China denies high fatalities as toll hits 564; 73 in 1 day
China on Thursday denounced as “rumours and lies” the reports of a much higher death toll and infected cases in the coronavirus outbreak that it said has killed 564 people as the authorities finished work on a second hospital to treat thousands of patients suffering from the disease.
Overall 564 people have died in China due to the virus on Wednesday and 28,018 confirmed cases have been reported from 31 provincial-level regions, the National Health Commission reported on Thursday.
On Wednesday, 73 people died — the highest casualty in a single day — due to the virus and the new confirmed cases of the epidemic went up by 3,694, it added.
Chinese officials said 19 foreign nationals living
in the country have been confirmed of contracting the novel coronavirus as of Thursday, but did not disclose their nationalities.
China also said that it has lodged diplomatic protests with countries whose airlines have cancelled flights to Chinese cities alleging that they are spreading panic in the wake of deadly coronavirus.
Seventy of the deaths reported on Wednesday were from Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus outbreak.
Beijing, Feb. 6: China said on Thursday that it has lodged diplomatic protests with countries whose airlines have cancelled flights to Chinese cities alleging that they are spreading panic in the wake of deadly coronavirus. It has spread to more than 25 countries. Several international airlines have cancelled flights to China over fears of the virus spreading across the world, a move which Beijing described against the WHO guidelines. Several countries have also announced travel bans.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “We deplore and oppose those countries who went against WHO’s professional recommendations and ICAO’s bulletins and have lodged stern representations with them. Their actions, which sowed panic among the public, will not help prevent and control the epidemic.” she said.
“We hope all countries can assess the epidemic situation and China’s efforts in a calm, objective and rational manner and do not overreact,” the spokesperson added.