China opens 1,000-bed hospital, begins trials for new drug as coronavirus death toll jumps to 361

China on Monday opened a 1,000-bed hospital built in record nine days in Wuhan city, epicentre of coronavirus, and started clinical trials for a drug to treat virulent virus as death toll in outbreak soared to 361, with 17,238 confirmed cases.

A ted Chinese health expert Zhong Nanshan said that based on fresh evidence, vel coronavirus which is spreing rapidly in China and world may reach its peak in next 10 to 14 days, contrary to earlier estimates of climaxing sooner. This means that cases would drastically increase in next two weeks before slowing down.

death toll in China's coronavirus epidemic soared to 361 with 57 deaths on Sunday while number of confirmed cases climbed to 17,238, Chinese health officials anunced on Monday. Among Sunday's deaths, 56 were reported from Hubei Province, epicentre of virus outbreak, and one from southwest China's Chongqing, commission said.

Philippines alrey reported first overseas death of virus while 148 cases have been reported from abro. India has reported three cases of coronavirus, all of m in Keralites who returned from Wuhan. China opened a 1,000-bed makeshift hospital in Wuhan built in record nine days to exclusively treat coronavirus patients.

On Wednesday, ar 1,300 bed makeshift hospital will be opened jacent to it. Toger, y will open up 2,300 bed hospitals exclusively to treat coronavirus patients. new facility will ease short of beds in city resulting from an increasing number of patients infected with virus, official media reported.

Medical personnel from People's Liberation Army will take over new Huoshenshan Hospital. Official media publicised construction of hospitals in tearing hurry as major strength of ruling Communist Party of China’s ability to deal with such epidemics.

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Also, China has begun clinical trials to test a drug to treat patients of coronavirus which till w has cure. Currently, patients are being treated with a combination of antivirals and or measures, as scientists race to find a vaccine. Some reports said drugs to treat HIV too was being tried to treat patients.

experimental antiviral drug, Remdesivir to be tested in field trials is developed by US-based Gile Sciences, is aimed at treating infectious diseases such Ebola and SARS, South China Morning Post reported. It was given to first US patient last week – a 35-year-old man whose condition appeared to improve within a day, it said. China’s National Health Commission on Monday said drug trials were being carried out at multiple hospitals in central city of Wuhan.

Some 270 patients will take part in study, Post quoted China’s paper.cn as saying. Zhong Nanshan, also an acemician of Chinese Acemy of Engineering, said current research has shown virus originated from bats, but wher re are more intermediate carriers between bats and humans requires furr investigation.

Although re is effective cure yet, re are at least seven drugs targeting virus' genetic material going through various sts of clinical trials, he told official Xinhua News ncy. A vaccine is also in works, though it requires more time to reach clinical application.

"We have learned from successful rapy of SARS and established a set of effective treatment plans," he said. "And with help of various life-support measures we have ensured recovery success rate of patients," he said. aver incubation period of virus is around five days, with fever being most common symptom of virus, he said.

China on Monday said it "urgently needs" protective medical equipment. "What China urgently needs at present are medical masks, protective suits, and safety goggles," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press briefing.

vel coronavirus epidemic has triggered a sharp increase in demand for masks for citizens and protective clothing for medical workers. Companies have been mobilised to run at full capacity to produce se high-demand materials. Meanwhile, China accused US on Monday of spreing "panic" in its response to dely coronavirus, including imposing a ban on Chinese travellers.

It follows US decision to declare a public health emergency and deny entry to foreign nationals who h visited China in past two weeks. World Health Organisation said it was partnering with Google to prevent spre of misinformation about new coronavirus.

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