A man in the Philippines has become the first person outside China to die from the coronavirus outbreak, while the overall death toll has risen above 300 and the number of confirmed cases of infection increased to more than 14,000. The death toll in China climbed by 45 to 304 and the number of cases by 2,590 to 14,380, according to the National Health Commission. The number of confirmed cases in China has surpassed the number in the 2002-03 outbreak of Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Most cases reported so far have been people who visited China or their family members. Both the new virus and Sars are from the coronavirus family, which also includes those that cause the common cold.

Source: Irish Examiner February 02, 2020 01:40 UTC