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Coronavirus latest updates: California declares state of emergency as China deaths pass 3,000 Coronavirus latest updates: California declares state of emergency as China deaths pass 3,000
(32 minutes later)
Germany labels outbreak a pandemic as cases spread across Europe as UK sees highest daily increase. Follow live newsGermany labels outbreak a pandemic as cases spread across Europe as UK sees highest daily increase. Follow live news
Shelves are being stripped bare of toilet rolls, hand sanitiser and surgical masks everywhere from Japan to France to the United States as panic buying criss-crosses the globe with the coronavirus, defying repeated calls for calm and disrupting supply chains, the AFP reports.
Australia’s biggest supermarket this week began rationing sales of toilet paper after police had to be called to a shop in Sydney when a knife was drawn in a scuffle over the scarce commodity.
On Saturday Japan’s prime minister took to Twitter to calm fears of a national shortage, while social media photos from the US show toilet paper shelves lying bare.
Last month ten thousand people queued outside a Hong Kong shop that had secured a shipment of single-use surgical masks, and days later masks were voted the most desireable gifts to receive for Valentine’s Day.
In London, masks are now going for more than 100 times their normal retail price, while French authorities said they will requisition all face mask stocks and production.
This is despite the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying it did not “recommend the use of facemasks” to help combat the outbreak.
Thailand has reported four new coronavirus cases.
The latest cases bring the total to 47 since January, Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Disease Control said in a news conference on Thursday.
The new cases include travellers who had been to Italy, Iran and China.
Thailand has recorded one coronavirus fatality, 31 patients have recovered and returned home, while 15 are still being treated in hospitals.
A Turkish Airlines aircraft was flown back to Istanbul without any passengers on Thursday on orders from authorities in Singapore after a passenger who had arrived on the same plane on Tuesday tested positive for coronavirus. Singapore’s aviation regulator said that the three pilots and 11 other crew of flight TK54 that had arrived on Tuesday were on the return flight to Istanbul, where they would be placed in quarantine.
“The crew had come into close contact with a passenger on flight TK54 who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said in a statement on Thursday. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the Turkish Embassy, which has confirmed that the crew will be quarantined upon arrival at Istanbul,” CAAS said.
Singapore’s transport ministry said in a statement on its website that authorities had begun tracing passengers on flight TK54 that may have had contact with the infected person.
Here’s a wrap on the latest coronavirus news from Helen Davidson and Justin McCurry.
China’s death toll passed 3,000, as Germany’s health minister labelled the outbreak a pandemic and modelling in Australia predicted a worst-case scenario where millions could be infected with Covid-19.
The developments came as the coronavirus continues to spread around the world. South Korea’s number of confirmed cases neared 6,000 on Thursday and Italy ordered the closure of all schools after the virus spread to all but one of its 20 regions, killing 107 people. The UK has been warned an epidemic is likely.
A further 31 virus deaths in China took the number of fatalities beyond 3,000 on Wednesday. All of the deaths were in Hubei province, the centre of the outbreak, and authorities confirmed 139 new cases – a rise on the previous day’s total.
In the US, California declared a state of emergency over its 53 confirmed cases, and a cruise ship linked to the state’s first virus death was being held off the coast of San Francisco.
The Australian state of Western Australia has recorded its third case of coronavirus. The woman in her 30s returned to the state this week after travelling to Iceland and London and flying home via Dubai.
State health minister Roger Cook, said the state had not yet recorded any cases of apparent on-soil transmission.
“Western Australia remains coronavirus free in terms of internally contracted or transmitted cases,” Cook told reporters in Perth on Thursday. “All the cases which have occurred in Western Australia have been those that have contracted the disease outside the state, so our ongoing campaign to constrain and isolate in relation to the coronavirus epidemic is still being highly successful.”
Dr Andy Robertson, Western Australia deputy chief health officer, said authorities were tracing the woman’s movements. Robertson said she was not symptomatic on the plane and self-isolated when she became sick. The woman remains in home isolation.
The other two cases in the state were a couple in their 70s who contracted the virus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship and were transferred to Western Australia, where the 78-year-old man died. Cook said coronavirus clinics would be operational in the state from Tuesday and the state had spent $2.3m to purchase 50 new ventilators for hospitals.
Just an update on what Australia’s new travel restrictions involves.Just an update on what Australia’s new travel restrictions involves.
The government on Thursday banned the arrival of foreigners from South KoreaThe government on Thursday banned the arrival of foreigners from South Korea
It extended existing bans on foreigners arriving from mainland China and Iran and said there would be tougher screening processes for people arriving from Italy.It extended existing bans on foreigners arriving from mainland China and Iran and said there would be tougher screening processes for people arriving from Italy.
New travel restrictions mean that any foreign traveller who has been in China, Iran and South Korea within two weeks of arriving in Australia will be turned away.New travel restrictions mean that any foreign traveller who has been in China, Iran and South Korea within two weeks of arriving in Australia will be turned away.
The bans, which include anyone who has transited through those countries, will be reviewed on a weekly basis.The bans, which include anyone who has transited through those countries, will be reviewed on a weekly basis.
Australian nationals and residents are exempt from the bans, but are required to self-isolate for two weeks on their return to Australia.Australian nationals and residents are exempt from the bans, but are required to self-isolate for two weeks on their return to Australia.
Travellers from Italy will be given temperature checks and required to completed a detailed health questionnaire before they are cleared for entry.Travellers from Italy will be given temperature checks and required to completed a detailed health questionnaire before they are cleared for entry.
Most of the staff at a Sydney aged care home at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak did not turn up to work on Wednesday night because they were concerned about endangering their own family members, the union representing aged care workers has said.Most of the staff at a Sydney aged care home at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak did not turn up to work on Wednesday night because they were concerned about endangering their own family members, the union representing aged care workers has said.
BaptistCare, which runs the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park, refused to comment when asked if a number of staff had failed to turn up to their shift after news broke of a Covid-19 outbreak at the facility.BaptistCare, which runs the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park, refused to comment when asked if a number of staff had failed to turn up to their shift after news broke of a Covid-19 outbreak at the facility.
But the Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes said the union had been told by staff at the facility that “most” of the workers rostered to work on Wednesday night had called in sick and the shift was covered by a work hire agency.But the Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes said the union had been told by staff at the facility that “most” of the workers rostered to work on Wednesday night had called in sick and the shift was covered by a work hire agency.
Residents at the aged care centre have been confined to their rooms and employees have been told to stay home and self-isolate if they show any symptoms, as health authorities struggle to contain the virus.Residents at the aged care centre have been confined to their rooms and employees have been told to stay home and self-isolate if they show any symptoms, as health authorities struggle to contain the virus.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt has told the ABC that a “remote Indigenous community in the [Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara ] has chosen to self-quarantine to prevent anyone coming in with coronavirus,” ABC journalist Anna Henderson has said on Twitter.Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt has told the ABC that a “remote Indigenous community in the [Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara ] has chosen to self-quarantine to prevent anyone coming in with coronavirus,” ABC journalist Anna Henderson has said on Twitter.
Australian officials have not been able to visit a citizen locked up in China because of coronavirus, and there are concerns for another person jailed in Iran, AAP reports. The global outbreak of coronavirus has prevented Australian consular officials from visiting a citizen locked up in a Chinese prison. There are also concerns for another Australian detained in Iran, where the virus has spread among prisoners.Australian officials have not been able to visit a citizen locked up in China because of coronavirus, and there are concerns for another person jailed in Iran, AAP reports. The global outbreak of coronavirus has prevented Australian consular officials from visiting a citizen locked up in a Chinese prison. There are also concerns for another Australian detained in Iran, where the virus has spread among prisoners.
Australian writer and pro-democracy advocate Yang Hengjun has been detained in China since January last year. Dr Yang is granted one half-hour consular visit each month.However, Foreign Affairs official Andrew Todd said his February visit was cancelled by Chinese authorities due to COVID-19 control measures in place.“These same measures apply across all prisons in China,” he told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday.“We are seeking through our embassy in Beijing with Chinese authorities alternative ways of making contact with Dr Yang, either through a telephone call or through written correspondence.”Australian writer and pro-democracy advocate Yang Hengjun has been detained in China since January last year. Dr Yang is granted one half-hour consular visit each month.However, Foreign Affairs official Andrew Todd said his February visit was cancelled by Chinese authorities due to COVID-19 control measures in place.“These same measures apply across all prisons in China,” he told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday.“We are seeking through our embassy in Beijing with Chinese authorities alternative ways of making contact with Dr Yang, either through a telephone call or through written correspondence.”
South Australian senator Rex Patrick asked whether the coronavirus posed any risk to Dr Yang.“Not that we’re aware of at this stage,” Mr Todd said.“It’s an issue that we’re monitoring very closely with all Australian citizens detained across the world, but particularly in countries where there are current outbreaks of COVID-19.”South Australian senator Rex Patrick asked whether the coronavirus posed any risk to Dr Yang.“Not that we’re aware of at this stage,” Mr Todd said.“It’s an issue that we’re monitoring very closely with all Australian citizens detained across the world, but particularly in countries where there are current outbreaks of COVID-19.”
The Guardian’s extra edition of the Science Weekly podcast looks at where exactly in the body Covid-19 infects us.The Guardian’s extra edition of the Science Weekly podcast looks at where exactly in the body Covid-19 infects us.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be releasing extra episodes of the podcast exploring some of those questions with experts on the frontline. In today’s episode, Ian Sample investigates where the virus infects us when it enters our bodies, and what difference this makes to disease severity and transmissibility.Over the next few weeks, we’ll be releasing extra episodes of the podcast exploring some of those questions with experts on the frontline. In today’s episode, Ian Sample investigates where the virus infects us when it enters our bodies, and what difference this makes to disease severity and transmissibility.
The death toll in mainland China has passed 3,000, with a further 31 deaths on Wednesday taking the total toll to 3,012. Confirmed cases there rose by 139 to reach 80,409.The death toll in mainland China has passed 3,000, with a further 31 deaths on Wednesday taking the total toll to 3,012. Confirmed cases there rose by 139 to reach 80,409.
California’s governor has declared a state of emergency after the announcement of the first virus-related death there. The state now has 53 confirmed cases. The victim, a 71-year-old man, travelled on the Grand Princess cruise ship last month, and the vessel is now being held off the coast of San Francisco while tests are conducted. Twenty one people on board have reported flu-like symptoms.California’s governor has declared a state of emergency after the announcement of the first virus-related death there. The state now has 53 confirmed cases. The victim, a 71-year-old man, travelled on the Grand Princess cruise ship last month, and the vessel is now being held off the coast of San Francisco while tests are conducted. Twenty one people on board have reported flu-like symptoms.
Italy has closed all schools and universities until 15 March and ordered that all major sporting events, including Serie A football, would be played behind closed doors. The virus has killed 107 people there, and spread to all but one of Italy’s 20 regionsItaly has closed all schools and universities until 15 March and ordered that all major sporting events, including Serie A football, would be played behind closed doors. The virus has killed 107 people there, and spread to all but one of Italy’s 20 regions
Japan’s Olympics minister has said cancelling or delaying the Games in July “would be unacceptable for the athletes”. The country has 1,036 cases and 12 people have died, it’s health ministry has said.Japan’s Olympics minister has said cancelling or delaying the Games in July “would be unacceptable for the athletes”. The country has 1,036 cases and 12 people have died, it’s health ministry has said.
Australia introduced a travel ban for South Korea and brought in enhanced screening for those arriving from Italy. Australia’s chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, has said the government is “looking at scenarios from the most benign through to some millions of people being infected over a period of several weeks”. The health minister for New South Wales has said containment of the virus is now “unlikely”.Australia introduced a travel ban for South Korea and brought in enhanced screening for those arriving from Italy. Australia’s chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, has said the government is “looking at scenarios from the most benign through to some millions of people being infected over a period of several weeks”. The health minister for New South Wales has said containment of the virus is now “unlikely”.
Germany’s health minister has labelled the outbreak a pandemic, something the World Health Organization has so far stopped short of declaring. “What’s clear is that we have not yet reached the peak of the outbreak,” Spahn told German politicians.Germany’s health minister has labelled the outbreak a pandemic, something the World Health Organization has so far stopped short of declaring. “What’s clear is that we have not yet reached the peak of the outbreak,” Spahn told German politicians.
The UK has seen the biggest daily increase to date, with cases jumping by more than 60% to 87 cases.The UK has seen the biggest daily increase to date, with cases jumping by more than 60% to 87 cases.
India is restricting the export of several drugs, including paracetamol and antibiotics, leading to fears of a global shortage of essential medicines.India is restricting the export of several drugs, including paracetamol and antibiotics, leading to fears of a global shortage of essential medicines.
The IMF has torn up its growth forecasts. The fund has warned this year’s growth will be lower than last year’s.The IMF has torn up its growth forecasts. The fund has warned this year’s growth will be lower than last year’s.
Concerts, conferences and sporting events are being cancelled in countries around the world. MGM Universal has also announced the postponement of the release of the new James Bond film, No Time to Die.Concerts, conferences and sporting events are being cancelled in countries around the world. MGM Universal has also announced the postponement of the release of the new James Bond film, No Time to Die.
The Australian government has published guidelines for Australians who need to self-isolate either because they have been diagnosed with the virus, or because they’ve been deemed at risk of acquiring it.
As well as advising people to stay at home or in their hotel, including not going to public places, in particular work, school, childcare or university, the government has also issued advice on how to alleviate boredom while in isolation – including doing craft.“Keep in touch with family members and friends via telephone, email or social media,” the advice says. “Exercise regularly. Options could include exercise DVDs, dancing, floor exercises, yoga, walking around the backyard or using home exercise equipment, such as a stationary bicycle, if you have it. Exercise is a proven treatment for stress and depression.
“Don’t rely too heavily on the television and technology. Treat quarantine as an opportunity to do some of those things you never usually have time for, such as board games, craft, drawing and reading.”
The selloff on world stock markets has been stemmed for now with decent gains across Asia Pacific on Thursday, but the issue of the virus is still front and centre in the minds of investors.Damien Klassen at Nucleus Wealth in Melbourne has been tracking the data and has posted some charts and thoughts on the firm’s website.
It’s well worth a look, especially in light of what Australia’s chief medical officer was saying earlier about the modelling scenarios about how it could infect millions in the worst case.Klassen makes the point that we should use data from South Korea, Singapore and the Diamond Princess to extrapolate how it might spread because figures from countries such as China , Italy and Iran come with question marks. For example, he questions how reliable Chinese data can be when South Korea now has more recorded cases than any Chinese province except Hubei.
Also he looks at whether climate is a factor since there has been no significant outbreak so far in a tropical country.
Japan’s Olympics minister said the country is committed to hosting the summer games as planned from July even as the coronavirus outbreak spread to new parts of the country.
“Cancellation or delay of the Games would be unacceptable for the athletes,” Seiko Hashimoto said in parliament on Thursday. The minister had caused controversy earlier this week by saying the contract for the games “could be interpreted as allowing a postponement” within calendar 2020. Confirmed coronavirus infections rose to 1,036 nationwide as of Thursday morning, 36 more than the previous day, according to national broadcaster NHK. It was the biggest one-day increase to date, with new cases in locations ranging from Kumamoto prefecture in the southwest to Hokkaido in the north.
The Australian toilet paper-buying urge is strong even for two Australian behavioural scientists
Liam Smith and Celine Klemm write, “Humans are finely attuned to monitoring what everybody else is doing (even subconsciously). Most of us use ‘what other people do’ as a mental shortcut to decide on what the appropriate behaviour would be if we are unsure. It’s a simple decision mechanism called ‘social proof heuristic’, a concept popularised by psychologist Robert Cialdini. For instance, we litter more when the surrounding environment is littered, because it signals to us that littering is the norm. Hotel guests are also more likely to reuse their towels if told that ‘the majority of guests reuse their towels’. So, when we see people stockpiling toilet paper, the natural reaction is to do the same. Social proof can help decide how to act, or reassure us that we are taking the right action.”
An Australian newspaper has printed extra pages for people to use as toilet paper.
Coronavirus-fulled panic buying has led to shortages of loo roll across the country in recent days.
It’s the panic that keeps on giving.
#ToiletPaperEmergency or the great #ToiletPaperApocalypse, as it has been dubbed on Twitter, has already rolled out hundreds of memes, witty asides as well as documented the madness of people stockpiling the toilet essential.
In the real world it has led to Australian toilet paper manufacturers ramping up production to keep up with demand from people fearful of coronavirus.
One newspaper has gone one step further by printing extra pages in its editions to help out those who have been … caught short.
On Thursday the NT News, the Darwin-based newspaper with a national reputation for its headlines and antics, printed a special eight-page insert that can be cut into toilet paper.
We have a bit more information about the latest cases from South Australia, from a press conference given at the Royal Adelaide hospital a short time ago.
Two people, a baby and a 58-year-old man, tested positive to Covid-19 on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in South Australia to seven.
The public health physician, Dr Nicola Spurrier, said the baby girl was the daughter of a 40-year-old woman who was hospitalised in Adelaide’s Flinders Medical Center on Wednesday after testing positive for the virus. The woman arrived in Adelaide from Iran via Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
“The little bub, the child of the mother that is currently in Flinders Medical Centre has tested positive but I am very pleased to report that the child is well and both mother and baby are doing well in that facility,” Spurrier said.
The 58-year-old man, from Taiwan, arrived in Adelaide on Tuesday and was taken to the Royal Adelaide hospital to be isolated on Thursday.
Spurrier said authorities were also tracing any possible contacts that a 24-year-old South Australian woman, who returned from Europe on Sunday and had travelled through Italy, may have made since returning to Adelaide. That woman tested positive on Wednesday.
“There are a number of places that that young woman visited before she had the test results and we are all following through on those potential places,” Spurrier said.
Italian tourists have been caught trying to evade virus containment in Mauritania
A group of Italian tourists tried to escape coronavirus confinement in Mauritania but were caught and sent back to their home country, the West African country said Wednesday.
The 15 tourists arrived in the capital Nouakchott on Saturday planning to travel to the northern tourist hub of Atar, health ministry spokesman Abdelkader Ould Ahmed told AFP.
But Mauritania has imposed a confinement period on travellers from countries considered to be a high coronavirus risk – including Italy, which has Europe’s most cases with more than 3,000 as well as 107 deaths.
Italy’s foreign ministry confirmed that the tourists had since all returned home, “assisted by our diplomatic network”.
The Mauritanian spokesman said the confinement rules applied to “all travellers from risk areas, without distinction”.
He added that this “rigour has paid off” as the country has yet to register a case of coronavirus.
Hong Kong has warned residents not to kiss pets after a dog contracted coronavirus
Hong Kong authorities have warned people to avoid kissing their pets, but also to not panic and abandon them after a dog repeatedly tested “weak positive” for coronavirus.
The Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said experts unanimously agreed the results suggested the dog had “a low-level of infection and it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission”.
The Pomeranian’s owner was infected with Covid-19 but the dog itself was not showing symptoms, authorities said.
Coronavirus has spread to almost all of Iran’s provinces
President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that while the virus has spread to almost all of Iran’s 31 provinces, the country will get through the outbreak with a “minimum” number of deaths, Reuters reports.
“This disease is a widespread disease,” he said during a Cabinet meeting, according to the official presidency website.
The health ministry said on Tuesday that 92 people had died so far from coronavirus, one of the highest death tolls outside China where the epidemic originated late last year. It said 2,922 people had been infected with the disease.
Among those infected is first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri, the IranWire news site reported, citing an “informed source”. There was no immediate confirmation from officials. Several Iranian officials have come down with coronavirus and one senior official died from an infection on Monday. The Islamic Republic has cancelled Friday prayers in all provincial capitals this week because of the coronavirus outbreak, state television reported on Wednesday.
In the US, all NASA employees will be working from home on Friday, POLITICO reports. The measure is partly in order to “stress test” their remote work technologies in case an extended period of remote work.