The central Chinese province of Hubei, where the coronavirus outbreak is said to have originated, has reported sharp spikes in numbers of newly confirmed cases and deaths from the illness. The figures released February 13, 2020, reported 14,840 new confirmed cases, a nearly 10-fold rise on February 12 from the previous day, and more than double the number of deaths at 242. Hubei’s health commission said the increase reflects a change in diagnostic criteria used to confirm cases.
