Beijing (AFP) - The death toll from China's new coronavirus epidemic jumped past 1,500 on Saturday but new infections fell following a mid-week surge caused by a change in the way cases are counted.
More than 66,000 people have now been infected in China from a virus that emerged in central Hubei province in December before spreading across the country a month later and causing global panic.
Battling the outbreak is a"big test for the country's governance system and governance ability," Xi said as he chaired a political meeting on government reforms this week, according to state media. A number of cities far from the epicentre have also imposed tough measures limiting the number of people who can leave their homes, while schools remain closed nationwide and many companies have encouraged employees to work from home.
In Singapore, which has 67 confirmed cases, the Roman Catholic Church said it was suspending all masses indefinitely to help prevent the spread of the virus and urged the faithful to follow services on YouTube or the radio.The National Health Commission reported 143 new deaths on Saturday, with all but four in Hubei, raising the toll to 1,523.
Previously, they were counting only cases with a positive lab test result but are now also including those"clinically diagnosed" through lung imaging. "We're seeking further clarity on how clinical diagnosis is being made to ensure other respiratory illnesses including influenza are not getting mixed into the COVID-19 data," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday.Chinese authorities have placed tens of million of people under quarantine
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