Several videos have emerged from Wuhan, the epicenter of a new coronavirus outbreak that is threatening to turn into a global epidemic, if not contained soon.
Videos that are claiming to be from Wuhan depict a scary scene with infected men and women literally 'dropping like flies' in streets, shops and some even inside long hospital queues.
A few even be seen covered in blood after hitting their heads on the ground after collapsing.
At the time of writing, the new strain of coronavirus had already claimed at least 26 lives and infected 830 in China alone.
There have been a few confirmed cases in the United States, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore.
Wuhan, which is the epicenter of this dangerous Sars-like virus, is effectively under lockdown. Nobody is either allowed to leave or enter Wuhan and all buses, subway, and ferry services have been suspended. All outbound planes and trains canceled.
There is no clarity as to when and exactly where these videos were filmed. Their authenticity can not be verified independently. Social media users, however, claimed that the videos indeed were from Wuhan and some of them were filmed in the initial days of the new coronavirus outbreak.
In one of the videos, which looks like CCTV footage, a man wearing a face mask standing on the street suddenly collapses and hits the ground. A few moments later many rush to his aide.
One of the clippings seems to be from a bank with people wearing masks standing in the queue looking at a man lying on the floor. A few moments later a medic dressed in a white hazmat suit comes over to treat them.
Another video shows ambulances on street rushing to help two people lying on the floor who appear to be unresponsive.
The World Health Organization has not classed the virus as an "international emergency."
"This is an emergency in China, but it has not yet become a global health emergency," Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in an Emergency Committee meeting on the New Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
"This should not be taken as a sign that WHO does not think the situation is serious. WHO is following this new coronavirus outbreak every minute of every day - at country, regional and global level. I will not hesitate to reconvene the committee at a moment's notice if needed," Ghebreyesus added.
