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Coronavirus Live Updates: Case in Canary Islands Locks Down 1,000 Resort Guests Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Officials Warn Americans to Brace for Likely Outbreak
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Read updates in Chinese: 新冠病毒疫情最新消息汇总Read updates in Chinese: 新冠病毒疫情最新消息汇总
China appears to be getting the new coronavirus under control, but infections are spreading rapidly in South Korea, Iran and Italy. And the World Health Organization warns that the world is not prepared for a major outbreak. Americans should brace for the likelihood that the coronavirus will spread to communities in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday.
A W.H.O. mission to China has said that the daily tally of new cases there peaked and then plateaued between Jan. 23 and Feb. 2, and has steadily declined since. “It’s not so much of a question of if this will happen in this country any more but a question of when this will happen,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
China’s latest official report showed 508 new cases and 71 deaths as of Monday, a slower pace than in previous days — and a far cry from late January and early February, when the reported cases jumped by more than 2,000 a day. She said that public health officials have no idea whether the spread of the disease to the United States would be mild or severe, but that Americans should be ready for a significant disruption to their daily lives.
By Tuesday, South Korea had reported a total of 893 cases, the second most in the world. Of the 60 new cases reported by South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 49 came from Daegu, the center of the outbreak in that country. “We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad,” Dr. Messonnier said.
In Iran, a spike in coronavirus infections has prompted fears of a contagion throughout the Middle East. In Italy, one of Europe’s largest economies, officials are struggling to prevent the epidemic from paralyzing the commercial center of Milan. The secretary of health and human services delivered an equally sobering message on Tuesday. The secretary, Alex M. Azar II, told a Senate committee, “This is an unprecedented, potentially severe health challenge globally.”
Federal and local health departments will need as many as 300 million masks for health care workers and additional ventilators for hospitals to prepare for a major outbreak of coronavirus, he said.
“We cannot hermetically seal off the United States to a virus,” Mr. Azar said. “And we need to be realistic about that.”
President Trump, speaking earlier in the day from India, said that the United States was well able to protect itself against the spread of the coronavirus and offered an optimistic outlook.
“I think the whole situation will start working out,” Mr. Trump said during a news conference. [Watch the video.]
On Monday, the Trump administration requested $2.5 billion to help stop the spread of the virus. It asked Congress to authorize $1.25 billion in new emergency funds and called for diverting another $1.25 billion from other federal programs.
China’s battle to contain the deadly coronavirus epidemic showed new signs of success, with a plunge in the rate of new infections. But that news was overshadowed by the unbridled expansion in Iran, South Korea and Italy, underlining the threat of a global pandemic racing out of control.
The World Health Organization said that the pace of confirmed new cases in China, which exceeded 2,000 a day a month ago, had dropped steadily, to a low of 508 on Monday. It said the severe measures imposed by the Chinese authorities to isolate patients and the hardest-hit areas had likely prevented hundreds of thousands of additional infections.
But W.H.O. officials have also warned that the world is unprepared for a leap in infections, which could overwhelm medical resources in many countries. They also cautioned that new cases could suddenly resurge in China, as the government struggles to get people back to work.
And there are persistent doubts about the accuracy of infection figures reported by China’s government, raising the possibility that the true magnitude of the outbreak remains underreported.
By Tuesday, South Korea had reported a total of 893 cases, the second most in the world, and the Centers for Disease Control in the United States warned Americans not to travel there. Of the 60 new cases reported by South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 49 came from Daegu, the city at the center of the outbreak in that country.
In Iran, a spike in coronavirus infections — including the top health official in charge of fighting the disease — has prompted fears of a contagion throughout the Middle East. In Italy, one of Europe’s largest economies, officials are struggling to prevent the epidemic from paralyzing the commercial center of Milan. And in New York, London, and Tokyo, financial markets plummeted Monday on fears that the virus will cripple the global economy.
The emergence of Italy, Iran, and South Korea as new hubs of the outbreak underscored the lack of a coordinated global strategy to combat the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 80,000 people in 37 countries, causing at least 2,600 deaths.The emergence of Italy, Iran, and South Korea as new hubs of the outbreak underscored the lack of a coordinated global strategy to combat the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 80,000 people in 37 countries, causing at least 2,600 deaths.
Stocks in the United States dropped again on Tuesday morning, a day after concerns that the spreading coronavirus would hit global growth prompted Wall Street’s worst decline in two years. Stocks dropped again on Tuesday, and bond yields fell to record lows, as the spreading coronavirus rattled investors who fear that it could hamper global growth.
Investors in the United States and abroad have been trying to gauge the extent of the coronavirus outbreak and its potential impact on the world’s economy. As they faced evidence that the outbreak is spreading outside of China, those traders reacted on Monday by pushing the S&P 500 down 3.4 percent, its worst single-day performance since February 2018. European markets recorded their worst session since 2016. Updated Feb. 25, 2020
On Tuesday, that selling moderated somewhat. The S&P 500 drifted from positive to negative territory in early trading and shares fell in Europe and Asia. The outbreak, now in its sixth week, has upended expectations that 2020 would be a rebuilding year for the global economy after the disruptions of the trade war between China and the United States.
Investors could face more wild rides as the coronavirus outbreak spreads further, crimping consumer demand and snarling the world’s supply chains. UBS said on Tuesday that it was recommending investors switch to emerging-market stocks, and warned that holding shares in European companies presented a particular danger. For weeks, American markets had shrugged off the outbreak, but the virus’s spread outside China has led to a growing concern among investors.
“The emergence of a large number of new cases in Italy has materially increased the risk of a sharp drop in consumer and business confidence in Europe, and potentially North America too if more cases are confirmed there in the coming days,” Mark Haefele, the chief investment officer at UBS’s global wealth management operations, said in an investment report. In recent days, yields on long-term Treasury bonds have collapsed, a sign that investors expect growth to slow.
Iran’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, who has spearheaded the country’s efforts to contain the coronavirus, has contracted the illness, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday, renewing concerns about the spread of the virus in the country. Monday was the worst day for American stocks in more than two years, with the S&P 500 falling 3.4 percent after officials in Italy and South Korea reported new infections.
In an interview with the state-run news outlet IRNA, a spokesman for the ministry said that Mr. Harirchi had been experiencing weakness and flulike symptoms on Monday before holding a news briefing, and tested positive for the virus later in the day. It is unclear how he contracted the virus, but health officials said he had been dealing with some patients suspected of having the coronavirus. On Tuesday, the tumble continued. The S&P 500 was down about 1 percent before noon, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.33 percent in early trading, putting it on track for a record low.
During the briefing, Mr. Harirchi could be seen repeatedly wiping sweat from his brow and shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. On Tuesday, he posted a video from home detailing his diagnosis and self-quarantine. Tuesday’s losses were led by the energy sector, which fell more than 2 percent in concert with crude oil prices.
Updated Feb. 10, 2020 A barrel of benchmark American crude oil dropped more than 1 percent, to less than $51 in early trading. Oil prices have dropped about 17 percent this year, as investors have priced in the weekslong immobilization of China’s economy — the world’s second largest.
The number of coronavirus cases and deaths continued to rise in Iran on Tuesday, according to health officials, days after the country emerged as another focal point of the outbreak. A prominent member of Parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi, an outspoken critic of the country’s hard-liners, posted on Twitter that he also had the virus. Iran’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, who has spearheaded the country’s efforts to contain the coronavirus, has contracted the illness, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday, renewing concerns about the spread of the virus in a country that has become a focal point of the epidemic.
In an interview with the state-run news outlet IRNA, a spokesman for the ministry said that Mr. Harirchi had been experiencing weakness and flulike symptoms on Monday before holding a news briefing, and tested positive for the virus later in the day.
During the briefing, Mr. Harirchi could be seen repeatedly wiping sweat from his brow and shifting from foot to foot. On Tuesday, he posted a video from home detailing his diagnosis and self-quarantine.
A prominent member of Parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi,posted on Twitter that he also had the virus.
Health officials quoted in Iranian state news media confirmed three more deaths in the country, bringing the total to 15. At least 95 people nationwide have tested positive for the coronavirus, most of them in the northern city of Qom, health officials said.Health officials quoted in Iranian state news media confirmed three more deaths in the country, bringing the total to 15. At least 95 people nationwide have tested positive for the coronavirus, most of them in the northern city of Qom, health officials said.
Experts fear that the government may be concealing the true scale of the problem, and may not have the capacity to respond effectively if things begin to spiral out of control.
President Hassan Rouhani, in a televised speech, said ordinary life must continue, and blamed Iran’s enemies for sowing panic in an attempt to shut down the country.
“This is one of the enemy’s plots to create panic to close down our society,” he said. “No, we all have to work, carry on with our activities and be careful and take the sick to the hospital.”
With an economy choked by economic sanctions, a restive population that distrusts its government and a secretive leadership, Iran is something of a wild card in the region.With an economy choked by economic sanctions, a restive population that distrusts its government and a secretive leadership, Iran is something of a wild card in the region.
While the numbers of the infected do not look too daunting so far, experts fear that the government may be concealing the true scale of the problem, and may not have the capacity to respond effectively if things begin to spiral out of control.
Qom, an important religious center, draws more than 22 million visitors every year, according to tourism figures from the country, most of them religious pilgrims. Of those, around 2.5 million come from abroad.Qom, an important religious center, draws more than 22 million visitors every year, according to tourism figures from the country, most of them religious pilgrims. Of those, around 2.5 million come from abroad.
A hotel on the Spanish resort island of Tenerife was placed under a police cordon on Tuesday after an Italian guest tested positive for the new coronavirus, the authorities said.A hotel on the Spanish resort island of Tenerife was placed under a police cordon on Tuesday after an Italian guest tested positive for the new coronavirus, the authorities said.
According to local news reports, around 1,000 guests are booked at the hotel, the H10 Costa Adeje Palace, at a resort that is popular with British tourists. It remained unclear whether an official quarantine was in place.According to local news reports, around 1,000 guests are booked at the hotel, the H10 Costa Adeje Palace, at a resort that is popular with British tourists. It remained unclear whether an official quarantine was in place.
Officials at the Canary Emergency Services Department are working to determine the severity of the outbreak in the building. In recent cases, including the quarantine of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, the authorities demanded quarantine periods of at least 14 days.Officials at the Canary Emergency Services Department are working to determine the severity of the outbreak in the building. In recent cases, including the quarantine of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, the authorities demanded quarantine periods of at least 14 days.
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory off the coast of West Africa.Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory off the coast of West Africa.
The Italian patient is being kept in isolation at a hospital on the island, pending the results of a second test to be conducted in Madrid by Spain’s National Center of Microbiology.The Italian patient is being kept in isolation at a hospital on the island, pending the results of a second test to be conducted in Madrid by Spain’s National Center of Microbiology.
The hotel guests have been told to remain in their rooms, according to Antena 3, a Spanish television channel, while health inspectors are checking people inside who could have come into contact with the Italian.The hotel guests have been told to remain in their rooms, according to Antena 3, a Spanish television channel, while health inspectors are checking people inside who could have come into contact with the Italian.
Guests were given a note by the hotel management asking them to stay in their rooms and telling them that for health reasons, the hotel had been temporarily closed.Guests were given a note by the hotel management asking them to stay in their rooms and telling them that for health reasons, the hotel had been temporarily closed.
Police enlarged the security cordon around the hotel to block access to nearby streets and a parking lot on Tuesday morning.Police enlarged the security cordon around the hotel to block access to nearby streets and a parking lot on Tuesday morning.
According to the local news media, the man who tested positive is a doctor who was visiting from Lombardy, a region of Italy that has been hit particularly hard by the virus. He reportedly took himself to a hospital with a fever about a week after arriving in Tenerife.According to the local news media, the man who tested positive is a doctor who was visiting from Lombardy, a region of Italy that has been hit particularly hard by the virus. He reportedly took himself to a hospital with a fever about a week after arriving in Tenerife.
Spain previously confirmed two cases of the virus, both foreigners who were hospitalized on Spanish islands: a German citizen on La Gomera and a Briton on Majorca.Spain previously confirmed two cases of the virus, both foreigners who were hospitalized on Spanish islands: a German citizen on La Gomera and a Briton on Majorca.
The authorities in Italy, the center of the worst outbreak of the coronavirus outside Asia, reported new infections on Tuesday, with a total of 283 cases, up from 229 a day earlier, and reports of new cases in Tuscany and Sicily. The authorities in Italy, the center of the worst outbreak of the coronavirus outside Asia, reported a total of 322 infections through Tuesday, up from 229 a day earlier, with reports of new cases in Tuscany and Sicily. The death roll rose to 10, from seven.
The Italian outbreak has prompted fears that the virus could spread rapidly across the Continent, where the Schengen zone allows largely free movement between countries. That concern increased after Angelo Borrelli, the head of Civil Protection, confirmed that two cases had been identified outside the “red area” in the northern region of Lombardy that has become the epicenter of the outbreak.The Italian outbreak has prompted fears that the virus could spread rapidly across the Continent, where the Schengen zone allows largely free movement between countries. That concern increased after Angelo Borrelli, the head of Civil Protection, confirmed that two cases had been identified outside the “red area” in the northern region of Lombardy that has become the epicenter of the outbreak.
The government deployed the Italian Army to the red area on Tuesday, Michele Capone, a carabinieri official in the area, told the Italian news agency ANSA, adding that checkpoints had been installed inside the locked-down areas of those towns.The government deployed the Italian Army to the red area on Tuesday, Michele Capone, a carabinieri official in the area, told the Italian news agency ANSA, adding that checkpoints had been installed inside the locked-down areas of those towns.
Southern mainland regions such as Puglia and Calabria have asked travelers coming from northern regions affected by the coronavirus to inform the local authorities.Southern mainland regions such as Puglia and Calabria have asked travelers coming from northern regions affected by the coronavirus to inform the local authorities.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy has sought to cut off attempts to wall off the north. Autonomous decisions by local authorities in southern areas were “not justified,” he told reporters late Monday evening.Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy has sought to cut off attempts to wall off the north. Autonomous decisions by local authorities in southern areas were “not justified,” he told reporters late Monday evening.
President Trump said that the United States was well able to protect itself against the spread of the coronavirus and offered an optimistic outlook on Tuesday, even as fears of a global pandemic grew.
“I think the whole situation will start working out,” Mr. Trump said during a news conference in India.
Even as the president offered his sunny view of the crisis, Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said lawmakers had received a frightening classified briefing on the epidemic. The assessment should be made public, he wrote on Twitter, and people “would be as appalled and astonished” as I am by the inadequacy of preparedness and prevention.”
On Monday, the Trump administration requested $2.5 billion to help stop the spread of the virus. It asked Congress to authorize $1.25 billion in new emergency funds and called for diverting another $1.25 billion from other federal programs.
The request is a significant escalation of the White House’s response, but Representative Nita M. Lowey, Democrat of New York and chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, called the request “woefully insufficient.”
Mr. Trump was asked about his criticism of the Obama administration for bringing a doctor who had contracted the Ebola virus back to the United States for treatment, even as his administration decided to bring back people who tested positive for the coronavirus on a cruise ship docked in Japan. Mr. Trump said the situations were completely different.
Calling the coronavirus “a plague,” an Iraqi lawmaker demanded on Tuesday that the government seal its borders with Iran “until the disease is completely controlled,” the same day that Iraq’s Health Ministry announced four more cases of the virus.Calling the coronavirus “a plague,” an Iraqi lawmaker demanded on Tuesday that the government seal its borders with Iran “until the disease is completely controlled,” the same day that Iraq’s Health Ministry announced four more cases of the virus.
The demand, by Qutayba al-Jubori, chairman of the Iraqi Parliament’s Health and Environment Committee, came as governments across the region sought to limit the entry of Iranian travelers following an outbreak in that country that has killed at least 15 people.The demand, by Qutayba al-Jubori, chairman of the Iraqi Parliament’s Health and Environment Committee, came as governments across the region sought to limit the entry of Iranian travelers following an outbreak in that country that has killed at least 15 people.
The Iraqi government said it would suspend all flights from Iran beginning Monday afternoon, but by Tuesday morning, flights were still scheduled to and from Najaf, a central Iraqi city that is home to Shiite shrines popular with Iranian pilgrims.The Iraqi government said it would suspend all flights from Iran beginning Monday afternoon, but by Tuesday morning, flights were still scheduled to and from Najaf, a central Iraqi city that is home to Shiite shrines popular with Iranian pilgrims.
Iraq reported its first case of the virus on Monday, a 22-year old religion student in Najaf, who has been quarantined at a location outside the city. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry confirmed that a family of four from Kirkuk who had just returned from Iran had contracted the coronavirus and were being quarantined.Iraq reported its first case of the virus on Monday, a 22-year old religion student in Najaf, who has been quarantined at a location outside the city. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry confirmed that a family of four from Kirkuk who had just returned from Iran had contracted the coronavirus and were being quarantined.
The government told citizens to avoid crowded places including shrines, universities and schools, shopping malls and stores, sports activities and entertainment parks. They also recommended avoiding kissing or shaking hands with others and urged people to use disposable napkins.The government told citizens to avoid crowded places including shrines, universities and schools, shopping malls and stores, sports activities and entertainment parks. They also recommended avoiding kissing or shaking hands with others and urged people to use disposable napkins.
The firebrand cleric Moktada al-Sadr said he would suspend vast protests against his political opponents.The firebrand cleric Moktada al-Sadr said he would suspend vast protests against his political opponents.
“I had called for million man protests and sit-ins against sectarian power-sharing and today I forbid you from them for your health and life, for they are more important to me than anything else,” he said in a statement.“I had called for million man protests and sit-ins against sectarian power-sharing and today I forbid you from them for your health and life, for they are more important to me than anything else,” he said in a statement.
Other nations in the region issued travel restrictions on Tuesday. The United Arab Emirates, home to Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, has suspended all flights to Iran.Other nations in the region issued travel restrictions on Tuesday. The United Arab Emirates, home to Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, has suspended all flights to Iran.
Bahrain, which confirmed two cases in travelers who had flown from Iran via Dubai, said that it had suspended all its flights from Dubai International Airport and from Sharjah International Airport, also in the United Arab Emirates, for two days.Bahrain, which confirmed two cases in travelers who had flown from Iran via Dubai, said that it had suspended all its flights from Dubai International Airport and from Sharjah International Airport, also in the United Arab Emirates, for two days.
An outbreak of the coronavirus in Italy appears to have begun spreading, with some neighboring nations reporting cases that appear to be linked. Two 24-year-old Italians living in Innsbruck, Austria, have tested positive for the virus, the authorities said on Tuesday. An outbreak of the coronavirus in Italy appears to have begun spreading, with new cases that appear linked to the Lombardy region reported on Tuesday in Spain, Austria, Croatia and Switzerland.
The two are from the Lombardy region of Italy, which has been hit particularly hard, and the authorities said they were working to determine how they had contracted the virus. A 36-year-old Italian woman living in Barcelona tested positive after returning from a trip to Lombardy, according to Spanish authorities, who are already dealing with an infected doctor from that region on the island of Tenerife. His wife has also tested positive.
Two 24-year-old Italians from Lombardy living in Innsbruck, Austria, have tested positive for the virus, the authorities said on Tuesday.
Separately, a man who visited Milan in mid-February became Croatia’s first confirmed coronavirus patient, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in a news conference on Tuesday.Separately, a man who visited Milan in mid-February became Croatia’s first confirmed coronavirus patient, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in a news conference on Tuesday.
The patient, whose name and age were not given, has been quarantined in a hospital in Zagreb, the Croatian capital, and the government was trying to track down everyone who had come in contact with him, officials said. New York University closed its campus in Florence. France’s national railway said its onboard staff would no longer make the entire trip on runs from Paris to Milan, instead leaving the trains near the border, with Italian crew members taking their places.
The patient in Croatia, whose name and age were not given, has been quarantined in a hospital in Zagreb, the capital, and the government was trying to track down everyone who had come in contact with him, officials said.
The government of Croatia took pains to emphasize its preparedness and to project calm in the wake of the virus’s spread in Italy, historically one of the country’s main trading partners. The Dalmatian coast of Croatia is a summer getaway and a popular destination for Italians seeking affordable dental work.The government of Croatia took pains to emphasize its preparedness and to project calm in the wake of the virus’s spread in Italy, historically one of the country’s main trading partners. The Dalmatian coast of Croatia is a summer getaway and a popular destination for Italians seeking affordable dental work.
But the virus’s emergence in the Balkans could test already depleted and poorly funded health systems, which are hemorrhaging medical professionals bound for western Europe.But the virus’s emergence in the Balkans could test already depleted and poorly funded health systems, which are hemorrhaging medical professionals bound for western Europe.
Italy is also a favorite destination for Croatian school trips. Health checks have been introduced for arrivals from the Veneto and Lombardy regions of Italy.Italy is also a favorite destination for Croatian school trips. Health checks have been introduced for arrivals from the Veneto and Lombardy regions of Italy.
Other European nations were scrambling to prepare for a potential outbreak. Budapest Airport, Hungary’s largest commercial airport, announced that it procured a thermal camera last week and would rent another in the coming days to monitor travelers.Other European nations were scrambling to prepare for a potential outbreak. Budapest Airport, Hungary’s largest commercial airport, announced that it procured a thermal camera last week and would rent another in the coming days to monitor travelers.
But experts warned that the country could be ill prepared for an influx of cases. Ferenc Falus, Hungary’s former chief medical officer, said that the health care system had limited resources.But experts warned that the country could be ill prepared for an influx of cases. Ferenc Falus, Hungary’s former chief medical officer, said that the health care system had limited resources.
“We are in deep trouble if the virus comes to Hungary,” he said. “Hopefully, this won’t happen.” “We are in deep trouble if the virus comes to Hungary,” he said.
American citizens were advised on Monday to avoid nonessential travel to South Korea because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus there. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised the travel warning to Level Three, its highest warning.American citizens were advised on Monday to avoid nonessential travel to South Korea because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus there. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised the travel warning to Level Three, its highest warning.
“There is a widespread, ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that can be spread from person to person,” the C.D.C. said in an advisory. “Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at risk of severe disease.”“There is a widespread, ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that can be spread from person to person,” the C.D.C. said in an advisory. “Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at risk of severe disease.”
The C.D.C. also warned that “there is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas.”The C.D.C. also warned that “there is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas.”
The warning came as South Korea reported Tuesday that the number of cases in the country had risen by 60 to 893 overall. The majority of the cases have been centered in the area in and around Daegu, South Korea’s fourth-largest city, 180 miles southeast of Seoul. And roughly half the patients in the country are members of the Shincheonji religious group, a church that has a large following in the city. The warning came as South Korea reported Tuesday that the number of cases in the country had risen by 60, to 893 overall. The majority have been centered in the area in and around Daegu, South Korea’s fourth-largest city, 180 miles southeast of Seoul. And roughly half the patients in the country are members of the Shincheonji religious group, a church that has a large following in the city.
President Moon Jae-in on Sunday put the country on the highest possible alert in its fight against the coronavirus. President Moon Jae-in has put the country on the highest possible alert in its fight against the coronavirus.
At least one and as many as 19 people have died from causes that could be linked to the coronavirus at a nursing home located steps from the likely source of the outbreak in Wuhan, China, the Chinese news outlet Caixin reported.At least one and as many as 19 people have died from causes that could be linked to the coronavirus at a nursing home located steps from the likely source of the outbreak in Wuhan, China, the Chinese news outlet Caixin reported.
The nursing home, known as the Wuhan Social Welfare Institute, is near the seafood market that was identified the center of the outbreak. A spokesman told The New York Times it could not comment without approval from the civil affairs bureau.The nursing home, known as the Wuhan Social Welfare Institute, is near the seafood market that was identified the center of the outbreak. A spokesman told The New York Times it could not comment without approval from the civil affairs bureau.
In an indication that the authorities have acknowledged the risks posed to nursing homes, the civil affairs bureau has said every facility in the city will now be put under strict management, and that nucleic acid tests would be conducted for employees by Feb. 28.In an indication that the authorities have acknowledged the risks posed to nursing homes, the civil affairs bureau has said every facility in the city will now be put under strict management, and that nucleic acid tests would be conducted for employees by Feb. 28.
The aged are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, with many of the reported deaths occurring among people over 60 years old who had underlying health conditions. Five people at the nursing home are said to have died in December and January, and another 14 in February, according to Caixin. Lung infections and heart attacks were listed among the causes of the deaths.The aged are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, with many of the reported deaths occurring among people over 60 years old who had underlying health conditions. Five people at the nursing home are said to have died in December and January, and another 14 in February, according to Caixin. Lung infections and heart attacks were listed among the causes of the deaths.
A nurse cited by Caixin said the infirmary attached to the home lacked testing capabilities for the virus. The municipal Civil Affairs Bureau in Wuhan said in a notice dated Thursday that 11 residents and an employee at the home have been infected and that one had died.A nurse cited by Caixin said the infirmary attached to the home lacked testing capabilities for the virus. The municipal Civil Affairs Bureau in Wuhan said in a notice dated Thursday that 11 residents and an employee at the home have been infected and that one had died.
Many more deaths are going unreported, according to Caixin.Many more deaths are going unreported, according to Caixin.
Beijing officials announced on Tuesday that they had ordered local governments to streamline the many new requirements they have imposed before companies can reopen after weeks of stalled production as a result of the outbreakBeijing officials announced on Tuesday that they had ordered local governments to streamline the many new requirements they have imposed before companies can reopen after weeks of stalled production as a result of the outbreak
Worried that further infections might be blamed on them, local officials all over China have been demanding that companies pass extensive reviews and even on-site inspections before they can restart production. Rules include making sure that companies provide employees with face masks, keep track of employees’ temperatures and set up hand-washing stations.Worried that further infections might be blamed on them, local officials all over China have been demanding that companies pass extensive reviews and even on-site inspections before they can restart production. Rules include making sure that companies provide employees with face masks, keep track of employees’ temperatures and set up hand-washing stations.
Manufacturers of medical protection equipment can bypass the new rules almost entirely, so as to produce more face masks and other gear as quickly as possible.Manufacturers of medical protection equipment can bypass the new rules almost entirely, so as to produce more face masks and other gear as quickly as possible.
But while Beijing is trying to restart the private sector, it does not want companies to mark up prices steeply for scarce products. Tang Jun, the deputy director of the State Administration of Market Regulation, said at a news briefing on Tuesday morning in Beijing that the Chinese government had investigated 4,500 companies for price gouging and was filing more than 11,000 legal cases. But while Beijing is trying to restart the private sector, it does not want companies to mark up prices steeply for scarce products. Tang Jun, the deputy director of the State Administration of Market Regulation, said on Tuesday morning that the government had investigated 4,500 companies for price gouging and was filing more than 11,000 legal cases.
The cases involved, “medical protective supplies and important commodities related to the people’s livelihood,” he said. More than 36,000 online vendors have already been identified as trying to overcharge specifically for face masks, he added, and electronic commerce companies have removed their overpriced listings.The cases involved, “medical protective supplies and important commodities related to the people’s livelihood,” he said. More than 36,000 online vendors have already been identified as trying to overcharge specifically for face masks, he added, and electronic commerce companies have removed their overpriced listings.
Reporting and research was contributed by Raphael Minder, Matt Phillips, Russell Goldman, Megan Specia, Emma Bubola, Melissa Eddy, Joseph Orovic, Benjamin Novak, Keith Bradsher, Gerry Mullany, Aimee Ortiz, Alissa Rubin, Elaine Yu, Mark Landler, Steven Lee Myers, Sui-Lee Wee, Farah Stockman, Louis Keene, Noah Weiland, Emily Cochrane and Maggie Haberman.Reporting and research was contributed by Raphael Minder, Matt Phillips, Russell Goldman, Megan Specia, Emma Bubola, Melissa Eddy, Joseph Orovic, Benjamin Novak, Keith Bradsher, Gerry Mullany, Aimee Ortiz, Alissa Rubin, Elaine Yu, Mark Landler, Steven Lee Myers, Sui-Lee Wee, Farah Stockman, Louis Keene, Noah Weiland, Emily Cochrane and Maggie Haberman.