The death toll in China rose overnight to 170, up from 132, the government said this morning. Infections worldwide jumped to 7,711 from about 6,000 on Wednesday, according to the W.H.O. and Chinese officials.

Context: No one outside mainland China has died from the disease. The number of infections there already exceeds those from SARS, a respiratory infection that spread across the country 17 years ago and killed 774 people worldwide, but experts caution that comparing the two diseases is difficult.

Yesterday: In an effort to stop further transmission of the virus, British Airways and Air Canada suspended all flights to the Chinese mainland (but not to Hong Kong).

Closer look: The outbreak is a stark reminder of how dependent the world’s economy is on China, our business correspondent in Hong Kong writes. Global brands like Starbucks, Ikea, Ford and Toyota are shutting down stores and factories, while Apple is rerouting supply chains.

What’s next: If efforts to contain an outbreak fail, public health authorities will focus on minimizing the harm done to people and communities. They’re particularly concerned about the disease spreading in Africa.