Amid concerns triggered by the outbreak of a new coronavirus which has already claimed 25 lives, India is closely monitoring the evolving situation in China including advisories issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in connection with the epidemic.

The Indian Embassy in Beijing said that relevant Chinese authorities have assured all assistance to residents of Wuhan, including food supply.

The embassy said that it has been receiving queries from Indians in Hubei province and their relatives in India in connection with the Coronavirus epidemic in China.

It is in touch with relevant Chinese authorities in Beijing and Wuhan and Indians in the Hubei Province.

The Embassy has started two hotlines for those who wish to get in touch with regard to the issue: +8618612083629 and +8618612083617.

The death toll from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China has risen to 25, and the number of confirmed cases was now 830.

As per reports, several Indian medical students, mostly from Kerala, are trapped in the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan after the region was locked down on Thursday to contain the outbreak of the deadly new virus.

Meanwhile, in view of the evolving situation due to the deadly virus outbreak in China as well as the decision of authorities to cancel public gathering and events, the Embassy of India in Beijing has also decided to call off the Republic Day reception scheduled to be held on January 26.

The embassy also issued an advisory to travellers from China visiting India.

Novel coronavirus outbreak in China: Advisory to travellers from China visiting India pic.twitter.com/UEvqJyDW6D

— India in China (@EOIBeijing) January 24, 2020

Majority of the cases has been reported from Wuhan, where a seafood market that illegally sold wild animals has been identified as the epicentre of the outbreak.

The government has shut down the airport, railway stations, short-distance ferries and long-distance coaches in Central China’s Wuhan city, following 18 deaths due to the 2019-nCoV, a new strain of coronavirus, previously not identified in humans.

The coronavirus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

Like SARS, it can be passed among people through the respiratory tract.

The symptoms of infection include fever, cough and breathing problems.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the deadly virus outbreak is an emergency in China but it has not yet become a global health emergency.