China’s health authorities have said that the death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak in China has passed the 1,000 marks for the first time on February 11.

More than 100 people died due to the virus on Monday, a quick increase that exceeded the 97 deaths recorded the day before.

The total death toll now up to 1,016, as at press time.

China’s National Health Commission reported that 103 of the 108 new deaths occurred in the central province of Hubei, where the outbreak first began.

Official statistics reports that in the provincial capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the crisis, the mortality rate stands at over four percent.

Within the same 24-hour period, 2,478 new infections were confirmed nationwide, bringing the total tally up to 37,626.

In Hubei province alone, the number of confirmed cases has reached over 30,000.

As infection rate and death toll around the world increases, medical scientists are still working tirelessly to develop a vaccine to fight the dangerous epidemic.