Sri Lanka, Jan. 26 -- The number of confirmed deaths from a viral outbreak in China has risen to 54, with authorities in hard-hit Hubei province reporting 13 more fatalities and 323 new cases.

President Xi Jinping warned that China faced a "grave situation" as authorities raced to contain a respiratory illness that has caused the widespread abandonment of Chinese New Year celebrations nationwide and overwhelmed health facilities in Hubei.

Travel restrictions have come in place in several affected cities, and from today, private vehicles will be banned from central districts of Wuhan.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hiru News....