China crisis Officials warn against online myths as a change in diagnostic methods results in 10-fold increase in the number of cases

China’s Hubei province, the region at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, reported 14,840 new cases yesterday, 10 times the number confirmed on Wednesday, after a change in diagnostic methods. Its death toll also jumped by 242 to more than 1,360. Across China more than 60,000 people have been infected with what is now named Covid-19.

Wuhan’s hospitals have struggled to diagnose infections with tests that detect only the genetic signature. But doctors are now including infections identified through lung scans, speeding up the diagnostic process, though some experts say this could also include seasonal flu.

The WHO said the increase was “a fact of reporting” and did not represent a major change in the trajectory of the virus.

Dr Mike Ryan, of the WHO emergencies programme, said there were 1,820 new infections in the past 24 hours and the other 13,320 cases related to a backlog going back weeks.

He added that “we need a vaccine against misinformation” as myths continued to proliferate online.

The rise in cases came as Japan reported only the third Covid-19 fatality outside China and Vietnam announced an area containing 10,000 people would be put into quarantine for 20 days.

Global shares were hit and the International Energy Agency said the first quarterly contraction in oil demand since the financial crash was expected because of a fall in Chinese consumption.

One district in the city of Shiyan, Hubei, has taken the extreme decision to impose wartime control measures for the next 14 days, including the full closure of all buildings. The move, the first of its kind since the outbreak, sparked speculation that other areas may follow suit. Only those involved in fighting the epidemic were allowed to enter or leave their homes.

Meanwhile,

Jiang Chaoliang, head of the local Communist party, became the highestranking official to be fired during the crisis. He was replaced by Ying Yong, former mayor of Shanghai and a close ally of President Xi Jinping.

In Hong Kong, Zhang Xiaoming, head of China’s liaison office, was suddenly replaced, making him the most senior Beijing appointed official to lose his job during months of political turmoil.