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Global coronavirus death toll passes 3,000 with new China count
BEIJING, March 2, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The number of deaths globally in the
new coronavirus outbreak passed 3,000 on Monday, as China reported more 42
deaths.
The new fatalities were all in the virus epicentre Hubei province, the
National Health Commission said, bringing the overall toll in mainland China
to 2,912.
Health officials also reported the lowest daily tally of fresh infections
since late January, with 202 new cases.
In China, the number of reported new cases has gradually been declining,
and there were only six confirmed new infections outside Hubei.
The virus emerged late last year in Hubei in central China, but has now
spread to more than 60 countries around the world.
The United States and Australia reported their first fatalities over the
weekend, while infections nearly doubled in the past 48 hours in Italy,
Europe’s hardest-hit country.
The World Health Organization said Sunday that the virus appears to
particularly hit those over the age of 60 and people already weakened by
other illness.
The agency noted that most people with the COVID-19 illness only
experience mild symptoms, while around 14 percent suffer severe disease like
pneumonia and five percent become critically ill.
It said the mortality rate in the outbreak appears to be between two and
five percent.
The seasonal flu has an average mortality rate of about 0.1 percent but is
highly infectious, with up to 400,000 people worldwide dying from it each
year.
Other strains of coronavirus, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), have established
mortality rates of 9.5 percent and 34.5 percent, respectively.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0958 hrs