Death Toll In China Exceeds Sars Outbreak
The death toll from the new coronavirus in mainland China has reached 811, surpassing the number of worldwide deaths from the SARS epidemic in 2003.
China's National Health Commission reported 89 new deaths on Saturday.
The outbreak of SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, killed 774 people before the World Health Organization declared the end of the epidemic.
The number of newly confirmed cases was 2,656, bringing the total to 37,198, with 6,188 in serious condition.
There were 3,000 new infections reported every day for the five consecutive days through Friday. But the figure for Saturday was lower.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency says a newly-built hospital in Wuhan started operations on Saturday.
The report says Leishenshan Hospital, the second to be built since the outbreak, will receive 1,500 patients.
But the growing number of serious patients has posed a challenge to medical systems.
Business activities that remain suspended since the Lunar New Year holidays are expected to resume in many areas on Monday.
But it may take some time for companies to fully resume operations, as many people have having problems returning from their hometowns due to ongoing transport restrictions.
