Coronavirus death toll in China surpasses 1,000 with 2,478 new reported cases

Chinese authorities have revealed that the death toll for China's new coronavirus epidemic has increased to 1,011 nationwide. Hubei province, that is the epicentre of the viral outbreak, has reported 103 new deaths in addition to 2,097 new reported cases, informed Hubei's health commission on Tuesday.

Over 100 new deaths

The viral outbreak of the deadly new coronavirus was first reported in December 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Since then there have been more than 42,200 confirmed cases across mainland China. It is believed that the coronavirus emerged from a food market that sells exotic animals for human consumption.

An advance team from the World Health Organisation landed in China on Monday. The team is headed by Bruce Aylward who managed the organization's 2014-2016 response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

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Good News

India's first coronavirus patient is on her way to recovery. The female student from Thrissur in Kerala was tested positive for Coronavirus following her return from Wuhan. According to doctors at Thrissur Medical College Hospital, the latest samples (the fifth one) taken from the patient have tested negative for the novel Coronavirus. Reportedly, the doctors said that one more test result was awaited and after that, she could go home.

This comes as a piece of good news for Kerela which had reported all three positive cases of Coronavirus in the country. The first patient tested positive on January 30, a week after she returned from China.

After the first case was detected in Kerela, the state government had issued a 'medical calamity' warning. However, after successfully restricting the spread of the virus to three people the government withdrew the warning. All three who were confirmed positive were China-returned medical students. 

State Health Minister KK Shailaja said that even though the first patient has recovered, the state will not lower its guard. She added that the state will only be virus free once the other two China returned students are also better.

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