Coronavirus wrap: Chinese doctor who first warned about virus outbreak dies

The death toll from the novel coronavirus in China jumped to 564 on Thursday, its third straight record daily rise, as experts intensified efforts to find a vaccine for a disease that has shut down Chinese cities, forced thousands into quarantine around the world and is also expected to have an impact on the global economy. 

Seventy new deaths were reported in Hubei province, the epicentre of the epidemic, on Wednesday as also 2,987 new confirmed cases. Fatalities were also reported in Tianjin city, the northeastern province of Heilongjiang and Guizhou province in the southwest.

A third person was diagnosed with the deadly coronavirus in Kerala on Monday, compelling the state to declare the novel virus as a 'state calamity'. Many countries have taken stringent steps, including travel restrictions, to limit the spread of the disease.

Meanwhile, China has opened a 1,000-bed makeshift hospital built in record 10 days at Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus outbreak in central China's Hubei Province. Wuhan authorities are converting an additional eight buildings, including gymnasiums, exhibition centres and sports centres, into hospitals.