The number of cases of a new respiratory illness in China has risen to 258 as the mysterious disease spreads across the country. 

According to health authorities in China, the northeastern city of Dalian in Liaoning Province confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus. 

That confirmation came as the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the suspected epicenter of the epidemic, has reported 258 confirmed cases so far. There have been 14 confirmed cased in Guangdong Province in southern China, five in Beijing and two in Shanghai. Six of the patients in Wuhan have died as of Tuesday. 

Other Chinese regions have been reporting suspected cases as well, including Guangxi, a southern autonomous region near Vietnam. Other suspected cases were reported in Wuhan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shandong and Zhejiang. 

Concern is deepening still further after China’s National Health Commission confirmed on Monday that the disease can be transmitted person-to-person and that 15 medical personnel in Wuhan were infected after treating coronavirus patients.

Chinese authorities are taking further precautions ahead of the homecoming exodus set to begin with the Lunar New Year holiday later this week.