After the outbreak began in December, the Chinese government for weeks portrayed it as a problem largely restricted to Wuhan, in the Hubei province. Infections have since been found in the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macao, and in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan — as well as in this country in Washington state. Of particular concern: The news Monday that Chinese authorities had determined that the virus can be spread by human-to-human contact, and that 14 health-care workers had been infected by a single carrier. As of Wednesday, 17 people have died and more than 470 have fallen ill with the virus, The Post reported.”