China sees more newly recovered coronavirus patients than new infections for 1st time

Novel coronavirus death toll surges past 2,000

BEIJING: China's daily number of newly recovered novel coronavirus patients has surpassed that of new confirmed infections for the first time, according to the National Health Commission.

Tuesday saw 1,824 people walk out of hospital after recovery, higher than the same day's number of new confirmed infections of the novel coronavirus, which was 1,749, showed figures released Wednesday by the commission.

A total of 14,376 patients infected with the novel coronavirus had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Tuesday, according to the commission.

Meanwhile, the death toll from China’s new coronavirus epidemic jumped past 2,000 on Wednesday after 136 more people died, with the number of new cases falling for a second straight day, according to the National Health Commission.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to 74,185.

The death toll rose to 2,004, with most of the deaths in central Hubei province, where the virus first emerged in December before spiralling into a nationwide epidemic.

A study released by Chinese officials said most patients have mild cases of the illness, and health officials have described the slowing numbers as an indication that the outbreak is under control.

President Xi Jinping, in a phone call with the British prime minister, said China’s measures were achieving “visible progress”, according to state media Tuesday.

However, the World Health Organisation has cautioned that it is too early to tell if the decline will continue.

 

(With additional input from AFP.)