Over 50 people killed in China from virus outbreak, Chinese President warns country is facing a “grave situation”
Fifty-six people have died from the coronavirus outbreak in China as the country’s leader described the accelerating spread of the disease a grave situation.
It comes as China’s Hubei province reports 13 new deaths from the virus.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China is now at 1,975.
The Chinese government has also reported five cases in Hong Kong, two in Macao and three in Taiwan.
Small numbers of cases have been identified in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, Malaysia and Canada.
Canada declared that Toronto had identified its first coronavirus case on Saturday – a man in his 50s who recently returned from Wuhan.
France confirmed three cases on Friday, the first in Europe, and the US identified its second, a woman in Chicago who had returned from China.
Shanghai reported its first death from the outbreak, while Hubei reported 323 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections.
Separately, the province of Henan also reported one death from the virus.
The virus originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei late last year and has spread to Chinese cities including Beijing.
President Xi Jinping told a politburo meeting the country was facing a “grave situation” where the virus is “accelerating its spread”.
