China virus death toll now at 81, more than 2,700 cases confirmed

China said on Monday that the death toll from a deadly coronavirus outbreak jumped to 81 as the hard-hit province of Hubei announced 24 new fatalities and expanded measures to keep people at home during what is usually the country’s biggest holiday season.

The total number of confirmed cases nationwide rose sharply to 2,744, officials said as state media reported the first death in Hainan province; an 80-year-old woman.

A national tally of verified infections rose by 769, about half of them in Hubei, the National Health Commission said. It said 461 of those infected were in a serious condition.