Category Archives: China

Whole world must be ready to deal with coronavirus, says WHO

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Countries urged to be on alert as number of confirmed cases passes 6,000

The whole world must be on alert to deal with the spread of coronavirus, the World Health Organization has said as it urged countries to prepare so that they are ready to detect any cases that occur and isolate and treat the sick.

WHO will reconvene its expert committee on Thursday to decide whether to declare the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. There are now 6,065 confirmed cases of viral pneumonia caused by the virus and 132 deaths, all of them in China.

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What is coronavirus and how worried should we be?

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What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how is it transmitted from one person to another, and at what point should you see a doctor?

It is a novel coronavirus – that is to say, a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. Many of those infected either worked or frequently shopped in the Huanan seafood wholesale market in the centre of the Chinese city, which also sold live and newly slaughtered animals. New and troubling viruses usually originate in animal hosts. Ebola and flu are examples.

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China coronavirus: evacuation begins of US and Japanese citizens in Wuhan – live updates

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Hundreds of Japanese and Americans airlifted out of city at heart of outbreak in China. Follow the latest news, live

The death toll in China has now risen to 131 people, according to the updated coronavirus tracker from Tencent News.

There are now also 5515 confirmed cases and 6973 suspected cases.

And, as the US airlift out of Wuhan continues, Japan today has confirmed it too will evacuate 200 of its citizens.

According to the Kyodo news agency, a chartered plane has departed the city early this morning, and is scheduled to arrive at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.

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What is the coronavirus and how worried should we be?

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What are the symptoms, how is it transmitted from one person to another, and how is the virus from Wuhan in China related to Sars?

It is a novel coronavirus – that is to say, a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. Many of those infected either worked or frequently shopped in the Huanan seafood wholesale market in the centre of the Chinese city, which also sold live and newly slaughtered animals. New and troubling viruses usually originate in animal hosts. Ebola and flu are examples.

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Unmasked man pulled off metro in China amid coronavirus crisis – video

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Footage has emerged appearing to show a man being forcibly removed from the Guangzhou metro by security staff for not wearing a face mask, after the South China province implemented a mandatory order to wear them amid the coronavirus crisis. 

Chinese companies are working overtime to produce masks amid soaring demand caused by the country’s coronavirus outbreak.

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‘Wuhan jiāyóu’: chants of solidarity spread across city at epicentre of coronavirus – video

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Shouts of 'jiāyóu' can be heard echoing between Wuhan's high-rise apartment blocks as people take to their balconies to shout what translates literally as "add oil", meaning 'keep up the fight', to their neighbours.  It is day six of life under lockdown for the Chinese city's 11 million residents, who have found themselves at the centre of the outbreak of coronavirus. 

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Coronavirus: China death toll climbs to 106 with first fatality in Beijing – live updates

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US updates travel warning to China to highest level as mayor of Wuhan admits authorities were too slow in releasing information about virus. Follow the latest news

There are a few interesting sites tracking the increase in coronavirus cases. This one from John’s Hopkins university in the US is one of the best. It clearly shows the steep rise in confirmed infections each day in the past week, from around 280 on 20 January, to over 4,500 today.

One of the curious thing to come out of the Australian news conference about school advice with regards to coronavirus, is that speakers reiterated that there hasn’t been person-to-person transmission of the virus in Australia.

“There is no evidence,” said the NSW chief health officer, Kerry Chant.

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Stocks and oil slump on fears over China virus outbreak – business live

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Equity sell-off deepens and oil falls below $59 as death toll from coronavirus rises, sparking fears over economic impact

  • Stock markets in UK, Germany and France fall more than 2%

My colleague Joanna Partridge writes:

Brexit uncertainty plus political turmoiled equalled financial distress for almost half a million British businesses in the final three months of last year, according to a new survey which measures corporate health.

On currency markets, sterling has risen slightly versus the dollar and the euro (to $1.3087 and €1.1872), as the Brexit date of 31 January approaches.

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Coronavirus: China premier Li Keqiang visits Wuhan as death toll hits 81 – live updates

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World Health Organization chief travels to Beijing as more than 2,700 cases reported in China. Follow the latest news about the outbreak.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $10m (£7.6m) to tackling the virus.

The money will be split between China and countries in Africa.

One supermarket shopper was unfazed by the visit to Wuhan of China’s prime minister Li Keqiang, Keith Zhai from Reuters reports.

While Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivering his speech in a Wuhan super market, this auntie in front can’t stop getting her groceries done. “Nothing can stop me from buying veggies” #coronarvirus video from internet pic.twitter.com/A7CePMfis0

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China coronavirus: WHO to hold special meeting in Beijing as death toll jumps

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Officials have postponed the end of the lunar new year holidays as spread of virus continues and lockdowns expand

The head of the World Health Organization will hold a special meeting with officials in Beijing on Monday to discuss how to contain the coronavirus that has killed 80 people and left more than 400 in a critical condition.

In an effort to reduce chances of infection during what is China’s busiest travel season, officials announced the end of this week’s lunar new year holiday would be postponed until at least 2 February. Authorities have also widened sweeping restrictions on travel across the country.

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Coronavirus: 100,000 may already be infected, experts warn

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UK government urged to reassure public that NHS is ready for cases within days

About 100,000 people could be infected with the new coronavirus around the world, experts have warned, as the UK government faced calls to reassure people that the NHS is ready to deal with any British cases within days.

Prof Neil Ferguson, a public health expert at Imperial College, said his “best guess” was that there were 100,000 affected by the virus even though there are only 2,000 confirmed cases so far, mostly in the city of Wuhan in China where the virus first appeared.

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The Observer view on the coronavirus outbreak | Observer editorial

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Worldwide health challenges serve as a grave warning to those who would bury their heads in isolationism

The world’s most populous country yesterday celebrated the lunar new year, usually a time of family reunion and joyful celebration. For many Chinese people who have moved away from their place of birth, it is the one time of year they get to visit their familiesThis year the coronavirus outbreak has profoundly muted the celebrations in China, with several cities in lockdown, the imposition of quarantine measures unprecedented in their scale, and many citizens anxious about their own health and that of their families.

The Chinese have borne the brunt of the outbreak so far: coronavirus is known to have killed more than 40 people, and infected another 1,300. But the first cases have already been recorded in the US, Australia, and – on Friday – in Europe.

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Coronavirus outbreak: China promises tougher crackdown to stop spread – as it happened

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Officials announce new measures to contain disease, including wildlife trade ban and bus suspensions, as confirmed death toll reaches 56

Jonathan Ashworth, the UK’s shadow health secretary, urged the government to reassure the public it is sufficiently prepared as the NHS is already struggling in the flu season.

He told the Guardian:

The NHS is currently under immense strain this winter with staff already working flat out and hospitals overcrowded. We need urgent reassurance from ministers they have a plan to ensure we have capacity in place to deal with Coronavirus should we need to,

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Coronavirus: Australia considers evacuating citizens caught in China amid lockdown

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Chief medical officer says Australia is ‘incredibly well prepared to isolate and deal with’ any more cases

Australia’s chief medical officer has warned there will likely be more cases of the deadly coronavirus confirmed in the country, as the federal government explores plans to evacuate Australian citizens from the pandemic’s epicentre in central China.

Prof Brendan Murphy, Australia’s chief medical officer, said more cases of 2019-nCoV were likely, following the confirmation of four cases.

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Trump speaks to Boris Johnson about security as UK nears Huawei decision

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US discusses concerns over Chinese telecoms giant’s role in Britain’s future 5G network

Donald Trump discussed the security of telecommunications networks with Boris Johnson, the White House said, as Britain closes in on a decision on Huawei’s role in the country’s future 5G network.

The US administration told allies not to allow the Chinese tech giant to form part of their 5G networks, claiming it would be a security risk – something Huawei vehemently denies.

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Coronavirus: Xi Jinping warns of ‘grave situation’ as spread accelerates through China – live

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More than 1,280 infected in China as officials try to stem spread of virus which has reached Europe, the US and Australia. Follow the latest news

In China, 30 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have now raised their public health alert to level 1, the highest level, according to Global Times. This enables measures such as quarantining.

Sichuan province has announced a ban on group gatherings. Individuals are not allowed to organise gatherings and restaurants are being prevented from hosting them. Anyone who had prior reservations has been told to cancel.

Chinese tourism continues to be affected by the spread of the virus.

All domestic and foreign tour group operations are to be suspended from Monday. The move follows the closure of Shanghai’s Disneyland, and all tourist sites in the popular Sanya city.

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French cases show coronavirus has reached Europe

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Three cases have been discovered, two of them from the same family

France has identified three cases of the deadly new coronavirus from China, the first cases in Europe.

Two of the cases were announced by the health minister, Agnès Buzyn, on Friday evening. She said that both of those affected had travelled to China.

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Coronavirus: death toll reaches 41 in China with first cases in Europe

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Public transport suspended in at least 13 cities in China as death toll rises and France identifies Europe’s first cases

China has expanded an unprecedented lockdown during the country’s most important holiday to 13 cities and at least 36 million people, as efforts to contain the deadly new coronavirus were stepped up around the world and the first cases were reported in Europe.

Restrictions on movement were widened on Friday in China in an effort to stop the spread of the disease. Late on Friday, authorities confirmed a further 15 deaths and 180 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of fatalities to 41 people and more than 1,000 affected.

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Life under lockdown in China: hospital queues and empty streets

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With resources at breaking point and a pervading sense of panic, the Chinese city of Wuhan battles coronavirus

In hospitals across Wuhan, the city at the centre of the new coronavirus outbreak, there is panic and despair. Patients wearing masks queue for hours, waiting to be called by nurses. Staff who have worked endless shifts are forced to turn many away. Pharmacies are running out of supplies.

A lack of diagnostic tests means many people do not know for sure if their fever is the new strain of coronavirus, which has killed 26 people in China and affected more than 800.

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