China scrambles to contain coronavirus as death toll climbs

A new strain of coronavirus discovered in China claimed 15 more lives since Saturday, bringing the total death count to 56.

Figures reflecting developments in the past 24 hours revealed 688 new cases, bringing the total of number of infections in China to 1,975.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has classified this as a "grave situation."

A handful of new cases were reported in nearby Macao, Taiwan and Hong Kong, where protesters firebombed an empty building earmarked to become a temporary quarantine zone.