The death toll from the deadly coronavirus has topped 2,004 as of the end Tuesday, the country’s National Health Commission reported on Wednesday.
Nationwide, there had been a further 1,749 new confirmed cases of which 1,693 were from Hubei, bringing the total number of infections to 74,185.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of United Nations said the virus outbreak – which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan – is not yet out of control, but it has become a “very dangerous situation”.
Most cases are in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated in a market which traded in illegal wildlife.
Preliminary research suggested that in the most recent stage of its evolution, the Wuhan virus was passed on to humans from snakes.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people and a major transport hub, continues to remain in a virtual lockdown.
