China reports 508 more virus cases, lower increase in deaths

China reported 508 new cases Tuesday in an outbreak of a viral illness that has spread to the Middle East and Europe.

Another 71 deaths were reported, 68 of them in the city of Wuhan, where the epidemic has been concentrated.

The updates bring mainland China's totals to 77,658 cases and 2,663 deaths.

After large increases in COVID-19 cases in other countries, the World Heath Organization said the virus had the potential to cause a pandemic but wasn't one yet.

“The past few weeks has demonstrated just how quickly a new virus can spread around the world and cause widespread fear and disruption,” WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

But “for the moment we’re not witnessing the uncontained global spread of this virus,” he said.