China on Tuesday confirmed 108 new casualties due to the corona virus, which is a new daily record. It was the first time that more than 100 deaths were recorded in one day, while the number of infected cases increased by almost 2,500 to over 42,000 infected.
A total of 1,016 people have died from the virus in China, while two deaths have been reported outside China, in Hong Kong and the Philippines. Twenty-four countries have confirmed 319 cases of infection outside China.
Almost all deaths in China occurred in Hubei Province, including 67 who died in Wuhan where the virus outbreak began in December.
The government says it has now sent almost 20,000 doctors and nurses to Wuhan and even more are on their way to the worst affected city and province.
The two top health managers in Hubei have been fired at the same time, according to Chinese television. The ruling Communist Party indicated no reason why the province’s two highest health directors are dismissed.
Local authorities have been accused of incompetence, especially after a doctor who sounded the virus outbreak after he died of infection.
Wang Hesheng, the deputy director of China’s National Health Commission, instead takes responsibility for the two highest health posts in Wuhan. The province’s political leadership is also shaken by the fact that Beijing has appointed a new party leader for the province.
Deaths were also reported in Heilongjiang, Anhui and Henan provinces, as well as in Beijing and Tianjin cities, which enjoy the same status as a province.
Horseed Media + Agencies
