BANGKOK - A Chinese woman has been quarantined in Thailand with a mystery strain of coronavirus, the authorities said on Monday (Jan 13), the first time it has been detected outside China.

Thai authorities are stepping up monitoring at airports ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday, beginning on Jan 25, when hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists are expected to visit.

A 61-year-old man has died from pneumonia - a symptom of the disease - in central China's Wuhan city, after an outbreak of the yet to be identified virus there.