The mysterious new coronavirus that has infected hundreds of people in China is fuelling concerns about a wider epidemic, pushing global health officials to schedule an emergency meeting to discuss possible responses.

The World Health Organisation is set to meet on Wednesday to examine whether the outbreak is “a public health emergency of international concern” – and to devise possible ways to manage it.

Declaring such an emergency, often known by its abbreviation, PHEIC, would be a rare step: there have only been five declarations in the last decade, including for the ongoing response to an Ebola epidemic – the second deadliest ever – in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chinese authorities first publicly reported the emergence of a new respiratory illness with pneumonia-like symptoms in the central city of Wuhan on 31 December.

There were nearly 300 confirmed cases and six deaths in China as of 21 January. Chinese health authorities on Monday confirmed the coronavirus can spread from person to person.

Thailand, Japan, and South Korea have identified cases involving people who had travelled to Wuhan. Australia and the Philippines are also reportedly investigating possible cases.

Within China, there’s particular concern the virus could spread more easily during the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, when hundreds of millions of people usually travel.