Beijing: The death toll in mainland China from coronavirus has risen to 813 in the latest figures as of , passing the 774 deaths recorded globally during the 2002-2003 pandemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Meanwhile an American has became the first confirmed non-Chinese victim of the new coronavirus.

The 60-year old US citizen died on February 6 in Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus outbreak in the central Chinese province of Hubei, a US embassy spokesman said in Beijing.

A Japanese man in his 60s and in hospital with pneumonia in Wuhan also died after suffering symptoms consistent with the virus, Japan's foreign ministry said.