Chinese health authorities said the death toll from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country surpassed one-thousand overnight. 

According to China's National Health Commission, as of 12 a.m. Tuesday, the overall death toll for the country soared to one-thousand-16, with 42-thousand-638 confirmed cases.

The number of deaths and diagnoses across the nation increased by 108 and two-thousand-478, respectively, in a day. 

It is the first time over 100 people have died of the respiratory disease in a day and the cumulative death toll surpassed one thousand since the outbreak of the virus late last year.

Of the latest figures, 103 deaths were reported in Hubei province, where ground zero for the coronavirus, Wuhan, is located.