Senior doctor dies of coronavirus in China; death toll soars to over 1,800

he of a hospital in China’s coronavirus-hit Wuhan city died of epidemic amid criticism that a number of medical staff were infected due to official attempts to conceal key findings of human-to-human transmission of virus, as death toll from disease on Tuesday soared to 1,868.

Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, from where virus originated, continued to bear brunt as 93 more people died on Monday while five deaths were reported from Henan, Hebei and Hunan provinces.

China’s National Health Commission on Tuesday said death toll due to outbreak climbed to 1,868 on Monday while total number of confirmed cases jumped to 72,436.

A top Chinese health official said daily death toll has come down below 100 for first time since virus outbreak came to light in January.

daily number of newly confirmed cases of vel coronavirus (COVID-19) reported across China Monday dropped to under 2,000 for first time, Mi Feng, an official with National Health Commission (NHC) said Tuesday.

Monday also saw new confirmed infections of COVID-19 outside Hubei reduced to a number lower than 100 for first time, Mi told media..

Comparing statistics in peak period, Mi said first appearance of se teworthy decreasing numbers demonstrate that epidemic situation is improving.

While officials claimed that virus is stabilising, one of Wuhan’s most senior doctors has died after contracting coronavirus.

Dr Liu Zhiming, president of Wuhan Wuchang Hospital in Hubei province died of vel coronavirus pneumonia despite medical efforts to revive him, state-run CCTV reported, latest fatality among medical workers as y rush to save tens of thousands of patients at epicenter of outbreak.

Liu was a leing neurosurgeon in Wuhan.

Last Friday, NHC said that a total of 1,716 medical workers h been confirmed contracting infection. As of February 11, six medical workers were killed while treating patients. This included whistleblower ophthalmologist, Dr Li Wenliang who was reprimanded by police for alerting about virus over social media in December.

Hu Bijie, a member of China's top expert mission for medical treatment for COVID-19, told Global Times that most of infections among medical staff occurred in early st of epidemic, when people did t kw virus can be transmitted during incubation period, and cheap and efficient test kits were t commonly used.

A postgruate student, who requested anymity and has interned at Wuhan-based Tongji Hospital's infections department told paper that infection of medical staff was caused by carelessness in early st and was aggravated by a lack of medical supplies such as N95 masks, protective outfits and goggles.

China's top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan confirmed people-to-people transmission on January 20.

Before that, Wuhan health authorities denied people-to-people transmissions on January 5, which analysts believe has misled residents and doctors and contributed to cross-infection, Global Times report said.

"We missed perfect time to curb infection without a correct understanding of virus and proper voice to public. outbreak due to cross-infection n caused a severe short in medical resources and escalated danger to medical staff," student said.

daily’s report said infections among medical staff is declining, especially after a range of measures were taken, such as setting up of separate fever clinics and isolation wards, and universal use of protective equipment.

On Monday, China has deployed over 30,000 medical staff in Wuhan. Chinese military is also pouring its medical personnel drawn from Army and Air Force.

China has anunced a plan to hour medical workers and or personnel who died fighting vel coronavirus epidemic as martyrs.

Meanwhile, a study conducted by Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) said " epidemic curve of onset of symptoms" peaked around January 23-26 before declining on February 11.

study suggests that downward trend in overall epidemic curve could mean that "isolation of whole cities, brocast of critical information like hand washing and wearing of masks and mobilisation of a multi-sector rapid response team is helping to curb epidemic'.

CCDC report also warned of rebound as millions of Chinese returned to cities to join work after prolonged Chinese New Year holidays.

China "needs to prepare for possible rebound of epidemic", it cautioned.