Coronavirus LIVE: India likely to airlift its citizens from Wuhan on Feb 26

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in China rose to 2,592 on Monday, while the total number of confirmed cases on the mainland is now 77,150

9:59 AM

China's virus epicentre Wuhan city allows people to exit for crucial operations

Non-residents of Wuhan may leave the quarantined city at the epicentre of China's virus epidemic if they show no symptoms and have never had contact with patients, authorities said Monday.

 

Wuhan, a city of 11 million, has been under lockdown since January 23 after authorities shut down transport links into and out of the city in an effort to contain the new coronavirus outbreak. 

9:35 AM

Closed museums, mask buying spree amid S Korean surge in coronavirus

South Korea reported 161 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected patients in the country to 763, health authorities said on Monday, a day after the government raised its infectious disease alert to its highest level.

 

Of the new cases, 115 were linked to a church in the southeastern city of Daegu after a 61-year-old woman known as "Patient 31" who attended services there tested positive, according to the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

 

KCDC also reported the seventh death from the virus, a 62-year-old man from a hospital in Cheongdo, a county that saw surges in confirmed cases along with nearby Daegu in recent weeks.

9:04 AM

China says has allocated $14.16 bn for curbing coronavirus outbreak

China has allocated 99.5 billion yuan ($14.16 billion) in funds for curbing the coronavirus outbreak that has spread throughout the country, Assistant Finance Minister Ou Wenhan said on Monday.

 

Ou made the remarks during a press briefing in Beijing.

8:39 AM

S Korean airlines halt flights to Daegu, city with most virus cases

South Korea's Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines said on Monday they are suspending flights to Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city with the largest number of coronavirus cases, for the time being.

 

Korean Air has decided to halt all flights to Daegu until March 28, while Asiana will halt all flights to the city until March 9, their representatives said.

 

South Korea reported a total of 763 coronavirus cases, as of Monday morning.

8:18 AM

South Korea becomes biggest coronavirus centre outside China

South Korea reported 161 more coronavirus cases Monday, taking the nationwide total to 763 and making it the world's largest total outside China.

 

The country has seen a rapid surge in the number of coronavirus cases -- adding more than 700 cases in less than a week -- since a cluster of infections emerged from a religious sect in the southern city of Daegu.

 

Most of the country's cases are connected to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu, including 129 of Monday's confirmations, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

8:02 AM

New Zealand extends ban on arrivals from China on coronavirus fears

New Zealand has extended a ban on arrivals from mainland China into a fourth week to contain the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.

 

The ban has been extended by a further eight days and would be reviewed after that, Ardern told a news conference.

 

New Zealand so far has no confirmed cases of the virus in the country.

7:33 AM

Four Chinese provinces lower coronavirus emergency response level

Four Chinese provinces Yunnan, Guangdong, Shanxi and Guizhou on Monday lowered their coronavirus emergency response measures, local health commissions said.

 

Yunnan and Guizhou cut their emergency response measures from level I to level III, while Guangdong and Shanxi lowered their measures to level II.

 

China has a four-tier response system for pubic health emergencies that determines what measures it will implement, with level I the most serious.

7:33 AM

Global spread of coronavirus raises fears of pandemic with deadly consequences

Fears grew on Monday that the coronavirus outbreak in China will grow into a pandemic with disruptive and deadly consequences for countries around the world, after sharp rises in infections in South Korea, Italy and Iran.

 

A surge of infections in South Korea and Italy, and an alarming rise in the death toll in Iran over the weekend, triggered steep falls in Asian share markets and Wall Street stock futures on Monday as investors fled to safe havens such as gold.

 

Shares and oil prices tumbled while gold soared to a seven-year high. The Korean won fell 0.8% to its lowest since August.

7:32 AM

S Korea reports 161 new cases of coronavirus, brings total to 763

South Korea reported 161 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected patients in the country to 763, health authorities said on Monday, a day after the government raised its infectious disease alert to its highest level.

 

Of the new cases, 115 were linked to a church in the southeastern city of Daegu after a 61-year-old woman known as "Patient 31" who attended services there tested positive, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

 

KCDC also reported the seventh death from the virus, a 62-year-old man from a hospital in Cheongdo, a county that saw surges in confirmed cases along with nearby Daegu in recent weeks.

3:34 AM

Coronavirus outbreak: Shopping coupons to meal, freebies to woo tourists

Meal and shopping coupons, 10 kilogram (kg) of extra baggage allowance and alternative cruise trips in the Persian Gulf are among the incentives proposed by Thailand’s tourism authority and cruise companies to arrest the fall in the number of visitors following the outbreak of coronavirus.

 

Indonesia is also planning to offer discounts to attract tourists, while Singapore has announced tax rebates to hotels and bridge loans for its travel firms to minimise the pain. Revival measures are being planned by Southeast Asian governments even as India advised its citizens on Saturday to avoid non-essential travel to Singapore.  Read More...

3:32 AM

Coronavirus outbreak: 4 more Indian on-board Diamond Princess test positive

Four Indian crew members who underwent tests for coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess moored off the Japan coast, have tested positive, taking the number of Indians infected with the virus on the vessel to 12, the Indian embassy said on Sunday. “Unfortunately, the results received include four Indian crew members having tested positive,” the Indian embassy tweeted. “All 12 Indians are responding well to treatment.”

 

Passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease started deboarding the ship after the quarantine period ended last week.

3:31 AM

Coronavirus scare: 24x7 customs clearance at all ports, airports till May

To facilitate faster clearance of consignments to and from China, a 24x7 Customs clearance facility will be available at all sea ports and airports till May. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has written to all Chief Commissioners (Customs and Central Tax) asking them to workout the arrangement and deploy sufficient number of officers on 24×7 basis at sea ports, air cargo stations, inland container depot, container freight station, etc, falling in their jurisdiction.

3:31 AM

Concern over coronavirus spread as cases jump in South Korea, Italy, Iran

International concern about the spread of coronavirus outside China grew on Sunday with sharp rises in infections in South Korea, Italy and Iran.

 

The government in Seoul put the country on high alert after the number of infections surged over 600 with six deaths. A focal point was a church in the southeastern city of Daegu, where a 61-year-old member of the congregation with no recent record of overseas travel tested positive for the virus.

 

In Italy, the number of cases jumped to above 130 from just three before Friday. Authorities sealed off the worst affected towns and banned public gatherings in much of the north, including halting the carnival in Venice, where there were two cases, to try to contain the biggest outbreak in Europe.

Iran, which announced its first two cases on Wednesday, said it had confirmed 43 cases and eight deaths, with most of the infections in the Shi’ite Muslim holy city of Qom.

9:47 PM

MEA on whether export of medical items to China restricted

India has responsibility to take measures to combat spread of coronavirus, precautions taken are in accordance with WHO's coronavirus advisory: MEA on whether export of medical items to China restricted. 

8:17 PM

IMF chief sees negative economic impact from Coronavirus

 The coronavirus that originated in China will have a negative impact on the global economy even if it is rapidly contained, and it would be prudent to prepare for more significant consequences, the head of the IMF said on Sunday. "Of course, we all hope for a V-shaped, rapid recovery — but given the uncertainty, it would be prudent to prepare for more adverse scenarios," Georgieva said in a statement.