The hard-hit central province of Hubei reported 242 deaths in just one day and 14 840 new patients - by far its biggest one-day tally since the crisis erupted last month.
The jump raised the death toll to 1 355 and the total number of nationwide infections to nearly 60 000 - just hours after Presiden Xi Jinping touted “positive results” from the government’s drastic measures to contain the virus and a top Chinese expert predicted the epidemic would peak this month.

Officials in Hubei said they were broadening their definition for COVID-19 cases by including people “clinically diagnosed” with the virus in the daily tally.
Hundreds of infections have been reported in more than two dozen other countries and territories, but only two people have died from the virus outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.