Virus death toll in China rises to 56 with about 2,000 cases

death toll from new virus in China has risen to 56 with 1,975 total cases reported. figures reported Sunday morning cover previous 24 hours and mark an increase of 15 deaths and 688 cases.

government also reported five cases in Hong Kong, two in Macao and three in Taiwan. Small numbers of cases have been found in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, U.S., Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France and Australia. Cana also says it has discovered one case.

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China’s leer on Saturday called accelerating spre of a new virus a grave situation, as cities from outbreak’s epicenter in central China to Hong Kong scrambled to contain illness.

President Xi Jinping’s remarks, reported by state brocaster CCTV, came at a meeting of Communist Party leers convened on Lunar New Year — country’s biggest holiday whose celebrations have been muted — and underlined government’s urgent, expanding efforts to control outbreak.

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