Coronavirus Outbreak: Death Toll In China Crosses 3,000-Mark As Confirmed Cases Of Infection Surge To Over 80,000

The death toll due to novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) oubtbreak in China has crossed the 3,000-mark, the authorities said on Thursday (5 March), while the confirmed cases of infection have risen to over 80,000.

Chinese health authority on Thursday said it received reports of 139 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 31 deaths on Wednesday (4 March) on the Chinese mainland, reports Xinhua news agency.

All the deaths were in Hubei Province, according to the National Health Commission.

Meanwhile, 143 new suspected cases were reported, said the commission.

Also on Wednesday, 2,189 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 464 to 5,952.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,409 by the end of Wednesday, including 25,352 patients who were still being treated, 52,045 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,012 people who had died of the disease.

The commission said that 522 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

The commission added 32,870 close contacts were still under medical observation. On Wednesday, 6,584 people were discharged from medical observation.

Also on Wednesday, two imported cases of novel coronavirus infection were reported on the mainland, all of which were in Zhejiang Province. By the end of Wednesday, 20 imported cases had been reported, said the commission.

By the end of Wednesday, 104 confirmed cases including two deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 10 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 42 in Taiwan, including one death.

Forty-three patients in Hong Kong, nine in Macao and 12 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospital after recovery.