Death toll from Coronavirus outbreak in China jumps to 106

The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in China has soared to 106 while nearly 1,300 new cases have been confirmed, authorities said on Tuesday (Jan 28), reports The Star. 

The health commission in central Hubei province, the epicentre of the epidemic, said 24 more people had died from the virus and 1,291 more people were infected, raising the total number of confirmed cases to more than 4,000 nationwide.

China’s National Immigration Administration encouraged citizens to reconsider the timing of overseas travel to reduce cross-border movement to help contain the new coronavirus, it said in a statement published on its official WeChat account on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the director-general of the World Health Organisation is visiting Beijing to assess China’s response to the deadly coronavirus.

Global efforts to curb the spread of the disease have intensified. Companies including Honda Motor Co are evacuating workers from areas of China hardest hit by the outbreak.

The US said citizens should reconsider travel to China, while Hong Kong announced the temporary closing of all sports and cultural facilities starting Wednesday.