Jan 03 , 2020. 23 minutes ago – 09:54 – KYODO NEWS

BEIJING – The death toll from a new coronavirus in China has reached 361, topping that of the SARS outbreak between 2002 and 2003 on its mainland, health authorities said Monday.

China’s National Health Commission said confirmed deaths rose 57 from the previous day, while the number of infections stood at 17,205, up 2,829.

Of the new deaths, 56 were in Hubei Province, whose capital Wuhan is the epicenter of the virus, and one in the southwestern city of Chongqing, according to the commission.

The outbreak of SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, killed 349 in mainland China and 774 worldwide.

The new virus has infected more people than SARS during its outbreak, in which some 8,000 were stricken globally.

The World Health Organization declared last week that the rapid spread of the virus is a public health emergency of international concern.

CR: KYODO NEWS