In one day, almost 15,000 new coronavirus infections were recorded in the Chinese province of Hubei, as a result of a new way of counting.
China implemented a new method to determine if a patient is suffering from the new coronavirus, officially named Covid-19. Initially, a genetic test was needed to make the diagnosis, but from now on, suspected patients who show symptoms are subjected to a CT-scan, reports Het Laatste Nieuws.
This means that the Chinese government is now including people with serious symptoms, but without a confirmed genetic test, in its count.
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The photos of the patient's lungs enable the doctors to detect possible infections, and determine if a patient is a carrier of the coronavirus. This way, the result is quicker, but not as reliable, as patients could also be suffering from 'normal' pneumonia.
With 14,840 new patients on Wednesday, the total of infections worldwide reached 60,000. Additionally, China counted 242 deaths on the same day, reports De Standaard. In total, at least 1,350 people have died from the virus.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
