Chinese officials added 769 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the total number of people claimed to have been infected with the illness to more than 2,700.
The life-threatening coronavirus sparked global concern after an outbreak of the illness appeared in Wuhan, China. The Chinese government claims that 80 people have died of the virus in the region surrounding Wuhan, along with four who died in other regions of the country.
China placed more than 50 million people under quarantine, but the virus has been detected beyond Wuhan and the surrounding region.
At least 40 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed outside of China. As of Sunday night, five cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the United States, including two in California and one apiece in Washington state, Illinois, and Arizona. Thailand has the largest infected population outside of China with eight confirmed cases. Australia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia all have at least four confirmed cases.
Many have questioned the validity of China’s coronavirus reporting. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton ripped China last week, saying, “The Chinese Communist Party has once again been caught red-handed covering up, suppressing, and censoring a serious public health risk, which could increasingly be a global public health risk.”
While Cotton called for “serious consequences” against China for its alleged cover-up, President Trump commended Chinese leader Xi Jinping for his “transparency” while managing the outbreak. He tweeted, “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”
