First American death from coronavirus reported in Wuhan

A U.S. citizen has died of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Few details have been offered, but the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said the person was around 60 years old and died at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan on Thursday. Two people familiar with the situation said the patient was a woman with underlying health problems. It appears to be the first death of an American since the outbreak began.

"We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss," a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said. "Out of respect for the family's privacy, we have no further comment."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Japan's foreign ministry said Saturday that a Japanese citizen in his 60s also died at a medical facility in Wuhan.

China reported 86 more deaths Saturday, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities past 700 overall. Read more at The New York Times and NBC News.