China reports 30 virus deaths, rise in new infections and imported cases

China reported 30 more deaths from the new coronavirus outbreak on Friday, with fresh infections rising for a second straight day and 16 new cases imported from overseas.

In total 3,042 people have died from the disease in China, the National Health Commission said, with another 143 cases, up from 139 in the previous day.

Over 80,500 people have now been infected in mainland China, which has imposed a series of dramatic measures to try and contain the spread of infections beyond the epicentre, central Hubei province.

But as the virus spreads overseas, there have been a growing number of cases imported into the country by travellers from abroad.

There have now been 36 cases brought into China in total, the commission said Friday, 16 more than in the previous day.

The number of cases reported outside Hubei was the highest in over a week with 17 cases.

China still accounts for the majority of cases and deaths, but infections are now rising faster abroad, with South Korea, Iran and Italy emerging as major hotspots.