10 February

The death toll in the new-coronavirus outbreak has exceeded 900 in mainland China, where many businesses are set to reopen Monday after a holiday that was extended to curb the spread of infection.

The central province of Hubei, which has been at the center of the epidemic, said Monday it has seen around 90 new deaths and over 2,600 new infections, bringing the totals across the mainland to about 910 and more than 40,000, respectively.

The virus, first detected in Wuhan, Hubei's capital, has killed more people than the 2002-2003 SARS coronavirus epidemic, which sickened 8,098 and claimed the lives of 774 globally.

But the fatality rate of around 2 percent in the latest epidemic is lower than for SARS, which recorded around 10 percent.

Everywhere in China on Monday, a large number of companies and stores are set to resume operations after the end of the extended Lunar New Year holiday, raising concern that more people could become infected as they come into contact with others.

The weeklong holiday began on Jan. 24, but the Chinese government said on Jan. 27 this would be extended until Feb. 2 as the number of coronavirus cases multiplied.

Many businesses also remained shut last week at the behest of local governments.

Kyodonews