The Wuhan coronavirus has now killed more people than the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2003 after 89 more deaths in mainland China on Saturday brought the global death toll to 813.
It is the deadliest day yet for the Coronavirus, which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan and has continued to spread rapidly across the country and around the world. China’s National Health Commission announced the new death toll on Saturday, adding that the country’s total number of infections had risen to 37,198. Out of the 813 people who have been killed by the virus, 811 were in mainland China, with one death each recorded in Hong Kong and the Philippines.
In comparison, during the SARS outbreak, a total of 774 people died and just over 8,000 were infected.
But the death rate for the coronavirus is still far below the 9.6% rate for SARS. The coronavirus death rate stands at around 2.2% globally, less than a quarter of SARS. Several other countries announced new infections over the weekend, including Thailand, France and Singapore, which now has 40 cases of the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Saturday it would be sending a team to China, beginning from Monday or Tuesday, to investigate the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking at a news conference, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said they were fighting not only the virus but also the growing tide of incorrect information around it.
“While the virus spreads, misinformation makes the job of our heroic health workers even harder. It is diverting the attention of decision makers. And it causes confusion and spreads fear to the general public,” he said.
