BEIJING, Feb.13(Reuters)- A record number of new cases of death were reported on Thursday in China`s Hubei province, the center of a new outbreak of coronary pneumonia, as the number of clinically diagnosed cases was reported. Health experts warn that the epidemic could worsen until it improves.
Pedestrians wear masks outside residential areas in Beijing, China, on February 11,2020. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
On Wednesday,242 people died of new coronary pneumonia, the highest level in a day since the outbreak was discovered in December, Hubei health officials said. The total number of deaths in the province increased to 1,310. The highest number of death cases was on february 10th,103.
The number of new confirmed cases reported the day before fell to a two-week low of 2,015, supporting China`s National Health and Health Commission high-level expert group leader Zhong Nanshan`s prediction that the epidemic could end in April.
However, the number of clinical cases included in the number of confirmed cases announced, resulting in a single day in Hubei Province on February 12, the number of new confirmed cases soared to 14,840.
Before Hubei mainly relies on nucleic acid to diagnose the case, this may take several days and delay treatment.
Using CT images to determine lung infections can help patients get treatment as soon as possible and improve their chances of recovery, Hubei Health Commission said.
Raina McIntyre, director of biosafety research at Sydney`s Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales, said the new diagnostic procedure could also lead to a surge in death cases.
"It is assumed that some death cases did not have a laboratory diagnosis, but had a CT image. It`s important that these cases are counted now," she told Reuters.
Prior to the stricter criteria for the diagnosis of new cases of coronavirus infection, some patients were not usually treated or could not be diagnosed.
Chinese officials say the current clinical diagnosis is only for Hubei.
** Market shocks**
Asian stocks wobbled and risk-averse assets such as the yen, gold and bonds rose. The surge in confirmed cases of new coronavirus pneumonia in hubei has dampened expectations that the epidemic will stabilize and that economics in china may rebound quickly.
Trials of chinese use of anti-viral drugs targeting aids will be released within weeks, but experts say it may take months for vaccine to develop.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director - General Tam Desai warned that the perception of a marked slowdown in the spread of the epidemic should be "extremely cautious."
"The epidemic is still likely to move in any direction," he told a journallist conference in geneva on wednesday.
Hundreds of people in other countries and regions are infected with the new coronavirus, but there are only two death cases outside mainland, china: one in hong kong and one in the philippines.
The most common confirmed cases outside China are on the isolated cruise ship outside the Japanese port of Yokohama. The cruise ship, carrying about 3,700 tourists and crew members, included 219 new-type coronavirus positives, adding 44 cases on Thursday.
However, its cruise ship, the Whitten, finally has a good ending. The company said Cambodia had agreed to allow its occupants to go ashore. Thailand, Japan, TW, Guam and the Philippines had previously refused access to the cruise ship, fearing it could infect 1,455 passengers and 802 crew members.
"It was great to see land in the morning," Angela Jones, an American tourist on the cruise, told Reuters. "
UAL.O. said late Wednesday that all flights from the United States to China would be suspended until late April due to a new coronavirus outbreak. U.S. passenger carriers have now grounded flights to China until late April.
This is the latest resistance to international travel. Travel restrictions have paralysed operations and disrupted the holding of many large conferences and sports events.
This year`s World Mobile Communications Conference (MWC) was called off on Wednesday after a large number of exhibitors withdrew amid fears of a new outbreak of corona pneumonia. The annual telecommunications industry event could have attracted more than 100,000 visitors to barcelona.
Another big event that has been cancelled, changed or postponed is the Formula One China Race, scheduled for April 19 in Shanghai.
Sources familiar with the situation said the international seven-man football match, scheduled for April 11-12 in Singapore, will be postponed due to the outbreak of new pneumonia.
Hong Kong`s Secretary for Education, Mr Yang Runxiong, said on Thursday that there were no signs of a new type of coronavirus pneumonia and a recent collective infection. In order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases through schools, the Education Bureau decided that schools would resume classes no earlier than March 16. (end)
Compilation Zhang Tao / Du Mingxia / Wang Can / Zhang Di / Xu Wenyan; Liu Xiuhong / Wang Xingya / Wang Ying / Sun Molly
