At least 2,011 people have now died from the novel coronavirus, the vast majority of them in mainland China. China's Health Commission announced 136 new deaths since Monday, bringing the countrywide toll to 2,004.
China’s National Health Commission (NHC) reported Tuesday that 136 more people died of coronavirus in mainland China, 132 of which occurred in Hubei province.
The latest figures bring the total number of deaths in mainland China to 2,004, and the global death toll to 2,009. There have been five deaths reported outside of mainland China, with Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and France all recording one death each.
The global number of confirmed coronavirus cases now stands at 75,216, with the majority of cases in mainland China.
Cases pass 1,000 outside China: More than 1,000 people have now been infected with the virus outside mainland China. Japan and Singapore are still seeing a steady rise in cases, with the Ministry of Health in Tokyo reporting seven new infections on Tuesday.
Cruise ship disembarks: After weeks under quarantine in Japan, the passengers of the Diamond Princess will begin to disembark today.
It will take days to get all those onboard off the ship, but it will be a relief for the cruise goers who have tested negative for the coronavirus. More than 500 of their fellow passengers have already been diagnosed with the virus.
But there was still a "high risk" of exposure and so no one was allowed to return to their countries from the ship for a further 14 days.
Westerdam waits: Meanwhile, test results are pending for 1,000 crew and passengers waiting aboard the Westerdam cruise ship in Cambodia. One passenger is said to have tested positive for the virus by Malaysian authorities after she was transiting through the country. Passengers from the ship disembarked in Cambodia on Friday after being refused entry at several ports.
Positive spin: Local media is pushing the message that the worst of the crisis is over, and Chinese President said there was "visible progress and the epidemic had now reached a "crucial time."
Vaccine in the works: A vaccine for the novel coronavirus could take 12 to 18 months, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday during a news briefing. But a vaccine is preparing for “the worst situation,” he said, and for now, long-term preparation needs to be balanced with immediate public health solutions that contain the virus and keep the fatality rate low.