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Coronavirus latest updates: WHO mission director warns world is 'simply not ready' for pandemic Coronavirus latest updates: WHO mission director warns world is 'simply not ready' for pandemic
(32 minutes later)
Expert tells nations to access the expertise of China and prepare for a potential pandemic as the outbreak spreads across Europe. Follow live newsExpert tells nations to access the expertise of China and prepare for a potential pandemic as the outbreak spreads across Europe. Follow live news
This year’s Olympic Games could be cancelled if the disease proved too dangerous, a senior International Olympic Committee member has said.
Dick Pound, a former Canadian swimming champion and IOC member since 1978, estimated there was a two-to-three month window to make a decision, Gavin Blair reports.
“In and around that time, I’d say folks are going to have to ask: ‘Is this under sufficient control that we can be confident about going to Tokyo or not?’” Pound told Associated Press.
As the Games draw near, he said, “a lot of things have to start happening. You’ve got to start ramping up your security, your food, the Olympic Village, the hotels. The media folks will be in there, building their studios.”
If the IOC decides the games cannot go forward as scheduled in Tokyo, “you’re probably looking at a cancellation”, he said.
All public elementary and junior high schools in the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido will close for a few days from Thursday, according to Kyodo News agency. Hokkaido has 35 confirmed cases, the highest number in Japan outside of Tokyo.
San Francisco has declared a local emergency over the coronavirus, despite having no cases, Reuters reports.
It comes as US officials urged Americans to prepare for the spread of infections within their communities.
California’s fourth-largest city said it made the move to boost its coronavirus preparedness and raise public awareness of risks the virus may spread to the city.
“Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents, the global picture is changing rapidly, and we need to step-up preparedness,” the city’s mayor London Breed said.
The South China Morning Post is reporting the Hong Kong government is about to announce a relief package which includes HKD$10,000 (US$1,200) cash handouts for permanent residents aged over 18.The South China Morning Post is reporting the Hong Kong government is about to announce a relief package which includes HKD$10,000 (US$1,200) cash handouts for permanent residents aged over 18.
The HK$120bn package to bring relief to the city after months of civil unrest and now the virus, is expected to be announced during the budget speech on Wednesday.The HK$120bn package to bring relief to the city after months of civil unrest and now the virus, is expected to be announced during the budget speech on Wednesday.
A second person who visited Bali, Indonesia, has tested positive for the virus.A second person who visited Bali, Indonesia, has tested positive for the virus.
According to Japanese and Indonesian media, the Tokyo man in his sixties visited Bali shortly before testing positive for Covid-19.According to Japanese and Indonesian media, the Tokyo man in his sixties visited Bali shortly before testing positive for Covid-19.
According to the Jakarta Post, the man works at an aged care home, and returned to work for at least one day after presenting to a health clinic with cold-like symptoms and being discharged because he was not diagnosed with pneumonia.According to the Jakarta Post, the man works at an aged care home, and returned to work for at least one day after presenting to a health clinic with cold-like symptoms and being discharged because he was not diagnosed with pneumonia.
“We have started contact tracing. We found the hotel he stayed at during his visit to Bali,” Bali Health Agency head Ketut Suarjaya told The Jakarta Post.“We have started contact tracing. We found the hotel he stayed at during his visit to Bali,” Bali Health Agency head Ketut Suarjaya told The Jakarta Post.
It’s the second case of someone who had visited Bali later testing positive for the virus on their return home. A Chinese man was diagnosed eight days after he retuned from the island earlier this month.It’s the second case of someone who had visited Bali later testing positive for the virus on their return home. A Chinese man was diagnosed eight days after he retuned from the island earlier this month.
Indonesia says it has no confirmed cases of the virus, and that 28 people from Bali who showed symptoms all tested negative.Indonesia says it has no confirmed cases of the virus, and that 28 people from Bali who showed symptoms all tested negative.
A US soldier has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement from US Forces Korea.A US soldier has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement from US Forces Korea.
The 23-year-old, who had been based in a US camp in a town near the South Korean city of Daegu, was in self-isolation at his off-base residence. He had visited Camp Walker in Daegu earlier in the week.The 23-year-old, who had been based in a US camp in a town near the South Korean city of Daegu, was in self-isolation at his off-base residence. He had visited Camp Walker in Daegu earlier in the week.
South Korean authorities and US military health workers were tracing his contacts for people who might have been exposed.South Korean authorities and US military health workers were tracing his contacts for people who might have been exposed.
“USFK is implementing all appropriate control measures to help control the spread of Covid-19 and remains at risk level ‘high’ for USFK peninsula-wide as a prudent measure to protect the force,” the statement said.“USFK is implementing all appropriate control measures to help control the spread of Covid-19 and remains at risk level ‘high’ for USFK peninsula-wide as a prudent measure to protect the force,” the statement said.
An eighth Australian passenger from the Diamond Princess cruise ship has tested positive for the virus. His partner had already tested positive, and so he has been in isolation, and will now receive treatment.An eighth Australian passenger from the Diamond Princess cruise ship has tested positive for the virus. His partner had already tested positive, and so he has been in isolation, and will now receive treatment.
Back to the Australian authorities, who are giving a lot of detail about the response plans and current situation in the island country.Back to the Australian authorities, who are giving a lot of detail about the response plans and current situation in the island country.
Minister Greg Hunt says more than 3,000 tests have been done in Australia, of which only 15 in the general population have come back positive.Minister Greg Hunt says more than 3,000 tests have been done in Australia, of which only 15 in the general population have come back positive.
Under Australian law and the official declaration by Murphy, the federal government has quarantine powers, as well as the individual states, and that includes forcible quarantining of people. (The context to this is a discussion on ABC TV’s Q&A program on Monday, which saw disturbing footage of Chinese authorities forcibly taking people from their homes and to quarantine. Expert panellists noted that Australia had the power to do the same.)Under Australian law and the official declaration by Murphy, the federal government has quarantine powers, as well as the individual states, and that includes forcible quarantining of people. (The context to this is a discussion on ABC TV’s Q&A program on Monday, which saw disturbing footage of Chinese authorities forcibly taking people from their homes and to quarantine. Expert panellists noted that Australia had the power to do the same.)
“The states themselves have their own bio security arrangements and, for example, they have been monitoring the home isolation and they have powers. If they need them. We have powers if we need them.”“The states themselves have their own bio security arrangements and, for example, they have been monitoring the home isolation and they have powers. If they need them. We have powers if we need them.”
Just to jump in, while the Australian press conference continues, we brought you the updated infection numbers from China a short time ago.Just to jump in, while the Australian press conference continues, we brought you the updated infection numbers from China a short time ago.
The death toll of 52 people on Tuesday is the lowest daily figure from mainland China in more than three weeks, AFP is reporting.The death toll of 52 people on Tuesday is the lowest daily figure from mainland China in more than three weeks, AFP is reporting.
The number of fresh cases has declined in China, with multiple provinces reporting zero new infections in recent days.The number of fresh cases has declined in China, with multiple provinces reporting zero new infections in recent days.
Only five cases were reported outside the epicentre, the lowest in over a month.Only five cases were reported outside the epicentre, the lowest in over a month.
Amid questions on how long an event they are preparing for, Murphy notes that a slow paced outbreak puts far less pressure on the health system, even if it has a longer impact.
“There’s always a possibility with a new virus that it could persist and come back on a seasonal basis. We don’t know these things.”
Health minister Greg Hunt says it is a possibility that events like AFL matches could be cancelled, but that it was a “last resort”.
Asked about this year’s Olympics in Japan, Hunt says the health of the general population and athletes is the priority, and assessments would be made closer to the date. Athletes will be the first to know, but in the meantime “just keep training”.
Australia is still contained, with no community transmissions, the country’s chief medical officer has said. This means Australians don’t need to start behaving in ways other than normal, or wear masks.
But authorities are preparing “because of the developing international scenario”, and based on modified pandemic plans that have been developed for years.
“We are working very closely with the states and territories who run the public hospitals with primary care, the general practices. Aged care is a big part of our plan,” Professor Brendan Murphy has told reporters.
Asked about the growing likelihood that a pandemic would be declared, Murphy said that “doesn’t really change what we’re doing at all”.
“More cases in Australia, more community transmissions in Australia, definitely does.”
In the eventuation of that, public health authorities would do contact tracing if it was a small outbreak. If it was bigger then authorities would respond differently where they were “not trying to fully contain but limit the spread of transmission”.
If it got to a certain size they might start closing schools or changing configurations of hospitals, he says.
The message, essentially, is that authorities are flexible and will adapt to the circumstances.
Chinese authorities have reported that 406 new cases were confirmed on Tuesday, a drop on Monday’s 508, bringing the total number of cases in mainland China to 78,064, and 2,715 dead.
Of the 406, 401 were in Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak. The previous day saw 499.
52 people died from Covid-19 in Hubei province on Tuesday, fewer than the 68 reported on Monday.
There was one new confirmed case in the province of Shandong, two in Sichuan, one in Heibei, as well as four new confirmed cases in Hong Kong and one in Taiwan, according to Tencent.
More Chinese provinces have downgraded their emergency response levels, within China’s four-tiered alert system, Reuters is reporting.
The northwestern Chinese regions of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang and the southwestern province of Sichuan have downgraded their emergency response level after assessing that health risks from the coronavirus outbreak have receded, state media has reported.
The provinces of Gansu, Yunnan, Guangdong, Shanxi, Guizhou and Anhui have also cut their emergency response levels in the last few days.
Some regions, including Fujian in the southeast, are also starting to dismantle emergency roadblocks designed to screen incoming vehicles and curb the contagion.
China has quarantined 94 air passengers arriving from Seoul after three people on the flight were discovered to have fevers, state media reported Wednesday.
The three passengers, all Chinese, arrived in the city of Nanjing on Tuesday morning and were discovered after customs personnel boarded the aircraft on landing to screen passengers for symptoms, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.
The three were immediately sent by ambulance to a hospital for isolation and testing, while 94 people who had sat near them on the plane were sent to a hotel to be quarantined, CCTV said.
None of the three people with fevers had any history of travel to Wuhan, where the outbreak originated.
Agence France-Presse has further detail from South Korea:
An 11th person had died of the disease, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) added in a statement on its website - a Mongolian man in his 30s who became the first foreign national to fall victim to the outbreak.
Yonhap news agency reported that he had been in hospital in the South awaiting a liver transplant.
The vast majority - 90% - of the new infections were in Daegu, the country’s fourth-largest city and the epicentre of the outbreak, and the neighbouring province of North Gyeongsang.
Between them they account for more than 80% of the national total.
The streets of Daegu - which has a population of 2.5 million - have been largely deserted for days, apart from long queues at the few shops with masks for sale.
Authorities urged the public to exercise extra caution, advising citizens to stay home if they have a fever or respiratory symptoms.
“The government will mobilise all resources and means” to try to control the outbreak, Prime Minster Chung Sye-kyun told a meeting in Daegu, where he is leading the government response, Yonhap news agency reported.
Here’s a bit more detail on the new cases in South Korea:
Of the 169 new cases, 134 were from Daegu city, where a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has been linked to outbreaks, is located.
The BBC’s correspondent in South Korea is reporting that an official in Daegu who had a meeting with the president has tested positive for coronavirus.
South Korea has reported 169 more cases of new coronavirus, mostly in and around Daegu, bringing total infections to 1,146, according to the Associated Press.
The impact of months of civil unrest and now coronavirus has seen Australian airline, Virgin, lose more than $130m in earnings on its flight routes to Hong Kong, my colleague Alyx Gorman reports from the company’s half yearly call.
The company had already said last year it would wind up its Melbourne-Hong Kong route, but keep the daily Sydney-Hong Kong flight, however then in February said the Sydney route would also end.
The inpact of Hong Kong’s months of protests and now coronavirus has prompted the airline to exit early. Virgin will cease all services to Hong Kong in March.
CEO Paul Scurrah said: “the coronavirus meant we moved faster on a withdrawal.”
“It’s pretty much across the board with a leaning towards leisure destinations heavily reliant on Chinese tourism,” said Scurrah of the other affected routes.
The company said there was a potential $50m-55m impact on the Virgin Group’s domestic earnings in 2H20, including $14m on Tigerair and $35m-40m on Virgin Australia Domestic. The domestic demand was impacted by low GDP growth and the Australian bushfire crisis.