They have been the first European cases of the new China outbreak that claimed the lives of at least 41 people in China.

One patient is a 48-year-old man, who traveled to China and visited Wuhan before returning to France on January 22, in the southwestern city of Bordeaux, French Health Minister Agnès Buzyn told reporters.

Two other patients have been taken to a hospital in Paris, the minister said in a statement.

"Maybe, it was because we set up the tests in a very short time making us capable to identify them. What matters is to contain the fire as soon as possible, that's why we need to know the patient's history, find the people that patient was in contact with, to meet them, speak to them and give them the instructions to first of all stay at home and avoid any contact," she stated.

Until now, the cases of the outbreak have been confirmed in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, USA, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Australia and France.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

The disease does not currently have an effective medicine treatment or vaccine, though efforts to develop some are underway. Its symptoms include, among others, fever, breathing difficulties and coughing, which have been described as "flu-like". To prevent infection, the WHO recommends "regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing… and avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness (such as coughing and sneezing)."

Though there are no specific treatments for general human coronaviruses, the U.S. CDC provides generic advice that an infected person can relieve their symptoms by taking regular flu medications, drinking fluids and resting. Some countries require people to report flu-like symptoms to their doctor, especially if they have visited mainland China. (ILKHA)