Coronavirus wrap: Chinese doctor who first warned about virus outbreak dies

Coronavirus has sent ripples of fear across the world, especially in Asia. The death toll has now risen to 564 in China. Catch LIVE updates on Coronavirus outbreak

5:25 PM

People without symptoms can be infected too

A person infected with the Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV, may not necessarily show any symptoms at all, according to the latest medical reports in China.

 

China's health authorities claim that several people have been diagnosed as carriers and transmitters of the Coronavirus even as they showed no symptoms. The symptoms of the Coronavirus, which has killed over 425 people and infected over 21,000 people in China so far, are common cold and breathing issues.

 

Li Xingwang, chief infectious diseases expert at Beijing Ditan Hospital told the Chinese media that "most of the dormant carriers were related to and had caught the virus from patients with symptoms."

5:20 PM

About 350 US evacuees from China en route to California: Pentagon

About 350 Americans evacuated from China's virus-hit Wuhan province are expected to arrive at two US military bases in California on Wednesday, the Pentagon said in a statement.

 

The US travelers on two US Department of State-chartered flights will land at Travis Air Force Base, before one of the planes continues to Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

5:12 PM

Russia says coronavirus vaccine will take 8-10 months to develop

Russia said on Wednesday it will take between eight and 10 months to develop a vaccine against coronavirus, the Interfax news agency cited health minister Mikhail Murashko as saying.

 

"Today the process of developing a vaccine is not a short period of time. A vaccine is being developed for at least eight to 10 months, this is just the initial stage without clinical trials," said Murashko.

 

5:06 PM

India sets up coronavirus screening centers along Myanmar, Bangladesh borders

To combat the threat of novel coronavirus threat, Indian authorities have set up screening and testing centres along the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, officials said on Wednesday.

 

The Airport Authority of India (AAI), with the state governments, has also set up similar screening and testing counters at most of the airports of northeast India.

 

An official of Mizoram Health and Family Welfare Department said in Aizawl that a medical team comprising doctors and health staff since Tuesday are conducting medical check-up at Zokhawthar (an India-Myanmar border checkpost in Champhai district) for the travellers across the borders based on their health status and travel history.

 

5:04 PM

Over 5000 under surveillance for coronavirus: Centre

The Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare, on Wednesday, said that 5123 people were under home surveillance as a precautionary measure for coronavirus. Besides, the ministry also informed that at least 741 tests for nCoV have been done so far.

 

"A total of 741 tests done for #nCoV2020. Of these 738 have tested NEGATIVE, and 3 found positive. 342 are under process. Also, 5123 people are under home surveillance," the Health Ministry tweeted.

4:57 PM

China's President Xi says China is confident and capable of winning the war against the virus

4:44 PM

Coronavirus paralyses short-term oil, gas sales into China

Short-term sales of crude oil and liquefied natural gas into China almost ground to a halt this week as the coronavirus slows economic activity and cuts demand and buyers ponder legal action to avoid having to honour purchase agreements, trade sources said.

 

Typically, trade would have revived after the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January, but China has extended the break into February to try to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus, which has claimed nearly 500 lives.

 

4:44 PM

China's Xi says virus controls at crucial stage: State media

China's efforts to control a coronavirus outbreak are at a crucial stage and authorities must prevent the epidemic from spreading, Xinhua news agency quoted President Xi Jinping as saying on Wednesday.

 

The government must report coronavirus outbreak information accurately in a timely manner, and will crack down on coronavirus related rumour-mongering, Xi said.

 

4:25 PM

Airbus halts output at Tianjin assembly plant due to coronavirus

Airbus has closed its final assembly plant in Tianjin, China, as a result of the coronavirus emergency, the planemaker said on Wednesday, adding it was monitoring for any signs of impact on deliveries.

 

The plant assembles about 4 A320-family aircraft a month, about 7% of Airbus narrowbody production. "The Tianjin Final Assembly Line facility is currently closed," Airbus said in a statement.

 

4:10 PM

Mothers may pass coronavirus to unborn children, say Chinese doctors: TV report

Pregnant women infected with the new coronavirus may be able to pass it to their unborn child, doctors at the Wuhan Children Hospital said on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

 

The doctors said it was possible after an infected coronavirus patient gave birth to a baby on Feb. 2. The newborn was given a test 30 hours later and confirmed to have the virus, the said.

4:05 PM

Tokyo Olympic boss 'extremely worried' about deadly virus

The chief executive officer of the Tokyo Olympics admitted Wednesday that organisers are "extremely worried" about the possible effect of the deadly new coronavirus on this summer's Games.

 

Toshiro Muto said he hoped the outbreak in China would be quickly contained to restore confidence in the run-up to the Olympics.

 

"We are extremely worried in the sense that the spread of the infectious virus could pour cold water on momentum for the Games," he said before a meeting with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

4:03 PM

Virus outbreak delays India's cotton exports to China: Officials

Shipments of around 250,000 bales of Indian cotton to China have been delayed by nearly two weeks as a virus outbreak and factory closures dampens demand from the world's biggest consumer of the fibre, industry officials said.

 

The delay in shipments could pressure local prices and force the state-run Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to increase purchases from farmers to ensure domestic prices stay above government mandated levels.

 

 

3:47 PM

Britain charters final Wuhan evacuation flight

Britain will charter what it said was a "second and final" flight this weekend to evacuate nationals from China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak.

 

The civilian aircraft will leave Hubei's capital Wuhan on Sunday bound for the Royal Air Force base at Brize Norton in southern England.

Medics and Foreign Office officials will be on board to provide support if necessary.

3:46 PM

All arrivals to Hong Kong from mainland China to face 'compulsory quarantine': Leader

Anyone arriving in Hong Kong from mainland China from Saturday will face a mandatory two-week quarantine, the city's leader announced Wednesday, a measure aimed at reducing the spread of a deadly coronavirus.

 

Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave no details on how the measure would be implemented but said updates would be released in the coming days.

2:58 PM

Cathay Pacific asks 27,000 staff to take unpaid leave over Coronavirus

Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific is asking its 27,000 employees to take up to three weeks of unpaid leave, CEO Augustus Tang said Wednesday, as the airline faces a crisis in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak.

 

"I am hoping all of you will participate, from our frontline employees to our senior leaders, and share in our current challenges," Tang said in a video message posted online.

 

The request lays bare desperate times at Cathay, which was hammered last year by months of political chaos and protests in Hong Kong and has now been hurt further by the fallout from the virus outbreak. Read on...