CORONAVIRUS | The Philippines today announced its first fatality from the new coronavirus outbreak, a Chinese male from Wuhan in China.

The Department of Health said there were now two confirmed cases of infections in the Philippines, including the 44-year-old Chinese who died on Feb 1.

Over the course of the patient’s admission, he developed severe pneumonia, it said.

The death toll in China from the outbreak has now reached 304.

Malaysia has sent a team to the epicentre to coordinate the evacuation of some 120 Malaysians in the stricken area.