Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 132 in China; Nearly 6,000 infected

The number of people infected by the deadly Coronavirus outbreak has risen to nearly 6,000 in China, reports on Wednesday said. The virus originating from China's Wuhan has claimed the lives of 132 people in the country, while 5,974 new cases have been confirmed.

By the end of Monday, a total of 4,515 cumulative confirmed cases of novel virus had been reported in Hubei, while 2,567 patients are hospitalised, with 563 in severe conditions and 127 in critical conditions, the Hubei Provincial Health Commission said on Tuesday. Hospitals across the province received 31,934 fever patients on Monday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Public health experts in Hong Kong had warned on Monday that there could be thousands of more carriers of this new and deadly virus from China, despite sweeping efforts to contain it.

Meanwhile, Chinese health authorities said in its daily report that 1,239 patients remained in critical conditions, and 9,239 people were suspected of being infected with the virus as of the end of Tuesday.

A total of 103 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery.