China has reported 63,767 confirmed cases of COVID-19 while 505 cases have been reported from 24 other countries. Deaths toll in China stands at 1,487 while 2 deaths have been reported abroad. Japan and Philippines have 1 death cases each.
Main push behind surging numbers remain Central China’s Hubei Province, the epicenter of the escalating coronavirus outbreak, which reported 116 more deaths were reported in Hubei taking the total death toll in the province to 1,426. The province and its capital Wuhan, where the infection now known as COVID-19 is thought to have originated in late December, also reported a further 4,823 new confirmed cases (including 3,095 clinically confirmed cases) on Thursday, bringing the total number in the province to 51,986 (including 15,384 clinically confirmed cases).
The number has seen a sharp surge since Thursday with the new calculation as authorities put clinically diagnosed cases in the confirmed cases category. These were suspected cases and were diagnosed with expanded testing methods including CT scans. National Health Commission at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday that number of new coronavirus cases confirmed in China outside of Hubei Province has declined for nine consecutive days since February 3.
Meanwhile, 44 more coronavirus cases have been confirmed on Japanese cruise ship Diamond Princess taking the total to 218. The Japanese government has said it will earmark 140 million USD for emergency measures, including ones to bolster testing and medical treatment capacity, to double mask production to more than 600 million a month, and credits for small and medium-sized businesses hurt by the outbreak, according to the prime minister’s office. Prime minister Shinzo Abe’s office said that it will also approve a measure calling for 1,800 beds to be readied for patients and for virus research results to be shared internationally.
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