China's Coronavirus Epidemic: Most Cases Are in Hubei (File)
BEIJING:
The death toll from the new Chinese coronavirus epidemic rose to over 1,800 on Tuesday after 93 more people died in Hubei province, the severely affected epicenter of the outbreak.
In its daily update, the provincial health commission also reported 1,807 new cases, fewer infections than Monday.
The new cases mean that more than 72,300 people across the country are now affected.
Most of the cases are in Hubei, where the virus first appeared in December before a nationwide epidemic occurred.
The increase in the number of deaths on Tuesday was also less than the increase reported on Monday, bringing the national number of deaths to 1,863.
Outside of the hardest hit Hubei, which has been effectively banned to contain the virus, the number of new cases has slowed, and China's national health agency has said this is a sign that the outbreak is under control.
However, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the trend "needs to be interpreted very carefully".
"Trends can change when new populations are affected. It is too early to say whether this reported decline will continue. Every scenario is still on the table," he told reporters Monday.
