Beijing (AFP)
The new coronavirus epidemic has killed 118 more in mainland China, mostly in Hubei province, bringing the total number of deaths nationwide to 2,236, health officials said on Friday.
The National Health Commission has also reported 889 new cases of contamination confirmed within 24 hours in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao).
More than 75,000 people have been infected with Covid-19 in China, and hundreds elsewhere in more than 25 countries.
The Hubei Health Commission said earlier Friday, in its daily count, 115 additional deaths in the past 24 hours and 411 new cases of contamination in the province, including 319 in Wuhan.
More than half of the new infections therefore took place in other Chinese provinces. There are still fears about the possible spread of the virus in the country, despite the drastic traffic restrictions and containment measures adopted in many cities.
China said on Thursday that it has again changed the method of counting patients with the new coronavirus and will now include only those who have passed a laboratory test.
It was the second review of the criteria in just eight days, a move that could cloud the statistics and make it difficult to track the spread of the disease.
© 2020 AFP