Woman's dog destroyed her passport before she travelled to Wuhan days before Coronavirus outbreak

30 January 2020, 12:36 | Updated: 30 January 2020, 12:37

A woman has thanked her canine companion for preventing her from travelling to Wuhan just days before the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the city.

A dog destroyed its owners passport just days before she was due to travel to Wuhan, the city in China that is currently on lockdown because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

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The woman - who is from Taiwan - claims that she was due to fly there just days before the news of the virus emerged, but that her dog had chewed the passport so badly she was unable to travel.

Sharing photos to Facebook of the incident, the woman said that she had returned home to find her beloved dog Kimi lying on her bed beside the newly-shredded passport.

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She wrote alongside the pics: "Do you guys remember the passport? Throwback: this kid is really protecting me. After my passport was torn apart, the virus began to go where I originally planned to go. I think about it now, and it’s very touching. Fortunately, you blocked our trip."

It has been reported that a total number of around 170 people have died from Coronavirus, with cases confirmed in every province and region in the country.

Wuhan is thought to be 'ground zero' for the virus, and a healthcare worker told CNN that ‘the whole of Wuhan is lacking [resources]’ such as protective equipment, clothing, goggles and masks.