Coronaviruskillsmorethan 3,000inChina, rages globally

1ST DEATH IN UK Elderly patient had ‘underlying health conditions’; 290mn students globally face weeks at home

BEIJING/ GENEVA: More than 3,000 people have now died in China from the novel coronavirus outbreak, health officials said on Thursday as President Xi Jinping warned of the epidemic escalating outside the epicentre of Hubei province.

More than 96,000 people have been infected and over 3,200 have died worldwide from the virus, which by Thursday had reached at least 81 countries.

Britain recorded its first death, England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said on Thursday. “I am very sorry to report a patient in England who tested positive has sadly died,” he said, adding that the patient at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading was elderly and had “underlying health conditions”.

In China, latest statistics revealed 31 new deaths - all in Hubei - until Wednesday midnight, and 139 new confirmed cases in the mainland. The number of people infected in China is 80,409 while 3,012 are dead.

Switzerland reported its first death from the outbreak. South Africa confirmed its first case.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe says Japan will impose a 14-day quarantine on visitors from China and South Korea before they are allowed entry permit.

290MN SCHOOL KIDS FACE WEEKS AT HOME

Almost 300 million students worldwide faced weeks at home with Italy and Greece the latest countries to shut all schools.

Italy on Thursday reported 41 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, its highest single-day total to date, bringing the number of fatalities in Europe’s most affected country to 148.

The number of cases also jumped by a new high of 769, reaching 3,858 over the past two weeks.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday emptied Islam’s holiest site in Mecca for a sterilisation drive, an unprecedented shutdown that will last while the yearround umrah pilgrimage is suspended.