Coronavirus Deaths Soar Past 720 In China

The monthlong outbreak showed no sign of letting up. On Saturday, the death toll from China’s coronavirus has risen to 722, while Hong Kong said all arrivals from mainland China will have to undergo a 14-day ‘mandatory’ quarantine. The number of infected has reached 34,546.

The virus has spread to some 26 countries and territories. The infection of this deadly virus spreads rapidly and can catch at least two to three people. Health experts say the mortality rate of the coronavirus is about 2-3% so far. Meanwhile, about 1500 patients infected by the virus have also been saved. 

In 2000, SARS virus wreaked havoc in 29 countries, infecting 8000 and killing 774 people. It had a fatality rate of 10%.

In 2012, the MERS virus spread across 28 countries infecting 2,494 and killing 858 people. MERS fatality rate was 34.4%.

In 1998, Nipah virus with a fatality rate of 77.8%, infected 513 people and killed 398.

Ebola virus which spread across nine countries had a fatality rate of 40.4%, infected 33,577 people and killed over 13,000.

While most infected by the novel coronavirus are aged between 49-56 years across the world, but in China, 80% of people diagnosed with coronavirus are 60-year-olds.

The WHO said 14% of the cases in China are in the ‘dangerous’ category, whose cure is not yet known.