Coronavirus outbreak: Death toll surpasses 2,400 in China with 96 new fatalities

Amid the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak, the death toll in China rose to over 2,400 as 96 more people died in Hubei province, according to Hubei's health commission. The authorities further also reported 630 new confirmed cases which brought the total within China to nearly 77,000. However, China has also reported a significant decline in new cases as well as deaths caused by the deadly virus. 

First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has now spread across more than 25 countries since December 2019. More than 1,700 people have recovered from the disease, whereas, nearly 12,500 coronavirus patients have by now been discharged from hospitals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dubbed the virus as COVID-19.

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Even though China announced a significant drop in new infected cases, reports have indicated that the number of cases has surged in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Lebanon. The World Health Organisation has reportedly welcomed the decline in new cases in China but continues to be concerned about the growing number of infections in other countries. The real disturbing trend, as reported by WHO, is that the new cases have no links to China such as travel history or contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, prompting the mystery around how these individuals were infected.

$675m in support of vulnerable countries

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also claimed that the biggest fear for the organisation is that the virus will continue to spread to other countries and especially those with weaker health systems.  

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Ghebreyesus in a tweet said, “Countries with weaker health systems need the world's focus & support now, due to the potential for #COVID19 to spread to those locations. We must take advantage of the window of opportunity we have to contain the outbreak. We don't want to look back later & regret failing to act”. 

Furthermore, the organisation has also called on the world to pledge $675 million in support of the most vulnerable countries. As per reports, 13 African countries are seen as a priority by WHO because of their close links to China. According to WHO statistics, the virus is fatal in 2 per cent of all cases while 80 per cent remain mild and 20 per cent of those infected are critical or severe. 

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