South Korea raises its infectious disease alert level to its highest for the first time since 2009 as confirmed coronavirus cases jump to 602 and the death toll rises to five.

Hundreds of Hong Kong medical workers have walked off their jobs, demanding the city close its border with China to reduce the coronavirus spreading -- with frontline staff threatening to follow suit in the coming days.

The West Bengal government has introduced medical screening of passengers at three new points along the border it shares with Bangladesh owing to the coronavirus outbreak in China, which has now spread to many countries.

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that causes disease in mammals and birds.