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Coronavirus: California declares state of emergency as China deaths pass 3,000 - latest updates Coronavirus: California declares state of emergency as China deaths pass 3,000 - latest updates
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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
As concern about coronavirus leads to Australian shoppers emptying shelves of toilet paper, one newspaper has decided to....er... do its bit to help alleviate shortages
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said he hopes that neighbouring South Korea will overcome a coronavirus outbreak, President Moon Jae-in’s office said on Thursday.
In a letter to Moon delivered on Wednesday, Kim also voiced concern over Moon’s health, and discussed his view of the situation on the Korean peninsula, Yoon Do-han, Moon’s senior press secretary, told a briefing.
South Korea is battling the biggest epidemic outside China and reported 438 new infections on Thursday for a total of 5,766.
North Korea has meanwhile quarantined hundreds of foreigners in an attempt to stop the virus from breaking out, although other states have expressed concerns about that secrecy and the authoritarian nature of the country mean that it’s unclear how the situation is developing there.
Greece has reported its tenth case of coronavirus, a person related to an individual who recently travelled to Israel and Egypt, health authorities have said.
On Wednesday the government ordered the closure of schools and banned public gatherings in three districts in the west of the country from today as a precaution after a person from the region tested positive for coronavirus, authorities said.
That person had recently returned from a religious pilgrimage to Israel and Egypt. The ban was in effect for 48 hours and subject to review, authorities said.
The cases come as Greek authorities react to a developing crisis as thousands of people arrive at the country’s border with Turkey.
About 12,500 people are estimated to be waiting on the Turkish side of the Greek border after the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said on Saturday he would open his country’s borders for refugees fleeing the nine-year war in Syria to cross into Europe.
In India, where citizens have been advised not to travel to any such country that is affected by the virus, the health ministry has issued a statement recording that there were 29 positive cases in the country by March 4.
It makes a range of other points including flagging up concerns around Indian pilgrims and students stranded in Tehran and Quam, Iran, which it describes as “epicentres of the Iran Covid-19 outbreak”.
Funerals of coronavirus victims in Britain could be transmitted to mourners over the internet to prevent the spread of the disease if it becomes a pandemic, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The paper says that bereaved relatives who have come into close contact with victims would be at greater risk of contracting the illness themselves, resulting in the government seeking to discourage them from holding large funerals.
It also cites official government pandemic planning documents which raise the prospect of crematoria being opened 24 hours a day, and all week, to cope with up to 50,000 extra deaths per week in the worst case scenario.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has postponed his state visit to Japan in April due to the coronavirus outbreak, Japan’s government said Thursday.Chinese President Xi Jinping has postponed his state visit to Japan in April due to the coronavirus outbreak, Japan’s government said Thursday.
Xi was to have been the first Chinese president to visit Japan since Hu Jintao in May 2008.Xi was to have been the first Chinese president to visit Japan since Hu Jintao in May 2008.
Xi was scheduled to meet Japan’s emperor, Naruhito, attend a banquet at the imperial palace and hold talks with Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe.Xi was scheduled to meet Japan’s emperor, Naruhito, attend a banquet at the imperial palace and hold talks with Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe.
The leaders had hoped the visit would underline recent improvements in bilateral ties after years of tension over rival territorial claims to the Senkakus, a group of islands in the East China Sea that are administered by Japan but claimed by China, where they are known as the Diaoyu.The leaders had hoped the visit would underline recent improvements in bilateral ties after years of tension over rival territorial claims to the Senkakus, a group of islands in the East China Sea that are administered by Japan but claimed by China, where they are known as the Diaoyu.
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said the two countries had agreed that their immediate focus should be on containing the coronavirus outbreak.Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said the two countries had agreed that their immediate focus should be on containing the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus continues to dominate the morning newspapers across Europe, including in the UK, where news of the collapse of Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline made it into later editions.Coronavirus continues to dominate the morning newspapers across Europe, including in the UK, where news of the collapse of Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline made it into later editions.
The Guardian leads with our story on the UK government being accused of withholding information about the spread of coronavirus after a 70% increase in confirmed cases prompted health officials to stop providing daily updates on the location of new infections.The Guardian leads with our story on the UK government being accused of withholding information about the spread of coronavirus after a 70% increase in confirmed cases prompted health officials to stop providing daily updates on the location of new infections.
In other titles, the Times leads with concerns that Britain’s parliament could be suspended for months to prevents MPs spreading the virus.In other titles, the Times leads with concerns that Britain’s parliament could be suspended for months to prevents MPs spreading the virus.
Others, including the Telegraph, and the Daily Mail lead on yesterday’s news about the trebling of new cases of coronavirus, while the announcement that the new James Bond will will be postponed makes the front page of others such as the Mirror.Others, including the Telegraph, and the Daily Mail lead on yesterday’s news about the trebling of new cases of coronavirus, while the announcement that the new James Bond will will be postponed makes the front page of others such as the Mirror.
Facebook has confirmed that a contractor at a Seattle office has been diagnosed with the coronavirus and the social media giant said it would close that location until March 9.Facebook has confirmed that a contractor at a Seattle office has been diagnosed with the coronavirus and the social media giant said it would close that location until March 9.
“A contractor based in our Stadium East office has been diagnosed with the COVID-19,” a spokeswoman said.“A contractor based in our Stadium East office has been diagnosed with the COVID-19,” a spokeswoman said.
Facebook said it has notified employees, adding that workers in all Seattle locations were being encouraged to work from home until the end of the month.Facebook said it has notified employees, adding that workers in all Seattle locations were being encouraged to work from home until the end of the month.
Seattle in Washington state has the largest concentration of coronavirus cases confirmed to date in the United States.Seattle in Washington state has the largest concentration of coronavirus cases confirmed to date in the United States.
This is Ben Quinn picking up the liveblog now from London, from where we will be covering all of the latest developments in the UK and around the world.This is Ben Quinn picking up the liveblog now from London, from where we will be covering all of the latest developments in the UK and around the world.
You can flag up news tips by emailing me at ben.quinn@theguardian.com or tweet me at @BenQuinn75You can flag up news tips by emailing me at ben.quinn@theguardian.com or tweet me at @BenQuinn75
The Vietnamese government has released an educational coronavirus pop song – and it’s a hit.The Vietnamese government has released an educational coronavirus pop song – and it’s a hit.
In Australia, the ABC’s Angelique Lu tweeted that the song had gone “minor viral”in several countries.In Australia, the ABC’s Angelique Lu tweeted that the song had gone “minor viral”in several countries.
New infections, panic buying and schools closing continued worldwide, but Japan says the Olympics will go ahead in July.New infections, panic buying and schools closing continued worldwide, but Japan says the Olympics will go ahead in July.
The death toll in mainland China passed 3,000, with a further 31 deaths on Wednesday taking the total toll to 3,012. All of the deaths were in Hubei province, the centre of the outbreak. Confirmed cases in China rose by 139 to reach 80,409, and reversing two days of decreasing counts.The death toll in mainland China passed 3,000, with a further 31 deaths on Wednesday taking the total toll to 3,012. All of the deaths were in Hubei province, the centre of the outbreak. Confirmed cases in China rose by 139 to reach 80,409, and reversing two days of decreasing counts.
South Korea’s number of confirmed cases neared 6,000 on Thursday. So far 36 countries and regions have imposed a blanket entry ban on people who have recently been in the country’s South, according to the foreign ministry in Seoul.South Korea’s number of confirmed cases neared 6,000 on Thursday. So far 36 countries and regions have imposed a blanket entry ban on people who have recently been in the country’s South, according to the foreign ministry in Seoul.
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.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.
Italy closed all schools and universities until 15 March and ordered that all major sporting events be played behind closed doors. The virus has killed 107 people there, and spread to all but one of Italy’s 20 regions.Italy closed all schools and universities until 15 March and ordered that all major sporting events 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 said the Games would go ahead in July as planned, saying that cancelling “would be unacceptable for the athletes”. The country has 1,036 cases and 12 people have died, its health ministry has said.Japan’s Olympics minister said the Games would go ahead in July as planned, saying that cancelling “would be unacceptable for the athletes”. The country has 1,036 cases and 12 people have died, its 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”.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”.
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.
Panic buying continued around the world. Masks and toilet paper, in particular, remain in demand.Panic buying continued around the world. Masks and toilet paper, in particular, remain in demand.
And here’s today’s Coronavirus Latest – At a Glance, by Graham Russell:And here’s today’s Coronavirus Latest – At a Glance, by Graham Russell:
Italy’s government is likely to increase the value of measures to help the economy withstand the coronavirus outbreak to to 5 billion euros (US$5.57 billion). Deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli said on Thursday. “It is likely that the government will reach (5 billion euros)“ Castelli said in an interview with daily Il Messaggero, adding that she thought it was “necessary to raise the bar as much as possible”. Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri has promised tax breaks and other measures for the affected sectors worth 3.6 billion euros. A government source told Reuters on Wednesday this may be raised to 4.5 billion, or 0.25% of GDP.Italy’s government is likely to increase the value of measures to help the economy withstand the coronavirus outbreak to to 5 billion euros (US$5.57 billion). Deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli said on Thursday. “It is likely that the government will reach (5 billion euros)“ Castelli said in an interview with daily Il Messaggero, adding that she thought it was “necessary to raise the bar as much as possible”. Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri has promised tax breaks and other measures for the affected sectors worth 3.6 billion euros. A government source told Reuters on Wednesday this may be raised to 4.5 billion, or 0.25% of GDP.
Apple Inc and Netflix Inc say they are pulling out of the South by Southwest music and tech festival to be held later this month, amid the coronavirus outbreak.Apple Inc and Netflix Inc say they are pulling out of the South by Southwest music and tech festival to be held later this month, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The U.S. death toll from coronavirus infections rose to 11 on Wednesday and California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency amid the nation’s largest outbreak. Facebook Inc had said earlier this week it would not participate in the festival. Organisers of the South by Southwest music and tech festival, set to be held in Austin, Texas, had said last month the event would proceed as planned despite “a handful” of cancellations related to the virus.The U.S. death toll from coronavirus infections rose to 11 on Wednesday and California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency amid the nation’s largest outbreak. Facebook Inc had said earlier this week it would not participate in the festival. Organisers of the South by Southwest music and tech festival, set to be held in Austin, Texas, had said last month the event would proceed as planned despite “a handful” of cancellations related to the virus.
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.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.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.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.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.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.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.
The 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.”
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.