China on Sunday said a mysterious viral pneumonia outbreak that has affected 59 people was not the flu-like virus SARS that killed hundreds more than a decade ago.
The infection was first reported last week in Wuhan, a central Chinese city with a population of over 11 million -- leading to online speculation about a resurgence of the highly contagious SARS virus.
"We have excluded several hypotheses, in particular the fact that it is a flu, an avian flu, an adenovirus, respiratory syndrome severe acute (SARS) or
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)," the Wuhan health commission said.