BEIJING: Coronavirus in China is still out of control as the death toll from new COVID-19 has jumped to around 1900 on Tuesday after 98 more people died, while figure of confirmed infections was declared 72,500.
The National Health Commission, reported that 1,868 people have been killed by new COVID-19 by Tuesday morning and nearly 72,500 people nationwide have been infected by deadly virus, which first emerged in December before spiraling into a nationwide epidemic.
There were 1,886 new cases reported Tuesday — a decline on Monday’s figure, and the lowest single-day figure of new cases so far this month.
Most of the deaths were in Hubei province, the hard-hit epicentre of the outbreak, with five reported elsewhere in the country.
Hubei has been locked down to try to contain the virus, with tens of millions of people placed under effective quarantine in the province.
The number of new cases reported outside Hubei province was just 79, down from 890 on February 4.
It marks the lowest number of new cases outside the virus-struck province since January 23.
China’s national health authority has said the declining numbers are a sign that the outbreak is under control.
However, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the trend “must be interpreted very cautiously”.
“Trends can change as new populations are affected. It is too early to tell if this reported decline will continue. Every scenario is still on the table,” he told reporters on Monday.
Chinese health officials have urged patients who recovered from the coronavirus to donate blood so that plasma can be extracted to treat others who are critically ill.
Plasma from patients who have recovered from a spell of pneumonia triggered by COVID-19 contains antibodies that can help reduce the virus load in critically ill patients, an official from the National Health Commission told a press briefing Monday.
More than 12,000 people have recovered and been discharged, according to health commission figures.
Read more: Coronavirus death toll jumps to 1,770, infections crosses 70500: Chinese Government
