shutting down intra-city public transportation. Outbound flights and trains will also be canceled for the time being as efforts to learn more about the virus and how it spreads continue.

The illness is believed to have started in Wuhan and has spread to several other countries, including a reported case in the United States. Overall, there have been more than 500 confirmed cases and 17 deaths.

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Despite the preventative measures being taken in Wuhan, the World Health Organization said Wednesday that it wasn't ready to declare the outbreak a global emergency. That could very well still happen — and soon — but at the moment things apparently aren't clear enough for the United Nations agency to issue that designation. Tim O'Donnell