The death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic jumped past 1,600 on Sunday, as the World Health Organization (WHO) praised the country's efforts to contain the new disease, saying they have "bought the world time" and that other nations must make the most of it.

France, meanwhile, reported Europe's first death from the infection, known as COVID-19, a Chinese tourist from Hubei province, where the disease emerged in December.

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More than two dozen countries have confirmed cases, and several have suspended trade and travel links with China in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, urged governments to step up their efforts to prepare for the virus, saying "it's impossible to predict which direction this epidemic will take."

The agency is "concerned by the continued increase in the number of cases in China", and by reports about the number of health workers who have been infected or died, Tedros said, criticising what he called a "lack of urgency in funding the response from the international community".

Here are all the latest updates: 

Cruise firm seeks new virus test for passenger from ship in Cambodia

The operator of MS Westerdam called for more tests to confirm that an American passenger from the cruise ship has the new coronavirus after she tested positive in Malaysia.

The 83-year-old woman was the first passenger from the MS Westerdam, currently docked in Cambodia, to test positive for the virus. She had flown to Malaysia on Friday along with 144 others.

"While the first results have been reported, they are preliminary at this point and we are awaiting secondary testing for confirmation," Holland America said in a statement.

Cambodian authorities called on Malaysia to review its test results.

Speaking up about the coronavirus – but at what cost? | The Listening Post (26:10)

China virus toll exceeds 1,600

The number of deaths from China's coronavirus epidemic surged past 1,600 after 139 more people died in hard-hit Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak.

In its daily update, the province's health commission also reported 1,843 fresh cases - the third day that reported new infections declined in the province.

At least 1,662 people have now died from the outbreak that first emerged in Hubei's capital, Wuhan, in December and spiralled into a nationwide epidemic.

More than 68,000 people have now been infected, with most deaths occurring in Hubei.

Read the updates from Saturday, February 15 here.