Xi warns punishment for officials disobeying orders as coronavirus death toll rises to 361

President Xi Jinping on Monday warned officials of punishment if y shirk responsibility in tackling coronavirus outbreak as China opened a 1,000-bed hospital built in record nine days in Wuhan city and started trials for new drug to contain virus that has killed 361 people, infected 17,238 ors and spre to more than 25 countries.

ruling Communist Party of China on Monday held its political bureau meeting presided by President Xi to review steps being taken on various fronts to halt spre of dely virus.

outcome of epidemic prevention and control directly affects people's lives and health, overall ecomic and social stability and country's opening-up, Xi said.

Xi also demanded resolute opposition against bureaucratism and practice of formalities for formalities' sake in prevention work.

"Those who disobey unified command or shirk off responsibilities will be punished," Xi was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news ncy.

Xi said that party and government leers supervising m would also be held accountable in severe cases.

Chinese armament firms, including those building aircraft carrier and military aircraft, have postponed planned work in order to concentrate on controlling risk of coronavirus, state-run Global Times reported.

ted Chinese health expert Zhong Nanshan has 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 said on Monday.

Among Sunday's deaths, 56 were reported from Hubei Province, epicentre of virus outbreak, and one from southwest China's Chongqing.

Philippines alrey reported first overseas death from 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.

Meanwhile, China opened a 1,000-bed hospital built in record nine days in Wuhan city, epicentre of epidemic, to exclusively treat coronavirus patients, and started clinical trials for a drug to contain virulent virus.

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.

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 Wuhan.

Some 270 patients will take part in study, Post quoted China's paper.cn as saying.

Zhong, 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 Xinhua.

A vaccine is also in works, though it requires more time to reach clinical application.

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" medical masks, protective suits, and safety goggles.

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.

China on Monday accused US of spreing "panic" through its actions like travel bans and evacuation of diplomats and said re was "substantial help" from Washington to contain virus.

"What US has done could create and spre panic," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said dressing first online media briefing.

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 has said it was partnering with Google to prevent spre of misinformation about new coronavirus.

(Im credit- AP)