AFP, BEIJINGChina yesterday said it urgently needed medical equipment and masks, as the death toll from 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) jumped above 360, making it deadlier than the SARS crisis nearly two decades ago. The virus has since spread to more than 24 countries, despite many governments imposing unprecedented travel bans on arrivals from China. “What China urgently needs at present are medical masks, protective suits, and safety goggles,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) told a press briefing. The national death toll reached 361 — exceeding the 349 mainland fatalities from the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak. China criticized the US for being the first to evacuate nationals without providing “substantial assistance” to China.

Source: Taipei Times February 03, 2020 15:56 UTC