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Coronavirus: death toll reaches 212 after WHO declares global emergency – live news Coronavirus: China death toll reaches 212 after WHO declares global emergency – live news
(32 minutes later)
More than 9,320 people infected around the world as WHO director says decision comes amid concern for countries with weaker health systems More than 9,320 people infected globally, as WHO director says decision comes amid concern for countries with weaker health systems
We’re just hearing a news conference in Queensland that as of Thursday, coronavirus has been declared notifiable disease.
“That means on clinical suspicion, any doctor or hospital that sees a patient that they think might have this novel coronavirus is obliged to let me know. They let my staff know,” says Queensland’s chief medical officer, Dr Jeanette Young.
As I wrote in the blog a short time ago, Queensland authorities have been trying to track down passengers on a plane that flew from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on 27 January, as there was a tourist from Wuhan onboard who was later diagnoses with coronavirus. He was travelling with a party of eight other people.
“We are contact tracing of course the people immediately adjacent to these people on the plane, on that Tiger flight and then we’re giving information to everyone else who was on the plane and the Tiger people have been extremely supportive and cooperative, so that we could do that, plus we need to go through in detail everyone who’s been at the hotel these people were staying at,” Young said.
Hello, I’m Alison Rourke picking up this live blog on the coronavirus outbreak. Thanks to Molly for her summary in the previous post and just a reminder that you can read our most recent story on the virus here and our guide to how you can help protect yourself and stop the spread of the virus here.
As always, you can reach me at alison.rourke@theguardian.com or on Twitter at @alisonrourke.
I’d like to say a big thanks to everyone who sent in information, it’s been extremely helpful.
Here’s a summary of some key updates before I hand over to the Australia team, who’ll continue the coverage from Sydney:
The virus has spread to at least 9,320 people around the world, surpassing that of the SARS epidemic over a year long period (2002-2003).
212 people have died, all in China.
There are 98 confirmed cases of infection outside mainland China in at least 18 countries.
The United States reported its first case of person-to-person transmission, joining Germany, Vietnam and Japan in recording similar incidents.
BA has suspended all flights to and from mainstream China until the end of February. Other countries have also implemented a flight ban, most recently Italy.
Almost 200 US citizens have been evacuated and have arrived at a military base in California. They will be isolated for a minimum of 72 hours. The US is said to be planning another airlift in the coming days.
France have evacuated 200 citizens who are currently flying back to southern France where there’ll be quarantined for 14 days. The European Commission has said it is planning a flight to evacuate more European nationals.
The Chinese Football Association has postponed its domestic games in 2020, and the World Athletics Indoors Championships, due to take place in the Chinese city of Nanjing in March, have been moved to 2021.
Google and IKEA became the latest franchises to shut their Chinese shops and offices.
In Australia, confirmed cases of the virus have climbed to 9, but two people have been released and are “post-viral” according to the country’s health minister, Greg Hunt.
Authorities have been tracking down passengers that were on a plane with a Chinese tourist who flew from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on 27 January.
The 44-year-old man, from Wuhan, was diagnosed with coronavirus and was being treated in isolation in hospital on the Gold Coast.
The Guardian understands that at least one passenger who was on that plane to the Gold Coast has been asked to stay home from work. The passenger is not believed to be at high risk but as a precaution has been asked to remain at home for the time being.
Matt Raw, who as we reported earlier has been allowed to board the flight with his Chinese wife after a U-turn by authorities, has sent this video from inside Wuhan airport to the Guardian
You can read about Matt and Ying’s story here.
France have evacuated 200 citizens from Wuhan, according to AFP journalists on board the flight.
Citizens are on their way to southern France in a military aircraft. On arrival, the passengers will be placed into quarantine for 14 days.
The US and Japan have already airlifted their citizens, with a second US flight planned in coming days.
The European Commission has said it is planning a flight to evacuate more European nationals.
China has responded to the WHO announcement in a statement from the National Health Commission saying:China has responded to the WHO announcement in a statement from the National Health Commission saying:
Here’s what appears to be the first picture of the evacuation plane set to bring Britons back from Wuhan, sent to the Guardian by Matt Raw, who is due to board it.Here’s what appears to be the first picture of the evacuation plane set to bring Britons back from Wuhan, sent to the Guardian by Matt Raw, who is due to board it.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have confirmed that following a last-minute decision from China, dependents of British nationals and dual nationals will be allowed on to the evacuation flight.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have confirmed that following a last-minute decision from China, dependents of British nationals and dual nationals will be allowed on to the evacuation flight.
Previously, restrictions imposed by China meant those with Chinese passports were not permitted to leave the country, and China does not recognise dual nationality.Previously, restrictions imposed by China meant those with Chinese passports were not permitted to leave the country, and China does not recognise dual nationality.
The U-turn meant that Matt Raw and his 75-year-old mother Hazel were given permission to fly along with Raw’s wife Ying, who holds a Chinese passport.The U-turn meant that Matt Raw and his 75-year-old mother Hazel were given permission to fly along with Raw’s wife Ying, who holds a Chinese passport.
It’s uncertain whether other families in similar situations have been given the go-ahead to board the plane, or whether they have been able to make it to the airport in time.It’s uncertain whether other families in similar situations have been given the go-ahead to board the plane, or whether they have been able to make it to the airport in time.
Here are the latest figures:Here are the latest figures:
The virus has spread to at least 9,320 people around the world, surpassing that of the Sars epidemic over a year long period (2002-2003).The virus has spread to at least 9,320 people around the world, surpassing that of the Sars epidemic over a year long period (2002-2003).
212 people have died, all in China.212 people have died, all in China.
There are 98 confirmed cases of infection outside mainland China in at least 18 countries.There are 98 confirmed cases of infection outside mainland China in at least 18 countries.
Sorry for any confusion here - this post has been amended to show that the number of cases has topped Sars, not the death toll.Sorry for any confusion here - this post has been amended to show that the number of cases has topped Sars, not the death toll.
If you’d like to read more on the plight of Britons and their families in Wuhan, here’s a longer read, following three families trapped in the city.
The death toll in Hubei, the Chinese province in which Wuhan is located, has risen to 204, the province’s health commission has said.
Hubei’s announcement takes the total death toll for China to at least 212.
Giuseppe Conte has provided more information on Italy’s first two cases of coronavirus.
Two Chinese tourists who were visiting Italy had contracted the virus, the Italian prime minister said. He said that authorities were conducting checks on the journey of the two people, in order to prevent them spreading the virus further.
Their condition is good.
Announcing the suspension of air traffic to and from China, Conte said: “As far as we know we are the first country in the EU to adopt such a measure.”
It seems that at least one Chinese-national spouse of a British citizen is being allowed on the imminent evacuation flight from Wuhan.
Matt Raw, who lives in Wuhan with his wife, Ying – a Chinese national with a Chinese passport – has been told that she will be allowed to board the flight, the Guardian’s Jessica Murray reports.
The family are at the airport waiting to fly back to the UK.
“We have actually finally been given permission to fly,” Raw said in a video message. “We are at the airport now and we’re just getting ready to go through security.”
“We’ve obviously been able to get my mother and my wife has been told she can fly, she has a ticket, so fingers crossed we get through security and we return to England hopefully later on today.”
You can read more about Matt and Ying’s experience in Wuhan here.
Thanks very much to all those sharing information. There’s a lot to keep track of, so if you spot anything I’ve missed, do drop me a line on Twitter: @mollyblackall
For more information about previous public health emergencies, check out Nicola Davis’ piece here:
A British man has chosen not to board the evacuation flight from Wuhan because the Foreign Office could not confirm whether his four-year-old daughter, a Chinese national, would be allowed to join him.
Chris Hill, 38, said he was “losing faith” in the government.
Hill, from Sunderland, told PA he could not consider leaving his family and said his wife of 11 years could not travel as she was needed to work in a hospital in Wuhan.
Dominic Raab, the UK’s foreign secretary, said officials had “been working tirelessly” to get citizens out of Wuhan, but China does not recognise dual-nationality and is thought to be preventing its citizens from leaving the area.
The flight is due to leave Wuhan city at 7am local time (11pm GMT).
Germany has announced a fifth confirmed case.
The individual is an employee at the same firm as the other four infected individuals, in the southern state of Bavaria.
Scott Morrison, Australia’s prime minister, has announced that he is making 1m surgical masks available to GPs.
In a press conference addressing the measures taken to tackle the spread of the virus, Morrison also announced that he has raised the travel advice for Wuhan and the Hubei to a level four, meaning that Australians are being told not to travel there.
“The national security committee will meet today again to go over all of our arrangements, preparations, the cooperation, the preplanning and the precautions we are putting in place,” he said.
“We’re well prepared and will continue to follow the expert advice.”
A second case of the virus has been confirmed in Queensland, bringing Australia’s total number of cases to nine.
A Chinese man with coronavirus boarded a flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on 27 January, and Australian authorities have confirmed that a second passenger on the flight has tested positive for the virus.
Authorities are now attempting to track down the other passengers on the flight - 170 people, excluding the two confirmed cases.