China: No let-up in COVID-19, death toll at over 3,200

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Though the spread of the novel coronavirus in China appears to have tapered down, the death toll in the country has continued to rise above 3,200.

The National Health Commission (NHC) of China on Tuesday confirmed 21 new COVID-19 cases, Xinhua news reported.

Some 13 others have died due to the virus, 12 of them in Hubei province -- the epicenter of the outbreak.

The coronavirus was first reported from Wuhan city, the capital of Hubei in December last year. It has spread to over 150 countries and territories resulting in the deaths of over 7,100, while 182,725 others have been infected.

NHC officials said a total of 3,226 people have died of the disease since it was first reported, with 80,881 have been infected.

They added that China also received 20 imported cases of the virus including nine in Beijing, three in Shanghai, three in Guangdong and one each in the Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Shaanxi provinces.

At least 143 imported cases were reported in mainland China as of Monday night, the NHC said.

- Hong Kong extends school shutdown

The autonomous Hong Kong region announced on Tuesday that schools would remain closed for a longer period than originally planned.

In a media briefing, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said it was "not possible" to resume all classes on April 20 because of the current public health situation, the daily Hong Kong Free Press reported.

"We will be starting with the oldest students in the senior secondary [education], so the chances [of] very young kids [going] back to school within one to two months will be quite slim," she added.

NHC said that by Monday night, 157 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong, 11 confirmed cases in the Macao and 67 in Taiwan, where there has been one death.