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| Coronavirus news: Australia initiates emergency plan as Trump says risk to US is 'very low' - live updates | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Losses on Asian stock markets mount as Saudi Arabia bans entry of religious pilgrims over virus fears. Follow our live news | Losses on Asian stock markets mount as Saudi Arabia bans entry of religious pilgrims over virus fears. Follow our live news |
| The official death toll from corvid-19 cases in Iran has increased to 22 people, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. It also confirmed 141 cases of the virus, a day after officials imposed travel restrictions and a suspension of Friday prayers. | |
| A graphic published by the agency shows that the virus has spread to 20 of Irans 31 provinces. | |
| The hardest-hit among them remained the province home to the holy Shis city of Qom, with 63 confirmed cases. | |
| Experts fear Iran is underreporting the number of cases of the new virus as cases across the wider Persian Gulf have emerged in recent days linked back to the Islamic Republic. | |
| The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kuwait now has leapt from 26 to 43, according to a health ministry official. | |
| The official said that all the cases involved people who had been to Iran, Reuters reports. | |
| Updated advice from the Department for Education tells schools not to send pupils home unless they have had contact with a confirmed case of covid-19. The update comes after at least 13 schools closed amid accusations of inconsistent and conflicting advice. | |
| The advice says: | |
| It says that pupils and staff should only be asked to self-isolate if they have travelled to a category 1 specified country or area in the past 14 days. | |
| AP has the latest breakdown of confirmed cases and deaths from the virus: | AP has the latest breakdown of confirmed cases and deaths from the virus: |
| Mainland China: 2,744 deaths among 78,497 cases, mostly in the central province of HubeiHong Kong: 81 cases, 2 deathsMacao: 10 casesSouth Korea: 1,595 cases, 13 deathsJapan: 894 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 7 deathsItaly: 447 cases, 12 deathsIran: 139 cases, 19 deathsSingapore: 93United States: 60Thailand: 40Taiwan: 32 cases, 1 deathBahrain: 33Australia: 23Malaysia: 22Kuwait: 26France: 17 cases, 2 deathsGermany: 21Vietnam: 16United Arab Emirates: 13United Kingdom: 13Spain: 12Canada: 12Russia: 5Iraq: 6Oman: 4Philippines: 3 cases, 1 deathIndia: 3Croatia: 3Israel: 2Pakistan: 2Finland: 2Austria: 2Lebanon: 2Egypt: 1Algeria: 1Afghanistan: 1Greece: 1North Macedonia: 1Georgia: 1Estonia: 1Belgium: 1Romania: 1Nepal: 1Sri Lanka: 1Cambodia: 1Sweden: 2Norway: 1Denmark: 1Switzerland: 1Brazil 1 | Mainland China: 2,744 deaths among 78,497 cases, mostly in the central province of HubeiHong Kong: 81 cases, 2 deathsMacao: 10 casesSouth Korea: 1,595 cases, 13 deathsJapan: 894 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 7 deathsItaly: 447 cases, 12 deathsIran: 139 cases, 19 deathsSingapore: 93United States: 60Thailand: 40Taiwan: 32 cases, 1 deathBahrain: 33Australia: 23Malaysia: 22Kuwait: 26France: 17 cases, 2 deathsGermany: 21Vietnam: 16United Arab Emirates: 13United Kingdom: 13Spain: 12Canada: 12Russia: 5Iraq: 6Oman: 4Philippines: 3 cases, 1 deathIndia: 3Croatia: 3Israel: 2Pakistan: 2Finland: 2Austria: 2Lebanon: 2Egypt: 1Algeria: 1Afghanistan: 1Greece: 1North Macedonia: 1Georgia: 1Estonia: 1Belgium: 1Romania: 1Nepal: 1Sri Lanka: 1Cambodia: 1Sweden: 2Norway: 1Denmark: 1Switzerland: 1Brazil 1 |
| I’ll be handing over this blog shortly to my colleagues in London. Here’s a quick summary of the latest developments: | I’ll be handing over this blog shortly to my colleagues in London. Here’s a quick summary of the latest developments: |
| China’s health authority has reported another drop in the number of new infections, with 433 new confirmed cases and 29 deaths in mainland China on Wednesday. | China’s health authority has reported another drop in the number of new infections, with 433 new confirmed cases and 29 deaths in mainland China on Wednesday. |
| There are 334 new cases in South Korea, mostly in Daegu. | There are 334 new cases in South Korea, mostly in Daegu. |
| Estonia, Denmark, Pakistan, Georgia, Norway, North Macedonia, Greece and Romania are among countries to report their first case of coronavirus in the last day. | Estonia, Denmark, Pakistan, Georgia, Norway, North Macedonia, Greece and Romania are among countries to report their first case of coronavirus in the last day. |
| Stocks in Asia are headed for their worst week for two years after more heavy losses on Thursday | Stocks in Asia are headed for their worst week for two years after more heavy losses on Thursday |
| Australia has extended its travel ban on China and enacted its emergency response plan, because “there is every indication the world will soon enter the pandemic phase of the virus”, prime minister Scott Morrison said. | Australia has extended its travel ban on China and enacted its emergency response plan, because “there is every indication the world will soon enter the pandemic phase of the virus”, prime minister Scott Morrison said. |
| US vice-president Mike Pence has been appointed by Donald Trump to lead and coordinate the US’s response to the coronavirus. | US vice-president Mike Pence has been appointed by Donald Trump to lead and coordinate the US’s response to the coronavirus. |
| Trump said the risk to Americans is “very low” but that plans are in place for a spread of the virus, which he doesn’t think is inevitable, in contradiction to US health authorities who expect to see more cases. | Trump said the risk to Americans is “very low” but that plans are in place for a spread of the virus, which he doesn’t think is inevitable, in contradiction to US health authorities who expect to see more cases. |
| Anne Schuchat, deputy director of the US CDC, said “the trajectory of what we are looking at over the weeks and months ahead is very uncertain”, and authorities should “dust off” their pandemic preparedness plans. | Anne Schuchat, deputy director of the US CDC, said “the trajectory of what we are looking at over the weeks and months ahead is very uncertain”, and authorities should “dust off” their pandemic preparedness plans. |
| Another case linked to Iran: Iraq has confirmed its sixth case of coronavirus, in a young Iraqi man in Baghdad who had traveled from Iran, the health ministry said today. | Another case linked to Iran: Iraq has confirmed its sixth case of coronavirus, in a young Iraqi man in Baghdad who had traveled from Iran, the health ministry said today. |
| Stocks in Asia are headed for their worst week for two years after more heavy losses on Thursday (all except mainland China shares): | Stocks in Asia are headed for their worst week for two years after more heavy losses on Thursday (all except mainland China shares): |
| Nikkei closed down 2.13% | Nikkei closed down 2.13% |
| Kospi in Seoul lost 0.7%. | Kospi in Seoul lost 0.7%. |
| ASX200 in Sydney down 0.7% for the day. | ASX200 in Sydney down 0.7% for the day. |
| Hang Seng off 0.7% | Hang Seng off 0.7% |
| Shanghai Composite up 0.12% | Shanghai Composite up 0.12% |
| FTSE100 set to lose 2% this morning; S&P500 futures off 1.5% | FTSE100 set to lose 2% this morning; S&P500 futures off 1.5% |
| US 10-year bond yields hit another record low | US 10-year bond yields hit another record low |
| Brent crude was down 63 cents, or 1.2%, at $52.80 a barrel | Brent crude was down 63 cents, or 1.2%, at $52.80 a barrel |
| Gold jumped $8.50 to $1,651.50 per ounce, silver rose 17 cents to $18.00 per ounce. | Gold jumped $8.50 to $1,651.50 per ounce, silver rose 17 cents to $18.00 per ounce. |
| Copper fell 2 cents to $2.58 per pound. | Copper fell 2 cents to $2.58 per pound. |
| North Korea, which has reported no cases of Covid-19, has postponed the start of the new school term. | North Korea, which has reported no cases of Covid-19, has postponed the start of the new school term. |
| From AFP: | From AFP: |
| Denmark and Estonia have reported their first cases, according to local media. | Denmark and Estonia have reported their first cases, according to local media. |
| The Danish man is reported to have recently returned from a skiing holiday in northern Italy. He has been put in isolation in his own home. | The Danish man is reported to have recently returned from a skiing holiday in northern Italy. He has been put in isolation in his own home. |
| Interfax reported the Estonian case is an Iranian man. | Interfax reported the Estonian case is an Iranian man. |
| “We are talking about a permanent resident of Estonia who is not a citizen of Estonia,” Interfax reported, citing Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik. | “We are talking about a permanent resident of Estonia who is not a citizen of Estonia,” Interfax reported, citing Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik. |
| Chinese immigration authorities have said regions of the country which are at low risk for the virus should resume visa and passport services for foreign and domestic travellers. | Chinese immigration authorities have said regions of the country which are at low risk for the virus should resume visa and passport services for foreign and domestic travellers. |
| They said this would help get the nation back to work, Reuters is reporting. | They said this would help get the nation back to work, Reuters is reporting. |
| Medium-risk areas should do the same depending on the state of the epidemic within their borders, the China Immigration Administration also said. | Medium-risk areas should do the same depending on the state of the epidemic within their borders, the China Immigration Administration also said. |
| The immigration authority said on its official Weibo account that it would roll out measures to facilitate such moves, without providing further details. | The immigration authority said on its official Weibo account that it would roll out measures to facilitate such moves, without providing further details. |
| Some more detail from the AP on that new case in the US, which could be the first in the country with no known connection to travel abroad or another known case. | Some more detail from the AP on that new case in the US, which could be the first in the country with no known connection to travel abroad or another known case. |
| Health officials say this is a possible sign the virus is spreading in a US community. | Health officials say this is a possible sign the virus is spreading in a US community. |
| In Australia, the Victorian health minister Jenny Mikakos says hospitals have reported racism toward both medical staff and patients as fears of coronavirus grow. | In Australia, the Victorian health minister Jenny Mikakos says hospitals have reported racism toward both medical staff and patients as fears of coronavirus grow. |
| Mikakos told reporters at the Royal Children’s hospital in Melbourne on Thursday: | Mikakos told reporters at the Royal Children’s hospital in Melbourne on Thursday: |
| “Fear and anxiety around this coronavirus is not an excuse for racist behaviour. We will not tolerate it here in our public hospitals. People cannot pick and choose the doctors and nurses that attend to them.” | “Fear and anxiety around this coronavirus is not an excuse for racist behaviour. We will not tolerate it here in our public hospitals. People cannot pick and choose the doctors and nurses that attend to them.” |
| The director of emergency medicine at the Royal Children’s, Dr Stuart Lewena, said a member of their medical staff was told by the parents of a child they were treating last week that “they weren’t comfortable with her treating their child due to the risk of coronavirus, and it was clear that message was said on the basis of her race.” | The director of emergency medicine at the Royal Children’s, Dr Stuart Lewena, said a member of their medical staff was told by the parents of a child they were treating last week that “they weren’t comfortable with her treating their child due to the risk of coronavirus, and it was clear that message was said on the basis of her race.” |
| “We intervened on that stage to highlight to that family that message was not acceptable and we’ve been supporting that staff member.” | “We intervened on that stage to highlight to that family that message was not acceptable and we’ve been supporting that staff member.” |
| Lewena said three other staff members at the hospital had since reported that they had also had racist remarks directed toward them about coronavirus, but they had just “tolerated it.” He said staff had been told not to tolerate those comments, and the hospital provided staff with scripts for how to respond to racism linked to the coronavirus. | Lewena said three other staff members at the hospital had since reported that they had also had racist remarks directed toward them about coronavirus, but they had just “tolerated it.” He said staff had been told not to tolerate those comments, and the hospital provided staff with scripts for how to respond to racism linked to the coronavirus. |
| Lewena again: | Lewena again: |
| “Understandably if a person is confronted with such a message often words don’t come easily to hand. So we thought it would be useful to give our staff some example scripts where we could both acknowledge the stress and the anxiety and the paranoia underlying that comment, but nonetheless express in no uncertain terms that we viewed that comment as inappropriate, that the department fully supports our staff to continue treating that patient, and that we don’t want to tolerate what we see as racism.” | “Understandably if a person is confronted with such a message often words don’t come easily to hand. So we thought it would be useful to give our staff some example scripts where we could both acknowledge the stress and the anxiety and the paranoia underlying that comment, but nonetheless express in no uncertain terms that we viewed that comment as inappropriate, that the department fully supports our staff to continue treating that patient, and that we don’t want to tolerate what we see as racism.” |
| OK we have sought confirmation and the plan announced by Austalia’s government today is this one, written about by my colleague Ben Doherty earlier this week. | OK we have sought confirmation and the plan announced by Austalia’s government today is this one, written about by my colleague Ben Doherty earlier this week. |
| The emergency response plans says impact of the outbreak will be determined by: | The emergency response plans says impact of the outbreak will be determined by: |
| the clinical severity of the outbreak (how severe cases are, and many people need to be hospitalised) | the clinical severity of the outbreak (how severe cases are, and many people need to be hospitalised) |
| its transmissibility (how easily it is spread, currently it has a preliminary reproduction number of 1.4 to 2.5) | its transmissibility (how easily it is spread, currently it has a preliminary reproduction number of 1.4 to 2.5) |
| the capacity of the health system to treat infected patients | the capacity of the health system to treat infected patients |
| the effectiveness of interventions to treat the illness or stop it spreading | the effectiveness of interventions to treat the illness or stop it spreading |
| There’s a question on economic impacts. | There’s a question on economic impacts. |
| “Obviously the impact of a breakdown in supply chains or travel or right across the many sectors, there will be an impact on the economy,” says Morrison. | “Obviously the impact of a breakdown in supply chains or travel or right across the many sectors, there will be an impact on the economy,” says Morrison. |
| “And I anticipate it will have a very real effect.” | “And I anticipate it will have a very real effect.” |
| “As I said, it’s a health crisis, not a financial crisis. But it’s a health crisis with very real economic impacts and the Government is extremely mindful of that and we want to be able to get our responses right. I can say, though, in terms of broader, larger, fiscal stimulus-type responses, that is not the advice we’re receiving from Treasury.” | “As I said, it’s a health crisis, not a financial crisis. But it’s a health crisis with very real economic impacts and the Government is extremely mindful of that and we want to be able to get our responses right. I can say, though, in terms of broader, larger, fiscal stimulus-type responses, that is not the advice we’re receiving from Treasury.” |
| Q: Does Australia have sufficient quantities of medications like paracetamol. | Q: Does Australia have sufficient quantities of medications like paracetamol. |
| We have a national medicine stockpile, and there is are surveys and monitoring of any supply chain risks, says Hunt. | We have a national medicine stockpile, and there is are surveys and monitoring of any supply chain risks, says Hunt. |