The World Health Organization on Thursday declined to categorize the deadly new coronavirus sweeping across China as a global health emergency, saying there is no evidence of human-to-human infection outside China.

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After the first case of the new coronavirus from China was discovered in the United States, airlines, airports and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. have responded to try to mitigate the spreads of the deadly respiratory virus.

The new coronavirus, which originated in the central city of Wuhan, China, has so far infected more than 540 and killed at least 17, according to Chinese authorities. Wuhan officials have halted air and train travel from the city and closed public transportation. The virus has spread to Beijing, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

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