Factbox: New coronavirus outbreak in Chinese city of Wuhan

Tourist line-up in a health control at the arrival section at Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Januaruy 19, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) say a new strain of coronavirus is behind the outbreak of pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan, which has erupted just ahead of the Lunar New Year, the country's biggest festival.

Some experts say the strain may not be as deadly as some other strains of coronavirus such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 800 people worldwide during a 2002/03 outbreak that also originated from China. But little is known about the new virus, including its origin and how easily it can be transmitted between humans.