New strain of virus behind China's mystery Pneumonia outbreak: Report

China believes a mysterious pneumonia outbreak that has struck 59 people is due to a new strain of virus from the family of pathogens that includes SARS, state media said Thursday.

The infection was first confirmed on December 31 in Wuhan, a central Chinese city with a population of over 11 million, and initially sparked fears about a resurgence of the highly contagious flu-like SARS.

Experts have "preliminarily determined" that a new type of coronavirus is behind the outbreak, state broadcaster CCTV reported Thursday, citing lab results.

"A total of 15 positive results of the new type of coronavirus had been detected" in