Global coronavirus deaths cross 3,000; spreads to over 70 countries

China has reported 42 new fatalities from the novel coronavirus outbreak, taking the death toll in the country to 2,912, Chinese health officials said on Monday, as the rapid spread of the epidemic wreaks havoc globally causing over 3,000 deaths and infecting more than 88,000 people.

The deadly virus that first emerged in China in December last year has spread to more than 70 countries and has infected more than 88,000 people.

China's National Health Commission said on Sunday it received reports of 202 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Sunday, taking the total number of cases in the mainland to 80,026.

The new cases are the lowest since January 22 when Beijing initiated emergency measures, including placing the worst-hit Wuhan city and 17 other cities with over 50 million people under lockdown.

Forty-two deaths were reported on Sunday in the virus-hit Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan, the NHC said in its daily report.

The overall cases included 2,912 people, died of the disease, 32,652 patients who were still being treated and 44,462 patients discharged after recovery, it said.

The commission said that 715 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

Hubei province and its capital Wuhan which remained the epicentres of the coronavirus outbreak reported 196 new confirmed cases.

The latest report brought the total confirmed cases in the hard-hit province to 67,103 and that of total deaths to 2,803, including 2,227 fatalities in Wuhan, local health commission said.

Wuhan reported 193 confirmed cases and 32 deaths on Sunday. In total, the city has registered 49,315 confirmed cases.

The province also saw 2,570 patients discharged from hospital after recovery on Sunday, bringing the total number of discharged patients in the province to 33,757.

Among the 26,901 hospitalised patients, 5,646 were still in severe condition and another 1,226 in critical condition.

The commission also said 80 new suspected cases were reported on Sunday.

All over China 2,837 people were discharged from hospital after recovery on Sunday, while the number of severe cases decreased by 255 to 7,110, the NHC said.

By the end of Sunday, 98 confirmed cases including two deaths had been reported in Hong Kong, 10 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 40 in Taiwan, including one death.

The deadly coronavirus is wreaking havoc globally, killing over 50 people in Iran, 34 in Italy and 22 in South Korea.

Australia and the US reported their first deaths on Sunday.