Coronavirus declared global health emergency

January 31, 2020 08:35

The death toll in China from the new coronavirus reached 213 on Friday, with overall cases worldwide rising rapidly in an outbreak that the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency.

Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, reported 5,806 confirmed cases, including 204 deaths, official media reported.

A total of 213 people have died of the disease as of Thursday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese health authorities announced that 9,692 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps by the end of Thursday.

About 20 countries, including India, have reported confirmed cases of the virus in travellers coming from China.

China said it has full confidence and capability to win the fight against the epidemic.

The WHO has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency.

The UN health agency on Friday declared an international emergency over the deadly novel coronavirus from China -- a rarely used designation that could lead to improved international co-ordination in tackling the disease.

"Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said as he announced the virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Reacting to the announcement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in a press statement said, "Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the Chinese government has been taking the most comprehensive and rigorous prevention and control measures with a high sense of responsibility for people's health." -- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Hardik and Mumbai Indians' problems continue to grow

Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya has been fined Rs 30 lakh and suspended from his team's opening match of the next edition of the Indian Premier League for slow over-rate offence for the third time in the competition.

5th Phase: How Many Women Candidates?

Of the 695 candidates in the fray, 88.2 per cent or 613 candidates are male candidates.

Maliwal alleges CCTV tampering, cops collect data

As the probe intensified in the Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal assault case, as per sources Delhi Police Forensic Science Laboratory team reached Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and collected a dump of CCTV cameras.

Sobhita Chills In Cannes

The gorgeous Sobhita Dhulipala makes her debut at Cannes, and she makes sure to share pictures on social media.

Jarry stuns Paul, sets up Italian Open final against Zverev

Chilean 21st seed Nicolas Jarry outclassed American Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 to reach the Italian Open on Friday as former champion Alexander Zverev recovered from a slow start to beat Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.