Mainland China deaths rise to 490, cases exceed 24,000

BEIJING (AP) — Deaths from the new virus rose to 490 in mainland China Wednesday and the number of new cases increased to 24,324, as China moved patients into newly built or converted hospitals in the hardest-hit city of Wuhan. In Hong Kong, hospitals workers are striking to demand that the border with mainland China be shut completely to ward off the virus that caused its first death in the territory. But four new cases of the virus without known travel to the mainland have been reported, indicating community transmission. The growing caseload in Hong Kong “indicates significant risk of community transmission” and could portend a “large-scale” outbreak, said Chuang...