CHINA has reported NO fresh coronavirus cases in the epicentre Wuhan or surrounding Hubei province in the last day – signalling the epidemic there could be passing.
The deadly COVID-19 outbreak first emerged in the central region late last year and it has gone on to spread worldwide – killing more than 8,700 and infecting over 215,000 to date.
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China’s health ministry said on Thursday that results over the past 24 hours showed 34 new cases – all detected in people arriving from abroad.
But while no new local cases were reported, eight new deaths were recorded – all in Wuhan.
At the peak of its outbreak, Wuhan reported thousands of new cases of coronavirus infection daily – overwhelming its health care system.
Of those new cases of infection, 21 were in Beijing, nine in the southern manufacturing powerhouse of Guangdong, two in Shanghai and one each in coastal Zhejiang and Heilongjing in the far northeast.
China has only just begun loosening draconian travel restrictions within the country.
But it has stepped-up its 14-day quarantine regulations on those arriving in Beijing, Shanghai and elsewhere from overseas.
Those measures came amid expectations of a new influx of students and others returning home.
China has now recorded a total of 80,928 confirmed virus cases with 3,245 deaths.
Another 70,420 people have been released from hospital and 7,263 remain in treatment.
More to follow…
