Apple News App adds coronavirus special coverage section

Apple has rolled out a dedicated section in its News App that will help readers stay updated on the coronavirus situation.

The Special Coverage Coronavirus section appears in Apple News Spotlight, and includes the latest reports from news partners including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, amongst others, Mac Rumors reported on Wednesday.

As per report, the new coronavirus section is available to readers in the US only and can be accessed from the Today tab within the News app.

Along with the main stories, the section also offers advice on curtailing the virus and preventing infection, including regular and thorough hand washing, catching coughs with disposable tissues, and avoiding close contact with people who are unwell.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus outside the Chinese mainland, the epicentre of the outbreak, has increased to 1,130, according to a report by the the World Health Organization (WHO).

The new toll as of Wednesday morning was an increase of 258 deaths from the previous day, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying.

Over 110 countries and regions have reported 118,326 confirmed cases, including 37,371 cases outside China.

WHO said on Wednesday that the COVID-19 outbreak can be characterized as a "pandemic" as the virus has spread increasingly worldwide.