Coronavirus updates: 361 deaths and 17,205 confirmed cases in China

Health authorities in mainland China announced more confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths attributable to the rapidly spreading illness, bringing the totals to 17,205 and 361, respectively, as of Sunday.

China’s National Health Commission reported 2,829 new cases and 57 deaths. That compares with 2,590 new cases and 45 deaths, nationwide, on Saturday.

Of the newly reported deaths, 56 were in Hubei province – the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak –and one in Chongqing.

In Hubei, the new numbers rose to 2,103 confirmed cases and 56 deaths, up from 1,921 and 45 on Sunday.

Philippines reports death of 44-year-old visitor from China, as total number of fatalities rises to more than 360, with more than 16,500 confirmed cases. The victim in the Philippines was identified only as a 44-year-old man from Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province at the heart of the outbreak.

Under a new rule that took immediate effect, the government said anyone suspected of being infected with the virus or having been in close contact with a confirmed case would be relocated to a dedicated quarantine centre, whether they liked it or not.

“Patients shall cooperate,” it said in a statement. “Whoever refuses to cooperate will be subject to enforcement by the police.”

It did not say how many quarantine sites there were, where they were located or how many people would be affected.

However, while in the centres, patients would not be charged for their medical treatment, food or accommodation, but would be required to remain for as long as was deemed necessary by the medical staff looking after them, the statement said.

Meanwhile, hospitals and medical centres in Wuhan and across Hubei are coming under huge pressure as patient numbers continue to soar.

Adding to the pressure on the province’s doctors and nurses, Hubei governor Wang Xiaodong has ordered all hospitals and labs to complete the testing of all their existing samples within the next two days.

To help offset some of the demand, the new Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, which took just eight days to build, is set to open on Monday. It will be staffed by 1,400 medical workers deployed by the military at the direct order of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

– SCMP