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China's Hubei reports 56 new coronavirus deaths, total at 350

People coming from the Hubei province wait at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, February 1, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak in China’s central Hubei province rose by 56 to 350 on Monday, Chinese state television reported citing official figures.

There were another 2,103 cases detected in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, taking the total in the province to 11,177 as of Feb. 2.

Hubei’s provincial capital of Wuhan, where the virus is thought to have originated, reported 41 new deaths. A total of 265 people in Wuhan have now died from the virus.

New confirmed cases surged by 1,033 in Wuhan and climbed by 244 in nearby Huanggang on Feb. Two new deaths were reported in the city, about 60 km (37 miles) east of Wuhan.

Hubei has been under virtual quarantine, with roads sealed off and public transport shut down. Elsewhere, China has placed growing restrictions on travel and business.

The province extended its Lunar New Year holiday break to Feb. 13 in a bid to contain the outbreak.

Reporting by Kevin Yao; Editing by Chris Reese and Stephen Coates

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