Biggest single-day jump in deaths
Over 7,700 across China infected, at least 1,370 critically ill, 12,167 suspected cases
BEIJING: Deaths from the novel coronavirus shot up to 170 in China on Thursday, with more than 7,700 people infected across the country. This marks the biggest single-day jump in deaths so far.
China’s National Health Commission said at least 1,370 are critically ill and there are 12,167 suspected cases. Beijing is reported to have at least 111 confirmed cases and the number has also crossed 100 in Shanghai.
More than 160 deaths have been reported from the central Chinese province of Hubei and its capital, Wuhan, where the outbreak started.
The virus has now spread to nearly 20 countries.
China’s economic growth could fall to 5% or below because of the outbreak, a government economist has said. “The economic growth rate in the first quarter (in 2020) may be about 1 percentage point lower than the previous forecast. The GDP growth rates (in 2019) were 6.4%, 6.2%, 6%, and 6%. In ... 2020, The GDP growth rate in the first quarter may be around 5%, and the possibility of less than 5% is not ruled out,” Zhang Ming, an economist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.
Pakistan has decided not to evacuate its citizens from virushit Wuhan to show “solidarity” with its all-weather ally, a senior official said on Thursday.
Four Pakistanis have contracted the virus in the city. Special assistant to Prime Minister on health Dr Zafar Mirza said: “We believe that right now, it is in the interest of our loved ones in China (to stay there).”
A 17-year-old boy with cerebral palsy from a rural village in Hubei province has died because his relatives were unable to care for him after being quarantined as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the state-run Beijing Youth Daily newspaper reported.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director general, said the situation is of grave concern and the organisation has reconvened the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee to advise it on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
EU member states, US, New Zealand, Australia, India and Singapore are trying to get out their citizens. Taiwan has also asked to be able to repatriate its passport holders from Wuhan.