Coronavirus Global Outbreak

The global death toll from the new coronavirus epidemic surpassed 3,000 after more people died at its epicentre in China, as cases soared around the world. The virus has now infected more than 88,000 people and spread to more than 60 countries.

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03:04 PM

125 new coronavirus cases reported from mainland China

China reported 125 new virus cases on Tuesday, marking the lowest number of new daily infections in six weeks. There were also 31 more deaths, the National Health Commission reported -- all in Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, raising the nationwide toll to 2,943. In total, more than 80,000 people have been infected by the new coronavirus in mainland China. 

03:01 PM

US coronavirus death toll rises to six, all in Washington state

Five of the six American fatalities have been from King county, the most populous in Washington state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,000 people. The sixth victim was from neighboring Snohomish county, officials said.

02:40 PM

Mumbai ‘running out’ of sanitizers, but soap and water offer better prevention

Hand sanitizers, which are popular because they can reportedly kill the 2019 novel coronavirus (Covid-19), have become difficult to find in shops in Mumbai and its extended suburbs. Nevertheless, WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise people to frequently wash hands with soap and water or an alcohol based sanitizer as a measure against Covid-19.

02:38 PM

Noida school shut over coronavirus scare

A renowned school in Noida was closed on Tuesday amid coronavirus scare a day after a Class 6 student’s father was detected with the infection. The school located in Sector 135 of Noida was closed on Tuesday for fumigation due to the concerns over the infection.

02:38 PM

NCP leader Supriya Sule wants foreign minister Jaishankar to ensure safe return of 34 people from Mahastra's Kolhapur district who are struck in Iran

NCP leader Supriya Sule says 34 people from Maharashtra's Kolhapur district are stranded in Iran amid coronavirus scare, demands that foreign minister Jaishankar to ensure their safe return. 

05:31 PM

Amid the growing scare over coronavirus (COVID-19), the Punjab government on Monday announced emergency measures, including setting up of flu corners in all government and private hospitals, to prepare for any exigency arising from the epidemic. Read the full story here
 

02:53 PM

Two new cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in India

Two positive cases confirmed, one in Delhi and another in Telangana the affected individuals are understood to be in a stable condition. Read full story here..

Update on #COVID19:

Two positive cases of #nCoV19 detected. More details in the Press Release.#coronoavirusoutbreak#CoronaVirusUpdatepic.twitter.com/kf83odGo8f

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 2, 2020

11:37 AM

The latest coronavirus sufferers is one of Iran's seven vice presidents, Massoumeh Ebtekar, who oversees women's affairs. Read full story here

11:17 AM

Netherlands and New Zealand confirm first case of Coronavirus

The first case of coronavirus has been reported in Netherlands and New Zealand. In a statement, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said a man who lives in the town of Tilburg had been diagnosed with the virus after traveling to Italy’s Lombardy region a few days ago. Read full story here....

10:24 AM

Nigeria confirms first case of Coronavirus

Nigeria’s health ministry said on Friday it has confirmed a coronavirus case in Lagos state. The case which was confirmed yesterday is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January. Read the full story here...

11:03 AM

A special Air India flight carrying 119 Indians and five people from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru, who were on board the coronavirus-hit quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess, landed in New Delhi this morning. Read full story here

11:32 AM

Iraj Harirchi Iran's Deputy Health Minister has confirmed that he has been tested for Coronavirus. Harirchi coughed occasionally and appeared to be sweating during a press conference in Tehran.

Iraj Harirchi Iran's Deputy Health Minister has confirmed that he has been tested for Coronavirus. Harirchi coughed occasionally and appeared to be sweating during a press conference in Tehran. In a video broadcast on state television, the minister put a brave face as he admitted that he was infected. "I too have been infected with coronavirus," Read full story here

05:20 PM

Iran confirms 13 further cases of coronavirus, two deaths

Iran has confirmed two deaths among 13 new cases of the coronavirus, according to a statement from Health Ministry spokesperson Kinaush Jahanpur.

05:18 PM

South Korea reported a surge in confirmed infections, giving it the world’s largest number of cases related to the new coronavirus outbreak outside China.

05:17 PM

Coronavirus kills young Wuhan doctor

A 29-year-old doctor in Wuhan has become the latest victim of the coronavirus

04:06 PM

Robots takes over COVID-19 disinfection work in China

 As China struggles to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19), robots were being deployed in the country's front lines in an effort to combat the disease. The development came to light after a video was shared by one of the country's leading media outlet with the caption: "Robots are taking over the disinfection work and expected to be put into use in factories and other public indoor spaces in different cities of China."

02:36 PM

Bangladeshi national tested positive for Coronavirus in Singapore critical

One of the five Bangladeshi men infected with the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) in Singapore is currently in "critical condition", Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen said in a press conference.

01:12 PM

Confirmed case of Coronavirus increases to 65 in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said late on Wednesday that the number of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Hong Kong had increased to 65 as of 8:00 p.m. local time.

01:07 PM

Six Chinese screened in Shimla, no symptoms of coronavirus

 Six Chinese nationals who were screened for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Himachal Pradesh capital, showed no symptoms of the disease. Health authorities here examined them and found their tests normal, said Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap.

03:02 PM

WHO chief condoles death of Chinese doctor in fight against coronavirus outbreak

"My deepest condolences to the family of Dr Liu Zhiming, his colleagues and patients for this enormous loss," the WHO chief tweeted on Tuesday.

03:02 PM

Second death from coronavirus confirmed in Hong Kong

Medical sources told the newspaper that the 70-year-old patient of Princess Margaret Hospital, undergoing treatment for coronavirus, had died on Wednesday morning. He had diabetes and kidney problems, but the exact cause of death has not yet been established.

03:40 PM

Senior doctor from Wuhan hospital dies of Coronavirus infection

One of Wuhan’s most senior doctors has died after contracting coronavirus, as authorities began a sweeping campaign inside the city to seek out patients infected with the deadly virus.“Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuhan Wuchang hospital, died at 10.30am this morning after resuscitation efforts failed. Read More...

04:48 PM

Coronavirus fear grips Kolkata as two passengers test positive

Two passengers who arrived at NSCBI Airport from Bangkok have been tested positive for Coronavirus. A passenger named Himadri Barman tested positive on Tuesday and Nagendra Singh tested positive on Wednesday. Both of them were sent to Beliaghata ID Hospital. Read More 

03:18 PM

Hong Kong and Singapore Rugby Sevens rescheduled over coronavirus concerns

World Rugby announced on Thursday that both the Hong Kong and Singapore legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 have been rescheduled due to, “continued health concerns relating to the novel coronavirus outbreak.”

“The health and safety of our players, fans and everyone working on the event is always our highest priority," World Rugby’s statement said.
"This prudent decision has been taken in order to protect the global rugby community and the wider public and was taken based on the World Health Organisation and relevant public authority travel and health guidelines,” it continued.

The Hong Kong Sevens had been due to take place from April 4-5 with the Singapore Sevens originally set for April 11-12.

Both events have been rescheduled to take place later in the year.

The Singapore Sevens is now set for October 10-11 and the Hong Kong Sevens October 16-18.

In Hong Kong, the Sevens is one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar. World famous for the atmosphere it generates, the tournament is just as much about dressing up in costumes and partying in the South Stand as it is about the world class rugby.

03:16 PM

Hong Kong Rugby Tournament Cancelled

The Hong Kong Sevens is the latest sporting event to be postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

The HSBC and Cathay Pacific-sponsored rugby tournament will be pushed back from April until October, the first delay to the tournament in its 44 year history.

A number of other major sporting events in China have also been delayed, including Formula One's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

03:15 PM

Spread of Coronavirus depends upon China's success in containing it

The spread of the novel coronavirus would depend on China's success in containing the disease, the UK's top medical official said on Thursday, reports Bethan Staton in London.

If Covid-19 is brought under control there, Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme, other countries would have spillover cases that would probably be contained. If not, further spread globally would be difficult to prevent, he added.

Unless the seasons come to our rescue then it is going to come to a situation where we are going to have it in the UK and Europe in due course.

The strategy is to contain and delay any spread until the summer, giving authorities a better chance to control it, Professor Whitty said.

If we are going to get an outbreak into the UK then putting it back in time… is a big advantage.

He said emergency Cabinet meetings had been convened to discuss the outbreak.

Many different models exist on how the disease would spread, with “huge confidence intervals of uncertainty” around the numbers, said Prof Whitty, in comments on previous estimates, by professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College, that 60 per cent of people in the UK could catch the disease,

Usual measures to prevent the spread of disease such as hand washing remained the best way to control spread, Prof Whitty said.

A large proportion probably the great majority have a relatively mild disease. We don’t know what proportion of people have this illness without symptoms.
 

03:12 PM

Hong Kong Catholic Church Suspends Masses

The Hong Kong Catholic church has announced a temporary suspension of all public masses for two weeks to avoid transmission of the coronavirus through public gatherings.

Church members may participate in online masses and receive the Holy Communion spiritually, said Cardinal John Tong, the Apostolic Administrator.

“I hope that everyone can understand this is not an easy decision,” he said.

The city today confirmed another locally transmitted case of coronavirus, bringing the total to 51, with one death linked to the virus.
 

03:11 PM

Coronavirus set to knock oil demand growth to slowest since 2011

Oil demand this year will see the slowest rate of growth since 2011 as the coronavirus outbreak hits Chinese consumption and its impact spreads across the global economy, the International Energy Agency said.

In its monthly oil market report, the Paris-based body said that it had cut its 2020 growth forecast to 825,000 barrels a day from the 1.2m b/d it had initially expected.

“The consequences of Covid-19 for global oil demand will be significant,” the IEA said on Thursday. Transport and services shutdowns in China and a halt to industrial activity are expected to hit exports and the broader economy.

The impact of the spread of the virus has already been sharp for oil prices, prompting global producers to discuss whether a deepening of production cuts is necessary to bolster the market.

Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, has fallen in recent weeks from $65 a barrel in January to just under $56 today.
 

03:09 PM

Hong Kong confirms 51st case of coronavirus

Hong Kong now has 51 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, according to the city's health department.

The latest patient is a 43-year-old man who lives in the northern Tuen Mun district, in the New Territories, Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Center for Health Protection, said at a news conference on Thursday.

Chuang said the man had eaten at a group dinner together with 12 other people, one of whom was the city's 47th confirmed case.

He had developed a cough on January 29 and then diarrhea two days later. According to Chuang, the man had visited a doctor three times -- on January 31, February 5 and February 8 -- before being admitted to Tuen Mun hospital on February 10.

Health authorities are examining 10 of the man's colleagues and three clients.

02:41 PM

Australia extends ban on foreign travelers who've been to China within past 14 days

Australia's ban on foreign nationals traveling from mainland China to Australia has been extended for another week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a news conference on Thursday.

The initial 14-day ban, introduced on February 1, was set to end on Saturday. Morrison said that the ban will be reviewed “on a weekly basis.”

According to a statement on the Australian Border Force's website, "all foreign nationals who were in mainland China on or after 1 February will not be allowed to enter Australia, until 14 days after they have left, or transited through, mainland China."

Exceptions include Australian citizens, permanent residents, and immediate family members of Australian citizens and permanent residents.

02:40 PM

As countries continue to take strict emergency measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, thousands of people are stranded at sea on cruise ships with nowhere to dock.

Two ships are affected in Asia, but they are in very different situations.

The Diamond Princess has been quarantined in Japan's Yokohama since February 4, with the number of coronavirus cases onboard increasing daily.
The Westerdam was refused port by authorities in four countries -- despite having no coronavirus cases -- before Cambodia finally allowed the ship to dock and agreed to let its passengers disembark.

02:38 PM

Vietnam locks down entire community as 16th coronavirus case confirmed

Vietnam has placed an entire community on lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus after reporting the country's 16th confirmed case, according to a government news report.

The 50-year-old male patient is the father of a previously confirmed case at the Son Loi commune in Vinh Phuc province, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of the capital Hanoi.

This is the first lockdown of a town outside of mainland China since the start of the outbreak, and some 10,000 people are affected, according to Agence France-Presse.

Local authorities locked down the area around the commune in Binh Xuyen district, and residents will be quarantined for the next 20 days starting from today, the report said.

02:38 PM

Some coronavirus test kits shipped to US states are not working as expected, CDC says

Some of the coronavirus test kits shipped to labs across the US are not working as they should, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

As a result, the CDC is remaking parts of the test kits after some produced inconclusive test results.

The kits were sent to the states to speed up the testing process, the CDC's Nancy Messonnier told reporters Wednesday. The states found out the flaw during the verification process. For quality control, when states get any test kit, they first verify that it works.

Some states notified the CDC that they were unable to validate the test, and the agency is remanufacturing a reagent used in the test that's not performing consistently.

Not all states have been affected. 

02:37 PM

The WHO is providing medical supplies to North Korea, which is yet to report a coronavirus case

The World Health Organization’s representative to North Korea said that there has been no cases of the novel coronavirus reported by the North Korean health ministry, in a written statement to CNN on Wednesday.

Edwin Ceniza Salvador said the WHO is working with all member states – including North Korea – to respond to the virus. North Korea, “like other countries, is taking measures to protect health of its people,” Salvador said. 

The WHO is providing laboratory reagents and personal protective equipment such as goggles, gloves, masks, and gowns to the country at the request of the North Korean Ministry of Public Health, the statement added.

Outbreak prevention: Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, North Korea has been reporting almost daily on the regime's efforts to prevent the infection.

North Korean state-run news service, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported on Wednesday that North Korea was extending its coronavirus quarantine period from 15 days to 30 days.

02:36 PM

Tokyo 2020 organizer says Olympics will go ahead despite coronavirus fears

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics is definitely going ahead this summer, officials said, amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said on Thursday that the Tokyo organizing committee is not considering cancelling the Games due to the coronavirus, according to Reuters.

"Regarding the coronavirus which started in Hubei province in China, there were irresponsible rumours," Mori told reporters in Tokyo. "I would like to clearly reiterate that cancellation or postponement of Tokyo Games are not being considered."
Mori added that the organizing committee has set up a task force that has begun "sharing information for the prevention of the infection."

A senior organizer had previously warned that the outbreak could impact Japan's preparations for the Games.

"I am extremely worried that the spread of the infectious disease could throw cold water on the momentum toward the Games," said Toshiro Muto, chief executive of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. "I hope that it will be stamped out as soon as possible."

Fanfare beginning: Nevertheless, the fanfare around Tokyo 2020, which is due to officially begin on Friday, July 24, is well underway.

Tokyo's new National Stadium was inaugurated last December and the Olympic torch relay is scheduled to kick off from Fukushima prefecture on March 26.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also dispelled concerns that the Summer Olympics would be canceled after false rumors circulated online.

"We will take appropriate measures so that the preparation for the Olympic games will proceed without affecting them," Abe told a parliamentary committee.

02:34 PM

Diamond Princess captain gives more details on who gets to leave the ship early

In an announcement to passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship this afternoon, Captain Stefano Ravera gave more details on which passengers will be allowed to disembark early.

Ravera said that everybody over the age of 80 has now been tested for the novel coronavirus.

The captain said that those who will be given the option of disembarking early are:

• Passengers 80 years or over with a chronic medical condition, and who test negative for the virus.
• Passengers 80 years or over staying in an inside cabin, and who test negative for the virus.
• Other passengers under 80 who have been given a test for any other reason, and tested negative.
• Those passengers will still have to remain in a “housing facility managed by the Japanese government” until the end of the quarantine. Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive will not be allowed to disembark.

Passengers who test positive will continue to be moved to on-shore hospitals.

2 weeks on lockdown: More than 3,700 passengers and crew are stuck on the cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan that is essentially a floating quarantine zone. The ship was placed under quarantine on February 4 and it isn't scheduled to be lifted until February 19.

Rising infections: The number of infections aboard is increasing by the day. On Thursday, another 44 people tested positive for the virus aboard the ship, bringing the total to 219.

02:32 PM

Pharmacies in Nanjing banned from selling fever and cough medicine

Pharmacies in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing have been banned from selling all fever and cough medicine in the hope that residents with fever or coughing will seek treatment in hospitals instead, Nanjing's propaganda department posted on its official Weibo account.

This follows similar policy in the eastern city of Hangzhou, according to the statement.

Meanwhile in Beijing, pharmacies are being urged to register all customers who buy fever and cough medicine.

They are required to register their names, addresses, ID card numbers and contact information, as well as the symptoms, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.

02:28 PM

Shanghai Fashion Week canceled due to coronavirus -- as China's absence is felt on runways from Milan to Paris

02:26 PM

Wuhan Communist Party chief removed in purge of Hubei officials

Wuhan Communist Party chief Ma Guoqiang has been replaced, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.

Wang Zhonglin, party chief of Jinan city in Shandong province, has taken over his position.

It's the latest move in a major shakeup of provincial leadership in China as the coronavirus outbreak shows no sign of abating at the epicenter in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital.

Also today, Hubei province's Communist Party chief Jiang Chaoliang was replaced with Shanghai's mayor, Ying Yong.

These replacements come after two officials in charge of Hubei's provincial health authority were sacked earlier this week.

10:51 AM

Coronavirus outbreak opportunity for India to expand exports: CEA

The coronavirus outbreak in China provides an opportunity for India to expand exports, Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian said.

10:50 AM

Widened Diagnosis of Coronavirus: Explanation

The Chinese province at the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak reported a record spike in deaths Thursday, bringing the total number to more than 1,300 infections globally.

Hubei announced an additional 242 deaths and 14,840 cases of the virus as of Thursday morning, the largest single-day rise since the epidemic began and almost 10 times the number of cases confirmed the previous day.

The government explained the spike is due to a change in how cases are tabulated.

What now counts as a confirmed case? The total will now include "clinically diagnosed cases" after rising numbers of residents complained about the difficulty in getting tested and treated for the virus.

Who falls into that category? "Clinically diagnosed cases" are those patients who demonstrate all the symptoms of the novel coronavirus but have been unable to be scientifically tested, or died before they were tested.

What effect will this have? The hope is that more people will be able to receive treatment by allowing doctors to diagnose them with the virus.

Case number confusion: The massive increase in the number of cases exposes confusion over just how to diagnose the virus globally.

Delayed diagnosis: Delays in diagnosing the virus could be significant. There are reports of patients waiting up to a week for their results, as the testing kits were sent from Hubei to a lab in Beijing. While there have been efforts to speed up the process, scientific testing of samples is difficult and time consuming, and allowing doctors to diagnose patients will enable far more people to receive treatment, including in several purpose-built hospitals dedicated to treating the virus in Wuhan.

Not just China: In the US, the CDC currently requires that all potential samples are shipped to its central laboratories for full testing.

10:47 AM

Coronavirus outbreak stops supply of Chinese products, Mumbai traders wary of future

Apart from the global health scare that has also reached India, coronavirus is now affecting small-time businessmen too who depend on Chinese products for their business to run in Indian cities.

10:43 AM

Hong Kong says government workers should work from home until February 23

The Hong Kong government has announced that it is extending its work-from-home arrangement for civil servants until February 23, amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Government workers had been asked to work from home following the end of the Lunar New Year holiday on January 29.

That has now been extended "to reduce social contacts and the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community," a government statement said.

The directive excludes emergency service workers and people who work for essential public services.

The private sector has also been urged to make similar flexible work arrangements.

Hong Kong has reported 50 confirmed cases of the virus, with one death.

10:41 AM

Cambodian officials are now onboard the Westerdam cruise ship

Cambodian officials have now boarded the Westerdam cruise liner in Sihanoukville, cruise ship company Holland America Line.

“The Westerdam has arrived and local officials are aboard,” the statement read.

Refused entry elsewhere: Despite having no confirmed cases of coronavirus on board, and no quarantine being in effect, the Westerdam was refused port by four authorities: Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

1,455 passengers: Cambodia Holland America Line previously said that it had reached an agreement with Cambodian authorities for all 1,455 guests on the Westerdam to disembark in Cambodia, and board commercial flights from the capital Phnom Penh at the company’s expense.

WHO thankful: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, thanked Cambodia for allowing the Westerdam cruise ship to dock there, calling the move "an example of the international solidarity we have consistently been calling for."

10:39 AM

Hubei Communist Party chief replaced as heads roll in coronavirus epicenter

Hubei province's Communist Party chief is being replaced with Shanghai's mayor, in a major shakeup of provincial leadership in China as the country grapples with the novel coronavirus.

Shanghai mayor Ying Yong will replace Jiang Chaoliang, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency. 

Heads are starting to roll as the outbreak shows no sign of abating at the epicenter. This latest replacement came after two officials in charge of Hubei's provincial health authority were sacked earlier this week.

Outbreak epicenter: Hubei province announced 242 new deaths from the novel coronavirus on Thursday morning, twice as many as on the previous day. New infections in Hubei also jumped by more than 14,000 amid a broadening of the definition of what constitutes a confirmed case.

10:38 AM

44 more people just tested positive for coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship

Another 44 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japanese health minister Katsunobu Kato said on Thursday.

This bring the total number of cases on the ship to 219, including one Japanese quarantine officer -- the largest outbreak of the virus outside of mainland China.

Kato did not give a breakdown by nationality of the new cases, nor of passengers versus crew.

Floating quarantine: More than 3,700 passengers and crew are stuck on the cruise ship in Yokohama that became a floating quarantine zone after dozens of people tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this month.

The number of infections is increasing by the day. On Wednesday, Kato announced 40 new cases among those on board.

Latest tally indicates that at least 24 Americans have tested positive.

Some respite: The health minister also said that people who have tested negative for the virus and are over 80 years old, or have a non-virus medical condition requiring attention, will be allowed to leave the ship and move to a government medical facility, if they wish. He did not give a timeline for that process.

An unknown number of passengers with non-virus medical conditions were allowed to disembark earlier on Tuesday.

10:37 AM

All South Korean citizens just repatriated from Wuhan have tested negative for coronavirus

All 147 South Koreans and their Chinese family members from Wuhan, who arrived at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul yesterday, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, the South Korean Health Ministry announced Thursday. 

Those repatriated were quarantined at the Korea Defense Language Institute, a military school facility located in a rural area in Icheon, Gyeonggi province.

There were about 2,000 South Korean citizens residing in Wuhan, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry. So far 848 have been repatriated via three chartered flights.

10:36 AM

Hong Kong extends school suspension until at least March 16

Hong Kong has extended the suspension of school classes until at least March 16 due to the novel coronavirus, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung said at a news conference on Thursday.

Schools were previously suspended until March 2, but that start date has been delayed for an additional two weeks due to the virus outbreak.

Yeung said there’s “no urgency” for students staying in mainland China or other places to return to the city, and the government is “considering different options for students from mainland China.”

Students will still be able to complete their work through e-learning platforms, despite the suspension.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city has reported at least 50 cases of the coronavirus, and one death.

10:35 AM

China's Hubei province has reported 242 deaths and 14,840 new infections of the novel coronavirus, the largest single-day rise since the epidemic began. Authorities continue strict emergency measures -- some of which have led to unforeseen consequences, like thousands of people stranded at sea with nowhere to dock.

The numbers: The novel coronavirus has killed more than 1,300 people and infected over 60,000 people worldwide. The vast majority of cases are still in mainland China.
Widening definition: Chinese officials have broadened their definition of what constitutes a confirmed case of the coronavirus. The tweak has led to a jump in cases in China but the World Health Organization (WHO) says that it's "normal during the course of an outbreak to adapt the case definition."

Cruise crisis: Thousands are still stranded on two cruise ships -- one docked in quarantine in Japan, and another that was denied entry at several ports but has been given permission by Cambodia to dock in the Southeast Asian country.

Too soon to predict end: A WHO official has said that it's too early to predict the end of the current novel coronavirus outbreak, saying they have to be "very cautious."
Flights cut: United Airlines is extending the suspension of flights to China and Hong Kong until April 24. The destinations affected are Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Hong Kong. United is just one of many major international airlines that have suspended, reduced, or entirely withdrawn routes to China and its territories

10:34 AM

WHO official: It's "normal" for the definition of coronavirus to evolve

Yesterday Chinese officials broadened their definition of what constitutes a confirmed coronavirus case, to include "clinically diagnosed cases" -- i.e. people diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms rather than testing positive.

This has led to a huge spike in the number of cases reported -- 14,840 in just one day. But this kind of tweaked definition is "normal," said the World Health Organization.

“It’s normal during the course of an outbreak to adapt the case definition,” said Sylvie Briand, director of the WHO's Infectious Hazards Management Department, on Wednesday.
“When the situation is evolving, you change your definition just to make sure you can monitor the disease accurately, and this is what they have done recently -- change the case definition to incorporate more cases that were not in the initial case definition, but also integrate cases that are both asymptomatic or with little symptom."

The global number of confirmed coronavirus cases now exceeds 60,015 -- the vast majority in mainland China.

10:25 AM

The CDC is remaking some coronavirus test kits that had inconclusive results

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that it’s remaking parts of coronavirus test kits because some produced inconclusive test results.

The CDC had sent kits to states to speed up testing. For quality control, the states then had to verify that the kits worked before testing patients -- but some kits returned inconclusive results during this verification process.

Some states said the results they were getting weren’t false negatives or false positives, but were inconclusive, said the CDC. So it's remaking the one reagent in the test that is not performing consistently.

Which labs are affected: State labs that have been successful in verifying the test kit works can go forward with the testing. Those that haven’t been successful will have to wait for the CDC to ship out the replacement components. The CDC did not confirm how many states were affected or when they might receive the replacement components.

“During a response like this we know things may not go as smoothly as we would like,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

“We have multiple levels of quality control to detect issues just like this one. We’re looking into all of these issues to understand what went wrong, and to prevent these same things from happening in the future.”

10:24 AM

United Airlines extends suspension of flights to China until late April

United Airlines said on Wednesday that it will extend the suspension of flights to China and Hong Kong until April 24.

The destinations affected are Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and will evaluate our schedule as we remain in close contact with the CDC and other public health experts around the globe," United said in a statement.

Global airlines cut flights: United is just one of many major international airlines that have suspended, reduced, or entirely withdrawn routes to China and its territories due to the coronavirus outbreak and a fall in demand.

Delta and American Airlines, two of the largest US airlines, also canceled flights. American announced its decision last month after a union representing 15,000 pilots sued the company to immediately halt its US-China service, citing "serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus."

10:23 AM

North Korea extends coronavirus quarantine period to four weeks

North Korea has extended its coronavirus quarantine period from 15 days to 30 days, according to reports in state-run news service KCNA.

“Anxiety and concern of the international community about the novel coronavirus infection rapidly spreading worldwide are growing stronger with each passing day,” KCNA said.
From the beginning, North Korea “has taken positive measures against the inroads of the epidemic that seriously affects people,” the KCNA report added.

No cases in North Korea yet: Every country and territory within a 1,500-mile radius of North Korea, except for sparsely populated Mongolia, has confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

There have been no cases reported in North Korea, and it's unclear how the country has been able to avoid the virus. Pyongyang has either been very lucky, isn't saying something, or is reaping one of the few benefits of being a so-called "hermit nation."

10:22 AM

Death toll jumps by 242 in Hubei, where 14,840 new infections were recorded on Wednesday

Another 242 people died from the novel coronavirus in Hubei province on Wednesday, and 14,840 new cases were recorded -- a huge spike in confirmed infections.

At least 1,355 people have now died in mainland China from novel coronavirus, with 1,310 deaths in Hubei alone. One person has also died in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines. 

A new way of counting cases: The huge rise in confirmed cases comes from a tweak in how the authorities are tallying infections. The government is now including "clinically diagnosed cases" -- i.e. people diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms rather than testing positive -- to make it easier for those patients to access treatment. 

The numbers in Hubei: The epicenter of the outbreak has now recorded 48,206 cases. Of those, 33,693 patients have been hospitalized and 1,437 are in critical condition, according to the health authority. Meanwhile, 3,441 patients have recovered and been discharged.

The global tally: The global number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases has now exceeded 60,015, with the vast majority of cases in mainland China.

China’s National Health Commission is expected to release numbers for all of China’s provinces later.

10:17 AM

Crew of virus-hit ship: "We all are really scared"

More than 3,700 passengers and crew are still stuck on a cruise ship in Yokohama that became a floating quarantine zone after dozens of people tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this month.

To date, a total of 175 people aboard the Diamond Princess have become infected and passengers on board have gone public with their fear and concern.

Now crew members are saying that they're also afraid of catching the disease.

Sonali Thakkar, 24, from Mumbai, has worked for Princess Cruises for the past two years. She is part of the security team on board the ship, working on the gangway as passengers are moved on and off.

Thakkar said she and her cabin mate became ill with a headache, cough and a fever two days ago. Her supervisor told her to stop working and she is currently staying in her cabin.

"I'm not eating very well and have been having fevers," she told CNN in a Skype call Wednesday. "We all are really scared and tense."

Thakkar fears that the virus may be spreading around the crew members. At least five have already tested positive for the virus.

10:16 AM

Wuhan evacuee tests positive for coronavirus in southern California

A second person who was evacuated from Wuhan, in China, to southern California has tested positive for coronavirus.

The patient was in quarantine at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego County, when diagnosed, Ana Toro, press officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CNN. 

10:12 AM

Mobile World Congress has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak

Mobile World Congress, the world's largest annual mobile event, has been canceled due to coronavirus, according to a statement from the organizer.

“With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event. The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision," GSMA CEO John Hoffman said in a statement.

The decision comes after major tech companies one after the other have been pulling out of the event due to safety concerns.

05:08 PM

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is hiring 20,000 workers who lost jobs because of coronavirus

JD.com, one of China's largest e-commerce firms, has promised to open up more than 20,000 new positions as the country's economy struggles under the coronavirus outbreak.

The company is hiring warehouse workers, couriers and drivers. Some of the positions will be temporary.

The jobs are meant to "minimize the impact of the epidemic on employment in the short term," JD.com said in a statement, adding that it wants to "support stable employment."
Dada Group, a local on-demand delivery provider that is backed by JD, will create an additional 15,000 positions.

JD.com's supermarket chain, 7FRESH, will also reach out to employees from restaurants, hotels, cinemas and retail outlets "that are temporarily closed due to the coronavirus," the company said in a statement.

These workers will be eligible for new short-term positions, including shop clerks, packaging assistants and delivery couriers, according to the company.

Business giants step in: E-commerce giant Alibaba announced a similar plan this week. On Monday, it introduced an "employee-sharing" scheme that would allow those who work in hospitality, dining, movie theaters, department stores and various other businesses to find temporary jobs at the company.

It declined to share an estimate on how many workers would be eligible.

Some workers have already found jobs through these initiatives. JD.com said Wednesday that its logistics unit has taken in at least 700 employees from more than 10 companies, adding that the firm is continuing to work with partners, staffing agencies and restaurants to recruit more people in thousands of cities.

05:07 PM

Hong Kong confirms one more case, bringing city's total to 50

Health officials in Hong Kong have confirmed an additional case of the novel coronavirus, bringing the citywide total to 50.

Officials at a news conference today said the new case involves a 51-year-old man who developed a fever on February 3 and was hospitalized on February 10. The patient is a coworker of the 37th confirmed case in the city.

A total of 59 suspected cases have been reported in the past 24 hours, said Sarah Ho of the city's Hospital Authority. Four confirmed patients are in critical condition and two remain in a serious condition.

The 18th confirmed case -- a 25-year-old man -- was also discharged from hospital today, Ho said.

05:06 PM

Diamond Princess cruise quarantine will end on February 19

The Diamond Princess cruise ship, currently docked in Yokohama, Japan, will be released from quarantine on February 19, according to operator Princess Cruises.

More than 3,700 passengers and crew have been held on board the ship since February 4.

In a video statement released today, the company's executive vice president Rai Caluori said the "highest priority is providing guests and crew with their prescription medications, and more than 2,000 prescriptions have been brought on board."
He added that a team of seven pharmacists are assisting with the delivery of medication to guests. 

According to Caluori, the 1,405 crew currently working on board the ship will receive "normal pay and gratuities and paid time off following the quarantine."

Japanese health officials have confirmed 175 cases of the novel coronavirus on the Diamond Princess -- the largest concentration of cases outside mainland China.

05:05 PM

Staff are evacuated from a Singapore bank after coronavirus case confirmed

Staff at a Singapore branch of DBS Bank were evacuated from their office today after one employee tested positive for the novel coronavirus.  

In a statement, DBS "confirms that one employee has been infected with the novel coronavirus" and that as a precautionary measure "we ensured that all employees on the affected floor of the Marina Bay Financial Center vacated the premises."

The bank added that it is currently conducting contact tracing with "all employees and parties the infected employee may have come into contact with." 

Meanwhile, office spaces and common areas like elevators and bathrooms are being deep cleaned and disinfected.

Singapore currently has 47 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

02:50 PM

One of the UK's eight confirmed cases is a hospital worker

One of the eight confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the UK is an accident and emergency worker at Worthing Hospital in West Sussex, according to the British Department of Health.

Worthing Hospital is about 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Brighton, where a general practitioner clinic closed because of the coronavirus.

02:22 PM

10 Hong Kong residents in Hubei have been confirmed with the coronavirus

A total of 10 Hong Kong residents in China's Hubei province have been confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus, the city's government said today.

The government said the 10 people were part of three families. Seven people are staying in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei and epicenter of the outbreak, and three are in Enshi, in the province's west.

02:21 PM

Airbnb suspends bookings in Beijing until end of April

Airbnb will extend the suspension of all bookings in Beijing until April 30, according to a statement from the company today.

"As efforts to control the novel coronavirus outbreak continue, we will comply with additional guidance issued for the industry during this public health emergency," the statement read.
All guests with canceled reservations will be refunded.

Airbnb had announced a Beijing suspension throughout February earlier this week, citing “official guidance that applies to all companies in the short term rental industry."

02:21 PM

Hong Kong building evacuated after fears novel coronavirus could spread through pipes

There's still a lot unknown about how the coronavirus is transmitted from person to person -- but in Hong Kong, there are fears that pipes in buildings may have contributed to the virus' spread.

Two cases were confirmed yesterday -- both living in the same residential building but on different floors -- sparking a partial evacuation order of the building.

A team of experts and engineers entered the building yesterday to ensure the safety of its air pipes, after the city's Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that the government would investigate whether the virus was transmitted through the piping system.

02:20 PM

Confusion and supply shortages in China as people try to resume work

China is struggling to return to work after the coronavirus outbreak shut down large swaths of the world's second biggest economy for more than two weeks.

Worker shortages, transport disruption, a lack of medical supplies and heavy-handed local officials are all making life difficult for businesses, the Chinese government said yesterday.

02:19 PM

"We will win" the battle against coronavirus, Xi insists

“We must fight this battle with confidence, we will win,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping on state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week.

11:16 AM

Coronavirus Death - Breakdown

Deaths:

      In mainland China: 1,113
      Outside mainland China: 2 (one in Hong Kong, one in the Philippines)
      Global total: 1,115

Confirmed cases:
       In mainland China: 44,653
       Outside mainland China: 518
       Global total: 45,171

According to China's National Health Commission, a total of 4,740 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital. 

 

10:34 AM

Andhra man wrongly thinks he has coronavirus, kills self to protect village

A miscommunication with doctors led to his death as he wrongly thought he had coronavirus.
The doctors told the man he did not have coronavirus but he asked them, including all the villagers to stay away from him else they too would contract coronavirus, the report said.
The man was advised to wear a mask due to some infection so that he did not contract other infections. This made him behave strangely and on Monday, he killed himself, according to the report.His son said that his father panicked and was of the strong view that he had contracted coronavirus. This led to all the more panic when the man started saying he needed to kill himself to keep other safe from him and coronavirus.

10:27 AM

WHO Has Finally Named The New Coronavirus

The UN health agency on Tuesday announced that "COVID-19" will be the official name of the deadly virus from China, saying the disease represented a "very grave threat" for the world but there was a "realistic chance" of stopping it.
"We now have a name for the disease and it's COVID-19," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.
Tedros said that "co" stands for "corona", "vi" for "virus" and "d" for "disease", while "19" was for the year, as the outbreak was first identified on 31 December.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

"We now have a name for the #2019nCoV disease:

COVID-19.

I’ll spell it: C-O-V-I-D hyphen one nine – COVID-19"

-@DrTedros#COVID19pic.twitter.com/Kh0wx2qfzk

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 11, 2020

03:51 PM

Hong Kong confirms 7 additional cases of coronavirus, bringing total to 49

Health officials in Hong Kong have confirmed seven additional cases of the virus, bringing the city-wide total to 49.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Dr. Chuang Shuk-Kwan of the Center for Health Protection said four of the additional cases can be traced back to previous confirmed cases.

Chuang said one case number involves a patient who was a co-worker of a confirmed case who contracted the virus whilst eating hotpot at a dinner party.

Three of the cases are not connected to previous community cluster cases, according to Chuang, who added that two of the three remaining cases have no recent travel history.

02:35 PM

Two men who tested negative for coronavirus in Japan now have the infection

Two Japanese citizens who had initially tested negative for coronavirus have now been diagnosed with the disease. Japan now has confirmed 163 cases.

The two new patients, both men, were evacuated from China to Japan. One is in his 50s and the other in his 40s, the ministry said, and both have no connection to the Diamond Princess, the cruise ship docked off the coast of Yokohama on which 135 have been infected by the virus.

The men were retested after developing fevers.

02:34 PM

South Korea is sending a third plane to Wuhan to pick up its citizens. It's also adding Hong Kong and Macao to its "virus contaminated zone"

South Korea is sending a third chartered plane to Wuhan to repatriate its nationals and their Chinese families, vice minister of health and welfare Kim Gang-lip said Tuesday.

Kim said 170 people are expected to board the plane and South Korean authorities are considering allowing Chinese family members of its citizens to board the plane.

The flight will leave South Korea’s Incheon airport Tuesday evening at 8:45pm local and will arrive back in Gimpo airport in Seoul Wednesday morning, Kim said. Those repatriated will be quarantined at Korea Defense Language Institute, a military school facility located in a rural area, Kim said. 

There were about 2,000 South Korean citizens living in Wuhan before the epidemic, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry. More than 700 South Korean nationals were repatriated on the first two flights.

02:33 PM

Taiwan raises travel alerts for Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and Thailand

Taiwan has raised its travel warnings for several regions in Asia that have been affected by the Wuhan coronavirus, its Ministry of Health and Welfare said in a statement.

Here are the new warnings:

Hong Kong and Macao: Taiwan has raised the travel alerts for the two semi-autonomous Chinese cities to level three, which urges the public not to travel to a location unless it's "necessary." Hong Kong has confirmed 42 cases and one fatality, while Macao has identified 10 infected patients.

Singapore: Taiwan raised the travel alert to Singapore to level two, which urges citizens to take "protective measures" if they travel there. Forty-five cases have been identified in the city state.

Thailand: Taiwanese authorities raised the travel alert to Thailand to level one, urging people heading there to "adhere to local preventive measures." The country has confirmed 33 coronavirus cases.

02:32 PM

Vietnam confirms two more coronavirus cases, including a 3-month-old baby

A three-month-old baby girl and 55-year-old woman are the latest people in Vietnam to contract coronavirus, according the country's state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

The two patients are among 10 people in the northern Vinh Phuc province to have been infected. Across Vietnam, 15 people have the virus.

The baby was tested after her grandmother was diagnosed with the virus. She had previously spent four days at her grandmother's house. The baby is in quarantine and in a stable condition.

The 55-year-old woman is the neighbor of an infected patient who had recently been to Wuhan.

She was in a stable condition at a local clinic on Sunday

02:31 PM

The United Arab Emirates has confirmed one more coronavirus case. Another has recovered

02:30 PM

Thailand confirms a new coronavirus case, as its government says the Westerdam ship won't be allowed to dock there

Thailand has confirmed another case of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country up to 33.

The latest patient is a 54-year-old Chinese woman who traveled from Wuhan before the city was put on lock down, according to Thailand's Department of Disease Control.

12:18 PM

2-year-old girl among new coronavirus cases confirmed in Singapore

A 2-year-old girl has been diagnosed with coronavirus in Singapore, the city-state's Ministry of Health said. The toddler had been evacuated from Wuhan on January 30 and placed under quarantine until the infection was confirmed on Monday morning.

A 37-year-old Singaporean with “no recent travel history to China" was also confirmed to have the virus on Tuesday.

That brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Singapore up to 45, according to the ministry.

11:34 AM

A WHO team arrives in China to help Beijing deal with the epidemic

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in China today to assist with controlling the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, after the death toll topped 1,000.

Chinese health authorities said 108 people died from the virus in mainland China on Monday, with the majority of those deaths occurring in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

The WHO's organization's director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the team in Beijing would "lay the groundwork for a larger international team," which will join them "as soon as possible."

The WHO group in China is led by Bruce Aylward, who helmed the body's response to Ebola, as well as initiatives for immunization, communicable diseases control and polio eradication.

Their arrival comes as the WHO is facing increasing criticism for its initial decision not to declare a global health emergency, and for officials' effusive praise of China's handling of the crisis, even as Beijing faces outrage domestically for, among other things, the death of whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang, and the subsequent censorship of that news.

11:33 AM

Heads roll in Hubei over coronavirus outbreak

Two senior officials of the Health Commission in Hubei province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, were fired on Tuesday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The commission's party secretary, Zhang Jin, and its director, Liu Yingzi, were both removed from office by the Hubei Provincial Party Standing Committee.

The state-run People’s Daily newspaper reported both positions have been replaced by Wang Hesheng, who recently served as vice-minister of the National Health Commission.

10:40 AM

Japanese minister explains why testing all Diamond Princess passengers for the coronavirus isn't likely

Japan's Health Ministry will likely not test all passengers and crew on board the Diamond Princess for the Wuhan coronavirus due to "capacity" issues, a top official said.

“After 14 days, if people have no symptoms, logically we can say these people are not infected by this virus,” Japan vice minister of health, labor and welfare, Gaku Hashimoto, told CNN in an exclusive interview on Monday.

The Japanese health minister told reporters Monday that the government was considering testing all on board. However, a government official later in the day said it was not feasible.

10:01 AM

Hong Kong officials checking if exhaust pipe design spread virus in high-rise tower

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday officials are investigating whether an exhaust pipe led to the spread of coronavirus among residents of a high-rise tower.

Two residents living in Unit 7 of the same block on different floors on Hong Mei House, a building in Tsing Yi, northwestern Hong Kong, have contracted the virus.

A team of experts will enter the building Tuesday to check the safety of its air pipes, Lam said.

Sophia Chan, Hong Kong's Secretary for Food and Health, said residents living in the same tower block have been evacuated to quarantine camps as a precautionary measure.

She added that four more residents have showed virus symptoms and are now in hospital.

09:57 AM

China is using its surveillance system to combat coronavirus spread.

China’s response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus has exposed the extent of the country’s vast surveillance system.

A senior official with China’s National Health Commission gave state broadcaster CCTV one example:

A man in Zheijiang, in the country’s east, showed symptoms of coronavirus but told officials he hadn’t been in contact with anyone from Wuhan.
“Then we checked the data and found that he had been in contact with three people from the epidemic area,” the official said.

In 2020, China is using lessons learned from decades of crackdowns on dissidents and undesirables to combat the virus.

09:47 AM

Monday was the first time more than 100 people died of coronavirus in one day in mainland China

A total of 108 people in mainland China died from the Wuhan coronavirus on Monday, according to the country's National Health Commission (NHC), marking the first time the single-day death toll has crossed into triple digits.

The number of deaths per day in mainland China has steadily risen over the past few weeks, since the Chinese authorities began issuing daily updates.

Here's the breakdown from the NHC:

Day Wise Fatalities

Day	Deaths Reported
February 10	108 deaths
February 9	97 deaths
February 8	89 deaths
February 7	86 deaths
February 6	73 deaths
February 5	73 deaths
February 4	65 deaths
February 3	64 deaths
February 2	57 deaths
February 1	45 deaths
January 31	46 deaths
January 30	43 deaths
January 29	38 deaths
January 28	26 deaths
January 27	26 deaths
January 26	24 deaths
January 25	15 deaths
January 24	16 deaths
January 23	8 deaths
Before January 23	17 deaths

Chinese authorities said 17 people had died from the virus before January 23.

08:18 AM

South Korea identifies another coronavirus patient. It now has 28 cases

A Chinese woman in South Korea has been diagnosed with the Wuhan coronavirus, authorities in Seoul said Tuesday.

The woman, aged 30, tested positive for the virus while she was in self-quarantine. She is the 28th confirmed infection in South Korea.

08:00 AM

Death Toll at 1000, Coronavirus surpass SARS Deaths.

The Death Toll of Coronavirus Outbreak has surpassed that of SARS, As of Monday the death toll crossed 1000. On Monday 108 people died, highest since outbreak. The Chinese cities is looking deserted even though chinese masses returned to work after a long Chinese New Year break that got extended due to coronavirus outbreak.

12:50 PM

Coronavirus hits Indian automakers

The pipeline of parts from China, the biggest manufacturing hub for the world, is fast drying up. The automotive industry has been working with lean inventory and single market sources for a long time to effectively manage inventory and costs.

12:50 PM

"This is worse than the impact of 2011 tsunami in Japan. This time around, factories across the world can potentially come to a standstill because of supply drying out on account of the (novel) coronavirus." -  Venkatram Mamillapalle, MD, Renault India

11:47 AM

Chinese journalist reporting on Coronavirus outbreak goes missing

Chen Qiushi, a citizen journalist who had been doing critical reporting from Wuhan, the central Chinese city at the epicenter of the outbreak, went missing on Thursday evening. Chen has been out of reach for more than 20 hours. Read More.

11:56 AM

Two more US evacuation planes leave coronavirus epicenter Wuhan, reports 
Two planes with about 300 passengers, mostly US citizens, took off from the Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday bound for the United States -- the third group of evacuees from the heart of the coronavirus outbreak, the US State Department said.

11:35 AM

China announces investigation after whistleblower doctor dies. 
 

11:22 AM

A Chinese doctor who was among the first to warn publicly about the new coronavirus outbreak died of the infection early on Friday, his hospital announced.Li Wenliang was working as an ophthalmologist in the virus epicentre city of Wuhan when he observed patients with symptoms similar to the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2002-03.

12:40 PM

Uzbekistan has evacuated 251 people from China amid the coronavirus outbreak and quarantined them on arrival in Tashkent, the Central Asian nation's state airline said on Thursday. Uzbekistan Airways said in a statement the flight, its third this week, was the final one aimed at repatriating Uzbek citizens.

12:39 PM

Rejected by hotels, China tourist lands in Kerala hospital

A Chinese youth, who is on a trip to India, was quarantined at the General Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram following the intervention of police. The 27-year-old from Sichuan province, around 1,300km from Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak, had arrived in Kerala on Tuesday afternoon. 

12:38 PM

Kerala: With groom in quarantine, wedding rituals postponed
A man who arrived in Kerala from China for his wedding two weeks ago had to postpone the ceremony on the insistence of health authorities as he is presently under home quarantine for the novel coronavirus. The marriage had been scheduled for Tuesday at Kadangode grama panchayat.

06:37 PM

A baby in China's epidemic-hit Wuhan city has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus just 30 hours after being born, Chinese state media reported Wednesday. Read more

12:32 PM

According to China's National Health Commission, by the end of Tuesday, a total of 490 people had died after being infected and 24,324 confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV infection had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions. Read more

11:26 AM

33 people who have come to Nagaland recently from coronavirus affected countries have not shown any symptoms of deadly virus, PTI quoting health official in Kohima.

10:51 AM

The city of Taizhou and three districts of the city of Hangzhou -- including the area with the main office of Chinese tech giant Alibaba -- will now only allow one person per household to go outside every two days to buy necessities.

10:51 AM

Chinese city of Hangzhou locks down three districts over virus fears

10:50 AM

5 in Manesar camp develop symptoms, sent to Army Hospital in Delhi

10:47 AM

A  39-year-old Hong Kong resident dies in the city’s first coronavirus-related death.

09:04 AM

The total number of infections in China rose by 3,235 on Tuesday to 20,438, and there are at least 151 cases in 23 other countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Britain.

08:59 AM

A  39-year-old Hong Kong resident dies in the city’s first coronavirus-related death.

04:59 PM

West Bengal government provides thermal scanners to Kolkata amid rising concerns of Coronavirus in the country

The West Bengal government has provided two thermal scanners to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here to help the authorities conduct surveillance on passengers to contain attack of coronavirus, a senior official said on Monday. The West Bengal Medical Service Corporation has bought the two thermal scanners at a total cost of Rs 30 lakhs.

 

04:56 PM

Centre sets up task force to monitor coronavirus issue: MoS Home Reddy

The Centre has set up a task force to monitor the situation arising out of the novel coronavirus with representatives from the Ministries of Health, Home, Civil Aviation and Women and Child Development, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Monday. The move came amidst reports that a third case of novel coronavirus was detected in Kerala and the person had recently returned from China.

04:52 PM

Andhra woman remains stuck in Wuhan, seeks govt help
A software engineer and TLC employee from Andhra Pradesh, who was allegedly not allowed to board the two special Air India flights that brought back many Indians from the coronavirus-hit Wuhan as she was running high body temperature, is now seeking help for her early evacuation. Annem Jyothi, a software engineer from Kurnool claims that she was not allowed to board the two special Air India flights from Wuhan, because of high body temperature.

04:50 PM

Australia virus evacuees head for island quarantine

A flight carrying evacuees landed in Australia late Monday ahead of a 14-day quarantine at a notorious offshore immigration detention centre. Passengers will be quarantined for at least 14 days in the centre which gained notoriety as the venue where asylum seekers who attempted to reach Australia by boat were detained.

 

04:31 PM

Chinese shares suffer biggest fall amid NCoV outbreak.

04:22 PM

Indonesia to temporarily stop food and beverage imports from China

Indonesia will temporarily stop food and beverage imports from China as a precaution to prevent the coronavirus spreading to the Southeast Asian country. Minister Agus Suparmanto told reporters the measure would be put in place soon and would remain in place until "the virus problem has ended". China is Indonesia's biggest trade partner.

12:53 PM

Third case of coronavirus confirmed in Kerala

After two confirmed novel Coronavirus cases in Kerala, a third case has been confirmed in the state, state Health Minister K.K. Shailaja said on Monday. Shailaja in a special mention at the Kerala Assembly said that a third case has been tested positive for Coronavirus.  The person is under isolation at  Kanhangad in Kasargode district and the condition of the youth, who was a student in Wuhan, is said to be stable.

11:47 AM

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a fresh travel advisory on Monday urging people to refrain from visiting China."Travel Advisory further revised informing the public to refrain from travel to China and that anyone with travel history in China since January 15, 2020 and from now on could be quarantined," said the statement released by the ministry here. The statement also said, "e-Visa facility for Chinese passport holders has been temporarily suspended."

10:56 AM

Death toll touches 360 surpasses fatalities of SARS crisis
The death toll from the Coronavirus have jumped to 360 surpassing the number of fatalities of its SARS crisis two decades ago. The virus has now spread to 24 countries despite many governments imposing bans on people coming from China.

09:02 AM

Second Kerala student tested positive for Coronavirus

Another student belonging to Kerala who recently returned from Wuhan University in China tested positive for the novel coronavirus  taking the confirmed cases of the virus in India to two. The 22-year-old, belonging to Alappuzha, had travelled along with the first positive case, now under isolation in Thrissur. “They have common travel history from Wuhan to Kochi via Kolkata. After reaching Alappuzha, the 22-year-old was under home quarantine and was later shifted to the medical college after he developed minor symptoms, such as sore throat and fever. The symptoms are not serious although he has tested positive,” officials said.

09:59 AM

Second Air India Flight lands in Delhi, Airlifting second batch of stranded Indians and 7 Maldivians

Delhi: Second Air India special flight carrying 323 Indians and 7 Maldives citizens, that took off from Wuhan (China) lands at Delhi airport. #Coronavirushttps://t.co/Lxax67eJs2

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2020

09:45 AM

China says Wuhan coronavirus victims who die should be quickly cremated without funerals as death toll rises

China has officially banned funerals and other events where friends and families can pay their respects for deceased victims of the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, according to new trial regulations issued Saturday to slow the spread.China's National Health Commission (NHC) issued new regulations Saturday stating that all victims who succumb to the virus must be cremated at the nearest facility. "No farewell ceremonies or other funeral activities shall be held," the NHC announcement reads

09:41 AM

Coronavirus Outbreak: Second Positive Case of Novel Coronavirus Found in Kerala

Second positive case of Novel Coronavirus has been found in Kerala. The patient has a travel history from China. The patient has been kept in isolation in the hospital; is stable and is being closely monitored.

09:38 AM

Air India flight carrying second batch of Indians evacuated from Wuhan to land in Delhi today

An Air India special flight carrying the second batch of Indians evacuated from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan, will land in New Delhi on Sunday morning, national carrier's spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said.

The flight took off from Wuhan at 3:10 am (IST) and is expected to land in New Delhi at 9:20 am, Kumar said.

"Second Air India special flight from Wuhan departed at 0540 hours, i.e. 0310 (IST). The flight time is six hours. It is expected to land in Delhi by 0920 hours Indian time," Kumar said.

09:33 AM

Coronavirus: New Zealand bans travellers from China

The New Zeland Government is placing temporary entry restrictions into New Zealand on all foreign nationals travelling from, or transiting through mainland China to assist with the containment of the novel coronavirus and to protect New Zealand and the Pacific Islands from the disease.

This will take effect from Monday and will remain in place for up to 14 days. The position will be reviewed every 48 hours.

• Any foreign travellers who leave or transit through mainland China after 2 February 2020 (NZ time) will be refused entry to New Zealand.
• Any foreign travellers in transit to New Zealand on 2 February 2020 will be subject to enhanced screening on arrival but, pending clearance, will be granted entry to New Zealand.
• New Zealand citizens and permanent residents returning to New Zealand will still be able to enter, as will their immediate family members, but will be required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival back in the country.

09:32 AM

7 Maldivians were rescued from Wuhan by Air India Rescue mission, foriegn minister expresses gratitude

Maldives's Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping the seven Maldivian nationals get out of China amid the coronavirus scare.

The Maldivian nationals will be housed in Delhi for some days, according to Foriegn Minister Abdulla Shahid.

7 Maldivians in #Wuhan are on their way to Delhi on a special #AirIndia flight. Upon arrival they will be housed in Delhi for a period of quarantine. Deep gratitude to PM @narendramodi and EM @DrSJaishankar. Special thanks to Ambassadors @VikramMisri@sunjaysudhir and their teams

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) February 2, 2020

The Maldivian foreign minister termed India's help as "an action that reflects historic ties of kinship between the two countries and synergy between the Neighbourhood First and India First policy".

7 Maldivians along with 323 Indians are being evacuated to #Delhi from #Wuhan by a special @airindiain AI flight.
An action that reflects historic ties of kinship between us, &, synergy between #NeighbourhoodFirst & #IndiaFirst policies. @MEAIndia@MoFAmv@EOIBeijing@PMOIndiahttps://t.co/zmvhqkPmTL

— India in Maldives (@EoIMaldives) February 2, 2020

Grateful to @MFA_China, @AmbassadorZhang and local authorities in #Hubei for the assistance. A very special thanks to our Ambassador in China Ms Azeema and Ambassador in Delhi @aishamdidi and their team. Thank everyone at @MoFAmv for the hard work.

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) February 2, 2020

09:24 AM

Philippines Issues Travel Ban for tourists from China

Philippines President  Rodrigo Duterte has expanded the Philippine government's ban on travelers to cover any person coming directly from China, Hong Kong, and Macau within the last two weeks.
Filipinos who were in China will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period upon arriving in the Philippines, likely impacting tens of thousands of domestic helpers in Hong Kong.

09:20 AM

Philippines reports first coronavirus fatality, second confirmed infection

The Philippines has reported the first coronavirus death outside China, hours after issuing a sweeping travel ban that included Hong Kong.

The victim was a 44-year-old male Chinese national, who died on February 1. He was the companion of a 38-year-old Chinese woman, who arrived in the Philippines from Wuhan on January 21 after travelling through Hong Kong.

Over the course of the patient’s admission, he developed severe pneumonia, the Philippines’ Department of Health said.
“This is the first reported death outside China,” Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative to the Philippines, said.

06:17 AM

Across China, more than 300 people are dead from coronavirus

A total of 304 people had died from coronavirus in mainland China by the end of Saturday, according to the country's National Health Commission. So far, there have been no deaths outside the mainland.

The vast majority of the deaths have occurred in the province of Hubei, of which Wuhan is the capital. Wuhan -- home to 11 million people -- is the epicenter of the outbreak.

The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China is now 14,380 -- an increase of 2,590 from Friday's total.

06:08 AM

Residents in Hong Kong Queue to buy the Masks

Residents of #HongKong queue at pharmacy to buy face masks during #coronavirus outbreak pic.twitter.com/BfkOXvhI0f

— RT (@RT_com) February 2, 2020

06:00 AM

Coronavirus death toll in Hubei rises to 294

Forty-five more people have died in China's Hubei province, bringing the total death toll in Hubei to 294, health officials said.Nearly 2,000 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed Saturday in the province, which is the epicenter of the outbreak.These updated figures push the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to more than 13,700.

01:27 AM

Eighth confirmed coronavirus case in US is travel-related

The eighth confirmed US case of the coronavirus is in a man in his 20s who lives in Boston, according to a press release from Boston and Massachusetts health officials. The man recently returned from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak. Read More

01:27 AM

European Union allocates $11 million for research on coronavirus

The European Commission announced Friday that it will grant $11 million from its research and innovation program Horizon 2020 for coronavirus research.

The European Commission has launched an emergency request for expressions of interest for research projects to advance its understanding of the new coronavirus epidemic, contribute to more efficient clinical management of patients infected with the virus, and aid with public health preparedness and response, a statement said.

“We are working to mitigate the consequences of a potential larger spread of the Coronavirus outbreak in the EU. Thanks to emergency research funding from Horizon 2020, we will know more about the disease,” says Mariya Gabriel, EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.
The aim of the Horizon 2020 emergency research funding is “to know more about the virus to better target our prevention measures and to ensure better care for our citizens,” says Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

Kyriakides added: “[W]e need to see a multifaceted, whole-of-government response to the Coronavirus and research is an essential part of this.”

10:18 PM

Three Philipines airlines have cancelled flight operation to Chind amid Coronavirus scare

Three Philippines airlines have cancelled flights to China after health officials confirmed the country’s first case of coronavirus.A 38-year-old Chinese woman who arrived from Wuhan, China, tested positive for the virus on Thursday.

10:16 PM

Russian and Chinese foreign ministers vow to cooperate on fighting virus

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed measures taken to combat the spread of Wuhan coronavirus in a phone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday. 

“The Russian side appreciated the measures taken by China to combat the spread of the disease caused by coronavirus,” the Russian ministry said in a statement. “The issues of Russian-Chinese cooperation in this area were discussed.”

10:10 PM

UAE health ministry announces new case of Coronavirus infection

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced a new case of Coronavirus infection in the country, and added that the patient was stable and under medical care. He arrived from the Chinese city of Wuhan.

10:09 PM

Cuba Readies plan to fight Coronavirus

The Council of Ministers of Cuba approved a plan for the prevention and control of the coronavirus, which is known as the 'Wuhan Pneumonia,' announced the national press.The Council conducted a meeting, headed by President Miguel Diaz-Canel and First Minister Manuel Marrero, adopting a strategy against the pandemic of the new virus. 

10:07 PM

CDC confirms seventh coronavirus case in US, as global cases top more than 11,900

Health officials said Friday that a man in southern California has been infected with the Coronavirus after returning from a recent trip to China, bringing the overall reported cases in the United States to seven.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a news release that the patient recently returned from Wuhan, the Chinese city of more than 11 million people where the virus is believed to have originated from sometime in December.

09:46 PM

Tunisia Reported its first suspected Coronavirus case

Authorities have detected the first suspected case of coronavirus in Tunisia, according to local reports.The passenger is male and was returning to Tunis Airport via Qatar from China.

09:43 PM

Beijing grants 11-day visa extension to Pakistan nationals stranded in Xinjiang amid coronavirus outbreak

A group of Pakistan students and community members stranded in Urumqi city, the capital of Xinjiang province in China's far northwest, due to suspension of flights in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak have been granted an 11-day visa extension by authorities in Beijing.

All of them have been provided hotel accommodation and food will be made available for them until flights resume between Urumqi and Islamabad, official sources in Beijing told Dawn on Saturday. Read More

09:35 PM

India extends support to China in fight against coronavirus:PTI

India has extended support to China in combating the dreaded coronavirus outbreak, and called for objective and rational assessment of the epidemic that has killed 259 people and affected nearly 12,000 others.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday spoke to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over phone and thanked him for China''s cooperation in evacuating the stranded Indians from the coronavirus-hit Wuhan city and Hubei province.

On Friday, India airlifted 324 Indians, mostly students, from Wuhan and operated a second flight on Saturday to evacuate the rest from the province.

09:13 PM

CoronaVirus Outbreak : Japan reports 20th Case as Shinzo Abe vows new measures

The number of coronavirus cases in Japan rose to 20 on Saturday as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed ministers to come up with additional steps to respond to the global pandemic outbreak

09:10 PM

Three of the largest US airlines -- Delta, American and United -- have canceled more flights between the United States and China because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

"Based on the U.S. Department of State's recent increase of the China Travel Advisory to a Level 4 (Do Not Travel), American is suspending its operations to and from the Chinese mainland beginning today through March 27," American said in a statement.
Delta's said Friday it was suspending all flights from the United States to China from February 6 until April 30. The airline said it's continuing routes until February 5 to "ensure customers looking to exit China have options to do so." It said that it will "continue to monitor the situation closely" and adjust its schedule accordingly.
United Airlines on Thursday extended its suspension of some routes to and from China until March 28. The carrier, which announced its first round of service reductions Tuesday, said it was because of a "significant decline in demand." Flights to Chengdu are not being reduced, it said.

09:04 PM

Airlines Suspended China Operations

These are the other airlines that have suspended flights to China amid the virus outbreak:

Vietnam Airlines, Qatar Airways, American Airlines (until March 27), Delta Airlines (Feb 6. to April 30), Air France (until Feb. 9), British Airways, Air Seoul, Egyptair, Lion Air, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines and Austrian Airlines (until end February), Kenya Airways, RwandAir (till further notice), Vietjet (effective Feb. 1), all Russian airlines (except Aeroflot).

09:03 PM

CoronaVirus Outbreak : Japan reports 20th Case as Shinzo Abe vows new measures

The number of coronavirus cases in Japan rose to 20 on Saturday as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed ministers to come up with additional steps to respond to the global pandemic outbreak

09:00 PM

Coronavirus: Air passengers from Thailand, Singapore to be screened, PTI

 

Passengers arriving from Thailand and Singapore will be screened at airports in addition to those coming from China and Hong Kong for possible exposure to novel coronavirus (nCoV), the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

The decision was taken at a high-level review meeting held by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba here on the preparedness to deal with the virus amid mounting global concern over increasing number of cases in China and several other countries.

08:56 PM

More than half of China extends shutdown over virus

At least 21 provinces, municipalities and regions in China have told businesses not to resume work before Feb. 10 at the earliest.Chinese government has extended the holiday so that businesses would not reopen until Monday, Feb. 3.

Beijing: encourages companies to have employees work from home until Feb. 10
Hubei: where the disease is concentrated, has told businesses not to reopen until at least Feb. 14.Hubei residents who work outside the province were also asked to stay put.
Tianjin: Businesses and schools are not to reopen until further notice
Anhui, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai, Suzhou, Xi’an, Yunnan, Zhejiang have all said work is to resume no earlier than midnight on Feb 9.

08:56 PM

Coronavirus outbreak: IndiGo says will suspend flights on Kolkata-Guangzhou route from Feb 6 to 25

IndiGo announced on Saturday that it will suspend flights on Kolkata-Guangzhou route from February 6 to 25 due to the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak in China.

On Wednesday, the low-cost carrier had announced suspension of flights on Bengaluru-Hong Kong route from February 1 and on Delhi-Chengdu route from February 1 to 20.

“In line with the WHO guideline to contain the spread of coronavirus, IndiGo will be suspending its Kolkata-Guangzhou from February 6, 2020 until February 25, 2020 and Guangzhou-Kolkata from February 7, 2020 until February 26, 2020,” the airline said in a statement on Saturday. Read More

08:43 PM

Thousands of Hong Kong medical staff vote to strike for border closure with mainland China

Thousands of Hong Kong public medical staff have voted to strike on Monday if the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government does not agree to demands to close the border with mainland China. 

The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance has 13,000 members. Of those members who voted on Saturday night, 3,123 voted yes for the strike action, 10 against and 23 abstained. 8,825 members signed an online petition saying they will go on strike next week if demands to close border are not met. 

Thousands of medical staff are calling on the HKSAR government to ban all visitors from mainland China to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus to Hong Kong.

08:42 PM

Flying drones instruct people around China to wear masks outdoors

Villages and cities in China have resorted to flying drones with speakers to patrol streets and scold people not wearing masks in public amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to Chinese state media. 

Both Xinhua and the Global Times have published videos of drones warning various people in rural areas that masks need to be worn in “these times." The drones were seen scolding an elderly lady and chasing a child down the road. 

The videos have gone viral on Chinese social media and have been praised as a novel way to raise awareness of the disease. 

Global Times reported that local officials had been putting up slogans in an effort to get communities to stay at home during the epidemic and to avoid people gathering together to slow and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

07:32 PM

The UN on the coronavirus outbreak.

"This is the time for facts, not fear.
This is the time for science, not rumors.
This is the time for solidarity, not stigma.
We are all in this together."@DrTedros of @who declares a public health emergency of international concern over #coronavirus.https://t.co/GmRJNvqmCNpic.twitter.com/voa5UP5Kq0

— UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) February 1, 2020

07:32 PM

Russia Plans to evacuate its citizens from the most affected places of China

Russia’s aerospace forces, part of the armed forces, will start evacuating Russian citizens from China today due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the evacuation would take place in regions that had been most affected by the outbreak.Russia’s deputy prime minister, Tatiana Golikova, said on Friday that Russia planned to evacuate more than 600 of its citizens now in Wuhan and Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak in China, and they will be quarantined for 14 days.
Russia has already reported its first two cases of coronavirus and restricted direct flights to China. The Russian defence ministry plans to use five aeroplanes to evacuate people from China. Read More

06:58 PM

Qatar Airways will suspend flights to China

Qatar Airways is the latest airline to suspend flights to China over the coronavirus outbreak.

The carrier said it will "unfortunately" stop flying to China on Monday, due to "significant operational challenges caused by entry restrictions imposed by several countries.""These restrictions prevent the airline from scheduling crew on certain routes, limiting our ability to maintain scheduled operations elsewhere," the airline said in a statement.

Qatar Airways suspends flights to China due to significant operational challenges.https://t.co/KXnUGpR3Shpic.twitter.com/NIwfYmUmnE

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) February 1, 2020

06:52 PM

A quarantined patient’s son dies of neglect, and the leaders of a Chinese town are fired.

The mayor and Chinese Communist Party chief of a town in Huanggang, a city near Wuhan, have been fired over negligence that resulted in the death of the teenage son of a quarantined coronavirus patient.

The patient, Yan Xiaowen, had returned from Wuhan to the town of Huajiahe in mid-January. A few days later, on Jan. 22, he developed a fever and was immediately quarantined. His 16-year-old son, who had cerebral palsy and required round-the-clock medical attention, was entrusted to the care of relatives, village cadres and village doctors.

06:46 PM

Vietnam PM declares coronavirus epidemic, flights to and from China grounded

 Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc just signed a decision declaring the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV) an epidemic in Vietnam, following the sixth confirmed case of infection in the country earlier on Saturday (Feb 1).

The declaration notes the starting date of the epidemic as January 23, where the first two cases of the pneumonia-like virus infection in Vietnam were confirmed to be a pair of Chinese father and son originally from Wuhan, China.

The declaration notes that the outbreak is a “public health emergency of international concern,” in line with the announcement from World Health Organisation on January 30.

06:41 PM

Japan extend travel ban on foreigners who have been to wuhan

Japan like US, Australia also extended travel ban on foreigners who have been to wuhan.

06:35 PM

Apple shuts all stores in mainland China amid coronavirus outbreak

The deadly coronavirus outbreak that has claimed 259 lives in China so far has led the iPhone maker to shut all its stores and offices in mainland China till February 9, the media reported on Saturday.Apple is no longer just closing one store in China over coronavirus worries Apple is closing them all.

The Cupertino-headquartered giant said in a statement on Saturday: "Our thoughts are with the people most immediately affected by the Coronavirus and with those working around the clock to study and contain it." Read More

06:32 PM

Coronavirus cases in Malaysia remain at 8

The cumulative number of positive 2019 novel coronavirus cases in Malaysia remains at eight, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

06:27 PM

Macao tracing two casino employees diagnosed with the virus

Macao Health Bureau is investigating the movements of two casino employees after it was notified by Chinese officials that they have contracted the novel coronavirus. 

06:26 PM

Sri Lankan students evacuated from Wuhan

A group of students from Sri Lanka have been evacuated from Wuhan, the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China.

SriLankan Airlines profoundly thanks its patriotic pilots & cabin crew who braved risk of Coronavirus & volunteered for mercy flight to bring back Sri Lankan students from Wuhan, China, supported by staff of many departments, on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s instruction. pic.twitter.com/vl5Qq1lRnW

— SriLankan Airlines (@flysrilankan) February 1, 2020

06:24 PM

WHO urges people to know the facts

The World Health Organization has been stressing the importance of facts in the fight against the current coronavirus outbreak.

It warned that people of all ages can be infected by the virus and said older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.

The WHO is also trying to bust some of the myths circulating online. It said, for example, that there was no evidence that pets such as dogs and cats can be infected with the virus.

It also told people it was safe to receive packages from China. "From previous analysis, we know coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages," the WHO tweeted.

Q: Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against #2019nCoV?
A: No. Vaccines against pneumonia do not provide protection against 2019-nCoV.
The virus is new and different. It needs its own vaccine.#KnowTheFactspic.twitter.com/xoUz6PzHIo

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 31, 2020

 

06:21 PM

China asks EU for help with supplies

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has asked the European Union to help China procure medical supplies, according to a Chinese government statement.China is struggling to control the novel coronavirus outbreak. Its health system is on its knees, running out of beds and supplies.

Li spoke to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on the phone, the statement said, and is hoping to buy the supplies from EU member countries “through commercial channels.”
“And we are willing to strengthen information, policy and technical exchanges and to cooperate with international communities including EU,” Li said, according to the statement.

06:18 PM

Carry a tissue, wash your hands -- how to prevent the virus from spreading

The UK Department of Health and Social Care has issued a simple guidance on how ordinary people can help stop the new virus from spreading: carry a tissue, catch your sneeze, trash the tissue, wash your hands.

Here's our latest advice for the public on #coronavirus.

The government and NHS are well prepared to deal with this virus.

There are some simple steps you can take to help.

Full information 🔽https://t.co/CZh5JdyN2Qpic.twitter.com/VzHKZtkL9R

— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) February 1, 2020

06:04 PM

Coronavirus spreads damage to Wall Street

China a global manufacturing hub and a big source of trade and tourism for the U.S. economy.The coronavirus epidemic in China seemed like a distant threat to the U.S. economy a week ago, but that was before the carnage in the stock market. Fear itself, as is often the case on Wall Street, is also contagious.After a 600-point decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA -2.09%  on Friday, it’s quite clear the spread of the virus poses a risk to economic growth in 2020, at least in China and other parts of the world.

06:00 PM

CoronaVirus Outbreak : Japan reports 20th Case as Shinzo Abe vows new measures

The number of coronavirus cases in Japan rose to 20 on Saturday as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed ministers to come up with additional steps to respond to the global pandemic outbreak

05:46 PM

The Coronavirus Is Infecting the Global Economy potentially by $160 Billion dollars

 An interconnected global economy is feeling the strain of China’s viral outbreak -- and the potential $160 billion hit in lost growth that may be on the way.

05:39 PM

Coronavirus infection will double every 6.4 days According to lancet study

• A new study suggests that official figures for the scale of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak have been far too low.
• The study, published in the prestigious Lancet journal, projected that as of January 25, there were 75,815 people infected in Wuhan. At the time the official figure was 761.
• The study also projected that the epidemic will double in size every 6.4 days.
• It dismissed a lockdown in Wuhan as “negligible,” since the virus had already spread by the time it was implemented.

05:31 PM

Coronavirus outbreak: Two Europeans quarantined in Goa who arrived from China

Two persons from Europe, who arrived in Goa from China, have been kept in an isolation ward at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Saturday for possible exposure to novel coronavirus, officials said.This comes a day after another foreign national, who was admitted to the GMCH for suspected coronavirus, tested negative for the infection.

“Two European nationals, who landed in Goa after visiting China, have been kept in an isolation ward at the GMCH for possible exposure to novel coronavirus,” GMCH dean Shivanand Bandekar told PTI.

04:42 PM

Amid the Coronavirus outbreak some chilling pictures coming out of  China are said to show the bloodied corpses of animals lying in the road after being hurled to their death. Read more

04:22 PM

Chinese ambassador: No need for countries to impose border closures

After the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus outbreak a global emergency, China is decisively working to control the deadly outbreak, its ambassador to the UN said Friday, insisting there was no need for countries impose "excessive measures" like border closures. 

"There is no need for unnecessary panic, and no need for excessive measures," Ambassador Chen Xu told reporters in Geneva. The UN's World Health Organization on Thursday declared the outbreak a global health emergency, but said it was not recommending any international trade or travel restrictions and urged the numerous countries already taking such measures to reconsider.  Read More

04:15 PM

Thai cases are upto 19

Thailand has confirmed 19 cases of coronavirus so far in the country.

04:08 PM

Researchers make strides in race to create coronavirus vaccine

International teams accelerate efforts to find effective immunisation method.Researchers racing to produce a vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus believe they may have taken significant steps towards finding an effective method of immunisation.At least three pharmaceutical companies, as well as teams of researchers around the world, have been working on different approaches to producing an effective vaccine. These efforts accelerated after Chinese academics publicly posted the genetic sequence for the virus.

04:05 PM

Coronavirus Panic : London Paddington Station cordoned off

Due to Coronavirus Panic, London Paddington Station is cordoned off.The incident has raised concerns that the virus has reached London just hours after two Chinese tourists tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus during a holiday to York. Paddington Station remained open while the passengers were treated by paramedics. 

03:58 PM

"There is no need for unnecessary panic, and no need for excessive measures," Ambassador Chen Xu told reporters in Geneva. The UN's World Health Organization on Thursday declared the outbreak a global health emergency, but said it was not recommending any international trade or travel restrictions and urged the numerous countries already taking such measures to reconsider. Read more

03:53 PM

Evacuation from contagious area biggest challenge, says AI CMD Amitabh Singh on airlifting Indians from Wuhan

The successful evacuation of the first batch of the Indians from the coronavirus-struck Chinese city of Wuhan took over seven hours, with each passenger having to go through proper medical screening and immigration process, Air India's Director of Operations Captain Amitabh Singh said on Saturday. Read More

03:46 PM

Coronavirus Outbreak went global in 2 months - Timelines

Coronavirus which is declared global pandemic by WHO after 259 fatalities and 12000 reported cases, here it the timeline of the outbreak going global in 2 months

December 8: First patient develops symptoms of Wuhan coronavirus

December 31: Earliest cases of virus reported to World Health Organization (WHO)

January 1: Seafood and wildlife market in Wuhan, where the outbreak is believed to have originated, is closed for disinfection

January 7: Chinese scientists identify pathogen involved as new strain of coronavirus

January 9: First death linked to virus

January 20: Cases reported in Beijing and Shenzhen

January 23: Wuhan is placed on lockdown, with movement halted in or out of the city. A total of 60 million people are affected by travel restrictions in Wuhan and neighboring cities. WHO says virus is not yet a public health emergency of international concern

January 28: Death toll tops 100. The number of confirmed cases in mainland China overtakes the deadly 2003 SARS outbreak

January 30: WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern

January 31: Death toll tops 200

03:36 PM

Coronavirus - questions and answers (Q&A)

Is there a cure? 
Not at the moment. Researchers have successfully grown the virus in a lab, an important step towards developing a vaccine -- but it could be a year or more until it's available.
What are the symptoms? Coronavirus symptoms can look like the flu -- fever, cough, trouble breathing. If you show these symptoms and recently went to China, or have been in contact with someone who visited, experts advise going to the doctor.

How does the virus spread? 
The virus is thought to spread from person to person through respiratory droplets emitted by coughing or sneezing -- but it's not clear exactly when a person becomes contagious. There's currently no evidence that the virus is airborne -- meaning, for instance, it doesn't travel across a large room.

Who is at risk of infection? 
People of all ages can be infected with the virus, but older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions are especially vulnerable to severe complications.
How can I protect myself? Take the same precautionary measures you would during flu season. Wash your hands often with soap and water, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, avoid close contact with people or large gatherings, and wear a face mask.

Is it safe to travel?
Airlines have suspended flights, and thousands of foreign citizens in China's Wuhan have been evacuated back to their home countries. Many countries including the US have advised against travel to China.

03:11 PM

Australia confirms new cases, bringing total to 12

The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Australia reached 12 on Saturday after South Australia confirmed its first two cases and Victoria confirmed its fourth.

03:05 PM

China urges no weddings, short funerals to contain virus, reports AFP.

China has asked couples to delay their nuptials from a popular wedding date and families to scale down funeral services to help slow the spread of the country's viral outbreak. "Where marriage registrations have been announced or promised for February 2 this year, you are advised to cancel it and explain the situation to others," a civil affairs ministry statement said

03:04 PM

Vietnam says suspending all China flights over coronavirus outbreak: AFP

Vietnam says suspending all China flights over coronavirus outbreak, As WHO declared coronavirus outbreak, a global emergency.

03:02 PM

Air India's second special flight departs for Wuhan from Delhi airport to evacuate Indians, reports PTI.

Air India's second special flight departs for Wuhan from Delhi airport to evacuate Indians, reports PTI.The second Air India flight departed for the Chinese city from Delhi around 1.37 pm, the officials said.Five doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital who were onboard the first flight are also in the second flight, the Air India spokesperson said.

03:00 PM

Over 300 Bangladeshis return home from virus-hit Wuhan on special aircraft, reports PTI.

State-run Biman Airlines' Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft carrying 312 Bangladeshis, including 12 children and three infants, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) here in afternoon, Biman spokeswomen Tahera Khondoker said. Khondoker said 15 crew and four doctors were on board the special flight.

02:57 PM

Hong Kong, Taiwan confirms new cases of coronavirus

Hong Kong has confirmed its 13th case of the new coronavirus, the government said in a statement on Saturday. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Centre for Disease Control said on Friday the number of cases in its territory reached 10.

02:52 PM

All Marriage Registrations are suspended in Wuhan until further notice

Hubei Province, home to Wuhan city where the outbreak began, is suspending all marriage license registrations until further notice.

02:51 PM

People are lining up to buy a traditional Chinese remedy said to help fight coronavirus

Those were the questions dominating Chinese social media after the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Friday that the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and the Wuhan Institute of Virology had discovered that the Shuanghuanglian oral liquid -- a popular combined herbal remedy commonly used to relieve some symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat -- could be used to "inhibit" the deadly virus.

Posts on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, purportedly showed people lining up all night outside pharmacies across China to buy Shuanghuanglian, ironically going against the authorities' advice to avoid congregating in public. Such was the apparent demand sparked by the notice that the compound formula sold out on some stores on China's e-commerce platform Taobao.

02:49 PM

The Hong Kong  city government has already imposed travel restrictions on travelers from mainland China and closed some borders.Chief Executive Carrie Lam has pushed back on demands to close all border, arguing that doing so would bar "a large number" of Hong Kong citizens coming back from China.She added yesteday that with the new measures, the number of mainland Chinese arrivals across different border points had dropped 91% since two weeks ago. 

02:48 PM

The statement adds that the  medical staff are considering strike action Monday if their demands are not met

02:48 PM

Thousands of Hong Kong medical staff will vote on strike action over demands to close Chinese border

Thousands of Hong Kong public medical staff will be voting Saturday evening on whether to strike on Monday if the government does not agree to demands to completely close the Chinese border.13,000 members will vote ahead of the possible walkout next week, said Winnie Yu, chairwoman of the the medical workers' union Hospital Authority Employees Alliance.Yu also said that 6,500 medical staff are backing the action, of which 70% are nurses, 8% doctors, 13% therapists, and the rest are administrative and support staff.Separately, the Hong Kong West Cluster (one of 7 Hong Kong medical wards) released a statement announcing that over 1,100 of its medical staff have signed an open appeal to the government to ban all visitors from mainland China.

 

02:44 PM

China Allocated $4 Billion to fight Coronavirus outbreak

China has allocated almost $4 billion to fighting the virus, and sent thousands of extra doctors, nurses and military medics to Hubei province -- the epicenter of the outbreak.

Two hospitals were built in under a week in Wuhan, and are due to start accepting patients on Monday and Thursday, according to state media. They will focus specifically on coronavirus patients, providing some relief to Wuhan's stretched health system.

01:31 PM

Vietnam confirms sixth coronavirus case

Vietnam has confirmed its sixth case of the coronavirus on Saturday, in a tweet on the government's official account.The patient is a 25-year-old hotel receptionist in the Khanh Hoa province. The government did not provide any more details. 

Viet Nam confirmed 6th novel #coronavirus infection case this morning. The latest case, aged 25, is a hotel receptionist in central coastal of Khanh Hoa province

— GovtOfficeMedia (@VNGovtPortal) February 1, 2020

01:21 PM

Germany confirms 7th coronavirus case and evacuates 100 citizens from Wuhan

Germany has confirmed its seventh case of Wuhan coronavirus in the southern state of Bavaria, the Bavarian Health Ministry said in a statement released late Friday.The male patient is employed at the same workplace as five other confirmed cases, who all contracted the virus from a co-worker visiting from China.Earlier Friday, the Bavarian Health Ministry confirmed the sixth patient is a child of a male employee at the same company.The health ministry statement said employees at the company were tested on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Of 128 results available, 127 tested negative for the coronavirus.

Evacuation from Wuhan: The German Foreign Ministry confirmed that a German military flight has taken off from Wuhan, China, bringing back German citizens.Around 100 citizens will be repatriated and put under quarantine for two weeks in order to prevent the spread of the disease, said the ministry. The plane will arrive on Saturday in Frankfurt.

01:19 PM

Thailand to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan

Three officials from the Thai embassy in Beijing were expected to reach Wuhan, the capital of the central province of Hubei where the outbreak began, on Sunday to help with the evacuation, government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said.“We have an increase from 161 to now 182 Thais in the area who have registered with us and we are verifying their documents,” she told Reuters. “The evacuation will be in a matter of days, likely after Feb. 2,” she said. 

01:18 PM

Huanggang City allows only one person from each household is allowed outside every other day

The city of Huanggang in China’s Hubei province is only allowing one representative from each household to leave their home every other day to go outside and buy groceries.The Huanggang government said the measure was to minimize the flow of people in the city amid the coronavirus outbreak, which started in nearby Wuhan.Apart from the designated representative, the only other people allowed out of their homes are people seeking medical attention, or working in virus control, pharmacies and supermarkets.Much of Hubei province remains under partial or full lockdown -- this is where the outbreak began, and where most of the deaths and cases have occurred.

12:56 PM

Apple will close its stores in China Due to public health scare

Apple will closes its stores in China “due to recent public health and prevention concerns”, a statement on the company’s Chinese website says.

12:52 PM

Britan Airlifted 83 Britons From Wuhan, China

The plane carrying 83 Britons to the UK from Wuhan in China landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and the evacuees were driven to a facility on the Wirral where they will stay in quarantine for the next 14 days. The UK government has promised to send another plane to evacuate any “frustrated” Britons who could not get on the first flight

12:45 PM

China Evacuating Hubei Province Tourists From Bangkok and Malaysia

China’s foreign ministry said earlier on Friday that the country would bring Wuhan residents back from overseas “as soon as possible” due to “the practical difficulties that Chinese citizens from Hubei, especially Wuhan, have faced overseas”.A Xiamen Airlines charter flight from Bangkok touched down late on Friday in Wuhan, where the infection is believed to have originated in a market that sold wild animals.Health authorities in white, full-body protective gear stood by the cabin door as the plane’s 73 passengers disembarked, smiling through face masks and waving to news photographers.
A second Xiamen flight landed soon afterwards carrying Hubei residents from Kota Kinabalu, a popular coastal tourist destination in Malaysia.

12:45 PM

China's No. 2 politician calls for transparency: "Cover-ups will not be allowed"

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the country's second highest-ranking politician, laid out emergency response measures to the coronavirus outbreak in a press release on Saturday.The statement also emphasized the need for transparency -- a rarity in China, where the country's colossal censorship apparatus keeps tight control of the narrative."Epidemic updates and containment information should be disclosed in an open, transparent, timely and accurate way. Partial disclosures or cover-ups will not be allowed," said Li's statement.

12:31 PM

Vinayachandran, one of the several Wuhan University students who made it to Delhi on Saturday, said, "It's like we are back from hell. Can't explain how I feel. When we were hearing about all these reports in China, we did not think we would come back like this. We were hearing about being isolated in China. After the screening was over and we got our boarding pass, we were so happy and relieved."

12:31 PM

The parents of 324 students, who were brought back to India from China on Saturday in a special flight after the coronavirus outbreak, heaved a sigh of relief and thanked the government for quick action.

12:23 PM

A total of 8 suspected cases of coronavirus are currently at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.Read More

12:23 PM

Sweden Confirmed its First Coronavirus case

Sweden confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus at the Ryhov County Hospital in Jönköping, central-southern Sweden on Fri, according to the Swedish Health agency. The female patient flew to Sweden on Jan 24 after visiting Wuhan, China, and then tested positive to the virus.

12:19 PM

Britan Airlifted 83 Britons From Wuhan, China

The plane carrying 83 Britons to the UK from Wuhan in China landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and the evacuees were driven to a facility on the Wirral where they will stay in quarantine for the next 14 days. The UK government has promised to send another plane to evacuate any “frustrated” Britons who could not get on the first flight

12:10 PM

Cases of Wuhan coronavirus continue to rise rapidly as US bans travel from China

According to Chinese health authorities, the number of confirmed cases grew by 2,102 on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791 nationwide. An additional 45 people died in Hubei -- the province at the epicenter of the outbreak -- and one person died in the megacity of Chongqing on Friday, as the number of fatalities reached 259.

12:10 PM

Chinese officials on Saturday reported the highest death toll so far in a 24-hour period.

◆ The 46 new deaths in China raised the toll to 259.

◆ About 2,100 new cases were also recorded in the country in the past 24 hours, raising the worldwide total to nearly 12,000, according to Chinese and World Health Organization data. The vast majority of the cases are inside China; about 100 cases have been confirmed in 21 other countries.

◆ All of China’s provinces and territories have now been touched by the outbreak.

◆ Countries and territories that have confirmed cases: Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, Malaysia, Macau, Russia, France, the United States, South Korea, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Britain, Vietnam, Italy, India, the 

12:04 PM

Hong Kong could see an almost 2,000 per cent increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases over the next two weeks as people return to the city from mainland China after the Lunar New Year holiday, a scientist has claimed.Read More

12:01 PM

Cases of Wuhan coronavirus continue to rise rapidly as US bans travel from China

According to Chinese health authorities, the number of confirmed cases grew by 2,102 on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791 nationwide. An additional 45 people died in Hubei -- the province at the epicenter of the outbreak -- and one person died in the megacity of Chongqing on Friday, as the number of fatalities reached 259.

11:58 AM

Britain Will Withdraw Some Support Staffs From Consulates in China Due to Outbreak

Britain is withdrawing some staff from its embassy and consulates in China due to the coronavirus, the UK government said in a statement on Saturday.“As of 31 January, some staff and dependants from the British Embassy and Consulates are being withdrawn from China. Essential staff needed to continue critical work will remain. In the event that the situation deteriorates further, the ability of the British Embassy and Consulates to provide assistance to British nationals from within China may be limited.” 

11:57 AM

Australia issues China travel ban

Speaking at a press conference, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison announced that no-one travelling from mainland China would be allowed into Australia unless they are Australian citizens or residents. Entry will be denied to anyone who has left or transited through mainland China febrauary 1 onwards.Morrison also announced that the Australian government had raised the travel advice warning to its highest level, recommending that no Australian travel to anywhere in mainland China, following the spread of coronavrius beyond Hubei province.Australian citizens coming from China will have to be quarantined for two weeks, said Morrison. Half a million masks will also be provided for those coming off flights from China, while thermometers and special screening arrangements will also be set up at airports.

11:54 AM

Nepal lacks preparation to handle coronavirus outbreak

Nepal, which has confirmed one case of the deadly novel coronavirus, was not well prepared to spot and contain the fatal disease, which has killed 259 people in China where the epidemic originated, a media report said.But even if suspected patients were taken to hospitals in ordinary ambulances, their disease may not be diagnosed because the National Public Health Laboratory lacks reagents to conduct comprehensive test of the virus.While the Ministry of Health and Population acknowledged these shortcoming, its spokesperson Mahendra Shrestha however, said: "We are working on it," The Himalayan Times report added. Read More

11:38 AM

Rahul Gandhi Breaks His Silence On Coronavirus Outbreak

In China, the Coronavirus has killed hundreds of people. My thoughts are with the families of the victims & the millions who have been forced into quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus. May they find the courage & strength to persevere through this terrible ordeal.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 31, 2020

11:29 AM

China Releases Coronavirus Data As Death Toll Reaches 259

Overall there is 259 fatalities,There are 13 confirmed cases in Hong Kong, 10 in Taiwan and seven in Macau.

11:28 AM

Cebu Air Suspends flight to Mainland China From Feb 2

Cebu Air Inc., the Philippines’ largest budget carrier, said it will start halting all China flights from Feb. 2. The suspensions will be until March 29.

11:27 AM

Shinzo Abe warns of impact to Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked the health ministry to be prepared to act more responsively to the virus, saying the outbreak “is having a big impact on the overall society and economy."

11:26 AM

South Korea reports another case

South Korea confirmed another case of coronavirus, bringing the total there to 12, Bloomberg reported.The country evacuated 333 citizens from Wuhan in a second charter flight which landed in Seoul on Saturday, according to the health ministry. About seven of those on the flight showed symptoms associated with the virus and were sent to hospital, the report said.

11:25 AM

Japan takes new steps targeting foreigners amid coronavirus outbreak

Japan is taking unprecedented measures to fight the new coronavirus despite many unknowns, including denying the entry of foreign travelers from China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the viral outbreak.The official designation of the coronavirus as a "special infectious disease" on Saturday -- a week earlier than initially planned -- gives Tokyo the legal basis to enforce compulsory measures that also include banning foreign nationals infected with the virus from entering the country, regardless of where they are from.Under the new measures, Japanese authorities can instruct foreign visitors suspected of being infected to have a medical examination at their point of arrival, while forced hospitalization is also an option.

11:05 AM

Cases of Wuhan coronavirus continue to rise rapidly as US bans travel from China

According to Chinese health authorities, the number of confirmed cases grew by 2,102 on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791 nationwide. An additional 45 people died in Hubei -- the province at the epicenter of the outbreak -- and one person died in the megacity of Chongqing on Friday, as the number of fatalities reached 259.

11:02 AM

Coronavirus Spread: WHO Lists Nigeria Among High Risk Countries

The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday listed Nigeria among 13 African countries identified as high-risk for the spread of the deadly coronavirus.A statement from WHO said the identified African countries have direct links or a high volume of travel to China.The other countries listed are Algeria, Angola, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

11:02 AM

2 more people suspected of coronavirus have been admitted to Delhi’s Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital

As the global pandemic is spreading thick and fast, in a newer development 2 more people suspected to be affected by the disease have been admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi. Read More

10:53 AM

U.S. temporarily bars foreigners who’ve recently been to China.

US Authorities have barred foriegners who have been recently to China, in account of Coronavirus  outbreak, The global pandemic has so far 259 fatalities.

10:50 AM

Special flight carrying SL nationals return from Wuhan

A special SriLankan Airlines flight on Saturday landed Colombo with Sri Lankan students and their family members, who were stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak.According to authorities, they will be quarantined at the Diyatalawa army camp, reports the Daily Mirror newspaper.The flag carrier's special UL-1422 flight departed for Wuhan at 3.45 p.m. from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Friday. Read More

10:42 AM

95 of 324 Indians who arrived from China under observation

They have been shifted to the paramilitary force's Chhawla camp in west Delhi. The ITBP had already made arrangements of 600 beds at the camp for families and kids coming from China as quarantine facility.The ITBP had arranged facilities for hosting the Ind from the airport to the camp, IBP Spokesperson Vivek Pandey said.
"We urge all Indian citizens from Hubei who intend to avail this flight for India and not yet contacted the Embassy, to urgently call the hotlines (+8618610952903 and +8618612083629) or send mails to dedicated email ID helpdesk.beijing@mea.gov.in before 0800 hours on February 1, 2020," said the government in a Tweet. Read More

10:40 AM

Wuhan coronavirus can be spread even without symptoms, says top US infectious disease doctor

The nation’s top infectious disease doctor says a study published Thursday night shows people can spread the Wuhan coronavirus before symptoms set in.

"There’s no doubt after reading this paper that asymptomatic transmission is occurring. This study lays the question to rest,” said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, examined four Germany business associates who became infected through asymptomatic transmission.

The chain of transmission: It began with a woman in Shanghai whose parents came to visit from Wuhan. They were healthy during their visit, but were later diagnosed as having the coronavirus.Then, the woman flew from Shanghai to Germany, where she went to workshops and ate meals with German employees. She was healthy with no signs of the disease at that point.Within eight days, four employees of that company were diagnosed with the coronavirus. Some employees had not attended workshops with the woman -- but they spent time with someone who did.

10:37 AM

China Criticised US Government's Decision to Raise Threat Level

Beijing has criticised the US government’s decision to raise their travel warning advisory on China to the highest level of risk.The Chinese foreign ministry said that the US travel alert levels were not a “gesture of goodwill,” as they came despite the World Health Organisation opposing travel restrictions to China being put in place.Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Friday in an online statement: “Just as the WHO recommended against travel restrictions, the United States rushed to go in the opposite way. Certainly it’s not a gesture of goodwill.”

10:33 AM

Air NZ suspends daily flights to Shanghai

Air New Zealand has now suspended all daily flights to Shanghai amid coronavirus outbreak.“Our teams are currently putting in place alternative travel options for customers impacted by the suspension and they will be contacted directly over the coming week,” said Air New Zealand’s chief David Morgan.

10:32 AM

Qantas to suspend flights to China

The airline has announced the suspension of mainland China services from 9 February.Here’s the statement:

Qantas will suspend its two direct services to mainland China (Sydney-Beijing and Sydney-Shanghai) from 9 February until 29 March 2020.

This follows entry restrictions imposed by countries including Singapore and the United States, which impact the movement of crew who work across the Qantas International network.

These entry restrictions pose significant logistical challenges for rostering crew to operate mainland China services, leading to the need to temporarily suspend these flights.

10:29 AM

Cases of Wuhan coronavirus continue to rise rapidly as US bans travel from China

According to Chinese health authorities, the number of confirmed cases grew by 2,102 on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791 nationwide. An additional 45 people died in Hubei -- the province at the epicenter of the outbreak -- and one person died in the megacity of Chongqing on Friday, as the number of fatalities reached 259.

10:23 AM

Face masks and empty streets in China as the coronavirus spreads

The toll of the coronavirus is clearly visible across China and its territories as the outbreak continues to spread.In densely-populated major cities like Beijing, streets that are normally bustling are now almost empty. Public transit like buses and subway cars have noticeably fewer people -- especially for this time of year, after the Lunar New Year, a typically busy period.

10:22 AM

US flight attendant union calls to halt all flights to China

The Association of Flight Attendants, an American union representing 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, is urging the US government to halt all flights to China until the coronavirus outbreak has been contained."The government must work with our airlines to discontinue all service, with consideration for evacuation of flight crew, and with consideration to service that facilitates efforts by public health officials to contain spread of the virus," said AFA president Sara Nelson in a statement.

10:13 AM

6 Indians Offboarded from Air India Evacuation Flight

Six Indians Passengers  who are to be evacuated from Wuhan, due to Coronovirus outbreak were offboarded from the Air India Evacuation Flight by Chinese Authorites as they were running high temperatures. Read More

10:11 AM

Coronavirus: 324 Indians brought back from Wuhan to India

A special Air Indian flight brought back 324 Indians who were stranded in China's Wuhan, amid the coronavirus outbreak crisis which has killed nearly 259 people. The plane that was sent from India carried 5 doctors from the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and an Air India paramedic. The flight landed in Delhi today morning.  Read More

10:04 AM

Cases of Wuhan coronavirus continue to rise rapidly as US bans travel from China

According to Chinese health authorities, the number of confirmed cases grew by 2,102 on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791 nationwide. An additional 45 people died in Hubei -- the province at the epicenter of the outbreak -- and one person died in the megacity of Chongqing on Friday, as the number of fatalities reached 259.

09:53 AM

Air India Spokesperson: Another Air India special flight will depart today at 12:50 pm from Delhi for Wuhan (China) for the evacuation of Indians. The rescue team will be headed by Captain Amitabh Singh, Director Operation, Air India

09:22 AM

Indians who arrived in the Air India special flight from Wuhan (China) at Delhi Airport today, are being taken to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Chhawla Camp. They will be kept in isolation for 14 days at the camp for medical observation.

09:20 AM

A group of nearly 150 Pakistani nationals stuck at an airport China's Xinjiang region for the past four days amidst the deadly coronavirus outbreak have appealed to the government in Islamabad to evacuate them. They can neither leave the airport because many of them have reached the expiry of their visas, nor can they fly home due to Pakistan's suspension of its flights to and from China in the wake of the outbreak.

09:19 AM

China virus death toll rises to 258 with 45 new fatalities, says government (AFP)

09:18 AM

Air India special flight carrying 324 Indians that took off from Wuhan (China) lands in Delhi, reports ANI

06:38 PM

Singapore and Mongolia slapped sweeping bans on arrivals from China on Friday and the United States told its citizens to avoid the country after a global health emergency was declared over a viral epidemic that has killed 213 people.

03:43 PM

Two members of the same family in UK, have been tested positive for Coronavirus. The news was confirmed by Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty said

03:39 PM

Indian citizens to be evacuated from China's Wuhan today will be quarantined in a specially prepared facility in Manesar near Delhi, the Indian Army has said. The facility will house approximately 300 students who will be observed for signs of infection for two weeks by a team of doctors and medical personnel.

Indian Army has created a facility near Manesar, Haryana for quarantine of approximately 300 Indian students who will be arriving from Wuhan, China. At the facility, students can be monitored for a duration of weeks by a qualified team of doctors and staff members. #coronaviruspic.twitter.com/lPib3CNG2E

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2020

03:18 PM

A medical student from Chennai, was the lone passenger in a flight from Tianjin to India via Singapore. The girl who has been identified as Velam is pursuing her medical degree in China and she wanted to stay back in the country which is reeling under the deadly virus. With flight operations suspended she was the last Indian to return home. 

12:57 PM

A plane carrying 83 British and 27 foreign nationals flew out on Friday from China's central city of Wuhan, the British government said. Those returning to Britain will be quarantined for 14 days at a National Health Service facility.

12:52 PM

The first positive coronavirus patient in Kerala --who is a medical college student from Wuhan University has been  shifted to an isolation ward set up in the Medical College Hospital. 

12:51 PM

Here are the places that have confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus
China- 9,700 people have been infected across China
Australia- 9 patients have been confirmed
Cambodia- 1st case reported on Monday
Hong Kong- 12 people are known to have the disease
India- 1st case confirmed on Thursday
Japan- 14 cases
Macau- 7 cases confirmed
Malaysia- 8 cases confirmed
Nepal- 1 case but already recovered and discharged
Philippines- 1 case of virus reported but no longer showing symptoms
Singapore- 13 cases confirmed
South Korea- 11 cases confirmed
Sri Lanka- 1st case confirmed on Monday
Taiwan- 8 cases uncovered
Thailand- 14 confirmed infections
Hanoi- 5 confirmed cases
Canada- 2 confirmed cases
United States- 6 confirmed cases
France- 6 known cases
Germany- 5 confirmed cases
Italy- 2 cases confirmed
UAE- 4 tested positive for the virus
 

12:50 PM

Silicon Valley tech giants like Google, Apple and Microsoft have either halted or scaled back their operations in China amid the coronavirus crisis. 

10:54 AM

"We believe it's in the interest of our loved-ones in China (to stay there). It's in the larger interest of the region, the world, and the country that we don't evacuate them now," The Express Tribune quoted Zafar Mirza, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, as saying to the media here on Thursday.

10:51 AM

A special Air India flight will depart from Delhi to Wuhan city for the evacuations of Indians amid the coronavirus outbreak. The special flight will depart from Delhi at 12:30 pm on Friday. The evacuation comes a day after India reported its first case of coronavirus in Kerala. The student who tested positive was studying in Wuhan city the epicentre of the deadly virus. Read More

09:13 AM

The World Health Organization has declared Coronavirus a global emergency as the outbreak continues to spread outside China in a rapid pace. At least 213 people have died in China, with almost 10,000 cases of the virus.

04:59 PM

We have established contacts with over 600 Indians living in coronavirus-hit Hubei province in China: MEA

04:53 PM

We do not have any confirmation about any Indian being affected by coronavirus: MEA

04:53 PM

We have asked Indians in China's Hubei Province whether they want to return to India: MEA

04:13 PM

Russia to shut border with China over coronavirus
 

03:51 PM

We are taking many measures, including screening of passengers at more than 20 airports, especially those who are coming in with a travel history of China. That is how we could trace this patient.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union health minister

03:50 PM

A 23-year-old man from Tripura died in a Malaysian hospital after being infected from a new strain of coronavirus, his family member has claimed. The youth, identified as Manir Hossain, hailed from Tripura's Purathal Rajnagar village. He had gone to Malaysia back in 2018 and used to work there in a restaurant. 

03:49 PM

Passengers arriving at the Chennai airport from Wuhan will have to give blood samples for coronavirus screening and will be put on mandatory home quarantine for atleast 28 days: K Kolandaiswamy, director of public health

03:29 PM

"Travellers who are returning from China should report to the health department. The department has directed home quarantine for those who are returning from China."

KK Shailaja, Kerala health minister

03:28 PM

"20 samples had been sent for tests out of which one was found to be positive. The patient had returned from Wuhan and is now kept in isolation at General Hospital in Thrissur, she is stable."

KK Shailaja, Kerala health minister

02:58 PM

Ten people are at present in the isolation wards of various hospitals in the state.

02:57 PM

Over 800 people, who have come from coronavirus-hit regions, are under observation in the Kerala.
 

02:54 PM

Govt of India confirms the coronavirus case in Kerala.

 

 

 

02:51 PM

Health minister K K Shailaja has convened an emergency meeting and will address the media soon to make an official announcement.

02:51 PM

"One positive case of Novel Coronavirus — a student studying in Wuhan University — has been reported from Kerala," said a statement released by the health ministry.