South Korea reported 161 more coronavirus cases Monday, taking the nationwide total to 763 and making it the world's largest total outside China.

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck in Iran on Sunday morning, killing at least nine people, including children in neighboring Turkey.

Chinese policymakers expect a quick recovery of economic growth after the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic is contained, as the country has made a series of strong policy adjustments to counter downward growth pressure.

The first batch of vaccines against the novel coronavirus has produced antibodies and undergone animal testing, an official of Zhejiang province's Science and Technology Department in East China said at a news conference on Sunday.

China has mobilized the power of the whole country and launched unprecedented medical aid to Hubei province, center of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Doctors including TCM medical workers, nurses such as those with intensive care expertise, emergency rescuers, experts and academicians, all come to the front line from across the country.

China could start clinical trials for a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus around late April, an official said Friday.