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Coronavirus: China death toll rises to 106 with first fatality in Beijing – live updates Coronavirus: Hong Kong cuts border crossings with mainland China – live updates
(about 1 hour later)
US updates travel warning to China to highest level as mayor of Wuhan admits authorities were too slow in releasing information about virusUS updates travel warning to China to highest level as mayor of Wuhan admits authorities were too slow in releasing information about virus
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the high-speed rail service between the city and mainland China would be suspended from Thursday, and all cross-border ferry services would also be suspended in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus, Reuters reports. The Chinese embassy in Copenhagen is demanding that one of Denmark’s biggest newspapers apologise for a cartoon on the outbreak of a deadly virus, which it considers an insult to China, the Associated Press reports.
The chief editor at Jyllands-Posten, Jacob Nybroe, said the cartoon, which shows the Chinese flag with what resembles viruses instead of stars, did not intend to mock or ridicule China.
“We can’t apologise for something we don’t think is wrong,” Nybroe said on the newspaper’s website. “As far as I can see, there are two different types of cultural understanding here.”
The embassy expressed its strong indignation and said the cartoon, which was printed on Monday, was an insult to China and crossed the bottom line of civilised society and the ethical boundary of free speech and offended human conscience.
Jyllands-Posten was embroiled in a previous cartoon-related controversy in 2005 when it published 12 editorial cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad, leading to protests around the world, including violent demonstrations and riots in some Muslim countries.
The Japanese health minister, Katsunobu Kato, said a person in Japan who had not visited Wuhan has contracted the new coronavirus, Reuters cited the Jiji news agency as reporting on Tuesday.
Japanese media reported that the patient was a tour bus driver in his 60s from Nara Prefecture who drove tourists from Wuhan twice a month. He was diagnosed with pneumonia on 25 January, Fukui Shimbun reported.
If confirmed, it is the first case of human to human transmission of the new coronavirus in Japan.
The Hong Kong leader, Carrie Lam, said on Tuesday the high-speed rail service between the city and mainland China would be suspended from Thursday, and all cross-border ferry services would also be suspended in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus, Reuters reports.
Wearing a green face mask, Lam told a press briefing the number of flights to mainland China would also be halved and personal travel permits for mainland Chinese to the city would be suspended.Wearing a green face mask, Lam told a press briefing the number of flights to mainland China would also be halved and personal travel permits for mainland Chinese to the city would be suspended.
It comes as Hong Kong health workers threatened to strike from tomorrow over the territory’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. One of their demands is to close the border with the mainland.It comes as Hong Kong health workers threatened to strike from tomorrow over the territory’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. One of their demands is to close the border with the mainland.
Two more confirmed cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in Singapore, bringing the total number of infected patients in the city state to seven, the Straits Times reports, citing the Singaporean heath ministry.Two more confirmed cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in Singapore, bringing the total number of infected patients in the city state to seven, the Straits Times reports, citing the Singaporean heath ministry.
The country is imposing new entry restrictions on travellers with passports issued in Hubei, the Chinese province where the outbreak began, or those who have recently travelled there. Quarantine orders are to be imposed on the most high-risk among 2,000 recent travellers to the area already in Singapore.The country is imposing new entry restrictions on travellers with passports issued in Hubei, the Chinese province where the outbreak began, or those who have recently travelled there. Quarantine orders are to be imposed on the most high-risk among 2,000 recent travellers to the area already in Singapore.
All seven coronavirus patients diagnosed in Singapore so far have been from Wuhan.All seven coronavirus patients diagnosed in Singapore so far have been from Wuhan.
Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has said the government is working on plans to repatriate UK nationals in Wuhan, the Chinese region at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak. He called on Britons in the region to contact the British consulate.Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has said the government is working on plans to repatriate UK nationals in Wuhan, the Chinese region at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak. He called on Britons in the region to contact the British consulate.
His call comes as the UK appeared to be lagging behind other countries in efforts to get their nationals out of the region.His call comes as the UK appeared to be lagging behind other countries in efforts to get their nationals out of the region.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, Shapps said:Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, Shapps said:
More than half a million South Koreans have signed a petition calling for a ban on people from China entering the country, Reuters reports.More than half a million South Koreans have signed a petition calling for a ban on people from China entering the country, Reuters reports.
A petition filed with the presidential Blue House on Thursday had gathered more than 530,000 signatures by Tuesday, highlighting a growing fear in South Korea that the coronavirus could spread widely.A petition filed with the presidential Blue House on Thursday had gathered more than 530,000 signatures by Tuesday, highlighting a growing fear in South Korea that the coronavirus could spread widely.
The first confirmed case detected in South Korea was a Chinese national, but the other three so far are South Koreans who travelled from Wuhan, where the outbreak appears to have started.The first confirmed case detected in South Korea was a Chinese national, but the other three so far are South Koreans who travelled from Wuhan, where the outbreak appears to have started.
That has not stopped the calls for Chinese visitors to be banned.That has not stopped the calls for Chinese visitors to be banned.
“Coronavirus is spreading from China. Even North Korea is banning Chinese people from entering the country,” wrote the anonymous author of the petition, adding that even a temporary ban would help stop the virus from spreading too widely.“Coronavirus is spreading from China. Even North Korea is banning Chinese people from entering the country,” wrote the anonymous author of the petition, adding that even a temporary ban would help stop the virus from spreading too widely.
The Blue House has not directly responded to the petition. When asked about other countries’ bans on Chinese entries, its spokesman on Tuesday said only that the issue should be handled in close consultation with the World Health Organisation.The Blue House has not directly responded to the petition. When asked about other countries’ bans on Chinese entries, its spokesman on Tuesday said only that the issue should be handled in close consultation with the World Health Organisation.
The head of the World Health Organisation has said he is confident in China’s ability to contain a new coronavirus that has killed 106 people and he called for calm, Chinese media reported.The head of the World Health Organisation has said he is confident in China’s ability to contain a new coronavirus that has killed 106 people and he called for calm, Chinese media reported.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a meeting with State Councilor Wang Yi in Beijing, said he approved of the government’s measures to curb the outbreak, the Xinhua state news agency said. He said he did not think foreigners should be evacuated.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a meeting with State Councilor Wang Yi in Beijing, said he approved of the government’s measures to curb the outbreak, the Xinhua state news agency said. He said he did not think foreigners should be evacuated.
Ghebreyesus was not available for comment but his agency said his aim was to strengthen the partnership with China, in particular on the response.Ghebreyesus was not available for comment but his agency said his aim was to strengthen the partnership with China, in particular on the response.
A WHO panel of 16 independent experts twice last week declined to declare an international emergency over the outbreak.A WHO panel of 16 independent experts twice last week declined to declare an international emergency over the outbreak.
While more cases have been emerging outside China in people who have travelled from there recently, the WHO said only one of the overseas cases involved human-to-human transmission.While more cases have been emerging outside China in people who have travelled from there recently, the WHO said only one of the overseas cases involved human-to-human transmission.
“That’s still one case too many. But we’re encouraged that so far we have not seen more human-to-human transmission outside China,” the WHO said on Twitter.“That’s still one case too many. But we’re encouraged that so far we have not seen more human-to-human transmission outside China,” the WHO said on Twitter.
“We’re monitoring the outbreak constantly.”“We’re monitoring the outbreak constantly.”
Countries around the world are planning to evacuate diplomatic staff and private citizens from Chinese areas hit by the new coronavirus, Reuters reports. The news agency has compiled some countries’ evacuation plans, and how they are planning to manage the health risk from those who are returning.Countries around the world are planning to evacuate diplomatic staff and private citizens from Chinese areas hit by the new coronavirus, Reuters reports. The news agency has compiled some countries’ evacuation plans, and how they are planning to manage the health risk from those who are returning.
France’s first plane to repatriate nationals from Wuhan will leave Paris on Wednesday and return the next day. The flight will carry people with no symptoms, junior transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebarri told television channel CNews. “These people will be put under quarantine. And then there will be a second flight, at a yet undefined date, with people showing symptoms ... who will be cared for in Paris,” he said.France’s first plane to repatriate nationals from Wuhan will leave Paris on Wednesday and return the next day. The flight will carry people with no symptoms, junior transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebarri told television channel CNews. “These people will be put under quarantine. And then there will be a second flight, at a yet undefined date, with people showing symptoms ... who will be cared for in Paris,” he said.
South Korea plans to send charter flights this week to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Tuesday. The planes will arrive in the city as early as Thursday, he told a ministerial meeting aimed at discussing efforts to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.South Korea plans to send charter flights this week to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Tuesday. The planes will arrive in the city as early as Thursday, he told a ministerial meeting aimed at discussing efforts to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Japan will send a charter flight to Wuhan on Tuesday night. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the flight can carry around 200 passengers, but added about 650 citizens hope to return to Japan. Motegi said Tokyo is making arrangements for extra flights to Wuhan as early as Wednesday. Those with symptoms such as fever will be sent to hospital on landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, while those with no signs of virus can go home and then to work or school, but will be advised to avoid crowds and take their temperatures twice a day.Japan will send a charter flight to Wuhan on Tuesday night. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the flight can carry around 200 passengers, but added about 650 citizens hope to return to Japan. Motegi said Tokyo is making arrangements for extra flights to Wuhan as early as Wednesday. Those with symptoms such as fever will be sent to hospital on landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, while those with no signs of virus can go home and then to work or school, but will be advised to avoid crowds and take their temperatures twice a day.
Kazakhstan has asked Beijing to allow 98 Kazakh students to leave the city of Wuhan, deputy foreign minister Shukhrat Nuryshev said.Kazakhstan has asked Beijing to allow 98 Kazakh students to leave the city of Wuhan, deputy foreign minister Shukhrat Nuryshev said.
Germany will evacuate 90 citizens living in China’s Wuhan region.Germany will evacuate 90 citizens living in China’s Wuhan region.
Morocco will evacuate 100 citizens, mostly students, from the Wuhan area.Morocco will evacuate 100 citizens, mostly students, from the Wuhan area.
Spain’s government is working with China and the European Union to repatriate Spanish nationals from the Wuhan area, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said.Spain’s government is working with China and the European Union to repatriate Spanish nationals from the Wuhan area, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said.
The U.S. State Department said it will evacuate personnel from its Wuhan consulate to the United States and offer a limited number of seats to private U.S. citizens on a flight. Some private citizens will be able to board the “single flight” leaving Wuhan on Jan. 28 for San Francisco, it said.The U.S. State Department said it will evacuate personnel from its Wuhan consulate to the United States and offer a limited number of seats to private U.S. citizens on a flight. Some private citizens will be able to board the “single flight” leaving Wuhan on Jan. 28 for San Francisco, it said.
Canada has about 167 nationals in the Wuhan area, Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Monday, and eight people have sought consular assistance, which is being provided. While the minister did not rule out possible evacuations, he did not indicate there were any planned at the moment, adding that each consular request would be evaluated on a “case by case basis”.Canada has about 167 nationals in the Wuhan area, Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Monday, and eight people have sought consular assistance, which is being provided. While the minister did not rule out possible evacuations, he did not indicate there were any planned at the moment, adding that each consular request would be evaluated on a “case by case basis”.
Russia has been in talks with China about evacuating its nationals from Wuhan and Hubei province, Russia’s embassy in China said.Russia has been in talks with China about evacuating its nationals from Wuhan and Hubei province, Russia’s embassy in China said.
The Dutch government is assessing ways to evacuate 20 Dutch citizens from Wuhan, press agency ANP reported.The Dutch government is assessing ways to evacuate 20 Dutch citizens from Wuhan, press agency ANP reported.
Authorities in Myanmar said they had cancelled a planned evacuation of 60 students from Mandalay who were studying in Wuhan. Kyaw Yin Myint, a spokesman for the Mandalay municipal government, told Reuters that a “final decision” had been made to send them back after 14 days, once the virus’ incubation period had passed.Authorities in Myanmar said they had cancelled a planned evacuation of 60 students from Mandalay who were studying in Wuhan. Kyaw Yin Myint, a spokesman for the Mandalay municipal government, told Reuters that a “final decision” had been made to send them back after 14 days, once the virus’ incubation period had passed.
Britain is talking to international partners to find solutions to help British and other foreign nationals leave Wuhan, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.Britain is talking to international partners to find solutions to help British and other foreign nationals leave Wuhan, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
Doctors and nurses in Hong Kong are planning to strike tomorrow out of anger at the way authorities have dealt with the coronavirus crisis, sources within the territory’s protest movement have confirmed to the Guardian.Doctors and nurses in Hong Kong are planning to strike tomorrow out of anger at the way authorities have dealt with the coronavirus crisis, sources within the territory’s protest movement have confirmed to the Guardian.
People in Hong Kong are furious that the border with the mainland has remained open, that authorities have failed to hand out enough face masks to prevent the spread of infection, and that they are allowing people from the mainland to come over for free medical checks.People in Hong Kong are furious that the border with the mainland has remained open, that authorities have failed to hand out enough face masks to prevent the spread of infection, and that they are allowing people from the mainland to come over for free medical checks.
DW News’s east Asia correspondent, William Yang, has tweeted a translation of the latest advice from China’s national health commission, which says that patients with less severe cases of coronavirus are still contagious - but perhaps less so.DW News’s east Asia correspondent, William Yang, has tweeted a translation of the latest advice from China’s national health commission, which says that patients with less severe cases of coronavirus are still contagious - but perhaps less so.
Hello, this is Damien Gayle, in London, taking over the reins of the live blog this morning. If you have any updates or comments on the coronavirus outbreak and you want to get in touch then you can email me at damien.gayle@theguardian.com, or via my Twitter profile @damiengayle.
Here’s a summary of what we now about the coronavirus outbreak so far on Tuesday:
106 people have died from coronavirus in China
China has more than 4,500 confirmed cases, with nearly 1,000 in a critical condition
China’s Health Commission says that the main transmission is through “respiratory droplets” (coughing) and then touch.
Incubation is generally 3-7 days, maximum 14 days, the commission says
The US has updated its travel advice to the highest level which means avoid all non-essential travel to China
Asian markets have fallen on concerns about the virus spreading
Germany has recorded its first case of the virus as has Sri Lanka
Australian state of NSW advises school children returning from summer break not to go back if they have been in China in past two weeks
Several countries are sending charter flights to evacuate their citizens
Thailand on Tuesday confirmed six more cases of coronavirus among visitors from China, bringing the country’s total to 14 cases, a health official said. Five of the new cases, aged 6 to 70 years, came from Hubei province and are part of the same family, the deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Tanarak Plipat, told reporters. The other patient came from Chongqing,
For foreign citizens trapped in Wuhan, attention will turn in the next few days to airlifts. Japan said it would send a chartered flight to Wuhan on Tuesday night to evacuate its citizens, while the US government is also preparing an airlift. France and South Korea are also preparing an evacuation but there’s been criticism of the slow response by the British authorities. You can read our full story below.
South Korea plans to send charter flights this week to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan, the epicentre of a virus outbreak in China, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Tuesday, according to the Reuters news agency. The planes will arrive in the city as early as Thursday, he told a ministerial meeting aimed at discussing efforts to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency says six people are being tested for coronavirus. There are four confirmed cases.
The Global Times is reporting that the Chinese city of Tianjin, in northern China, is to launch a “wartime mechanism”, putting one of its general hospitals and 500 medical teams in the city under military management. It’s the first Chinese city to take the step, according to the Global Times.
Tianjin is about 120km south-east of Beijing. Its population is around 15 million people.
There are a few interesting sites tracking the increase in coronavirus cases. This one from John’s Hopkins university in the US is one of the best. It clearly shows the steep rise in confirmed infections each day in the past week, from around 280 on 20 January, to over 4,500 today.
One of the curious thing to come out of the Australian news conference about school advice with regards to coronavirus, is that speakers reiterated that there hasn’t been person-to-person transmission of the virus in Australia.
“There is no evidence,” said the NSW chief health officer, Kerry Chant.
Yesterday the federal health minister also said there was no human-to-human transmission in Australia.
It does seem difficult to see why the virus would behave differently in Australia, given the Chinese health authorities have said that transmission is through “respiratory droplets” (coughing) and touch.
I’m assuming the ministers mean there has been no evidence so far of human-to-human transmission in Australia.
The NSW education minister Sarah Mitchell was also at the press conference regarding change of advice for children returning after the long summer break. She said it is the right decision: “We know that many in the community have been wanting to see this. I think it is important we are taking this precautionary measure in line with community sentiment but also knowing we are doing everything we can even though the risk is low, to ensure the safety in that school environment,” she said.
Whether to allow children to return to school has been the subject of considerable controversy in Australia over the past few days. On Monday, a number of Sydney private schools issued much stricter restrictions on children who had been in China returning to school. As of yesterday afternoon, one asked that any children who had travelled to China in the holidays remain at home for 14 days after they returned, and do not return to school without a medical certificate.
The decision is particularly controversial in Australia as only this morning the federal education minister, Dan Tehan, chastising schools for telling students to stay away.
The exclusion period announced in Australia for school children is for 14 days since returning to the country. So if NSW school students arrived back in Australia in mid-January, they would be able to start school this week if the 14-day period had passed.