China Deaths Rise to 212; WHO Declares Emergency: Virus Update

The number of people in China killed by the novel coronavirus rose to at least 212, and the World Health Organization called the outbreak a global health emergency, signs that the spread of the sometimes deadly pathogen shows no signs of abating.

Hubei, the province at the center of the outbreak, reported 42 additional deaths from the novel coronavirus, according to a statement Friday from the Health Commission of Hubei Province.

Workers from a funeral house disinfect themselves after handling a coronavirus victim in Wuhan, Jan. 30.

Photographer: Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Hubei province, where the outbreak is centered, reported 1,220 new confirmed cases over the 24-hour period. There have been more than 8,000 cases reported previously for mainland China. ...