Coronavirus death toll surpasses 1,000 in mainland China

With this, the death toll in the epicentre of the outbreak Hubei has risen to 974, while the total number of deaths in mainland China has reached 1,011, according to CNN. One person in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines has died due to the virus.

According to the SCMP report, the virus has spread to at least 24 countries, sickened more than 42,000 people worldwide.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday appeared before the public for the first time since the coronavirus epidemic started and said the government would prevent large-scale layoffs amid the outbreak.

Jinping inspected efforts by community workers in Beijing to contain the virus, visited a local hospital that offers treatment to coronavirus patients and video-chatted with frontline medical staff in Wuhan, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

(ANI)