World must consider coronavirus 'public enemy number one' -WHO

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The World Health Organization has given a new name to the coronavirus outbreak - it's now called COVID-19 - and asks world governments to consider it, quote, "public enemy number one."

The death toll from the outbreak has shot over to more than 1,000 in China.

More people died on Monday than any other day since the virus emerged in December.

Chinese authorities confirmed another 100 deaths Tuesday (February 11) morning.

But - in a small sign of hope - they also said the number of reported cases fell by almost 20 percent from the day before.

One expert in China said there was hope of a turning point in the outbreak, hopeful the epidemic would peak this month and be under control by April, but not everyone agrees.

The World Health Organization is being much more cautious, and is reminding the public that a vaccine could be over a year away.

This was the WHO chief on Tuesday.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DIRECTOR-GENERAL, TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, SAYING:

"This outbreak is testing us in many ways. It is a test of political solidarity, whether the world can come together to fight a common enemy that does not respect borders or ideologies. It is a test of financial solidarity, whether the world will invest now in fighting this outbreak or pay more later to deal with its consequences. And it is a test of scientific solidarity. Will the world come together to find shared answers to shared problems?"

Infections outside China are still rising.

Inside China, the government is coming under increasing pressure for its handling of the outbreak.

Dozens of health officials across China have lost their jobs for failing to contain the virus's spread.

Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, announced two of its most high-profile dismissals yet.

The Communist Party boss of Hubei's health commission and its director were sacked for unspecified reasons.

They were dismissed while public anger has simmered over local authorities' response to the virus.