Peng Ziyang / XinHua / dpa
Peking
The number of confirmed infections and deaths from the corona virus has skyrocketed again in China. As the Chinese health authority announced, there have been 20,438 confirmed illnesses to date – 3,225 new cases compared to the lecture.
The number of fatalities rose by 64 to 425. It is the largest increase in infections with the novel corona virus and the number of deaths within a day. Around 180 cases in around two dozen countries have been confirmed worldwide. The virus has been detected in twelve people in Germany.
China’s President Xi Jinping called for “quick and determined” measures to contain the disease, the Xinhua state news agency reported. At a meeting of the Communist Party’s Politbros Standing Committee on Monday, the party leader called for “strict enforcement” of orders and bans.
The supply of medical protective material must be secured and the infection and mortality rate reduced, was further emphasized at the party meeting. Party committees and governments at all levels were called upon to bring the epidemic under control, but also to achieve “the goals of economic and social development” this year.
The outbreak was an “important test of China’s system and ability to govern,” the meeting said. Chinese experts estimated on Monday that the coronavirus epidemic could peak in 10 to 14 days. However, preventive measures need to be strengthened, said the head of the national team of experts in the fight against the corona virus, Zhong Nanshan, according to Chinese state media.
More people have died from the new lung disease in mainland China than from the Sars pandemic 17 years ago.
The Sars Pandemic (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2002/2003 had 349 deaths in mainland China. There were also 299 deaths in Hong Kong, and 774 deaths worldwide. In the current coronavirus outbreak, there was only one known death outside of mainland China until Monday – in the Philippines.
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