Coronavirus update on February 8: China has 722 deaths, surpassing the number of deaths from SARS

The death toll from the 2019-nCoV coronavirus worldwide has risen to 724 after Hubei province announced 81 new deaths from the disease on February 8.

According to AFP, the total number of deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus is now higher than the number of deaths from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003, which killed nearly 650 people in mainland China and Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post cited data from the World Health Organization (WHO) saying that during the SARS outbreak, also caused by a strain of coronavirus, there were 8,437 infections worldwide, of which 813 people died.

Reuters news agency quoted an update from China's National Health Commission saying that as of the morning of February 8, the death toll from the coronavirus in mainland China was 722, an increase of 86 deaths compared to the previous day. Hubei province alone, the epicenter of the epidemic, recorded 81 more deaths.

Thus, as of 7:40 a.m. on February 8, there were a total of 724 deaths worldwide, including 722 deaths on the mainland, 1 in the Philippines and 1 in Hong Kong.

Additionally, on February 7, Hubei identified 2,841 more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected people in the locality to 24,953 cases.

Among the new infections announced on February 8, 1,985 cases were identified in Wuhan city, the epicenter of Hubei province, which is also the place where the acute respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus broke out.

Thus, compared to statistics from the previous day, both the number of deaths and new infections in Hubei province increased. Specifically, on February 6, Hubei had 69 deaths and 2,447 new infections.

3 more people infected with coronavirus on cruise ship in Japan

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said on February 8 that three more people on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected cases to 64.

The three people, two Americans and one Chinese, have been transferred to medical centers.

The Diamond was carrying about 3,700 people, including 1,100 crew members and 2,670 passengers.

The disease is present in 24 countries, with more than 270 people infected outside China.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), as of 6:30 a.m. on February 8, in addition to China, the acute respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus has been present in at least 24 countries with more than 270 cases of infection.

Thus, up to this point, the world has 720 deaths and more than 34,390 cases of Wuhan coronavirus infection.

61 cases of corona infection on cruise ship in Japan

In a related development, according to Reuters, Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said at a press conference on February 7 that 41 more people on the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus. So far, there have been 61 cases of corona positive on this cruise ship, including 21 Japanese people.

All those infected have been taken to hospitals in Tokyo and nearby towns. Authorities said the quarantine period on the Diamond Princess cruise ship will end on February 19.

There are about 3,700 people on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, including about 1,100 crew members and 2,670 guests.

According to Tuoi Tre