54 people died from strange pneumonia, China faces 'serious situation'
Based on previous official figures, the new infections in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, brought the total number of confirmed cases across China to 1,610.
Medical staff work in an intensive care unit for patients with pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus in Nanchang, Jiangsu province, China, January 25. (Photo: THX/TTXVN)
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China has risen to 54, after authorities in Hubei province confirmed 13 more deaths and 323 new cases on January 25.
Based on previous official figures, the new infections in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, brought the total number of confirmed cases across China to 1,610.
According to the Hubei Health Commission, the epicenter of the epidemic is still in Wuhan city, the provincial capital, with 7 deaths and 46 new infections.
Earlier in the day, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the country faced a "grave situation" as authorities scrambled to contain the spread of the respiratory disease, which has forced the cancellation of Lunar New Year celebrations across the country and overwhelmed medical facilities in Hubei.
Wuhan and dozens of other cities in Hubei have been placed under lockdown to prevent the spread of the disease.
Hundreds of military doctors have also been deployed to Hubei, while authorities are rushing to build field hospitals to cope with the situation as local medical facilities have become overloaded./.
