Coronavirus death toll surpasses that of SARS Climbs to 813 in China; but officials say cases of the infection are declining Beijing: The death toll in Chinau2019s coronavirus outbreak jumped to 813 on Sunday, surpassing global fatalities in the 2002- 03 SARS epidemic, even as Chinese officials said the cases of deadly infection have started declining for the first time after weeks of sharp rise.
With 91 more people dying, most in Hubei province, the novel coronavirus death toll is now higher than the 774 people killed worldwide by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ( SARS) epidemic that started in southern China.
Chinau2019s National Health Commission on Sunday said 2,656 new confirmed cases were reported, taking the total number of people infected in 31 provincial- level regions in China to 37,287. A total of 509 new confirmed cases were reported on Saturday outside Hubei, about 42.8 percent lower than the number reported on Monday, Mi Feng, spokesperson of the NHC was quoted by the state- run Xinhua news agency on Sunday.
u201c It shows that the joint prevention and control mechanism incorporating different regions in the country, as well as strict management, are taking effect,u201d Mi said.
Calls for political reform The death of a whistleblowing doctor reprimanded for warning about the new coronavirus has sparked rare calls for political reform and free speech in China. Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist in Wuhan, was among eight physicians punished by Wuhan police for u201c rumour- mongeringu201d. But after his death struck a collective nerve, a number of academics have spoken up to demand more freedoms in China.
A g e ncies A worker wearing a protective suit uses a fogging machine to disinfect a business establishment in Shanghai on Sunday. PIC/ AFP PM Modi offers assistance to China Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed solidarity with the people of China and their leader, President Xi Jinping, in their battle against novel coronavirus, and offered Indiau2019s assistance to Beijing in facing the challenge, sources told ANI. Thousands from cruise ship freed Thousands of people stranded aboard a cruise ship in Hong Kong for five days were allowed to disembark on Sunday after its 1,800 crew tested negative for the deadly new coronavirus.
Passengers queue up to finally disembark from the World Dream cruise ship. PIC/ AFP Five suspected cases in Pakistan Five persons with symptoms of coronavirus were rushed to hospital after they arrived in Pakistan from China, according to a media report on Sunday.
Spain confirms second virus case Spain has confirmed its second case of the new virus from China even as a plane evacuating more than 200 people from Wuhan landed Sunday in Britain.
37,287 No. of confirmed cases in China
