Coronavirus: China confirms cases of infection exceed 40,000, death toll increases to 908

coronavirus death toll in China reached 908 on Sunday with 3,062 ditional cases confirmed by health authorities taking overall number of cases to 40,171. China’s National Health Commission said it confirmed  new cases and 97 ditional deaths mostly in Hubei province, where city of Wuhan lies.

Ninety-one deaths were in Hubei province, epicentre of epidemic, two in Anhui, and one each in Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Hainan and Gansu, according to commission. On Sunday, as many as 3,281 patients have been discharged from hospital after recovery. So far, over 630 people, including 356 in Hubei, have been discharged, state-run Xinhua news ncy quoted commission as saying.

death toll from viral epidemic crossed that of  2002-2003 SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak over weekend. It h killed 774 people.

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WHO to convene forum

Meanwhile, World Health Organisation informed on Monday that it is convening a global research and invation forum to mobilize international action in response to new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).  forum, to be held on February 11-12 in Geneva, is organized in collaboration with Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness.

"Harnessing power of science is critical for bringing this outbreak under control," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros ham Ghebreyesus. “re are questions we need answers to, and tools we need to be developed as quickly as possible. WHO is playing an important coordinating role by bringing scientific community toger to identify research priorities and accelerate progress,” he ded.

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Scientists, health ministers to come toger

WHO said  forum will bring toger key players including leing scientists as well as public health ncies, ministries of health and research funders pursuing 2019-nCoV critical animal health and public health research and development of vaccines, rapeutics and diagstics, among or invations. 

"Participants will discuss several areas of research, including identifying source of virus as well as sharing of biological samples and genetic sequences," an official release stated.

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(With inputs from ncies) (AP Photo)