Coronavirus death toll rises to 1,523 in China

A new coronavirus death toll rose by 143 to 1,523 in China, the Chinese National Health Commission said.

The total of confirmed infections across mainland China was now 66,492 after 2,641 new cases were confirmed, as of Friday, it said.

The official Beijing Daily newspaper said people failing to obey government orders to quarantine themselves on return from the holidays would be punished. But it was not immediately clear how that would be enforced, or whether the restrictions would apply to non-residents or foreigners arriving from abroad.

Outside mainland China, there have been nearly 450 cases in some 24 countries and territories, and three deaths.

Egypt confirmed its first coronavirus case on Friday, saying the affected person was a foreigner who had been put into isolation in hospital.