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| Coronavirus news: South Korea reports 'critical moment' after 813 new cases – live updates | Coronavirus news: South Korea reports 'critical moment' after 813 new cases – live updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US strengthens travel advice, raising Iran and Italy to a level three, advising people to ‘avoid nonessential travel’. Follow live news | US strengthens travel advice, raising Iran and Italy to a level three, advising people to ‘avoid nonessential travel’. Follow live news |
| Iran is preparing for the possibility of testing tens of thousands of people for the coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases in the country spiked once again, according to an official quoted by the Associated Press. | |
| The virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes have killed 43 people out of 593 confirmed cases in Iran, health ministry spokesperson Kianoush Jahanpour said, disputing reports that four times as many people have died. | |
| The death rate from the virus in Iran, about 7%, has caused global consternation and fuelled speculation that the country could be underreporting the number of cases affecting it. | |
| However, Jahanpour attempted to put the public health crisis into perspective. He said that more than 480 people in Iran had been killed in traffic accidents, but no one noticed them. | |
| Saturday’s new toll of 593 confirmed cases represents a jump of 205 cases, a 52% increase from the 388 reported the day before. | |
| Jahanpour has warned that large increases in the number of confirmed cases would happen as Iran now has 15 laboratories testing for the virus, as spray trucks and fumigators into the streets are sent into streets. | |
| He went on to suggest tens of thousands could seek testing for the coronavirus, while encouraging people to continue to avoid mass gatherings, even funerals for those who died of the virus. The safest place is our homes and our cities, he said. | |
| South Korea has reported a “critical moment” in its battle against coronavirus transmission after 813 new cases were detected in the country in a single day. | |
| The northern Japanese island of Hokkaidao has announced a three-week state of emergency, part of a number of measures implemented in Japan to slow the outbreak. | |
| The US has reported three new cases of the virus where the infection if of unknown origin. The patients in California, Washington state and Oregon had not travelled overseas or come into close contact with known carriers. | |
| The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it will have new coronavirus testing kits delivered to all states by the end of the week, after the first lot of tests were faulty. | |
| Mainland China reported the lowest number of new cases in a month, with 427 new cases reported, of which all but four were in Hubei province. There were 47 new deaths reported. | |
| Globally, there are an estimated 85,000 cases of Covid-19 and some 2,900 deaths. The virus has been detected in 58 countries. | |
| Qatar’s health ministry reported on Saturday the first case of coronavirus infection in the country, Reuters reports the state-run Qatar News Agency as saying. | Qatar’s health ministry reported on Saturday the first case of coronavirus infection in the country, Reuters reports the state-run Qatar News Agency as saying. |
| More than 85,000 people around the world have been confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus according to the latest figures, based on World Health Organisation and national counts: | More than 85,000 people around the world have been confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus according to the latest figures, based on World Health Organisation and national counts: |
| Mainland China: 2,835 deaths among 79,251 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei | Mainland China: 2,835 deaths among 79,251 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei |
| Hong Kong: 94 cases, 2 deaths | Hong Kong: 94 cases, 2 deaths |
| Macao: 10 cases | Macao: 10 cases |
| South Korea: 3,150 cases, 17 deaths | South Korea: 3,150 cases, 17 deaths |
| Japan: 941 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 11 deaths | Japan: 941 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 11 deaths |
| Italy: 888 cases, 18 deaths | Italy: 888 cases, 18 deaths |
| Iran: 593 cases, 43 deaths | Iran: 593 cases, 43 deaths |
| Singapore: 98 cases | Singapore: 98 cases |
| United States: 62 | United States: 62 |
| France: 57 cases, 2 deaths | France: 57 cases, 2 deaths |
| Germany: 57 cases | Germany: 57 cases |
| Spain: 46 | Spain: 46 |
| Kuwait: 45 | Kuwait: 45 |
| Thailand: 42 | Thailand: 42 |
| Taiwan: 39 cases, 1 death | Taiwan: 39 cases, 1 death |
| Bahrain: 38 cases | Bahrain: 38 cases |
| Malaysia: 24 | Malaysia: 24 |
| Australia: 23 | Australia: 23 |
| United Kingdom: 20 cases, 1 death | United Kingdom: 20 cases, 1 death |
| United Arab Emirates: 19 cases | United Arab Emirates: 19 cases |
| Vietnam: 16 | Vietnam: 16 |
| Canada: 14 | Canada: 14 |
| Sweden: 12 | Sweden: 12 |
| Switzerland: 10 | Switzerland: 10 |
| Iraq: 8 | Iraq: 8 |
| Norway: 6 | Norway: 6 |
| Oman: 6 | Oman: 6 |
| Austria: 5 | Austria: 5 |
| Russia: 5 | Russia: 5 |
| Croatia: 5 | Croatia: 5 |
| Israel: 5 | Israel: 5 |
| Philippines: 3 cases, 1 death | Philippines: 3 cases, 1 death |
| Finland: 3 cases | Finland: 3 cases |
| Greece: 3 | Greece: 3 |
| India: 3 | India: 3 |
| Lebanon: 3 | Lebanon: 3 |
| Romania: 3 | Romania: 3 |
| Norway: 2 | Norway: 2 |
| Pakistan: 2 | Pakistan: 2 |
| Denmark: 2 | Denmark: 2 |
| Netherlands: 2 | Netherlands: 2 |
| Georgia: 2 | Georgia: 2 |
| Mexico: 2 | Mexico: 2 |
| Egypt: 1 | Egypt: 1 |
| Algeria: 1 | Algeria: 1 |
| Afghanistan: 1 | Afghanistan: 1 |
| North Macedonia: 1 | North Macedonia: 1 |
| Estonia: 1 | Estonia: 1 |
| Lithuania: 1 | Lithuania: 1 |
| Belgium: 1 | Belgium: 1 |
| Belarus: 1 | Belarus: 1 |
| Nepal: 1 | Nepal: 1 |
| Sri Lanka: 1 | Sri Lanka: 1 |
| Cambodia: 1 | Cambodia: 1 |
| Brazil: 1 | Brazil: 1 |
| New Zealand: 1 | New Zealand: 1 |
| Nigeria: 1 | Nigeria: 1 |
| Azerbaijan: 1 | Azerbaijan: 1 |
| Monaco: 1 | Monaco: 1 |
| (Data collated by the Associated Press) | (Data collated by the Associated Press) |
| The latest patient to be diagnosed with the virus and the GP who is feared to have it were both detected because the surgery where the doctor works is one of 100 practices where patients with breathing problems are now being routinely screened for Covid-19, the Guardian has been told. | The latest patient to be diagnosed with the virus and the GP who is feared to have it were both detected because the surgery where the doctor works is one of 100 practices where patients with breathing problems are now being routinely screened for Covid-19, the Guardian has been told. |
| They were identified as a result of mouth and nasal swabs that were being taken from every patient attending the surgery with flu-like symptoms by staff from Surrey University who specialise in the spread and epidemiology of influenza. | They were identified as a result of mouth and nasal swabs that were being taken from every patient attending the surgery with flu-like symptoms by staff from Surrey University who specialise in the spread and epidemiology of influenza. |
| The northern Japanese island of Hokkaido has declared a three-week state of emergency, urging residents to stay home as much as possible until 19 March, NHK News reports. | The northern Japanese island of Hokkaido has declared a three-week state of emergency, urging residents to stay home as much as possible until 19 March, NHK News reports. |
| Pope Francis has cancelled official engagements for a third day in a row, the Associated Press reports. He last appeared in public on Wednesday, when he was seen coughing and blowing his nose. According to AP: | Pope Francis has cancelled official engagements for a third day in a row, the Associated Press reports. He last appeared in public on Wednesday, when he was seen coughing and blowing his nose. According to AP: |
| The official death toll from coronavirus in Iran has reached 43, Reuters reports. There have been unofficial claims that the true figure is much higher. Reuters quoted a health official, Kianush Jahanpur, as telling state TV: | The official death toll from coronavirus in Iran has reached 43, Reuters reports. There have been unofficial claims that the true figure is much higher. Reuters quoted a health official, Kianush Jahanpur, as telling state TV: |
| The Reuters report continues: | The Reuters report continues: |
| The Chinese laboratory that first sequenced and shared the coronavirus genome publicly has been closed down by the authorities for “rectification”, the South China Morning Post reports. | The Chinese laboratory that first sequenced and shared the coronavirus genome publicly has been closed down by the authorities for “rectification”, the South China Morning Post reports. |
| On 12 January, a day after the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre’s laboratory shared the information online – a move that helped companies to devise new diagnostic kits for the virulent respiratory illness – officials from the Shanghai Health Commission ordered it to close. | On 12 January, a day after the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre’s laboratory shared the information online – a move that helped companies to devise new diagnostic kits for the virulent respiratory illness – officials from the Shanghai Health Commission ordered it to close. |
| The PHCC lab is a level-three biosafety facility that had only last month passed its annual inspections. It had obtained the necessary credentials and permissions to research the coronavirus, SCMP reported. | The PHCC lab is a level-three biosafety facility that had only last month passed its annual inspections. It had obtained the necessary credentials and permissions to research the coronavirus, SCMP reported. |
| It seems that scientists at the laboratory acted unilaterally in releasing the virus because they thought authorities were taking too long to act. The SCMP said the team at the lab, led by Prof Zhang Yongzhen, had isolated and finished the genome sequence of the then-unknown virus on 5 January and reported its findings to the China’s national health commission the same day. | It seems that scientists at the laboratory acted unilaterally in releasing the virus because they thought authorities were taking too long to act. The SCMP said the team at the lab, led by Prof Zhang Yongzhen, had isolated and finished the genome sequence of the then-unknown virus on 5 January and reported its findings to the China’s national health commission the same day. |
| SCMP cited an unnamed source linked to the centre as saying: | SCMP cited an unnamed source linked to the centre as saying: |
| An entire Italian Serie C football team is in quarantine after three players and an official tested positive for coronavirus. | An entire Italian Serie C football team is in quarantine after three players and an official tested positive for coronavirus. |
| Players from Pianese, a side based in Tuscany, began to exhibit symptoms last Saturday, while the team played away against Allesandria. The Siena-based club said in a statement: | Players from Pianese, a side based in Tuscany, began to exhibit symptoms last Saturday, while the team played away against Allesandria. The Siena-based club said in a statement: |
| Vietnam has announced that all 16 infected coronavirus patients detected in the country have been discharged from hospital and declared cured, Al Jazeera reports. | Vietnam has announced that all 16 infected coronavirus patients detected in the country have been discharged from hospital and declared cured, Al Jazeera reports. |
| According to the broadcaster, the Vietnamese government has detected no new cases of coronavirus for the past 15 days. | According to the broadcaster, the Vietnamese government has detected no new cases of coronavirus for the past 15 days. |
| For the past 15 days, including on Friday, the government also detected no new cases of infections, the last one having been reported on 13 February. | For the past 15 days, including on Friday, the government also detected no new cases of infections, the last one having been reported on 13 February. |
| “If fighting Covid-19 has been a war, then we have won the first round but not the entire war because the situation can be very unpredictable,” the deputy prime minister, Vu Duc Dam, was quoted as saying. | “If fighting Covid-19 has been a war, then we have won the first round but not the entire war because the situation can be very unpredictable,” the deputy prime minister, Vu Duc Dam, was quoted as saying. |
| Vietnam has taken strict measures to halt the spread of the virus, including shutting down schools across the country. A village north of Hanoi remains under lockdown. | Vietnam has taken strict measures to halt the spread of the virus, including shutting down schools across the country. A village north of Hanoi remains under lockdown. |
| An expat teacher in Vietnam tells the Guardian: | An expat teacher in Vietnam tells the Guardian: |
| The health minister Edward Argar has said the UK continues to be in a “containment phase” of coronavirus spread, and said cancelling events would not be considered unless the outbreak worsened. He told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: | The health minister Edward Argar has said the UK continues to be in a “containment phase” of coronavirus spread, and said cancelling events would not be considered unless the outbreak worsened. He told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: |
| England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, has spoken publicly about the possibility of ramping up measures to protect the public. But Agar said there was no reason to curtail mass events. | England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, has spoken publicly about the possibility of ramping up measures to protect the public. But Agar said there was no reason to curtail mass events. |
| Argar refused to comment on reports that the first person to contract coronavirus in the UK also passed it on to their doctor. The Guardian has been told there are fears that a doctor from the patient’s surgery may also have been infected with the virus. If confirmed, this would prompt particular concern as the GP would routinely have seen scores of patients over the course of the last week. | Argar refused to comment on reports that the first person to contract coronavirus in the UK also passed it on to their doctor. The Guardian has been told there are fears that a doctor from the patient’s surgery may also have been infected with the virus. If confirmed, this would prompt particular concern as the GP would routinely have seen scores of patients over the course of the last week. |
| South Korea has reported 219 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total infections to 3,150, the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday, Reuters reports. | South Korea has reported 219 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total infections to 3,150, the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday, Reuters reports. |
| The new cases are in addition to the 594 confirmed earlier in the day. Together they logged a record daily increase in infections since South Korea confirmed its first patient on 20 January. | The new cases are in addition to the 594 confirmed earlier in the day. Together they logged a record daily increase in infections since South Korea confirmed its first patient on 20 January. |
| Earlier (5.27am), we reported how South Korean authorities had asked residents to stay at home this weekend to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. | Earlier (5.27am), we reported how South Korean authorities had asked residents to stay at home this weekend to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. |
| Large swathes of Seoul and other cities appear to be largely deserted. | Large swathes of Seoul and other cities appear to be largely deserted. |