Coronavirus news – live: British honeymooner among dozens of new cases reported on quarantined cruise ship, as US announces $100m aid
The third person to have been diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK is believed to have caught the disease in Singapore.
It comes as Japan reported 41 new cases of the illness on a quarantined cruise ship near Yokohama. Before the new cases, 20 infected passengers had been escorted off the Diamond Princess.
Meanwhile, a Chinese doctor who had been threatened by police after sounding the alarm about the coronavirus died. The illness has killed 636 people and infected 31,161, with 260 cases recorded outside of China.
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Dr Robert R Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control Prevention, has said the “immediate risk” from coronavirus remains low for the American public.
The US has seen 12 confirmed cases of the virus so far, although additional cases in the future are expected.
For more information on the US response to the outbreak, you can find today’s full press briefing from Alex Azar, the US secretary of health, below:
Royal Caribbean bans China, Hong Kong and Macau passport holders from ships
The cruise ship company Royal Caribbean has said it will ban guests holding China, Hong Kong or Macau passports from boarding its ships due to concerns over coronavirus.
Guests or crew members who have travelled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau, less than 15 days before sailing will not be allowed to board the company’s ships as well.
The extraordinary decision will also apply to guests or crew members who have been in contact with someone who has travelled to, from or through those countries.
It comes after the fast-spreading virus has killed more than 600 people and infected more than 31,000 in at least 25 countries worldwide.
‘We are human, we are hurting’
Before the Chinese city of Wuhan was locked down to contain the deadly new coronavirus, more than 5 million people fled, but many chose to stay and wait out the storm, while some even fought to return home to care for isolated loved ones.
Coronavirus to cost global economy ‘£217bn in first quarter’
The coronavirus outbreak will cost the world’s economy more than £217bn in the first quarter of this year, experts have estimated, Chris Baynes reports.
Capital Economics predicted global GDP growth would stall for the first time in more than a decade, even if the epidemic is brought under control soon.
The warning came hours after luxury fashion brand Burberry scrapped its profit forecast for the year as the coronavirus outbreak threatens turmoil for global businesses.
First Canadian coronavirus evacuees land
A plane from Wuhan, carrying an initial group of 176 Canadian evacuees, has landed at Trenton air force base in Ontario.
A second group, who left China on a US flight, is expected to arrive later after switching planes in Vancouver, Francois-Philippe Champagne, minister of foreign affairs, said.
A further 39 Canadians are on board the American evacuation flight, Global Affairs Canada said.
No one on board the plane from Wuhan that landed in Trenton showed symptoms of the coronavirus or other illness during the flight, health minister Patty Hajdu told CBC Radio.
All evacuees will be quarantined on the base for two weeks, separated from each other in a building that resembles a small hotel, with families kept together.
It said: “Italian public health officials implemented mandatory thermal screening at all Italian air and maritime ports of entry in response to the recent novel coronavirus outbreak.
“Travellers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.”
WHO criticises ‘widespread inappropriate use’ of face masks
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has criticised the “widespread inappropriate use” of protective equipment such as masks amid the coronavirus outbreak, leaving it with insufficient stocks.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, said there was a four to six month backlog for certain personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies.
He said there had been “widespread inappropriate use” of the equipment outside of patient care and praised suppliers who had decided to only issue stock to medical professionals.
He told a press conference: “This situation has been exacerbated by widespread, inappropriate use of PPE outside patient care.
“As a result, there are now depleted stockpiles and backlogs of four to six months.
“Global stocks of masks and respirators are now insufficient to meet the needs of WHO and our partners.”
WHO warns against hoarding of protective gear
Demand for masks, gowns, gloves and other protective gear has risen by up to 100 times and prices have soared due to the coronavirus outbreak, producing a “severe” disruption in supply, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.
“This situation is exacerbated by widespread use of personal protective equipment outside patient care,” he told reporters in Geneva, adding that he had spoken to manufacturers and distributors to ensure supplies for those who need them.
He also said he could see practices like hoarding in order to ensure higher prices and called for solidarity from the public and private sector.
Singapore raised alert level sparks panic-buying
Singapore’s decision to raise its coronavirus alert level has sparked panic-buying across the island.
As Singapore’s infected tally hit 33, the alert level was raised to orange – a level reached during the 2003 SARS outbreak and the 2009 H1N1 influenza – which indicates the virus is severe and passes easily between people.
Videos posted on social media show long queues and empty shelves at supermarkets on the island.
Trade minister Chan Chun Sing warned “hoarding items unnecessarily” would “create undue panic”, which is “unhelpful to the situation at hand”.
Singapore’s highest alert level is red, which indicates the virus is spreading widely and can result in major disruption such as closing schools.
38 tested for coronvavirus in Scotland
Thirty-eight people have now been tested for coronavirus in Scotland – with all of the results coming back negative.
The Scottish Government revealed the latest figures as global data showed the number of reported new cases of the virus has started to decline.
There were roughly 3,900 new cases reported worldwide on 5 February, falling to 3,700 on 6 February and 3,200 on 7 February, World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show.
As of 2pm on Friday, 620 people have been tested for coronavirus across the UK and three cases have been confirmed.
It is understood the third person to be diagnosed in the UK is a middle-aged man who contracted the virus in Singapore.
He is thought to have been diagnosed in Brighton and transferred to St Thomas’ Hospital in London, where there is an infectious disease unit, on Thursday afternoon.
Two other patients, who had recently travelled from China, are still being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary infectious diseases centre in Newcastle.
One is a student at the University of York, while the other is a family member.
Testing of more than a thousand people a day for suspected coronavirus will be possible from next week in laboratories across the UK, Public Health England (PHE) said.
The diagnostic test currently used in London will be rolled out to centres across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to increase daily testing capacity and speed up results. A confirmatory test will continue to be conducted at PHE’s Colindale laboratory.
“Just to let you all know I have been diagnosed as having the virus and am being shipped to hospital,” he wrote.
“Would also like to say that at the moment I am not showing any symptoms so just possible a carrier.
“Will let you know how I am going on when possible.”
It also applies to travelers coming from other countries who had been to mainland China in the past 14 days.
Hong Kong residents will be allowed to quarantine themselves at home while foreigners must stay in hotels or their arranged accommodations. Those without any plans will be sent to quarantine camps.
Mr Tedros also reported in response to his appeal earlier this week for more countries to share more patient and other information about the outbreaks in their countries, not all countries had provided the requested information.
“There are some countries who have yet to send detailed case reports to WHO,” he said. “We urge those member states to share that information immediately.”
China’s foreign ministry has previously complained the US was flying its citizens out of the worst-hit city of Wuhan but not providing any assistance to China.
The White House said Mr Trump “expressed confidence in China’s strength and resilience in confronting the challenge” of the outbreak in his conversation with the Chinese president.
Communist Party newspaper Global Times said Mr Xi told Mr Trump China has “full confidence and capability to overcome” the outbreak and that the “long-term positive trend of the Chinese economy remains unchanged.”
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