(VOVWORLD) - The Hubei health authority reported 96 more deaths from the coronavirus in the Chinese province on Saturday, raising the death toll in the outbreak's epicenter to nearly 2,500. Additional 630 cases of infection the same day were also confirmed.
The total number of cases in the epicenter of the outbreak is now more than 64,000. The Hubei report brings the total number of deaths in mainland China to at least 2,441.
The coronavirus outbreak in South Korea has worsened with two more deaths and 123 more cases confirmed Sunday morning. The newest cases brought the total number of confirmed infections in South Korea to 556, according to South Korea's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
In Italy, 79 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus on Sunday morning, including two who have died. The Italian government has introduced strict emergency measures, including closure of public buildings which might be hotspots of virus contraction.
In Japan, authorities of Tochigi Prefecture announced on Saturday that one of the passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive for coronavirus after disembarking the ship on Wednesday. She is the first known case of infection among the passengers who were cleared to leave the ship after a 14-day quarantine.
On Saturday, 26 new cases were confirmed in Japan, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 769, according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK. Most of them are related to crew members and passengers from the Diamond Princess.