At least nine people are dead in China and more than 400 infected as the Wuhan coronavirus continues to spread throughout Asia and across the world.

The US announced its first case of the new coronavirus Tuesday, and is planning to begin health screenings at airports.

The Chinese government says the new strain of the coronavirus can spread between people, raising the possibility of increased transmissions as China enters into the busy Lunar New Year travel period.

What China is doing to combat the spread: Li said also local authorities in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and the entire province of Hubei (of which Wuhan is a part) have been asked to tighten regulations of farm markets and wild animals. The virus is believed to have originated from a market. Authorities will do more to screen passengers at transportation hubs like airports, ports, bus stations and train stations, using devices like thermometers and thermal body scanners. They'll also take measures to improve ventilation and sterilization.

How it's spreading: Li said experts believe the virus is spreading via human-to-human transmission, specifically through the respiratory tract. Li also said there is a possibility that the virus could mutate -- aiding the spread of the disease.

North Korea is closing its borders to all foreign tourists from Wednesday as a precaution against the Wuhan coronavirus, according to Young Pioneer Tours, a travel agency that runs tours to the country.

Separately on Tuesday, North Korean state news agency KCNA reported the recent outbreak of Wuhan coronavirus and said, that “the state was making nationwide efforts to block this virus from entering.”

Though North Korean citizens are, for the most part, closed off to the rest of the world, the country does operate a small tourist industry that caters mostly to Chinese tourists.

It's unclear exactly how many tourists visit the country each year. China's Global Times, a state-sanctioned tabloid, reported last year that about 100,000 people visited North Korea each year -- 80% of whom were Chinese. (CNN)

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