Beijing presser: China virus toll reaches 259 "As of midnight on 31 January, the National Health Commission received 11,791 reported confirmed cases... a total of 259 cases of death," says the Chinese National Health Commission at a press conference in Beijing.\\n\\nChina faces deepening isolation over its coronavirus epidemic on Saturday as the death toll soared to 259, with the United States and Australia leading a growing list of nations to impose extraordinary Chinese travel bans.\\n\\n IMAGES AND SOUNDBITE from press conference