Chinese officials recently confirmed that the virus can be spread from person to person, although it is unclear how easily it spreads.
The outbreak initially was connected to a seafood market in the central city of Wuhan, but human-to-human transmission could make the virus spread more quickly and widely. News of the illness spreading among people came as China reported a sharp uptick in cases.
The World Health Organization is expected to meet Wednesday to decide whether to declare it an international public health emergency, the New York Times reported.
Face masks are selling out and temperature checks at airports are the new norm as China tries to control the outbreak that has reached four other countries and territories and threatens to spread further during the Lunar New Year travel rush.
The stock prices of some companies that sell masks have risen, but markets fell in much of Asia as investors worried about the potential impact on tourism and the economy. That prompted a selloff of airlines and other travel businesses.
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