Virus death toll reaches 213 in China – as it happened
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More than 9,320 people infected globally, as WHO director says decision comes amid concern for countries with weaker health systems. This blog is closed
The death toll stands at 213 inside China and confirmed infections are 9,096
Possible infections are at 12,167 inside China with recoveries listed as 163
The World Health organisation has declared a global public health emergency because of the spread of the virus outside China, describing it as an “unprecedented outbreak”.
Cases outside China of the virus are increasing and is estimated to be over 100.
Recent global updates include Italy (2), France (6), Germany (5), Australia (9). I will bring you a full country-by-country list shortly
The UK evacuation of its citizens out of Wuhan is underway. They are understood to be on Wamos Air 747.
According to Flightradar24, a Wamos air 747 flew from Hanoi to Wuhan on 31 January, landing in Wuhan at 04.45 local time. We know from the video we posted a short time ago that UK citizens were preparing to board a Wamos air plane.
I haven’t yet got any information as to whether that plane has left Wuhan as there is sometimes a lag in this being uploaded. We know that passengers were ready to board
On Thursday, China’s Football Association cancelled all domestic games at all levels, in a response to the coronavirus. China’s national women’s team are in Australia to play Olympic qualifiers, but have been in quarantine in Brisbane as a result of the virus. Football Federation Australia on Friday confirmed the team will begin their qualifying tournament against Taiwan in Sydney on 6 February and will play the Australian team on 12 February. You can read the full story here.
Poorer nations suffer most from global health crises, saysDr Claude Posala, an eye surgeon in Solomon Islands. His country has recently suffered a terrible measles outbreak. He says Pacific nations have watched news out of Wuhan in panic and need help to combat it.
The Reuters news agency is reporting that China’s Shandong province has asked companies not to resume working before 10 February to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Reuters is quoting the state news agency Xinhua.
Commuters with protective face masks wait to board a canal boat in the Thai capital, Bangkok. Photograph: Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images
Let’s take a look at the latest figures. Each morning in China the National Health Commission provides updates.
The total death toll in China now stands at 213. That’s up from 170 announced at this time yesterday. That’s an increase of 25%, which is slightly down on yesterday’s increase (29%).
Confirmed cases inside China are 9,096. That’s up from the figure quoted at around this time yesterday of 7,711. It makes it an 18% rise in confirmed infections over the 24-hour period.
Between Wednesday and Thursday the rise in confirmed cases was 29% by my calculations.
Medical workers from Shanghai attend a medical training in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province. Photograph: Xinhua/Barcroft Media
Virgin Atlantic suspends flights between Britain and China
Press Association is reporting that Virgin Atlantic has suspended its flights between Britain and China due to fears about the spread of the coronavirus.
The airline said in a statement it would suspend its daily operations between the UK and Shanghai for two weeks from Saturday, PA said.
The decision came after the World Health Organisation on Thursday declared the coronavirus outbreak an international public health emergency.
It also follows British Airways’ decision to suspend flights to and from China, which is in place until at least Monday.
On Thursday Air Canada suspended all flights to and from China until the end of February. It followed Canada’ recommendation to avoid all non-essential travel to China.
We are now hearing from the premier of the state of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk, who is calling for national co-ordination of the response to the virus. Australia is a federal system made up of states and territories and so far each state seems to have had a slightly different response to the virus.
“There is no reason why the Federal government can’t be on a phone hook-up today or over this weekend, talking to all of the (state) Premiers giving them the most up to date information. This is a serious national issue,” Palaszczuk said.
An obviously irritated Palaszczuk again makes the point that the national government should be co-ordinating the response.
“I’m calling on the Commonwealth (national government) to working a spirit of national co-operation, to provide information to the states so we can help try to contain this virus,” she says.
“We would have had a number of planes that have come in from mainland China over the last 1 days. Where are all those people?,” Palaszczuk asks.
Coronavirus has been declared notifiable disease in Queensland, Australia
We’re just hearing a news conference in Queensland that as of Thursday, coronavirus has been declared notifiable disease.
“That means on clinical suspicion, any doctor or hospital that sees a patient that they think might have this novel coronavirus is obliged to let me know. They let my staff know,” says Queensland’s chief medical officer, Dr Jeanette Young.
As I wrote in the blog a short time ago, Queensland authorities have been trying to track down passengers on a plane that flew from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on 27 January, as there was a tourist from Wuhan onboard who was later diagnoses with coronavirus. He was travelling with a party of eight other people.
“We are contact tracing of course the people immediately adjacent to these people on the plane, on that Tiger flight and then we’re giving information to everyone else who was on the plane and the Tiger people have been extremely supportive and cooperative, so that we could do that, plus we need to go through in detail everyone who’s been at the hotel these people were staying at,” Young said.
There are 98 confirmed cases of infection outside mainland China in at least 18 countries.
The United States reported its first case of person-to-person transmission, joining Germany, Vietnam and Japan in recording similar incidents.
BA has suspended all flights to and from mainstream China until the end of February. Other countries have also implemented a flight ban, most recently Italy.
Almost 200 US citizens have been evacuated and have arrived at a military base in California. They will be isolated for a minimum of 72 hours. The US is said to be planning another airlift in the coming days.
France have evacuated 200 citizens who are currently flying back to southern France where there’ll be quarantined for 14 days. The European Commission has said it is planning a flight to evacuate more European nationals.
The Chinese Football Association has postponed its domestic games in 2020, and the World Athletics Indoors Championships, due to take place in the Chinese city of Nanjing in March, have been moved to 2021.
Google and IKEA became the latest franchises to shut their Chinese shops and offices.
In Australia, confirmed cases of the virus have climbed to 9, but two people have been released and are “post-viral” according to the country’s health minister, Greg Hunt.
Authorities have been tracking down passengers that were on a plane with a Chinese tourist who flew from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on 27 January.
The 44-year-old man, from Wuhan, was diagnosed with coronavirus and was being treated in isolation in hospital on the Gold Coast.
The Guardian understands that at least one passenger who was on that plane to the Gold Coast has been asked to stay home from work. The passenger is not believed to be at high risk but as a precaution has been asked to remain at home for the time being.
Matt Raw, who as we reported earlier has been allowed to board the flight with his Chinese wife after a U-turn by authorities, has sent this video from inside Wuhan airport to the Guardian
Coronavirus: British family heads for exit flight after Chinese wife allowed to board – video
Here’s what appears to be the first picture of the evacuation plane set to bring Britons back from Wuhan, sent to the Guardian by Matt Raw, who is due to board it.
The plane due to bring Britons back from Wuhan Photograph: Jessica Murray/The Guardian
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have confirmed that following a last-minute decision from China, dependents of British nationals and dual nationals will be allowed on to the evacuation flight.
Previously, restrictions imposed by China meant those with Chinese passports were not permitted to leave the country, and China does not recognise dual nationality.
The U-turn meant that Matt Raw and his 75-year-old mother Hazel were given permission to fly along with Raw’s wife Ying, who holds a Chinese passport.
It’s uncertain whether other families in similar situations have been given the go-ahead to board the plane, or whether they have been able to make it to the airport in time.
