(VOVWORLD) - On Wednesday morning, China reported 1,749 new Covid-19 infections and 136 more deaths. The overwhelming majority are still in Hubei province, which reported 93 new deaths. New cases reported outside Hubei dropped for the 14th consecutive day.
 A field hospital in Wuhan city, February 16, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday said China's measures to control the Covid-19 epidemic are making visible progress as the battle enters a critical period.
Chinese leaders, eager to kickstart economic activity, have dismantled some highway checkpoints and businesses have begun to reopen.
On Tuesday, the Japanese health ministry said 88 more people have tested positive for coronavirus on a quarantined cruise ship off the coast of Japan, bringing the total number of cases on the Diamond Princess to 524. Of those who tested positive, 65 were not yet showing symptoms.
As of Wednesday, 75,184 people were known to be infected and there were 2,009 fatalities. The 6 deaths outside China were in Hong Kong, Tawain, Japan, the Philippines, and France.
Chinese medical officials said on Tuesday that they are using infusions of blood plasma from people who have recovered from the coronavirus to treat those still battling the infection and some encouraging preliminary results have been reported.