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Xi visits virus’ epicenter as fears of recession grip world Virus woes shift from China to Italy as borders slam shut
(about 3 hours later)
BEIJING — China’s president visited the center of the global virus outbreak Tuesday as Italy began a sweeping nationwide travel ban and people worldwide braced for the possibility of recession. BEIJING — Starkly illustrating the global east-to-west spread of the new coronavirus, Italy began an extraordinary, sweeping nationwide travel ban on Tuesday while in China, the diminishing threat prompted the president to visit the epicenter and declare: “”We will certainly defeat this epidemic.”
President Xi Jinping’s trip to the coronavirus’ epicenter of Wuhan — his first since the start of the outbreak — came as parts of his country return to normalcy, and was a sign of the diminishing threat the illness presents in China as it spreads west. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to the central city of Wuhan — his first since the start of the outbreak — was the latest sign that China is edging back toward normal after weeks of extreme quarantine measures to fight the new virus. China reported just 19 new infections Tuesday, down from thousands each day last month.
Nowhere was that more evident than Italy, where travel restrictions previously limited to the country’s north were extended everywhere beginning Tuesday, with soldiers and police enforcing bans. Some 9,172 people were infected in Italy and 463 have died and there was a growing sense the numbers would only worsen. “Things are slowly returning to normal,” said Yang Tianxiao, a finance worker in Beijing, where the city government is gradually easing restrictions that kept many office workers at home.
“We’re only at the beginning,” said Dr. Massimo Galli, head of infectious disease at Sacco Hospital in Milan, where people at the city’s main train station were required to sign forms certifying the necessity of their travel. Yet in Italy, the situation was anything but normal. Travel restrictions previously limited to the country’s north were extended everywhere, with soldiers and police enforcing bans. Neighboring countries like Malta and Austria slammed their borders with Italy shut, while major carriers like British Airways cancelled all flights to and from the country.
Outbreaks flared in France, Spain and Germany, and fear grew in the United States, where more than 750 people are infected and even some senior political leaders were quarantined. ”Get out of northern Italy if you’re there. We don’t know how long the Italian authorities will keep the window open,” Danish Foreign Ministry official Erik Broegger Rasmussen told reporters.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Some 9,172 people were infected in Italy and 463 have died — and many fear the numbers will only worsen.
“We’re only at the beginning,” said Dr. Massimo Galli, head of infectious disease at Sacco Hospital in Milan, where people at the main train station were required to sign forms certifying the necessity of their travel.
Outbreaks flared in France, Spain and Germany, and fear grew in the United States, where more than 750 people are infected and several senior politicians were quarantined.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illnesses, including pneumonia. More than 115,800 people have been infected worldwide and over 4,000 have died.
The World Health Organization says people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while severe cases may last three to six weeks. In mainland China, where the outbreak emerged in December, almost three-fourths of its more than 80,000 patients have recovered.The World Health Organization says people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while severe cases may last three to six weeks. In mainland China, where the outbreak emerged in December, almost three-fourths of its more than 80,000 patients have recovered.
Regardless, the virus has shaken global markets, with stocks taking their worst one-day beating on Wall Street since 2008 and oil prices suffering their most brutal losses since the start of the 1991 Gulf War. The virus has shaken global markets, with stocks on Monday taking their worst one-day beating on Wall Street since 2008 and oil prices suffering their most brutal losses since the start of the 1991 Gulf War.
Even with Asian markets posting modest gains Tuesday, fear was rampant that economies stood at the brink of recession. Asian markets posted modest gains Tuesday, but fear was rampant that economies stood at the brink of recession.
“Right now, it’s all-out panic,” said Phil Flynn of the Price Futures Group brokerage.“Right now, it’s all-out panic,” said Phil Flynn of the Price Futures Group brokerage.
Xi’s trip to Wuhan came as the country recorded just 19 new cases of the virus Tuesday. The official Xinhua News Agency said Xi went to a hastily built hospital, visited with patients and encouraged staff to “firm up confidence in defeating the epidemic.” He then visited Wuhan residents under quarantine at home, Xinhua reported. Europe’s airports say they expect 187 million fewer passengers this year due to the virus outbreak, which is “turning into a shock of unprecedented proportions for our industry.”
The visit also was likely to be seen as an attempt to bolster views of the ruling Communist Party’s handling of the crisis. Xi was conspicuously absent from the public eye during the early days of the outbreak and alarms were not sounded until late January. The ACI Europe, which represents the sector, estimated Tuesday that the outbreak will mean a 13.5% drop in airport passengers in the first quarter alone. That translates to 1.32 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in lost revenue.
Wuhan and nearby cities have been under lockdown since then, though, in a virus-containment measure. Xi’s trip to Wuhan was the latest effort by the ruling Communist Party to shed a favorable light on its handling of the crisis. Xi was conspicuously absent from the public eye during the early days of the outbreak and alarms were not sounded until late January. Wuhan and nearby cities — over 60 million people — have been under lockdown since then.
Ying Yong, the party secretary of Hubei province where Wuhan is located, told local officials that preparations should be made for resuming business production and the safe and orderly movement of individuals, according to a notice published on Hubei’s government website. Xi addressed patients and medical workers via a video link. He also strolled through an apartment complex where residents are still quarantined.
Already, there are signs the lockdown is loosening. Jingzhou, a city in Hubei, has ordered roads and village entrances in low-risk areas to be reopened to restore agricultural production. And Hubei’s government said Tuesday it is launching an app-based system in which people who are deemed healthy and not at risk are given green codes to allow them to travel freely within the province. “Wuhan must prevail, Hubei must prevail, all of China must prevail,” Xi said.
The edge toward normalcy in China and improving reports from South Korea — where new infections continued to dip — contrasted with a widening problem elsewhere in the world. With patient numbers falling, Wuhan closed the last of 16 temporary hospitals used mainly to house those with mild symptoms.
Italy’s far-reaching restrictions were to last through April 3 and violators risked up to three months in jail or fines of 206 euros ($225). Schools and universities were remaining closed and pubs, eateries and cafes were to shutter at dusk. Authorities in Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, stepped up preparations for resuming business production, reopened some roads to restore agricultural production and announced the launch of a color-coded app-based system that will allow people who are deemed healthy to travel freely within the province.
“Our habits must be changed, changed now,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said. But disruptions spread elsewhere, upending life in Italy in particular.
Conte assured Italians supermarkets would remain open and stocked Tuesday after some 24-hour markets experienced overnight runs. Italy’s far-reaching travel restrictions were to last through April 3 and violators risked up to three months in jail or fines of 206 euros ($225). Schools and universities stayed closed and bars and restaurants must shutter at dusk.
In Soave, a wine-producing town near Verona, normal bustling streets were nearly deserted. “Our habits must be changed, changed now,” Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.
Cafe owner Valentino Bonturi said he was enforcing new restrictions to ensure patrons weren’t bunched too closely, meaning people needed to be seated rather than stand at a counter, as is customary. After some panic buying, Conte assured Italians supermarkets would remain open and stocked.
In Soave, a wine-producing town near Verona, normal bustling streets were nearly deserted. Cafe owner Valentino Bonturi said he was enforcing new restrictions to ensure patrons weren’t bunched too closely together, meaning no standing at counters anymore.
“We follow the rules,” he said.“We follow the rules,” he said.
In the U.S., President Donald Trump was planning to announce proposals Tuesday aimed at curbing the economic fallout from the outbreak. He said the measures would include payroll tax relief.In the U.S., President Donald Trump was planning to announce proposals Tuesday aimed at curbing the economic fallout from the outbreak. He said the measures would include payroll tax relief.
Trump dove into handshakes with supporters Monday and flew back from a Florida fundraiser with a lawmaker who later went into a voluntary quarantine because he came into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus. Trump’s incoming chief of staff, too, went into quarantine, also stemming from concerns from a conservative political gathering attended by an infected person.Trump dove into handshakes with supporters Monday and flew back from a Florida fundraiser with a lawmaker who later went into a voluntary quarantine because he came into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus. Trump’s incoming chief of staff, too, went into quarantine, also stemming from concerns from a conservative political gathering attended by an infected person.
In California, the cruise ship Grand Princess, which had been forced to idle off the coast, docked at the Port of Oakland, but only a few hundred of some 3,500 passengers and crew had disembarked by early Tuesday. In California, the cruise ship Grand Princess, which had been forced to idle off the coast, docked at the port of Oakland, but only a few hundred of some 3,500 passengers and crew had disembarked by early Tuesday. All of the departing passengers face 14-day quarantines since the ship had at least 21 confirmed virus cases.
Worldwide, more than 114,000 cases of the virus have been reported in about 100 countries. The leader of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Monday, “the threat of a pandemic has become very real.” As the virus appeared in over 100 countries, the World Health Organization was weighing whether to declare the outbreak a pandemic. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that “the threat of a pandemic has become very real.”
The most recent additions are Panama, adding to a few dozen cases in Latin America, and Mongolia, which borders China. Authorities there said Tuesday the country’s first virus patient was a French energy worker who met with colleagues and traveled while he was infected. Panama and Mongolia, which borders China, were the newest countries to announce infections.
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Sedensky reported from Bangkok. Contributing to this report were Colleen Barry in Soave, Italy; Nicole Winfield in Rome; Antonio Calanni in Milan; and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing. Sedensky reported from Bangkok; Leicester from Paris. Contributing to this report were Colleen Barry in Soave, Italy; Nicole Winfield in Rome; Antonio Calanni in Milan; and Ken Moritsugu, Christopher Bodeen in Beijing.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreakFollow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.