Coronavirus: Death toll touches 361 in China

The death toll in China's coronavirus epidemic soared to 361 with 57 deaths on Sunday alone while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 17,205, Chinese health officials announced today.

China's National Health Commission in its daily report on Monday said that 2,829 new cases of coronavirus were reported nationwide on February 2, taking the total number of infection to 17,205.

The death toll rose to 361 with 57 deaths reported on Sunday, state-run Xinhua quoted the commission's report as saying. Among Sunday's deaths, 56 were reported from Hubei Province, the epicentre of the virus outbreak, and one from southwest China's Chongqing, the commission said. Total 5,173 new suspected cases were reported on Sunday, it said. The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland reached 17,205 by the end of Sunday.

Also on Sunday, 186 patients became seriously ill, and 147 people were discharged from hospital after recovery.