DEATH TOLL FROM CHINA’S CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK HAS JUMPED TO 304

World

Sun 02 February 2020:

The death toll from China’s coronavirus outbreak has jumped to 304, the government said on Sunday, as foreign nations imposed extraordinary travel restrictions on China, and airlines suspended flights.

At least 304 people in China were confirmed dead in the 24 hours to the end of February 1, according to the National Health Commission. Thousands more were confirmed infected, bringing that total to 14,380 people.

South Korea ‘to ban entry’ from China’s Hubei province

South Korea will bar entry to foreigners who have visited China’s Hubei province, South Korea’s prime minister said on Sunday, according to Yonhap news agency.

The entry ban will go into effect on Tuesday, Yonhap reported, citing Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun.

India confirms second coronavirus case

India’s health ministry confirmed the country’s second case, which like the first, is in the southern state of Kerala.

The patient is a young woman who returned to India from China on January 24.

“The patient has a travel history from China,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the new case is being treated in isolation at a hospital.

Wuhan field hospital delivered to medics

A 1,000 bed field hospital under construction by the military in Wuhan has been completed and handed to health workers, according to the China Daily.

The Huoshenshan Hospital will be staffed by 1,400 military medics.

 

US military in S Korea imposes quarantine for troops returning from China

The US military command in South Korea said it had imposed a 14-day self quarantine effective from Sunday for any troops who recently travelled to China, adding that an outbreak in that country of a new coronavirus could harm military readiness.

United States Forces Korea (USFK) said it knew of no troops who had been in the hardest hit provinces of China, and that its quarantine measures were a precaution.

“USFK continues to stress the overall risk to USFK personnel remains low, but that the quarantine measures implemented are out of an abundance of caution to mitigate risk to the USFK population,” the command said in a statement.

The policy only applies to US troops, but the command encouraged military family members, civilians working for the defence department and contractors to take similar voluntary steps.

Saudi Arabia evacutes students from Wuhan – Saudi state TV

Saudi Arabia has evacuated 10 students from Wuhan, Saudi state television reported on Sunday citing a Saudi diplomat.

Chinese authorities approved the special flight that flew the students to Saudi Arabia, the report said. It did not say when the evacuation took place.

Separately, Saudi Arabian Airlines said it would suspend flights to Guangzhou in southern China from Sunday night.

Taiwan scrambles diplomats to keep flights going 

Taiwan is asking its diplomats to talk to governments where its airlines fly to ensure more flights are not cut after the World Health Organization included the island as part of China.

Taiwan has only reported 10 cases, but as the WHO considers self-ruled Taiwan part of China, it has been included in the organisation’s advice that China is “very high risk”.

China considers self-ruled Taiwan part of its territory. Taiwan is not a member of the WHO due to Chinese objections.

“Taiwan is Taiwan. Taiwan is not a part of the People’s Republic of China,” Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told reporters in Taipei on Sunday, adding that the two had totally separate health and airline management systems.

“This simple reality the WHO should not get wrong.”

Chinese city outside virus epicentre shuts down

Wenzhou, an eastern Chinese city of nine million, on Sunday restricted the movement of residents, and closed roads, in the most drastic steps yet taken by authorities outside the epicentre of the coronavirus.

Only one resident from each household will be allowed to go out every two days to buy necessities, authorities said. Some 46 highway toll stations have been closed.

hejiang province has the highest number of confirmed cases outside central Hubei province, with 265 in Wenzhou.

New Zealand to bar entry to foreigners travelling from mainland China

New Zealand joined a slew of other countries around the world on Sunday in barring entry to all foreign nationals arriving from mainland China.

The ban will take effect from Monday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also raised its travel advice to New Zealanders for all of mainland China to “Do not travel”, the highest level.

“We have been advised by health officials that while there are still a range of unknowns in the way the virus is being transmitted, we should take a precautionary approach,” New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement.

New Zealand citizens and permanent residents returning to New Zealand can still enter the country, as can their immediate family members, but will be required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival back in the country.

The ban will be in effect for up to 14 days, reviewed every 48 hours and includes all foreign travellers who leave or transit through mainland China after February 2.

Philippines reports first coronavirus death outside China

The Philippines on Sunday reported the first overseas death from the coronavirus; a 44-year-old man from Wuhan city in central Hubei province who died after developing severe pneumonia

The man had travelled to the Philippines on holiday with his partner, who was diagnosed with the infection earlier.

For more, read here.

City officials fired over coronavirus response

Six officials in the city of Huanggang, which neighbours Wuhan, have been fired over “poor performance” in handling the outbreak, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Xinhua cited the mayor as saying the city’s “capabilities to treat the patients remained inadequate and there is a severe shortage in medical supplies such as protective suits and medical masks.”

In the smaller cities around Wuhan, doctors have told Al Jazeera that they have resorted to using disposable rain ponchos and plastic bags to protect themselves because there is not enough equipment to go around. 

Read more here.

Cremation, no funerals: health authorities

China’s health authorities are advising that the bodies of those who have died from the coronavirus should be cremated immediately and that there should be no funerals.

Uber suspends scores of Mexico accounts to curb virus spread

The ride-hailing company Uber said on Saturday it suspended 240 accounts of users in Mexico who may recently have come in contact with someone possibly infected with the new coronavirus.

There are no confirmed cases in Mexico and all nine suspected cases were later declared negative.

Uber said in a statement posted on its Twitter account that two drivers may have transported a user who is possibly infected with the new coronavirus. It added the suspended users should contact health authorities if they develop symptoms.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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