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Coronavirus: WHO says more new cases outside China every day than inside – live updates Coronavirus: WHO says more new cases outside China every day than inside – live news
(32 minutes later)
More than 80,000 cases worldwide as impact on financial markets continues and UK schools told not to shut over infection fears. Follow live newsMore than 80,000 cases worldwide as impact on financial markets continues and UK schools told not to shut over infection fears. Follow live news
Nigel Scotland, one of the tourists in quarantine at a hotel in Tenerife, said many of his fellow guests are ignoring the advise to stay in their rooms.
“I counted 268 people on sun beds,” he told BBC Radio 4 World at One. He said he also saw people swimming in the hotel pool. Harley Mitford told the Guardian that he’s seen guests swimming in face masks.
Like Mitford, Scotland said he had not been contacted by UK officials despite Hancock’s claim the foreign office had been in touch with the guests.
He said: “We haven’t heard anything. Our great hope would be to be flown home quickly, because we probably have to do another 14 days of self-isolation when we get back.”
Scotland added: “Strictly speaking we’re supposed to be in our rooms. My wife and I were visited by the doctor about half an hour. The rooms are quite small and you begin to feel confined and a bit trapped.
British tourists quarantined in a Tenerife hotel where four former guests tested positive for coronavirus say they are desperate to return to the UK to avoid contracting the disease.
They fear that being locked in the four-star hotel, they will face the same outcome as passengers on board the Diamond Princess ship, where the virus spread as the boat remained quarantined off Yokohama.
A lockdown was imposed on the 700 guests at the Costa Adeje Palace in La Caleta after an Italian doctor, who had stayed at the hotel, was confirmed to have caught the virus on Monday night.
He is being treated in isolation in hospital along with his wife and two other Italians in his travel group, who have since also tested positive.
Harley Mitford, a student who checked into the hotel with his sister and stepfather on Monday, said the quarantine was putting them at risk of contracting the disease. Speaking to the Guardian, he said: “The Italian guy who was infected had left before we came, so if they let us go, we couldn’t have come into contact with him.
“If we’re kept in we’re more likely to come into contact with people who came into contact with him. It’s counterintuitive, and it’s exactly what happened on the cruise ship.”
Here’s video of Hancock’s statement to the Commons:
Donald Trump has announced he is to stage a news conference at the White House on coronavirus, to counter what he claims are efforts by news organisations to stoke fears over the scale of the outbreak.Donald Trump has announced he is to stage a news conference at the White House on coronavirus, to counter what he claims are efforts by news organisations to stoke fears over the scale of the outbreak.
Two primary schools in Spalding, Lincolnshire, and one in Old Windsor, Berkshire, have closed over coronavirus outbreak fears, reports Richard Adams, the Guardian’s education editor.Two primary schools in Spalding, Lincolnshire, and one in Old Windsor, Berkshire, have closed over coronavirus outbreak fears, reports Richard Adams, the Guardian’s education editor.
The two schools in Spalding are in a federation and have posted the same notice on their websites:The two schools in Spalding are in a federation and have posted the same notice on their websites:
St Peter’s C of E middle school in Old Windsor – near Legoland – shut on Wednesday for deep cleaning. Andy Snipp, the headteacher, wrote on the school’s Facebook page:St Peter’s C of E middle school in Old Windsor – near Legoland – shut on Wednesday for deep cleaning. Andy Snipp, the headteacher, wrote on the school’s Facebook page:
Meanwhile King Edward VI Five Ways grammar school, in Birmingham, has said three staff are home with flu-like symptoms following a skiing trip to the Italian Alps, although it says the trip didn’t go through the affected regions. A letter to parents said that three members of staff were absent from school with flu-like symptoms, and asked parents to keep their children away from lessons if they felt unwell.Meanwhile King Edward VI Five Ways grammar school, in Birmingham, has said three staff are home with flu-like symptoms following a skiing trip to the Italian Alps, although it says the trip didn’t go through the affected regions. A letter to parents said that three members of staff were absent from school with flu-like symptoms, and asked parents to keep their children away from lessons if they felt unwell.
My colleague Andrew Sparrow, over on the politics live blog, has taken down the details of a statement made in the House of Commons by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, on coronavirus.My colleague Andrew Sparrow, over on the politics live blog, has taken down the details of a statement made in the House of Commons by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, on coronavirus.
The first person to have succumbed to Covid-19 in Greece is doing well, doctors say.The first person to have succumbed to Covid-19 in Greece is doing well, doctors say.
The 38-year-old woman, who recently travelled to northern Italy where she is believed to have contracted the virus, is likely to spend weeks undergoing treatment in the specialist ward of Thessaloniki’s Ahepa hospital, said Sotiris Tsiodras, heading the contagious diseases team at the ministry of health.The 38-year-old woman, who recently travelled to northern Italy where she is believed to have contracted the virus, is likely to spend weeks undergoing treatment in the specialist ward of Thessaloniki’s Ahepa hospital, said Sotiris Tsiodras, heading the contagious diseases team at the ministry of health.
Her relatives have been placed in quarantine, while an inquiry is under way to ascertain who she has been in contact with.Her relatives have been placed in quarantine, while an inquiry is under way to ascertain who she has been in contact with.
“The young woman is in good condition and is being watched by a team of excellent doctors,” Tsiodras told a packed news conference, emphasising how vital it was that people kept to basic hygiene rules such as regularly washing their hands.“The young woman is in good condition and is being watched by a team of excellent doctors,” Tsiodras told a packed news conference, emphasising how vital it was that people kept to basic hygiene rules such as regularly washing their hands.
“Those who have come from affected areas of northern Italy must stay at home and monitor their health and in the event of symptoms inform their doctor,” he said, adding that the woman was otherwise in good health.“Those who have come from affected areas of northern Italy must stay at home and monitor their health and in the event of symptoms inform their doctor,” he said, adding that the woman was otherwise in good health.
Greek schoolchildren who had been travelling in Italy at the time of the outbreak continued to be brought back to Greece on Wednesday.Greek schoolchildren who had been travelling in Italy at the time of the outbreak continued to be brought back to Greece on Wednesday.
There are concerns that after years of steep budget cuts as a result of its long-running debt crisis, Greece’s public health system will struggle to cope if the disease cannot be contained. “Everyone knows that our public hospitals are not in the best way,” Andreas Mendis, of the country’s Pasteur Institute, told local TV. “But on issues of public health we have a good record.” Alarmed by the spread of the virus across Europe and in parts of the neighbouring Balkans, the Greek government announced an array of preventative measures on Tuesday. They include Greek authorities having the right to use private clinics and their medical services if needed to curb the disease.There are concerns that after years of steep budget cuts as a result of its long-running debt crisis, Greece’s public health system will struggle to cope if the disease cannot be contained. “Everyone knows that our public hospitals are not in the best way,” Andreas Mendis, of the country’s Pasteur Institute, told local TV. “But on issues of public health we have a good record.” Alarmed by the spread of the virus across Europe and in parts of the neighbouring Balkans, the Greek government announced an array of preventative measures on Tuesday. They include Greek authorities having the right to use private clinics and their medical services if needed to curb the disease.
Authorities in the Canary islands have said guests at a Tenerife hotel which hosted an Italian couple who tested positive for coronavirus must be isolated for 14 days.Authorities in the Canary islands have said guests at a Tenerife hotel which hosted an Italian couple who tested positive for coronavirus must be isolated for 14 days.
Hundreds of tourists remained confined to the hotel for a second straight day on Wednesday as a precaution. The Italian doctor and his wife who tested positive were already in quarantine at a Tenerife hospital. Eight other Italians who travelled with them were showing no symptoms, according to reports.Hundreds of tourists remained confined to the hotel for a second straight day on Wednesday as a precaution. The Italian doctor and his wife who tested positive were already in quarantine at a Tenerife hospital. Eight other Italians who travelled with them were showing no symptoms, according to reports.
British holidaymakers are among those stuck at the four-star H10 Costa Adeje Palace, in the south-west of the island.British holidaymakers are among those stuck at the four-star H10 Costa Adeje Palace, in the south-west of the island.
Relatives of an 82-year-old British widower, Alan Cunliffe, a retired builder from Wigan, have raised concerns after guests were sent a letter saying the hotel is “closed down” and they must remain in their rooms until further notice. Jon Butler, Cunliffe’s nephew, said:Relatives of an 82-year-old British widower, Alan Cunliffe, a retired builder from Wigan, have raised concerns after guests were sent a letter saying the hotel is “closed down” and they must remain in their rooms until further notice. Jon Butler, Cunliffe’s nephew, said:
Donald Trump has praised his health secretary and the Centres for Disease Control for doing “a great job with respect to coronavirus!”Donald Trump has praised his health secretary and the Centres for Disease Control for doing “a great job with respect to coronavirus!”
Facebook is banning ads that promise to cure coronavirus or incite panic around the outbreak in its latest attempt to prevent misinformation, PA Media reports.
The tech firm said it is prohibiting advertising that creates “a sense of urgency” about the Covid-19 illness, such as those that “imply a limited supply, or guarantee a cure or prevention”.
This includes ads for face masks that claim to be 100% guaranteed to prevent the spread of the virus. The rules also extend to those trying to sell related items on the social network’s Marketplace platform.
Facebook is already cracking down on posts that promote fake miracle cures for coronavirus, such as false suggestions that drinking bleach is a solution. A Facebook spokesman said:
French authorities are urgently trying to trace the source of the coronavirus infection that claimed the life of a 60-year-old citizen who died over night in the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, in Paris, as five new infections were reported in the country.
According to officials the individual had not travelled to either China or northern Italy. The French fatality was identified as a teacher from L’Oise region, in northern France, who suffered a massive pulmonary embolism as a result of the virus. The teacher is the second infection identified in the L’Oise region.
There have been more new detections of coronavirus outside China than inside, in a major turning point in the international spread of Covid-19, the World Health Organization reports.
In his opening remarks in a briefing on Covid-19, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, highlighted what appeared to be a slowing in the rate of new infections inside China, where the outbreak began, as well as a number of countries that appeared to have nipped incipient outbreaks in the bud.
He said:
Algeria is not planning to ban public protests or suspend flights to Italy after the country’s first case of the coronavirus was identified in an Italian man, a health ministry official was reported as saying by Reuters on Wednesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Algiers, Djamel Fouar, the director of prevention and control of communicable diseases, said authorities were monitoring everyone who had had been in contact with the 61-year-old patient.
The man is from Milan, in northern Italy, the centre of the country’s outbreak, and travelled through Algiers to Ouargla, in southern Algeria, a centre for the oil and gas industry.
Asked about a possible suspension of flights or a bar on the mass weekly protests that have rocked Algeria for more than a year, Fouar said such measures were “not on the agenda”.
However, he said authorities would reinforce controls on planes arriving in Algeria, particularly those coming from Italy.
Irish rugby officials are expected to bow to pressure to cancel a Six Nations game between Ireland and Italy because of the coronavirus outbreak. There is also speculation that some St Patrick’s Day celebrations will be cancelled or restricted, Rory Carroll, our Ireland correspondent, reports.
Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) representatives are due to meet the health minister, Simon Harris, at 12.30pm on Wednesday to discuss his recommendation to scrap the 7 March game against Italy at the Aviva stadium in Dublin.
The IRFU requested the meeting to clarify “specific reasoning” for the recommendation, which followed fresh National Public Health Emergency Team advice on travel and mass gatherings. Several thousand fans from Italy, which has reported more than 280 cases, were expected to travel to Dublin for the match.
“The very clear view of the public health emergency team was that this game should not go ahead, that it would constitute a very significant risk,” said Harris.
The sport minister, Shane Ross, told RTE on Wednesday that cancelling the game would be disappointing but necessary and wise.
The chief medical officer at the department of health, Tony Holohan, said other mass gatherings such as St Patrick’s Day celebrations on 17 March would be reviewed.
St Patrick’s festival organisers said in a statement: “We follow the advice and direction of relevant authorities in all matters of public safety.”
Parents whose children have been sent home from school over fears of the potential spread of coronavirus have been getting in touch with the Guardian.
One mother told my colleague Molly Blackall that her daughters had just returned from a skiing trip to northern Italy, the European region worst-affected so far by the outbreak.
Gwyneth Paltrow has shared a photograph of herself with a mask covering her mouth as she travelled to Paris.
The actress – who starred in the 2011 thriller Contagion, about a deadly virus that swept the world – wrote on Instagram: “En route to Paris. Paranoid? Prudent? Panicked? Placid? Pandemic? Propaganda? Paltrow’s just going to go ahead and sleep with this thing on the plane.
“I’ve already been in this movie. Stay safe. Don’t shake hands. Wash hands frequently.”
A government test in Brazil has confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Latin America, a source told Reuters on Wednesday.
Brazil’s health ministry declined to comment on the result of the test ahead of a news conference at 11am local time (1400 GMT), the agency reported.
A person familiar with the matter spoke on condition of anonymity because the results were not yet public.
A 12th person has died in northern Italy of coronavirus, while the number of confirmed cases has risen to 374, an increase of more than 50 on the day before, the head of the civil protection agency said on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
Angelo Borrelli told reporters the latest fatality was male and aged 69. All those who have died so far in the outbreak in Italy, which came to light on Friday, have been elderly and most had underlying health problems.