The number of cases of infected also continues to rise sharply. China reports 769 new confirmed cases, which means that the total figure in the country is now almost 2 750.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, the city where the outbreak started, on Monday. According to the government, Li spoke to health care professionals and patients, and inspected the efforts to limit the spread.

Extended over the weekend

In an attempt to stop the spread, the holiday in connection with the Chinese New Year is extended to Sunday. Actually, it would end on Thursday.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will meet government officials in Beijing.

"My WHO colleagues and I want to understand the latest developments and strengthen our cooperation with China to provide additional protection against the outbreak," he writes on Twitter.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry decided on Sunday to discourage travel to areas in China affected by the corona virus.