Mainland China’s death toll from the new virus outbreak has risen to 811, surpassing the number of fatalities in the 2002-2003 SARS pandemic.
However, the number of new cases reported during the last 24 hours on Sunday fell significantly from the previous period, something experts see as a sign the spread of the virus may be slowing.
Another 89 deaths were reported, while 2,656 new cases were added for a total of 37,198. On Saturday, 3,399 cases were reported for the previous 24 hours.
SARS is widely considered to have killed 774 people and sickened 8,098, mainly in mainland China and Hong Kong. The response this time has been much quicker, and countries around the world are enforcing stricter measures to contain the spread.
A 60-year-old U.S. citizen diagnosed with coronavirus died Thursday in Wuhan, according to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and media outlets.
The patient apparently is the first American fatality from the virus. The embassy did not identify the person.
A Japanese citizen, who was a suspected case and was being treated in Wuhan, also died.
Three more cruise ship passengers were diagnosed with the virus in Japan for a total of 64 on board the ship.
Credit: Koki Sengoku
Credit: Koki Sengoku
China’s ruling Communist Party faces continuing anger and recriminations from the public about the death of a doctor who was threatened by police after trying to sound the alarm about the disease more than a month ago.
Public anger continued to simmer about the authorities’ treatment of a young doctor who was reprimanded by police for issuing a warning about the virus before being infected and dying this week.
In death, 34-year-old Li Wenliang became the face of anger at the ruling Communist Party’s controls over information and complaints that officials lie about or hide disease outbreaks, chemical spills, dangerous consumer products or financial frauds.
Rich Barak of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
