Second coronavirus death outside China reported in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has reported its first death from the coronavirus - the second fatality outside mainland China.

People wear surgical face mask on the street on 3 February in Hong Kong.

People wear surgical face mask on the street on 3 February in Hong Kong. Source: ABACA

Hong Kong has reported its first coronavirus death, a 39-year-old male who had been suffering from an underlying illness and had visited China's Wuhan city in January.

This is the second death outside mainland China.

The first death outside of China was reported on Sunday - a 44-year-old Chinese man who died in the Philippines after travelling there from Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus.

The death toll in China rose on Tuesday by a new daily record to more than 420 and total infections in China rose by 3235 to 20,438.

There were at least 151 cases in 23 other countries and regions, including Australia, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Britain.

The Hong Kong death comes as hundreds of medical workers in the Asian financial hub began a second day of strikes on Tuesday to force the government to completely close the city's borders with mainland China, a day after embattled leader Carrie Lam left three remaining checkpoints open.

The former British colony so far has had 15 confirmed cases including one that was transmitted locally.

There are more than 40,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally, the vast majority in China.
There are more than 40,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally, the vast majority in China. Source: AAP

The United States, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Vietnam are among countries that have denied entry to foreign nationals who have recently been in China.

Last week the Hong Kong government suspended the cross-border travel network at six checkpoints and halved the number of flights to the mainland among other measures.


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