Coronavirus death toll soars to 213; over 9,300 confirmed cases in China

death toll from Coronavirus outbreak has risen to 213 with 9,356 confirmed cases in China after worst-hit Hubei province reported 42 new fatalities on Friday. Within past 24 hours, over 1,200 new cases of disease have been recorded in 17 Chinese cities, Chinese media reported.

new figures came shortly after World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency over dely epidemic, which has spre to over 20 countries around world. latest figures show that daily death count is increasing sharply, despite unprecedented measures imposed by China on Hubei a week ago.

On Thursday alone, Chinese health officials h reported a nationwide total of 38 deaths, all but one of m in Hubei. Chinese province on Friday also reported 1,220 new cases, slightly higher than previous day.

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WHO declares Global Health Emergency

WHO h initially played down threat posed by Coronavirus, but later revised its risk assessment after crisis talks on Thursday.

"We must all act toger w to limit furr spre... We can only stop it toger," WHO chief Tedros ham Ghebreyesus said while briefing in Geneva.

Although Tedros said that imposing restrictions on travel and tre restrictions with China were futile in efforts to stem spre of Coronavirus which has w affected several countries around world. 

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Many countries have alrey vised ir citizens t to visit China while some have banned entry for travellers from Wuhan, where virus first surfaced.

He also said that WHO was concerned with impact virus would have on countries that are t prepared to deal with outbreak. "Our greatest concern is potential for virus to spre to countries with weaker health systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it."

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(With inputs from AFP)