New Coronavirus Toll in China Overtakes SARS

By Staff, Agencies

The number of Wuhan coronavirus deaths has overtaken the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] epidemic in China, as Beijing injected billions of dollars into an economy hit by weeks of effective shutdowns to major cities.

As of Monday, more than 360 people have lost their lives of the disease in China, according to the country's health authorities. The total number of cases in mainland China stood at 17,205 as of Sunday evening, an increase of over 2,800 on the previous day, or almost 20%.

The 2003 outbreak of SARS, another coronavirus strand, infected 5,327 people in mainland China, with 349 deaths.

The first death from the virus outside China was confirmed over the weekend. Philippine health officials said that a 44-year-old Chinese man died Saturday after flying into the country from Wuhan.

More than 175 cases have been reported outside of China so far, with the majority of them directly linked to the country, across more than 25 countries and territories worldwide.

Meanwhile, many countries have begun closing their borders to visitors from China, with major airlines canceling flights to and from the country.