China reports NO new coronavirus deaths for the first time
China reports NO new coronavirus deaths for the first time as country braces for a second wave of infections
- Chinese authorities reported 32 new cases but no new deaths in today’s figures
- All of the new patients were said to be people returning to China from abroad
- Officials have reported 81,740 cases and 3,331 deaths since outbreak began
China today reported no new deaths from coronavirus for the first time since the crisis began.
The country’s National Health Commission reported 32 new cases in its latest daily update, but claimed there were no new fatalities.
Authorities said all the new patients were people returning to China from abroad, as the country braces for a second wave of imported cases.
In total, officials in mainland China have declared 81,740 cases and 3,331 deaths since the outbreak began in Hubei province late last year.
People wearing face masks walk down stairs and an escalator at a busy metro station during the rush hour in Beijing this morning
While 32 people were added to the tally, another 89 were ‘released from hospital after being cured’, a statement said.
Another 12 suspected cases – also all imported – were being kept under observation, along with an additional 30 asymptomatic cases.
At this moment, has 1,242 confirmed cases in treatment and 1,033 asymptomatic cases under isolation and monitoring.
Numbers of daily new deaths have been hovering in the single digits for weeks, hitting just one on several occasions.
However, this is the first claim of zero new deaths since China began publishing daily updates in January.
Last week, China began disclosing the number of asymptomatic cases for the first time, after public concerns over the potential of ‘silent’ carriers to spread the virus.
Fears have also been growing over a potential resurgence in the epicentre of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected late last year.
Workers wearing protective suits take the temperature of people arriving at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing, where officials reported no new deaths today
Police officers wear protective face masks after a departure ceremony for Chinese medical workers leaving Wuhan to return to Shandong province yesterday
After a number of asymptomatic cases were confirmed in the city, local authorities revoked the ‘epidemic-free’ status of 45 residential compounds on Monday.
Meanwhile, the global death toll from the pandemic has surpassed 70,000 as the virus ravages numerous countries in Europe and the US.
More than 160 current and former global leaders are urging G20 nations to approve $8billion (£6.5 billion) in emergency global health funding.
The open letter also called for $35billion (£28.5billion) to support countries with weaker health systems and at least $150billion (£120billion) for developing countries to fight the medical and economic crisis.
They also urged the international community to waive this year’s debt repayments from poorer countries, including $44billion (£36billion) due from Africa.
The healthcare crisis in wealthy nations has prompted fears over what would happen if the disease spread uncontrollably in developing countries.
The 165 signatories included former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and 92 former presidents and prime ministers among others.
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