KATHMANDU: The death toll from COVID19 has crossed 1,700 in China as 100 people died in a single day, BBC reported. According to the report, more than 68,500 people have so far been infected in China.

Outside China, there have been more than 500 cases in nearly 30 countries. Four others have died outside China – in France, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.

Similarly, two planes carrying Americans from the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess have left Japan. The aircraft chartered by the US government departed Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in the early hours of Monday, Kyodo news agency reported.

There were some 400 Americans on board the ship, which has been held since 3 February due to infections from the new coronavirus which has hit China.

At least 40 US citizens are infected and will be treated in Japan, the report said. The Diamond Princess has been quarantined in Japan’s port of Yokohama with some 3,700 passengers and crew on board.

The ship was held after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was found to have the virus.

Meanwhile, a plane carrying 175 evacuated Nepalis, mostly students, has arrived in Kathmandu from Wuhan. It is the latest country to fly its citizens out of Hubei province.

The virus is a new strain of coronavirus and causes an acute respiratory disease which has been named Covid-19.

(With inputs from Agencies)