A baby in the city of Wuhan in China was diagnosed with novel coronavirus on Wednesday, just 30 hours after birth, AFP reported. Wuhan is the epicentre of the outbreak that has spread across China and over 24 countries, killing almost 500 people.

According to new figures released by China’s National Health Commission, 65 people died of the infection on Tuesday and 3,887 more were infected. So far, 24,324 people have been infected. The newborn is the youngest person recorded to be infected. The oldest person to be diagnosed with the virus is a 90-year-old.

The baby’s mother had tested positive for the virus before she gave birth. Referring to the case, doctors at the Wuhan Children’s Hospital said pregnant women infected with the coronavirus might be able to pass it on to their unborn children, reported state broadcaster CCTV.

The novel coronavirus reportedly emerged late last year in a seafood market in the city that was illegally trading wildlife. The virus causes pneumonia and spreads among humans through droplets from coughs and sneezes. According to a study, the virus might have originated from bats.

Last week, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern but stopped short of recommending trade and travel restrictions. The number of deaths in China has now exceeded the total Chinese toll from the 2002-’03 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. SARS is another coronavirus that had emerged from China and killed almost 800 people globally, including 349 in China.