3 Red Cross officials punished in China's virus-hit Hubei province for donation errors

Three Chinese officials of the Red Cross Society in the coronavirus-hit Hubei province have been punished for improperly dealing with donations for the prevention and control of the epidemic, according to a media report.

Some officials and workers at the branch did not shoulder their responsibilities or failed to perform their duties when receiving and allocating donated supplies and money during the epidemic prevention and control effort, state-run China Daily reported on Tuesday.

The move to punish officials came a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned retribution to the officials disobeying orders.

"Those who disobey the unified command or shirk off responsibilities will be punished," Xi warned, addressing a political bureau meeting of the ruling Communist Party of China on Monday.

Chinese health authorities said on Tuesday announced that the death toll in China's coronavirus rose sharply to 425 with 64 deaths on Monday.