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A pneumonia outbreak was first reported in the city of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province in December. Experts have attributed the outbreak to a novel coronavirus that has since spread across China and abroad.
– Confirmed cases: 28,060 in China, over 200 abroad
– Deaths: 564 in China, 1 abroad
– Recovered: Over 1,100
– Health experts warn of the risk of reinfection for the recovered
– Human-to-human transmission confirmed
– Level 1 emergency response activated in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the Chinese mainland
18 coronavirus patients from Hubei discharged from hospital
Eighteen patients diagnosed with novel coronavirus caused pneumonia were discharged from Hubei Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Thursday, reported People's Daily.
Among the discharged patients, the longest stay in the hospital was 18 days, while the shortest was six days.
The registration for antiviral drug Remdesivir's clinical trials has been approved. The first batch of critical patients infected by the novel coronavirus will start taking the drug on Thursday, reported Xinhua News Agency.
The approval is jointly supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), the National Health Commission and the National Medical Products Administration.
Remdesivir is a drug developed by Gilead Sciences, an American pharmaceutical company, said Cao Bin, head of the drug's clinical trials program at the conference held by the MST at Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital.
In previous cells and animal experiments, Remdesivir showed good antiviral activity against SARS and MERS coronavirus. In recent studies conducted in China, it also showed good antiviral activity against the novel coronavirus at the cellular level.
According to Cao, 761 patients have been enrolled in the trials, which will adopt a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study method.
Putin: ready to provide assistance to help China fight coronavirus outbreak
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia stands ready to provide China with assistance in the fight against the outbreak.
"China and all of us are confronted with the peril of the spreading of the coronavirus infection," Putin said.
"The Chinese authorities are taking decisive and vigorous measures in order to stop the epidemic," Putin said.
10 more novel coronavirus cases confirmed on Japanese cruise
Ten more people on the Japanese Cruise ship Diamond Princess tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to Japan's health ministry on Thursday. A total of 20 confirmed cases have now been reported on the ship.
These cases were detected in 71 new test results.
The newly diagnosed patients will be sent to medical institutions in Kanagawa Prefecture, and the ministry has requested the remaining 3,700 passengers and crew members to stay on board for 14 days for further inspections.
AP Photo
Emergency medical teams from across China have arrived in Wuhan to offer their help in combating the coronavirus. And, they've even brought a hospital along with them. CGTN's Sun Tianyuan has more.
A total of 28,018 cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday, with 563 deaths, said China's National Health Commission (NHC).
The updated numbers follow 73 new deaths and 3,694 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, according to the NHC.
There were 261 new recovered cases on Wednesday, bringing the total cured patients to 1,153.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 21 (1 death)
Macao SAR: 10
Taiwan: 11
Hubei reports 2,987 new coronavirus cases on Feb. 5
Central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, reported 2,987 new cases of the infection on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 19,665 in the province.
On Wednesday, 70 more deaths were reported in Hubei; 113 patients were discharged from hospital.
People in cities outside of Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, have been impacted by the threat of the virus.
The city of Wenzhou is one example. Here is how some people are handling the situation.
Soon after China reported the emergence of a pneumonia-like illness in late December, the novel coronavirus spread quickly across the country. How has China responded to the crisis?
Managing the movement of people is crucial during an epidemic. However, at the initial stage of the novel coronavirus outbreak, hundreds of thousands of people had already left central China's Wuhan City to celebrate Spring Festival with their families and friends across China. This added to the difficulties in containing the epidemic. CGTN talked to a patient who left Wuhan for Wenzhou, a city in eastern China's Zhejiang Province.
Huoshenshan Hospital in central China's Wuhan City admitted its first batch of patients infected with the novel coronavirus on Tuesday morning. On his first day in the hospital, Wan Chunhui shot a video showing the inside of his hospital room. (For more, please click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FESc73Ldd7k&feature=youtu.be) In this video, Wan records his process of recovery and subsequent treatment plans on his second day. He is looking forward to being among the first to be discharged from the hospital.
Medical workers in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, January 24, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
An antiviral drug, Remdesivir, is officially in clinical trial stage in Wuhan's Jinyintan Hospital as experts are testing its use in treating patients of novel coronavirus.
The trial will include 453 critical patients and 308 less severe patients, a medical expert said Wednesday.
Remdesivir has been used to treat Ebola virus infections abroad, and has not yet completed all clinical trials abroad.
Wuhan's municipal government Wednesday vowed to take care of all patients as the capital city of central China's Hubei Province undergoes the growing pressure of rapidly increasing the number of infected patients and shortage of medical supplies.
Hu Lishan, deputy secretary of the Wuhan municipal committee of the Communist Party of China, told reporters at a press briefing Wednesday night that the government will keep exploiting all social resources and making good use of existing ones to cope with the situation.
As the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Wuhan has reported 8,351 cases by Tuesday with 362 deaths.
A lot of people in the city with infection symptoms are short of proper medical treatment and flooded the designated hospitals, which will potentially increase the chances of cross-infection.
To tackle the situation, a mechanism to take and treat patients accordingly is gradually taking shape in Wuhan, with two makeshift hospitals, three shelter hospitals and numerous community hospitals put in place alongside the designated hospitals.
People concerned are also sorted into four groups, infected patients, suspected patients, people with close contact with infected patients, as well as patients with fever related to pneumonia, and will be treated accordingly in a bid to coordinate their care better and limit the virus' spread.
According to Hu, apart from the hospitals, a number of 132 community isolation points with a total bed capacity of 12,571 were also established, and 5,425 people were put in quarantine there accordingly as of Tuesday.
Three shelter hospitals which are transferred from major city venues will also put into use shortly and provide 4,400 beds for mildly infected patients.
In Wuhan, 28 designated hospitals will only take in patients in critical conditions in an attempt to better allocate medical resources.
A "module hospital" at Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center started receiving patients on Wednesday. By February 3, Wuhan had transformed three venues into such temporary hospitals.
One expert from the American Society for Radiation Oncology suggests using a chest CT scan to confirm coronavirus cases. In response, Professor Babak Javid from the School of Medicine at Tsinghua University commented on the clinical testing methods and medicine development and ways to boost the test efficiency of coronavirus.
Two patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia have been cured and discharged from a hospital in China's Shaanxi Province. Nationally, 939 novel coronavirus pneumonia patients have been cured as of Wednesday.
"The successful treatment of this patient boosted our confidence, and gave us experience in treating future patients," said doctor Lian Jianqi of Air Force Medical University of Plane Tangdu Hospital.
"We advise self-quarantine. If anything goes wrong, you can contact us at any time. We will make sure you stay healthy," he added.
The patients have expressed their gratitude.
China Railway on Wednesday said it will offer free refunds for those who have purchased train tickets before February 6 amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Passengers who cannot get refunds online, including those who bought their tickets using cash, will have an extension until late March.
The Lunar New Year break was extended till February 2, but many cities in China have introduced a flexible working mechanism until February 10, allowing employees to work from home.
To properly deal with traffic and mobility, the railway corporation is also adopting other measures such as capping seat occupancy on each train within 50 percent so as to ensure passengers at a distance from each other even when seated.
Another 65 medical professionals left Shanxi Province for Hubei Province to fight the coronavirus outbreak. They are with a National Emergency Medical Rescue Team from the Shanxi Bethune Hospital. Many of them were involved in the battle against SARS in 2003 and joined medical rescue in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. So far Shanxi has deployed 321 medical personnel to help in Hubei.
Leishenshan Hospital, specialized coronavirus hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, is set to be completed and take patients soon. The hospital will be able to accommodate 1,600 patients.
In his first press conference of 2020, the UN chief Antonio Guterres says the Uited Nations recognizes China's efforts in containing the coronovirus outbreak. He urges the whole world to stay united in fighting against the disease.
Wuhan's designated hospitals will only receive confirmed and suspected coronavirus patients in critical condition
From February 5, the designated hospitals in central China's Wuhan City will only receive patients who have been confirmed or are suspected to have contracted novel coronavirus and are medically critical, according to Wuhan Health Commission.
Other patients who do not meet the aforementioned criteria will be temporarily observed and later transferred to either shelter hospitals or the local community for isolation, the commission said.
YChina was founded by a group of young people from across the world living in China. They produce videos that introduce China to the world in a unique and interesting way.
A week ago, when the spread of coronavirus began to intensify, Raz and his friend Brian at YChina decided it was time for them to help the people in need. They started in the morning and, by afternoon, managed to put together more than 100,000 pieces of medical supplies – all in just one day!
Their work is continuing, and so is the challenge. Donations started pouring in as soon as they published a video of their work – they received a ton of supplies in as many as 216 boxes. Now, the challenge is to get the supplies dispatched on an airplane in time. Let's see how they overcome various difficulties, such as flight cancellations and complicated requirements of the customs authorities as well as the suppliers.
Supported by Chinese teammates from across the globe as well as help from Chinese companies, YChina successfully managed to send the much-needed supplies to Huanggang Central Hospital in central China's Hubei Province.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy or position of China Global Television Network.
Wuhan, don't panic, we're waiting for you
A pneumonia outbreak was first reported in the city of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province in December. Experts have attributed the outbreak to a novel coronavirus that has since spread across China and abroad.
UK scientists: Zavesca is expected to inhibit the novel coronavirus
Scientists from the Oxford Glycobiology Institute has found that Zavesca, an iminosugar drug that has been on the market for nearly 20 years, as well as two other iminosugar drug molecules in clinical 2A trials – testing on real patients – for the treatment of hepatitis B virus, dengue virus and influenza virus, were expected to inhibit the novel coronavirus.
Read more:
UK scientists: Zavesca is expected to inhibit the novel coronavirus
China issues force majeure certificates to coronavirus-hit businesses
A Chinese international trade promotion agency on Sunday issued the first force majeure certificate to an auto parts manufacturer in eastern China in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.
The certificates can excuse companies from not performing their contractual obligations due to extraordinary circumstances beyond their control. Companies postponing production under administrative order can apply to invoke force majeure which pardons small businesses for late deliveries.
The move by the China Council for The Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), officially accredited by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, was announced late on Thursday.
Read more:
China issues force majeure certificates to coronavirus-hit businesses
Can you infect yourself with coronavirus by not handling your mask properly? Can you catch it from pets?
There are lots of myths and rumours swirling about the disease.
Here are ways the World Health Organisation says you can - and can't catch - the coronavirus
Construction of shelter hospital completed in Wuhan
The construction of a shelter hospital located in Wuhan International Convention and Exhibition Center with 1,800 beds for novel coronavirus patients was completed on Wednesday.
Wuhan City, the epicenter of the latest coronavirus outbreak in central China's Hubei Province, started building shelter hospitals on Monday.
These shelter hospitals are expected to carry out a series of functions, including emergency aid, surgical treatment and clinical examination.
223 Chinese travelers stranded in Japan flown back to Wuhan
A total of 223 Chinese travelers from central China's Hubei Province who stranded in Japan were flown back to Wuhan City on Wednesday.
The Air China flight CA081 carrying 223 Chinese passengers and 2.5 tons of donations of epidemic prevention supplies took off from Japan's Kansai International Airport in Osaka and landed in Wuhan Tianhe International Airport around 6:30 p.m. BJT.
Pregnant women infected with the novel coronavirus may pass it to their unborn child, doctors at the Wuhan Children Hospital said on Wednesday.
The doctors said it was possible after a newborn was tested positive for the virus 30 hours after the infected mother giving birth to the baby on February 2.
The newborn is in stable condition with a lung infection and a bit short of breath. It's not showing symptoms of fever and coughing for now.
But the doctors said most of the babies at Wuhan Children Hospital now did not catch the virus even though the mothers were infected.
All newborns with infected mothers are now being observed and treated at Wuhan Children Hospital.
While mother-to-child transmission remains unclear, another infected woman in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province gave birth to a healthy girl on February 3.
Chinese blogger Zhou Yikun has called for the stop of "freedom of bias" against China as the coronavirus outbreak stokes racism and xenophobia in some countries. Fearing the spread of the virus, some foreign businesses have refused to serve Chinese customers, and there have also been public campaigns calling on governments to ban Chinese travelers. Many even dubbed coronavirus the "China Virus".
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for legal efforts to be made in support of prevention and control work amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the statement when presiding over the third meeting of the Commission for Overall Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee. Xi is the head of the commission.
The president said people's safety and health should always be put in the first place and efforts in aspects of legislation, law enforcement, justice and law compliance should be made to better facilitate the epidemic prevention and control.
Xi said the current prevention and control work is at a critical moment and stressed the utmost importance of scientific and orderly work based on law.
The Chinese president spoke of the need to improve legislation on epidemic prevention and control, improve support system and punishment procedures. He further stressed the importance of strictly implementing laws and regulations on epidemic prevention and control and emergency response, strengthening risk assessment, making prudent decisions and taking strict measures in accordance with the law.
Laws on prevention and control of infectious diseases, wildlife protection and animal quarantine, as well as the regulations on public health emergency response, must be strictly enforced, Xi said.
Moreover, Xi called for strengthening public security management and market supervision, including crackdown on illegal and violent acts against medical personnel and investigation and punishment of illegal acts, such as driving up prices of epidemic prevention supplies and products related to people's livelihood.
Xi said the authorities must ensure that all the donated items are used for epidemic prevention and control in a timely manner. He also emphasized the importance of timely and accurate release of the epidemic information in accordance with the law.
He also required strengthening public legal education and legal services during prevention and control.
Documents including the commission's guidelines on practicing law-based infection prevention and control of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus were adopted at the meeting.
The head of the World Health Organization has said there's a "window of opportunity" for the international community to act on the outbreak. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said over 99 percent of the infection cases are in China, and that the country is taking "strong measures." The rest of the world needs to do its part, he added.
147 Chinese nationals stranded in Singapore flown back to Wuhan
A total of 147 Chinese travelers stranded in Singapore were flown back to central China's Wuhan on Wednesday.
Flight MU800, operated by China Eastern Airlines, took off from Singapore's Changi Airport and landed in Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 5:00 p.m. BJT with 147 passengers, including 29 children and one infant, on board.
The charter plane also brought back part of the donations from Singapore, including masks and goggles.
As the extended Lunar New Year holiday comes to an end, a bunch of medical companies in Chengdu, capital of southwestern China's Sichuan Province, have resumed production to meet growing market demands following a halt of business activities due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus.
Eight patients infected with novel coronavirus pneumonia were discharged from hospital in central China's Wuhan City after being cured by a combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine.
They are the first batch of patients to be cured using such treatment.
The patients were aged between 26 and 68, and six of them were in critical condition before the treatment.
The TCM doctors from Beijing's two hospitals arrived in Wuhan on January 28 to help fight the outbreak.
Hong Kong to quarantine all arrivals from Chinese mainland
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will begin imposing a mandatory 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday. The new measure will come into force on February 8.
As of 3:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, a total of 21 cases of novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Hong Kong, Lam said.
China thanks international community for support in coronavirus fight
China expresses welcome and appreciation to the "sincere and friendly understanding, support and help from the international community," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.
Hua Chunying said as of Wednesday noon, 21 countries as well as the UN's children agency UNICEF had donated epidemic control materials to China.
Read more:
China thanks international community for support in coronavirus fight
China increases mask production to meet surging demand
China is increasing the production of masks to meet the surging demand, an official said Wednesday at a press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council.
As of February 3, 14.8 million masks were made per day nationwide; the medical need for N95 type masks has been prioritized.
Meanwhile, the officials also briefed about the pneumonia diagnosis for novel coronavirus infection.
Isolate the virus, not China! International society calls against discrimination
An Italian Chinese young man named Massimiliano Martigli Jiang conducted a test on the streets of Florence, Italy, on Sunday, during which he blindfolded his eyes and put on a mask, with a paper board placed near him reading "I'm not Virus. I'm Human. ERADICATE PREJUDICE."
In the video, many pedestrians embraced him and expressed their love and encouragement.
Before the test, on Saturday, mayor of Florence Dario Nardella initiated an event on Twitter called "hug a Chinese," calling on everyone to get united in the battle against the virus and the prejudice and racism that has been seen across the world.
Huoshenshan Hospital admits another group of patients
Huoshenshan Hospital, a SARS treatment-model makeshift hospital in central China's Wuhan City, Hubei Province started admitting another group of patients on Wednesday afternoon.
The hospital, which was built in 10 days, was formally delivered to military medics on Sunday morning.
Covering an area of 34,000 square meters, the hospital provides 1,000 beds for coronavirus patients who are gradually being transferred to the hospital.
Five medical workers infected with the novel coronavirus were cured and discharged from Wuhan Union Hospital on Wednesday morning.
A total of 15 medical workers have been infected in Wuhan Union Hospital while attending to patients.
As of Wednesday, 14 of them have been discharged.
The first batch of three medical workers has left the hospital on January 28, followed by another six in the second batch on February 2.
Standards on discharging and isolation relief (According to China's National Health Commission)
1. Body temperature remains normal for at least three days
2. Obvious improvement of respiratory symptom
3. Virus test negative for two successive times (Sampling interval of at least one day)
In the coronavirus outbreak of 2020, people in China have witnessed the race against death in the operating room, and we shall never forget the work of The China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC).
CGTN stringer went to visit the Wuhan Center for Disease Control & Prevention in Jiangxia District. In the center, one of the main tasks for the staff is epidemic research. The staff have the whereabouts of potential patients as a result of research which helps them find the patients as soon as possible. In addition, they also go to the hospitals to talk to the patients face to face to get a grasp of who had close encounters with the patients. The patients' personal information is completely respected by the staff.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of China Global Television Network.
Beijing prioritizes safety of Taiwan compatriots living in mainland
Beijing on Wednesday reiterated support to Taiwan compatriots living on the Chinese mainland, at a time when the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (2019-NoV) in the island have reached a total of 11.
Currently, three Taiwan compatriots living on the Chinese mainland have been confirmed with the virus, and all are being well taken care of at local hospitals, according to Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.
Click here for more.
Brazilian president: Brazil in solidarity with China in epidemic fight
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday voiced his support for China's fight against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
On a Twitter post, Bolsonaro said that Brazil has been following China's efforts to contain the outbreak, and that his country is in solidarity with China in fighting the epidemic, which represents a challenge for everyone.
He also expressed his gratitude for the Chinese government's assistance in withdrawing Brazilian citizens from Wuhan.
Brazil's Minister of Heath, Luiz Henrique Mandetta earlier said in an interview that it's unrealistic to restrict travel between the two countries as China is Brazil’s biggest trade partner.
CGTN's Tian Wei speaks with Dr. Gauden Galea, WHO Representative to China, on the latest new coronavirus outbreak, and more on the WHO efforts to prevent and control further spread of the virus.
Chen Yihe is the eldest pneumonia patient diagnosed with coronavirus. After 15 days of treatment in Jinyintan Hospital, he was discharged and will continue to recuperate at home.
Chen was once in critical condition as he suffered from high fever and diarrhea at the beginning of his medical treatment. Doctors and nurses took turns working to bring his temperature down. As Chen was in a quarantine ward, nurses were responsible for his medical treatment and daily care.
"Thank you for taking good care of me these past days. You worked with devotion, unafraid of getting infected yourselves," said Chen before getting discharged, adding "I thank the medical staff for their careful treatment. I am very spirited and not a patient anymore. I am a healthy elderly person now.”He also wrote a letter of thanks to the hospital.
Since Monday, Wuhan residents have been required to go to their designated community health center first if they have fever or any other coronavirus symptoms before being transferred to large hospitals. After initial check ups, some patients highly suspected of carrying the virus will be transported to designated hospitals for further diagnosis and treatment.
CGTN reporter Huang Yichang takes an inside look at how such a community-level health center is sharing the burden in fighting the coronavirus.
Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella has suggested residents hug Chinese people to encourage them in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, a member of Associazione Unione Giovani Italo Cinesi, a Chinese society in Italy aimed at promoting friendship between people in the two countries, called for respect for novel coronavirus patients during a street demonstration. "I'm not a virus. I'm a human. Eradicate the prejudice."
Ten passengers on a Japanese cruise carrying 3,711 people tested positive for novel coronavirus, the Japanese health minister said on Wednesday.
The Diamond Princess cruise ship has been kept in quarantine off the coast of Yokohama since an 80-year-old passenger from Hong Kong was discovered to have contracted the coronavirus.
273 people who had close contact with the passenger were tested, and 31 results had come back. All 10 confirmed patients were being sent to medical organizations, said the health minister.
As of Wednesday morning, there have been 30 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Japan.
WHO chief: World has 'window of opportunity' on coronavirus prevention
The strong measures taken by China at the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak have prevented significant spread abroad, providing a "window of opportunity" to halt transmission, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, calling for greater solidarity of the world.
Click here for more.
490 dead, 24,324 cases of coronavirus confirmed on Chinese mainland
A total of 24,324 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed on the Chinese mainland as of Tuesday, with 490 deaths, said China's National Health Commission.
The updated numbers follow 65 new deaths and 3,887 new confirmed cases on Tuesday, according to the commission.
Meanwhile, there were 262 new recovered cases on Tuesday and 3,971 suspected cases reported.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 18 (1 dead)
Macao SAR: 10
Taiwan: 11
Hubei reports 3,156 new coronavirus cases on Feb. 4
Central China's Hubei Province reported 3,156 new cases of the infection on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 16,678 in the province.
On Tuesday, 65 more deaths were reported in Hubei; 125 patients were discharged from the hospital.
The first new hospital in Wuhan dedicated to treating patients with the coronavirus started receiving patients Tuesday morning.
The construction of a second facility is expected to be completed on Wednesday.
CGTN spoke to Yin Kui, chief engineer of China Construction Third Engineering Bureau.
He told us the new hospital will have two different entrances for medical staff and patients.
And the hospital has been specially-designed to prevent medical workers from getting infected.
Hallways, patient wards and bathrooms have four levels of air pressure so the virus cannot be spread.
Huoshenshan Hospital, a prefab facility to treat coronavirus patients in Wuhan, has received 45 patients as of Tuesday night, said Xu Dixiong, deputy director of the hospital, in an interview.
The 1,000-bed hospital, which was built in 10 days, started taking patients at 9:26 p.m. on Tuesday. Some 1,400 medical workers were dispatched to work at the hospital.
A time-lapse video shows the speedy construction of the logistics support building of Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital. According to reports, the back-up building would play a key role in the functioning of the hospital, which is being built to treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus. The hospital is due to open on February 5 and take patients the next day.
Chinese authorities on Tuesday stressed that prevention and control of the epidemic remain the top priority in central China's Hubei Province, especially in key areas such as the city of Wuhan and its surrounding areas.
Efforts should be made to improve patients' recovery rate and reduce the infection and fatality rates, said an official statement issued after the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's leading group on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak met on Tuesday.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and also head of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, presided over the meeting.
Preventative measures include enlisting a batch of hotels and venues to centrally treat patients with mild illness or observe people who came into close contact with patients, adding another 2,000 medical workers to support Hubei, and dispatching a high-level medical team to take over the hospitals that treat critically ill patients, the group stated.
Wuhan will convert three existing venues, including a gymnasium and an exhibition center, into temporary hospitals to receive patients with the novel coronavirus, and the three makeshift medical facilities will add a total capacity of 3,800 beds.
Enterprises that manufacture protective clothing and face masks should resume work as soon as possible and expand production capacity. Relevant departments also should ensure the supply of daily necessities and operation of the traffic network, according to the group.
WHO official on coronavirus: We are in an epidemic situation, not a pandemic
“We are not in a pandemic yet. We are in an epidemic situation with multiple foci," said Sylvie Briand, Director of the World Health Organization's pandemic and epidemic diseases department, during a press conference on Tuesday.
There are currently 23 countries outside of China with reported cases, Briand told reporters.
The WHO official stressed that masks are necessary for infected patients. "In that way they can protect others as the virus is primarily transmitted through droplets," she pointed out.
South Korea has donated 1.5 million masks and other relief items to Wuhan to help China's fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
An Asiana Airlines cargo flight, carrying the masks and more than 120,000 items of protective clothing and goggles, left for Wuhan on Monday, the ministry said.
The South Korean government also plans to provide 5 million U.S. dollars' worth of emergency aid to China.
Belgium confirms first coronavirus case
A Belgian person, one of nine who returned from China’s Wuhan City on Sunday, has been tested positive for the coronavirus, Belgium’s health agency said on Tuesday.
The agency said all nine had undergone a series of tests in a military hospital in capital Brussels.
Eight of them tested negative. They were in good health and currently not showing any symptoms of the virus, the agency added.
Russia temporarily restricts foreign arrivals from China
Russia will temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners arriving from China, starting Tuesday, due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said on Monday.
Certain groups of people, including citizens from countries under the Eurasian Economic Union and official delegations, will be allowed to enter Russia.
Coronavirus fatality rate is 2.1% in China, says NHC
According to China’s National Health Commission, the case fatality rate of the novel coronavirus is 2.1 percent in the country as of Monday. The mortality rate in central China’s Hubei Province is 3.1 percent, while the figure stands at 4.9 percent in Wuhan City, the epicenter of the disease’s outbreak.
Hubei Province accounts for 97 percent of all fatalities, which means the number excluding Hubei Province is 0.16 percent, said the commission.
Around 80 percent of the deaths are over the age of 60, while 75 percent of them had underlying conditions like cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and diabetes, the national health body said.
Hubei's Red Cross Society officials punished for misconduct
Three senior officials of the Hubei Provincial Red Cross Society have been punished for misconduct during the epidemic control and prevention of the coronavirus outbreak, the provincial commission for discipline inspection said in a statement on Tuesday.
Zhang Qin, vice-chairman of the organization, was removed from the post, said the statement.
An investigation revealed that the officials failed to take responsibility for the work of receiving and distributing donated funds and materials, according to the statement.
Read more: Wuhan hospitals still desperate for supplies, but what happened to donations?
As many as 340 cases of novel coronavirus have been confirmed so far in Wenzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang Province. That's the biggest number in a single city outside of Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak. Local authorities say it is because nearly 50,000 people who study and work in Hubei had returned for the Spring Festival holiday. As Wenzhou ramps up efforts to contain the coronavirus, CGTN reporter Xu Mengqi paid a visit to a local community and farmers' market to see how residents are responding to the epidemic and trying to prevent it.
Taiwan bans entry to foreign nationals traveling from Chinese mainland
Foreign nationals who had been to the Chinese mainland in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Taiwan amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to local authorities.
The new measure will come into force on February 7.
In order to diagnose if someone is coronavirus-infected, nurses have to test the patients' throat swabs. However, it is a very dangerous process as such patients give off a lot of viral aerosols.
Ten ambulances transported on Tuesday the first group of 50 coronavirus patients to the newly built Huoshenshan Hospital, an emergency medical facility built at lightning speed in central China's Wuhan. A military medical team is operating the hospital, which houses 1,000 beds and 19 inpatient wards, including wards for patients in critical condition. Huoshenshan Hospital was built in 10 days to treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
Macao suspends gambling amid coronavirus outbreak
Ho Iat Seng, the chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region, announced that gambling activities will be suspended for two weeks in Macao to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
Ho urged the residents to stay indoors and noted that public officers will work from home.
World leaders voice support for coronavirus-hit Wuhan
National leaders and heads of international organizations have voiced support for China in its battle against the coronavirus outbreak, sending messages of encouragement to Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the 2019-CoV outbreak.
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Wang Yi on coronavirus control: China takes responsibility for its people and international community
China's approach to fighting the novel coronavirus is a responsible one that takes into account the interests of the Chinese people and the international community, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday while holding a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Expressing thanks to Zarif, the first foreign minister to voice support for China, Wang reaffirmed China's confidence and capability to win the war against the coronavirus as the number of recovered cases has surpassed those of deaths since Saturday.
While praising the Chinese government's efforts to control the crisis and prevent its spread, Zarif opposed politicizing such issues.
Read more:
Based on data as of 24:00 on February 2, the mortality rate of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, except Hubei Province, was 0.18 percent, slightly higher than seasonal flu. But the mortality rate in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, was 3.13 percent. Why?
"We always care about the health and well-being of our Taiwan compatriots. There have been no barriers for Taiwan to get the latest information on the coronavirus outbreak," said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference on Tuesday.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Ma said they notified Taiwan of the epidemic's status as well as the control measures many times.
Attaching high importance to the Taiwan compatriots, the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office also promptly informed the region about the confirmed cases of Taiwan compatriots on the Chinese mainland, Ma added.
"We arranged experts from Taiwan to come visit Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, playing a positive role in jointly controlling the virus," said Ma.
Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities should stop all political hype in the name of the epidemic and stop interfering with the prevention and control of the epidemic, noted Ma.
Carrie Lam, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), said that a strike by medical employees has impacted hospital services and patients.
"Because some medical staffs have not returned to work, hospital services in Hong Kong and many patients in critical condition are affected," Lam said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Thousands of doctors and nurses went on strike on Monday in Hong Kong, demanding a total shutdown of the border with the Chinese mainland in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Their move has drawn criticism in Hong Kong for leaving medical institutions understaffed at such critical moments.
Hong Kong authorities have announced they are closing four more border crossings starting Tuesday. On January 31, six checkpoints were closed.
Lam said the SAR government puts the needs of medical personnel first, and prioritizes the resources and materials they need. She said she "appreciates the medical staff who are still carrying out their duties."
The Hong Kong SAR chief said the closure of the border crossings has no effect on freight transportation, and noted that there are currently no shortages of food or essential supplies in Hong Kong amid panic buying.
Munyaradzi Gurure, a Zimbabwean student in China, has decided not to leave his host country despite the novel coronavirus outbreak. Instead of staying indoor, he's spending his days volunteering at Yulin Railway Station in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Tuesday reported its first coronavirus death in the region, according to local media.
The 39-year-old man died Tuesday morning at Hong Kong's Princess Margaret Hospital from a sudden heart failure, local media quoted medical sources as saying.
By Monday, Hong Kong had confirmed 15 cases of the new coronavirus. He was the 13th patient.
The patient had traveled to Wuhan via high-speed rail on January 21 and returned to Hong Kong on January 23.
He visited Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was put in isolation ward after he suffered muscle pain and ran a fever after January 29.
The patient reportedly had a pre-existing illness and his 72-year-old mother also tested positive for the virus.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tuesday said it hopes the U.S. could soon provide the aid it promised for the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
"China noted the U.S. has made repeated offers to provide aid to China to fight the outbreak. We hope Washington could provide the offered aid soon," Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Tuesday in a statement.
Hua repeated that the U.S. should work with China and the international community in battling the viral outbreak, instead of overreacting.
The ministry on Monday criticized the U.S. for "creating and spreading fear" after Washington responded to the epidemic by evacuating its embassy staff and imposing travel bans on Chinese travelers, which led other countries to follow suit.
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China says U.S. overreacting to coronavirus outbreak, creating and spreading fear
Huoshenshan Hospital, a SARS treatment-model makeshift hospital in Wuhan, started admitting patients on Tuesday morning.
The first batch of 50 patients from three hospitals, including Wuchang Hospital and Hankou Hospital, has been transferred to the newly built hospital and the patients are undergoing treatment.
The hospital, built in 10 days, was formally delivered to military medics on Sunday morning.
Covering an area of 34,000 square meters, the hospital provides 1,000 beds for coronavirus patients who are gradually transferred to the hospital.
Military medical staff test facilities and make the bed at Huoshenshan Hospital in their final preparations before admitting patients infected with the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, February, 3, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
Wuhan started building two makeshift hospitals, Leishenshan and Huoshenshan, for treating pneumonia patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
The construction of another makeshift hospital is underway. With a bedding capacity of 1,500, it is scheduled to be put into use on February 5 and take patients the next day.
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Xi Jinping approves sending 1,400 military medical staff to Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan
425 dead, 20,438 cases of coronavirus confirmed on Chinese mainland
A total of 20,438 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed on the Chinese mainland as of Monday, with 425 deaths, said China's National Health Commission.
The updated numbers follow 64 new deaths and 3,235 new confirmed cases on Monday, according to the commission.
All of the newly confirmed deceased were from Hubei Province, said the health bureau.
Meanwhile, there were 157 new recovered cases on Monday, bringing the total cured patients so far to 632.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 15
Macao SAR: 8
Taiwan: 10
Wuhan to treat mildly infected virus patients in shelter hospitals
Wuhan will treat patients of mild pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus in shelter hospitals as the city ramps up measures to curb the spread of the virus, the city's authorities said Monday night at a meeting.
According to a local newspaper, three major venues, including Hongshan Stadium and Wuhan International Conference & Exhibition Center, will be transformed into shelter hospitals as soon as possible.
Hubei reported 2,345 new coronavirus cases on Feb. 3
Central China's Hubei Province reported 2,345 new cases of the infection on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 13,522 in the province.
On Monday, 64 more deaths were reported in Hubei while 101 patients were discharged from the hospital.
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is showing no signs of letting up, as China quarantines millions of people and travel restrictions are issued around the world.
The World Health Organization reports that worldwide 362 people have now died and more than 17,000 are infected.
The majority of cases remain in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, where public health officials built a makeshift hospital in just ten days. It opened its doors Monday to patients.
CGTN asked Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health if the coronavirus could become a pandemic.
He said it's possible. "We are in the middle of an evolving situation with a virus that we have never had any other experience with up until just most recently."
There isn't enough data to draw firm conclusions yet. "I mean we have a month and a few days worth of experience with a virus that's rapidly accelerating in China and has already been mostly through travel, through 26 plus countries, including the United States," Fauci said. "So, whether or not this becomes an ongoing outbreak in multiple countries spread throughout the world, hence making it a pandemic, we don't have any idea of that. But it certainly could happen."
International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva sent a message of support to the Chinese people from the IMF headquarters in Washington, DC, Monday.
Georgieva also showed support for China's economy in light of the recent coronavirus emergency.
"We support China's efforts to respond, by taking measures with all the strength of its health system, but also by the recent fiscal, monetary and financial actions. We are confident in the resilience of China's economy."
She also sent her condolences for the people affected by the epidemic.
"On behalf of all the membership of the IMF, all staff and management, I would like to express our deep sympathies to all those affected by the serious situation related to coronavirus," Georgieva said.
The art reads: "Spring has come back to the Earth."
Georgieva was also presented with a unique gift, a Chinese painting, from IMF Executive Director for China Jin Zhongxia, to express gratitude for her support.
Regarding China's ability to steady the social and economic impacts of the outbreak, the World Bank tweeted on Monday: "The Chinese authorities have policy space to respond and have announced a sizeable injection of liquidity, which should help mitigate the costs to economic growth."
Coronavirus patients will be moving into the newly built Huoshenshan Hospital, which has been constructed in the city of Wuhan in just a matter of days. The hospital has been made to treat patients suspected of contracting the novel coronavirus.
A total of 50 patients will be transferred to the new site in 10 ambulances from Jinyintan hospital and Wuhan Emergency Center. About 1,400 army medical workers have been awaiting the patients in the hospital.
CGTN reporter Tang Bo spoke to Dr Jing from Wuhan Emergency Center about why she continues to help the coronavirus patients and how she thinks the new hospital will relieve the burden of the 23 hospitals currently dedicated to the virus.
Doctors and medical staff aren't the only ones taking part in the battle against the coronavirus outbreak.
At the Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in Guangzhou, several robots have been deployed to assist nurses and physicians with their treatment of quarantined patients.
The domestically designed and made intelligent robots are able to carry out a variety of tasks. From traveling door to door delivering medicine to patients, to also being able to collect any waste or items that need to be disinfected.
The robots are serving as a worthy partner for doctors and nurses alike.
Yet, their biggest benefit is not their programmed software to navigate a hospital ward or to track basic patient information, it's something more indirect.
As of February 3, 80 percent of the Leishenshan Hospital construction project in Wuhan City has been finished. The quarantine ward area has been 75 percent completed and 90 percent of the living area for the medical staff has been finished. The hospital is due to open on February 5.
A woman infected with the novel pneumonia (2019-nCoV) gave birth to a healthy baby in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on January 30. Doctors delivered the baby girl by cesarean section in Harbin No. 6 Hospital, which said on Monday that tests on the newborn on Friday and Sunday both came back negative .
WHO chief says no need to halt travel to beat coronavirus
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday there was no need for measures that "unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade" in trying to halt the spread of novel coronavirus outbreak in China.
"We call on all countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based and consistent," he told the WHO Executive Board, reiterating his earlier message.
"Our global consecutiveness is a weakness in this outbreak but it is also our greater strength," Tedros added.
Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital is one of the key hospitals treating coronavirus patients. CCTV Reporter Dong Qian has an exclusive interview with the president of the hospital, Zhang Dingyu, who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) on October 2018. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Zhang Dingyu chose to stay with his colleagues, and helped with others with his optimistic attitude towards life.
The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting on Monday to hear a report on the current work of the novel coronavirus and discuss how to double efforts to curb the outbreak.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered a speech.
The meeting stressed the importance of the double efforts in curbing the epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus in central China's Hubei Province, particularly the key regions – the city of Wuhan and its surrounding areas.
Material resources support of all kinds should be put on the front line of the fight with priority given to medical staff and patients, it added.
Chinese authorities have given top priority to the safety and health of the people, Xi said, adding that the prevention and control work are vigorously carried out under the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the concerted efforts of all parties.
He noted that the work against the epidemic is closely related to people's lives and health, overall economic and social stability, and China's opening-up.
Medical staff and a recovered patient at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, January 27, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
The president asked Party organizations, officials and members to unite the people in resolutely implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee.
The work against the novel coronavirus is not just a matter of medical and health care, but a comprehensive process, Xi said. "All work should serve to win the fight against the epidemic," he added.
Xi stressed that there should be no formalism and bureaucracy in fighting the epidemic, noting that any dereliction of duty shall be punished in accordance with discipline and law.
The country should spare no efforts in treating patients so as to improve the cure rate and reduce the infection and fatality rates, the meeting stated.
Scientific research on the source of infection, ways of virus transmission and mutation in viruses are also of great importance for timely prevention and control strategies, the meeting said.
It also stressed efforts from local governments to ensure a stable supply of epidemic prevention and control materials and daily necessities.
A 33-year-old man is the first patient in northeast China to recover from the coronavirus. /CGTN Photo
Party committees and governments at all levels should continue to work hard to achieve this year's targets and tasks for economic and social development, closely monitor economic performance and pay attention to the impact of the epidemic on economic performance, it added.
The novel coronavirus outbreak is a great test of China's system and capacity for governance and efforts should be made to improve the national emergency management system based on the experiences and lessons learned during the battle, it said.
On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi also paid tribute to the officials and workers, medical workers and scientific researchers on the front line, as well as soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and personnel from all sectors, and expressed sincere condolences to the victims and their families.
Deputy Head of Beijing's Xicheng district Miao Jianhong said on Monday there had been a cluster of cases at Fuxing hospital, with nine confirmed, including five medical staff and four hospitalized patients.
The initial investigation shows it is related to the infection of individual medical staff. The specific cause is under investigation, and close contacts are now under intensive observation. Experts say it is generally manageable.
A total of 124 cases of novel coronavirus caused by cluster outbreak have been reported in Beijing, and accounts for more than 50% of the total confirmed cases.
The department of disease control and prevention reminded the general public that people in close contact with the confirmed cases should obey the arrangement of medical personnel in accordance with the law and implement medical quarantine observation measures.
China says U.S. overreacting to coronavirus outbreak, creating and spreading fear
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday criticized the United States for "creating and spreading fear" of a coronavirus epidemic, calling for global efforts to contain the outbreak.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the U.S. has acted to create and spread fear following the coronavirus outbreak in China instead of offering any significant assistance.
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Wuhan's Huoshenshan Hospital, built in ten days, was formally delivered to military medics on Sunday. Covering 34,000 square meters, it will provide 1,000 beds for coronavirus patients. 1,400 military medical workers are now on duty. Patients are gradually moving there. CGTN's Tang Bo brings more from an ambulance transferring patients to Huoshenshan Hospital.
Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Carrie Lam on Monday announced that the city will suspend most of its checkpoints to the Chinese mainland from midnight to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Lam said in a briefing Monday that only two checkpoints — Shenzhen Bay and the bridge to Macau and Zhuhai — will remain open.
Lam denied that the move was due to pressure from medical workers, who threatened a five-day strike to demand that the government shut all checkpoints to the Chinese mainland.
She said it had "absolutely nothing to do with the strike" and was instead simply a measure to stem the spread of the virus. Lam urged Hong Kong residents to "stand united" in combating the outbreak.
So far, the epidemic, which broke out in central China's Wuhan city, has infected 17,238 in China, 148 abroad and killed 361 in China, one abroad.
Lam said Hong Kong's international airport would also remain open and stressed the need to set up more quarantine camps to isolate people who contracted the virus and those with whom they came into close contact.
"I urge residents and district councilors not to oppose any more," she said, referring to public opposition to such facilities being designated near residential areas.
"The World Health Organisation has said that as the situation changes, measures also need to be adjusted. The Hong Kong government has been following this principle," she said.
"These measures affect employees, so businesses should be understanding," she said. "I'd also like to salute medical professionals who have stayed committed to their positions. We will work with the Hospital Authority to ensure that the supply of protective gear, including surgical masks, is sufficient."
The Macao SAR government tightened the border policy to control the entry of visitors from central China's Hubei Province or those who had visited the province within 14 days on January 27.
China's National Immigration Administration Monday reminded Chinese people to pay attention to the changes to Hong Kong and Macao's border entry policies and properly arrange their travel plans to avoid unnecessary loss.
Regina Ip: Complete closure of entry points with Chinese mainland is unnecessary
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, Legislative Council Member of Hong Kong SAR and the Chairperson of the New People's Party, told CGTN that the complete closure of border crossings was unnecessary.
"I think people are understandably worried about the spread of the virus. But this time, unlike 2003, I think there has been a lot of political manipulation of the scale of the virus scare, for example, the call for so called complete closure of control points is unrealistic and unnecessary," she said.
"The advocates have not been able to explain what they really meant. Does it mean closing down the airport? Have they looked at the figures? Take the control points bordering the (Chinese) mainland, most of the travelers are actually Hong Kong residents, up to 200,000 a day, whereas mainland visitors, the numbers are coming down steadily," she continued.
"What people I think the advocate deliberately ignore is Hong Kong is actually closely intertwined with the (Chinese) mainland. Every day, we have lots of cross border families students. Hong Kong students studying in (the Chinese) mainland who want to come back. Mainland mothers who need to come here to look after Hong Kong-born children. Even though some people say they are only advocating the stoppage of people flow, not the flow of essential supplies. Do these people realize that a lot of food supplies, for example, ferry to Hong Kong by mainland drivers? So it's really unrealistic to ask for complete closure. That doesn't make sense at all. And that is not necessary," she said.
Two districts in Russia's Far East declare a state of emergency
Authorities in the Oktyabrsky and Khasansky Districts in the Far Eastern Primorsky Region in Russia on Sunday declared a state of emergency amid the coronavirus outbreak, reported TASS news agency.
People from China arriving in the region with a residence permit will undergo medical tests for the coronavirus and be quarantined for 14 days.
Three facilities have been launched for monitoring and quarantine in the regions.
Chinese charter flight brings back 131 Wuhan tourists from Vietnam amid coronavirus outbreak
A charter flight sent by the Chinese government brought back a total of 131 tourists from China's Wuhan City, the epicenter of the recent coronavirus outbreak, from Vietnam, on Monday afternoon.
The airplane from China Eastern Airlines departed from Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and is scheduled to arrive at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 18:20 BJT on Monday.
China Eastern Airlines Photo
A total of 16 foreigners in China have contracted the novel coronavirus, two of them have been cured and discharged from hospital, and the remaining 14 are in quarantine and in a stable condition, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday.
Hubei requisitions hotels to quarantine suspected coronavirus-infected people
Hubei authorities on Sunday issued a notice on the battle against the deadly coronavirus outbreak, saying that it will enhance the isolation and treatment for patients with symptoms suspected of being infected with the coronavirus, as well as those in close contact with the infected.
According to the notice, hotels, guest houses and other buildings in proper condition will be requisitioned as quarantine areas for patients.
More than 2,000 newly confirmed infections of the coronavirus were reported in Hubei on Sunday, making the total confirmed cases more than 11,000.
One of the emergency hospitals in Wuhan built in response to the deadly novel coronavirus, the now complete Huoshenshan Hospital went into use on Monday. Thousands of construction workers stepped up construction day and night. It's hard to imagine how much work they've done in the past few days. CGTN's Wang Kailin went to the construction site and talked with workers who have witnessed the shockingly rapid progress.
Coronavirus detected on doorknob in S. China's Guangzhou
Scientists in south China's Guangzhou on Sunday detected the nucleic acid of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) on a doorknob at the house of a patient diagnosed with the disease, according to an official for the Disease Control and Prevention Center in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province.
In addition, other areas prone to contamination include mobile phones, keyboards and faucet handles, added the official.
The eleventh case of novel coronavirus confirmed in U.S.
The eleventh case of novel coronavirus has been confirmed in the U.S.; the two most recent infections were reported in San Benito County, California.
Local media reported the confirmed cases are a husband and wife, with the husband having recently traveled to Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
Earlier, the ninth case of coronavirus was confirmed in Santa Clara County. It's the second case confirmed in the San Francisco area. The woman had reportedly traveled to Wuhan recently.
PLA distributes daily necessities to Wuhan residents
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) stationed in central China's Hubei Province on Sunday began distributing daily necessities to the residents of Wuhan, the city at the center of the epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus.
China to take effective measures to ensure the supply of daily necessities
China will further increase the supply of necessities including fresh vegetables, meat, grain and oil to central Hubei Province, said Lian Weiliang, a National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) official, at a press conference in Beijing on Monday. Meanwhile, China will also take more effective measures to ensure the supply of various daily necessities nationwide amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, he added.
Officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Commerce, National Health Commission and State Administration for Market Regulation also attended the press conference.
An official said that China can produce up to 20 million facial masks a day, and production is on the rise after the Lunar New Year holiday.
The supply of daily necessities is stable, said Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Bingnan.
GSK, CEPI announce collaboration to develop coronavirus vaccine
British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said on Monday that it is collaborating with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in effort to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus outbreak.
GSK will make adjuvant technology available to enhance the development of an effective vaccine against 2019-nCoV, according to the statement.
A total of 17,205 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed on the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Sunday, with 361 dead and 475 recovered patients, said China’s National Health Commission.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 15
Macao SAR: 8
Taiwan: 10
Hubei reports 2,103 new coronavirus cases on Feb. 2
Central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, reported 2,103 new cases of infection on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 11,177 in the province.
On Sunday, 56 more deaths were reported and 80 patients were discharged from hospitals in the province.
The ninth case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Santa Clara County. It's the second case confirmed in the San Francisco area. The woman reportedly recently arrived from Wuhan, central China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
Over 14,500 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide, most of which are in China, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Beijing builds mask factory in 7 days amid widespread shortage
The completion of Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan within six days is not the only miracle taking place during China's fight against the novel coronavirus, which has caused a growing shortage of masks as the widespread epidemic drags on.
In Beijing, a new factory capable of producing tens of millions of masks per month was completed and put into production on Saturday, only seven days after the request was proposed, even though it's during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, Beijing Daily reported.
The factory, located in the Yizhuang Economic-Technological Development Area in southeast Beijing, will soon operate at full capacity to meet the growing mask demand in China's battle against the virus.
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Beijing builds mask factory in 7 days amid widespread shortage
The first novel-coronavirus-affected patient was cured and discharged Sunday from a hospital in north China's Yuncheng City after 10 days of medical treatment. The 36-year-old patient had been working in Wuhan before she went to visit her parents in Yuncheng on January 16.
China's economy remains resilient amid epidemic outbreak: report
The resilience of China's economy cannot be underestimated amid the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) epidemic outbreak, though it posed direct harm to the service, manufacturing and trade sectors, according to a report released Saturday by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.
The report noted that the potential impact of the 2019-nCoV epidemic can be different from all the previous epidemics and other incidents, and it is imprudent to judge the economic impact of the epidemic by historical experience as China's economy is in a transition from high-speed growth to high-quality development.
"Even in the short term, the epidemic has not caused a negative effect on all the sectors but has benefited industries such as electronic commerce and online games and entertainment," said the report.
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China's economy remains resilient amid epidemic outbreak: report
The panic epidemic in the coronavirus outbreak
It's been almost two weeks, but it's hard to see the lighter side to the novel coronavirus. Alarm grows, as news of coronavirus infections mingled with the deluge of conflicting information tumbles out on a daily basis.
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International community hails China's transparency in epidemic control
Leaders of international organizations and some foreign virologists recently praised China's transparency, openness and swift response in controlling and preventing the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
In an interview with the China Media Group on Saturday, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Kung Phoak said he has "strong confidence" that China, ASEAN member states and other countries will make joint efforts and find solutions to the issue.
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International community hails China's transparency in epidemic control
A lab of Italy's national institute for infectious diseases has isolated the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, the country’s Health Minister Roberto Speranza said at a press conference on Sunday.
"Having isolated the virus means many opportunities to be able to study it, understand and better verify what can be done to block the spread," he said.
Italy is currently treating two patients, a Chinese couple, infected with the virus.
Premier Li encourages flexible working schedule to curb outbreak
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang encouraged a flexible working schedule and off-peak working hours for non-essential sectors when chairing a meeting on outbreak prevention and control on Sunday.
The proposal, according to Li, aims to avoid large-scale population movements so as to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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Premier Li encourages flexible working schedule to curb outbreak
As the U.S. government announced a public health emergency and temporary travel restrictions over the spread of the novel coronavirus, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai spoke up on Saturday in California. He expressed his "heart-felt appreciation" to the American people for their valuable support for China in this special moment. He also urged both countries to guard against the "political virus" that prevents China and the United States from joining hands to counter common challenges.
India Sunday announced that it has temporarily suspended issuing electronic visas for Chinese passport holders and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People's Republic of China amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to the Indian Embassy to China.
"Due to certain current developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect," the embassy announced.
"Holders of already issued e-visas may note that these are no longer valid," the statement said.
So far, two cases of novel coronavirus have been confirmed in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
There is a new concern that the coronavirus may be spread by fecal-oral transmission. Chinese respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan said that doctors are keeping a close eye on whether feces can carry the contagion.
One of the emergency hospitals in Wuhan has been built in response to the deadly coronavirus, Huoshenshan Hospital, is now complete and due to go into use on February 3.
Eight military freight planes of the People's Liberation Army carrying medical teams and supplies landed on Sunday at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport. The teams were transferred to the brand new Huoshenshan hospital which is dedicated to the outbreak. CGTN's reporter Zhao Yunfei is in Wuhan City and will take you to meet the medical teams.
Thirty-seven patients infected with the novel coronavirus were discharged from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital on Sunday, marking the largest one-time discharge from the hospital.
Among them, the oldest was 88.
CGTN spoke to a nurse in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. For the virus-hit city in dire need of medical workers, nurses there couldn't afford an infection.
That's why Mrs. Jiang teared up when she recalled having to be treated by others in the hospital.
"They had to be on the front line, taking on the challenge," she said, referring to the clinical risk and airtight protective suits they have to wear hours a day.
The 32-year-old said she hoped to get back to work soon, and join them in the battle.
After a week of treatment, Jiang and one of her fellow nurses have recovered. Yet, they have to undergo another two weeks of observation.
They wish to express thanks with a hug, but for the moment, they can't – only a bow and a salute.
The medical team is from the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
"The army medical team flew to Wuhan overnight, and my fellow nurse and I were their first patients," Jiang told CGTN. "When they learned that we're medical workers ourselves, they got emotional."
After the case was confirmed, they went to Wuhan's Jinyintan Hospital where the team cared for them.
Jiang said the team checked on them every day and provided daily necessities.
Song Caiping is a team member who attended to the patients and loved to make video calls to her patients.
What impressed Song is the strength and confidence Jiang and her fellow nurses brought to the team, and all other patients.
After all that she's been through, Jiang became grateful and assured, as more medical teams are coming to the city.
"I believe the city will gradually recover," she said. "The whole nation is concerned about us, which is truly heartwarming."
Construction of Wuhan's second coronavirus hospital, Leishenshan, 75 percent complete, is expected to put into use by February 6.
Jovis and Marissa are foreigners living in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
Just two days ago, the couple voluntarily gave an interview to a news outlet and spoke about their feelings living in Wuhan during this time. They wanted to have more people become aware of the real situation concerning the coronavirus outbreak.
Regrettably, the news outlet re-edited their interview and twisted their message, over-exaggerated the problem, and caused unnecessary misunderstanding.
In this video, we see Jovis and Marissa reacting to this mistake, explaining the truth and giving their opinion about how media should help people fight the coronavirus.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of CGTN.
U.S. "virus hunter" W. Ian Lipkin assisting China
A specialist known as one of the world's leading "virus hunters" is in China, to help contain the coronavirus epidemic.
Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, the John Snow Professor of Epidemiology from Columbia University, is also the director of Columbia's Center for Infection & Immunity Mailman School of Public Health.
Dr. Lipkin came to China 17 years ago to help fight SARS.
His week-long trip this time included Guangzhou and Beijing, without going to Wuhan. "I've not been to Wuhan, I'll not be able to get back into the U.S. very easily, and that would impede my ability to the work. Although I would like to have gone to Wuhan, unfortunately logistics made that impossible", he says.
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Hundreds of medical workers from China's army have arrived in the novel coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan.
At the order of the Central Military Commission, the Chinese Air Force dispatched eight large-scale aircraft carrying 795 medical staff and 58 tons of supplies to Wuhan early Sunday morning.
The medical teams were transferred to the brand new Huoshenshan Hospital dedicated to the outbreak.
"When we received the order, we did not hesitate. The country needs us as the epidemic worsens. As soldiers, we should be on the front line," said Mao Qi, a medical team member.
The medical teams face a front line that many of them have seen before – having experiences during the 2003 SARS epidemic and the more recent Ebola outbreaks in Africa.
Before their departure, the teams went through sophisticated training processes. Many say they're now ready for the challenge, despite knowing very little about what lies ahead.
"This mission is special; we are not familiar with the environment. We have sufficient preparation, but we don't know how long it will last. There are still some uncertainties," said Ma Ling, another team member.
This is the largest number of such aircraft dispatched simultaneously by the Air Force in non-wartime military operations since the earthquake relief efforts in Wenchuan in 2008 and Yushu in 2010.
The eight planes, which took off at 1:30 a.m. from a military airport despite the rain, arrived in northeast China's Shenyang, southwest China's Lanzhou, south China's Guangzhou and east China's Nanjing, respectively, to pick up medical teams and supplies at around 4:00 a.m., before they landed successively at Wuhan Tianhe Airport at around 9:00 a.m.
Behind the task is an experienced aviation team that has successfully completed disaster relief missions during the Wenchuan and Yushu earthquakes. The team had already sent three military medical teams on the eve of the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year.
Wang Quansheng, deputy head of the team, said that after receiving the mission, all officers and soldiers raced against time to work out the emergency delivery plan.
In order to take the medical staff and supplies to Wuhan as soon as possible, the planes took off in the middle of the night after completing pre-flight preparations, Wang said.
As of Saturday midnight, China had 14,411 confirmed cases of the virus, with 304 deaths and 328 recoveries.
(Zhang Youze also contributed to the report.)
The story of Zhang Dingyu: A Wuhan coronavirus front-line medical worker with ALS disease
Zhang Dingyu didn't tell his colleagues that he had been diagnosed with an incurable nervous system disease: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He kept this secret for nearly two years until the day he couldn't walk anymore while on the front lines fighting the novel coronavirus in Wuhan.
As the director of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Zhang and his colleagues admitted the first seven patients infected with unidentified pneumonia in late December.
Read more:
The story of Zhang Dingyu: A Wuhan coronavirus front-line medical worker with ALS disease
Former WHO Official: China is doing whatever possible to contain coronavirus
The death toll caused by the novel coronavirus emanating from the central Chinese city of Wuhan has surpassed 300, and the confirmed cases have reached over 14,000.
"So far based on the information that I can gather from the public media, or as well as from my former colleagues, this is a fast-moving infection. The best evidence available is that is coming from a bat. Now, whether or not there is an intermediary host, we still need to do more work to find out," said Margaret Chan, former director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), in an exclusive interview with CGTN.
Chan said that the good news is the case fatality rate is not as high as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which broke out across Asia back in 2003. "So I commend China for their very decisive action to bring in a whole [set] of preventive measures to contain and to control the outbreak," added the former WHO official.
Read more:
Former WHO Official: China is doing whatever possible to contain coronavirus
Deenraj Kush Dhoomun is a Mauritian student who has been living in Wuhan for almost a decade. He has chosen to stay in Wuhan and has applied to be part of the medical team in the hospital to try and combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Chinese experts have warned that the novel coronavirus could be transmitted through the digestive system. Doctors had noticed that the initial symptom of some infected cases was only diarrhea. Several hospitals from different cities, including Wuhan and Shenzhen, found viral nucleic acids in feces and rectal swabs. These research teams believe that the novel coronavirus still has certain fecal-oral transmission, not just droplet and contact transmissions. They stress the much-repeated recommendation to frequently wash hands.
Oman has suspended all flights to and from China until further notice, the country's Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) said on Sunday.
According to a PACA statement, "Within the framework of PACA's follow-up of the recent developments of the epidemiological situation of the emerging Coronavirus, and after coordination with the Ministry of Health (MOH), the authority suspends all civil aviation flights between the Sultanate and the People's Republic of China, as of February 2, 2020 until further notice".
Warning: Coronavirus may spread further as Chinese get back to work
The novel coronavirus came at a bad time for China. January and February are the two months for the world's largest human migration, the "chunyun," or Spring Festival travel rush.
Most Chinese work outside their hometown – hundreds of millions of them – and return home to reunite with family members during the Spring Festival.
The travel rush usually happens before and after the festival – they go home and then back to work. The direction of movement are largely between big cities and small towns, since the urban areas offer better job opportunities.
Unfortunately, the source of the coronavirus – Wuhan – is one of the most connected cities in China, if not the most. The city hosts more than 14 million people, about five million of them traveled outside around the time of the coronavirus outbreak.
Read more:
Warning: Coronavirus may spread further as Chinese get back to work
Overseas Chinese donate goods for coronavirus fight
As the novel coronavirus develops in China and there is a scarcity of medical supplies like masks, overseas Chinese are organizing donations for people who are in urgent need back home.
China's central bank pumped 1.2 trillion yuan (about 173.3 billion U.S. dollars) into the financial system via reverse repos on Monday to maintain ample liquidity amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) said the overall liquidity in the banking system will be 900 billion yuan more than the same period last year.
The PBOC will use various monetary policy tools to ensure sufficient liquidity amid the epidemic. It will provide relending funds of 300 billion yuan to major national banks and some local banks in key provinces like Hubei and enhance credit support for the manufacturing sector, as well as small, micro and private enterprises, the bank said.
Read more: PBOC to keep liquidity ample amid coronavirus outbreak
Meanwhile, 1.05 trillion yuan of reverse repos matured Monday, resulting in a net injection of 150 billion yuan. This will lead to 900 billion yuan more liquidity in the banking system than that recorded in the same period last year, the PBOC said.
The move aims to offset the impact of reverse repos maturing and the concentrated maturing of financial market funds and to keep liquidity in the banking system at a reasonably sufficient level in the epidemic control period, according to a statement on the website of the central bank.
The PBOC will continue to pay close attention to the liquidity situation and maintain macro liquidity at a reasonably ample level, the statement said.
A reverse repo is a process in which the central bank purchases securities from commercial banks through bidding with an agreement to sell them back in the future.
(With input from Xinhua)
Doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, deliverymen, police… Just to list a few who have dedicated themselves to battling the coronavirus. This video is for them.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of CGTN.
Graphics: What's the difference between SARS, MERS and the novel coronavirus?
A mysterious pneumonia outbreak first reported December in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, has quickly spread across the country and around the world.
As of Saturday, the novel coronavirus epidemic, now declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), has sicken over 14,300 people and killed over 300 in China.
Scientists have attributed the outbreak to "2019-nCoV," a new strain of coronaviruses that has not been previously identified in humans.
Read more:
Graphics: What's the difference between SARS, MERS and the novel coronavirus?
Coronavirus: Travel restrictions imposed on Chinese residents so far
Countries and regions from around the world are closing borders to people who had been in China (specifically Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak), as officials ramp up efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
How are countries and regions around the world responding?
Read more:
Coronavirus: Travel restrictions imposed on Chinese residents so far
South Korea said Sunday it will ban foreigners who've been in central China's Hubei Province in the past two weeks from entering the country amid novel coronavirus outbreak.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the entry ban will take effect on February 4.
The government will also consult with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province – an island to the south of the Korean mainland - regarding the suspension of visa-free entry.
So far, South Korea has reported 15 novel coronavirus cases.
The epicenter of this outbreak, the city of Wuhan, has handed over the first of two temporary hospitals to the Chinese military medical team. The Huoshenshan hospital was finished in just nine days and has a capacity of 1,000 beds. Patients will begin arriving on February 3. Separately, the Chinese Air Force has carried out one of its biggest non-combat operations in a decade. Eight planes landed in Wuhan on February 2, with nearly 800 medical workers and 58 tonnes of supplies. Hundreds of military doctors had already gone to Wuhan, joining forces with thousands of other visiting medical staff.
Wuhan health authorities on Sunday said people suspected of the coronavirus infection will be isolated in designated areas effective immediately.
The affected include patients diagnosed with fever related to pneumonia and those in close contact with the infected patients.
They will receive proper medical observations, treatment and accommodation free of charge.
Those who refuse to follow the instructions will be put under isolation in coercion with the assistance of police.
Construction of Wuhan Huoshenshan hospital completes
The construction of Wuhan's Huoshenshan Hospital, which was built to treat pneumonia patients with the novel coronavirus, completed on Sunday.
The hospital will take patients starting Monday.
Click here for more.
CGTN sat down with Dr. Margaret Chan, former director-general of the WHO. She shared her view on the Wuhan lockdown.
On January 31, 76 passengers who were stranded in Bangkok finally returned to Wuhan. Among these passengers, one of them is a doctor. Doctor Lin said he will fully devote himself to his duty once he is back to Wuhan. Although their son is still very young, Lin's wife said that she is entirely supportive of her husband's job.
Approved by Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping, 1,400 medical staff from the armed forces have been deployed and tasked with treating patients in Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan starting Monday.
Huoshenshan Hospital, with a capacity of 1,000 beds, is one of the two makeshift hospitals dedicated to treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
It was formally delivered to military medics on Sunday.
The medics consist of 950 people from hospitals affiliated to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Joint Logistic Support Force, and 450 from medical universities of the army, navy and air force of the PLA who were sent to Wuhan earlier.
Among the medical staff, many had participated in the fight against SARS in Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, in the anti-Ebola mission in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and have ample experience in treating infectious diseases.
There will also be 15 experts guiding the hospital's epidemic prevention and control on the spot.
Chinese air force transport aircraft carrying medics and supplies arrives in Wuhan, Hubei Province on February 2, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
Chinese air force transport aircraft carrying medics and supplies arrives in Wuhan, Hubei Province on February 2, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
The construction of another makeshift hospital, Leishenshan Hospital, is underway. With a capacity of 1,500 beds, it is scheduled to be put into use on February 5 and take patients on February 6.
Read more:
Xi Jinping orders military to contribute to winning battle against coronavirus
The Philippines has confirmed its first novel coronavirus death, the first one outside China, reported local media.
It was the second confirmed case in the country. The patient, a 44-year-old Chinese citizen, died on Saturday.
China Red Cross sends supervision team to Hubei
The Red Cross Society of China on Saturday dispatched a team to central China's Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, to direct and supervise the relief work of the charity organizations across the province.
The organization is under scrutiny after it emerged that medical workers dealing with the outbreak in Wuhan and elsewhere in the province are still facing a shortage of protective equipment despite an influx of donations. It has raised concerns over how donations are being distributed and used.
Read more: Wuhan hospitals still desperate for supplies, but what happened to donations?
A total of 14,380 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Saturday, with 304 dead and 328 recovered patients, said China's National Health Commission.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 14
Macao SAR: 7
Taiwan: 10
Hubei reported 1,921 new coronavirus cases on Feb. 1
Central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, reported 1,921 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 9,074 in the province.
On Saturday, 45 more deaths were reported in Hubei; 49 patients were discharged from hospitals.
A total of 48,571 people who had close contact with those infected are being tracked; 43,121 people are under medical observation.
Myanmar suspends visa on arrival service for Chinese travelers amid coronavirus scare
Myanmar's foreign ministry Saturday announced that the country will suspend its visa on arrival service for Chinese travelers starting on Sunday.
Chinese travelers must also submit a health declaration form when entering the country, it added.
Premier Li urges stable supply of key medical goods for coronavirus prevention
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged officials to ensure the full supply and stable price of medical materials during his inspection of the National Mobilization Center for Key Medical Supplies on Saturday.
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Premier Li urges stable supply of key medical goods for coronavirus prevention
A total of 337 officials and members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Huanggang City have been punished for failing to prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
Qiu Lixin, the mayor of the city neighboring Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, said on Saturday that authorities had dispatched a 3,497-strong team to carry out supervision and inspection work in key sites.
Six high-level officials were removed from their post for failing to prevent and control the outbreak.
A total of 726 coronavirus cases were confirmed in the city with 14 deaths reported, second only to Wuhan.
"We accept and thank the media and the community for their supervision and criticism," she added.
New finding
Nucleic acid tests of the new coronavirus in stool samples of some patients have been detected as positive, which suggests that a stool may contain the virus, according to Shenzhen Third People's Hospital.
Research of virus isolation is underway.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday offered support to China on the coronavirus outbreak in a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Kim, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, sent a letter to President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, expressing his support of China's prevention and control measures regarding the pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus on behalf of his party and the people of the DPRK.
Kim said he's confident the Chinese government, the CPC and the Chinese people will win the battle against the novel coronavirus under Xi's leadership.
In the letter, Kim also sent his condolences to the families that lost their loved ones to the virus and his regards to the medical workers and people working on the front line.
President Xi expressed his gratitude toward Kim in return.
Foreign students and teachers well taken care of at university in Wuhan
Wuhan has been on lockdown for more than a week. Foreign students and teachers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan cannot leave the city or go back to their home countries. But, they told CGTN that they are being well taken care of by the university. Bettina Masuer from Germany teaches German at the institution. Since the start of the next semester has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, Bettina has been busy revising her lesson plans.
There also hasn't been a shortage of food at the university. Out of the 36 canteens on the campus, three are open for the remaining teachers and students. Meanwhile, China's major food and agricultural firms are stepping up supplies of rice, meat and cooking oil to Hubei Province.
The Chinese Lunar New Year holiday has been formally extended to February 13 in Hubei Province in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the province's capital city of Wuhan.
Hubei provincial government said the extension also applied to people who are from other Chinese provinces but stayed in Hubei during the holiday.
The government said the new opening date for schools would be announced separately by the education department.
A local company in the city of Gaoping in northern China's Shanxi Province has resumed a mask production line amid shortages of masks across the country. They started production on Wednesday after tackling technological problems and overcoming difficulties in purchasing raw materials. Now over 200 staff members are working across three different shifts to ensure that masks are being made 24 hours a day.
Qatar Airways announced on Saturday it is suspending all flights to and from the Chinese mainland starting February 3 until further notice amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
The Doha-based airline flies to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou.
The airline will conduct a weekly assessment to determine when to resume flights, and said booked passengers can reschedule or apply for a full refund.
China speeds up customs clearance for coronavirus prevention supplies
Customs authorities across China have stepped up customs clearance for medical supplies from abroad amid the fight against the novel coronavirus.
From January 24 to 29, more than 10,000 postal parcels containing safety materials saw fast customs clearance, according to the customs office in the south China's city of Guangzhou.
To speed up clearance services for imported materials, the office opened special channels and prioritized the customs clearance for medical supplies, providing additional staff to ensure the imported supplies would be handled in time.Read more:
China speeds up customs clearance for coronavirus prevention supplies
Chinese medical worker who fought Ebola joins coronavirus battle in Wuhan
The same hug, the same people, two different health crises – a moving imagery that has tugged at the heartstrings of Chinese social media users.
In the both photographs, Song Caiping is on a mission to two hotspots – Liberia in 2014 and Wuhan, central China, in 2020.
Read more:
Chinese medical worker who fought Ebola joins coronavirus battle in Wuhan
Apple temporarily shuts all stores on the Chinese mainland
Apple said on Saturday it will temporarily shut down all its stores and corporate offices on the Chinese mainland through February 9 due to public health concerns.
The company also said it looked forward to re-opening the stores as soon as possible.
Earlier this week, Apple closed three stores in China due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
Read more:
Imported supplies used for the novel coronavirus prevention and control are exempted from tariffs between January 1 and the end of March, China's Ministry of Finance said in a statement on its website on Saturday.
The exemption also applies to foreign donations and products originating from the United States, which have been subject to extra tariffs during China-U.S. trade frictions.
China has waived import taxes on certain foreign donations since 2015. In order to help the fight against the coronavirus and amid enthusiastic donations from home and abroad, the ministry has decided to implement a more preferential tariff policy, according to the statement.
Goods that will enjoy tariff exemption include reagents, sterilization items, protective supplies, ambulances, disinfection vehicles and emergency command vehicles, the statement said.
The taxes levied on relevant items imported before the announcement will be refunded.
Medical equipment and materials are in short supply in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, and other cities in Hubei Province.
The Chinese authorities have been taking various measures to meet demand, including asking companies to increase production capacity of much-needed goods such as masks and protective clothing and encouraging donations.
(CGTN's Geng Xiuhui also contributed to the story.)
The construction on the Leishenshan Hospital in central China's Wuhan is well underway, with the project halfway done. It's 75,000 square meters in size and is expected to treat patients infected with the new coronavirus starting February 6.
A glove maker in northern China's Shanxi Province has canceled its Spring Festival holiday to help plug shortages in medical supplies. The company donated a million pairs of gloves to Wuhan and other virus-hit cities on January 28.
'No Chinese:' Coronavirus panic fuels racism outbreak
Despite the novel coronavirus outbreak ruining the Spring Festival for millions of people, the festival continues to be the grandest holiday in Asia. Chinese descendants living outside the virus-hit nation were trying to catch up with the festive atmosphere, but racism connecting Chinese or Asians with the virus have been surfacing in several countries, in a time when solidarity should reign.
It is not always easy to draw the clear boundary between reasonable fear and subtle discrimination, yet many measures taken have surpassed their "protective" nature and using coronavirus as a scapegoat perpetuate outright racism.
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How is China mitigating the medical supply shortage?
Masks, protective suits and goggles have been in severe shortage in some hospitals, especially in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak. More and more hospitals are asking help online, calling on citizens around China to donate medical supplies.
Within days, ministry-level government departments, organizations, businesses and people from all walks of life came to their aid to help ease the shortage, and many Chinese abroad are also pitching in by buying protective suits and masks and sending them to Wuhan.
Read more:
Coronavirus in Wuhan: Outpatient app helps prevent cross infection
In disease-hit Wuhan, there have been many cross-infection cases at hospitals where people running a fever and having common cold flooded in out of concern and were infected by the new coronavirus.
Now a smartphone outpatient app developed by Wuhan's Tongji Hospital is helping people stay out of crowded hospitals and reduce the risk of further infections.
It is called the "Mobile Tongji Hospital."
Read more:
Coronavirus in Wuhan: Outpatient app helps prevent cross infection
Wuhan's Huoshenshan Hospital nears completion
Wuhan's Huoshenshan Hospital, which is being built to treat pneumonia patients with the novel coronavirus, is near completion.
Doctor demonstrates how to wear masks and wash hands
Wearing a medical mask is one of the prevention measures to limit the spread of certain respiratory diseases, including the 2019-nCoV, in affected areas. Washing hands as well. What is the correct way to wear a mask and wash your hands? CGTN reporter Wang Kailin goes to a community healthcare center and asks a doctor for a professional demonstration.
A plane carrying medical supplies arrives in Wuhan, China, January 28, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
The EU is making donations to help contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China, the Mission of China to the EU said on Sunday, while expressing appreciation to the efforts.
The EU has coordinated its member states and pledged around 12 tons of items to assist the relief efforts during the epidemic, such as face masks and other surgical equipment, according to the office.
China sincerely appreciates such efforts and the great support of the EU and its member states, it added.
As of February 2, the virus has killed 304 and infected 14,411 people in China. All 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland have activated Level 1 emergency response. The province of Hubei, the center of the epidemic, reported 1,921 new coronavirus cases on February 1.
Live blog: Coronavirus outbreak: Over 14,400 cases confirmed in China, 304 dead
On Saturday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the epidemic over the phone.
Li asked the EU to facilitate China's urgent procurement of medical supplies from member countries.
He said the Chinese government has always given top priority to the safety and health of people, and is carrying out an open, transparent, assertive and orderly prevention and control work of the outbreak.
The government now is putting all-out efforts to ensure the supply of medical resources for medical workers in virus-hit areas and expects the EU to facilitate China's urgent purchasing of medical supplies from EU member countries, he added.
Von der Leyen said the EU recognizes China's efforts to contain the epidemic.
She said the EU highly respects and recognizes China's efforts and quick response to the outbreak and expressed the EU's support to China's prevention work.
She said the EU is willing to mobilize all resources available to facilitate ongoing efforts and is ready to provide convenience for China's purchasing of medical supplies.
On the same day, China's Finance Ministry said it will implement tax exemptions for imports of products related to curbing the coronavirus outbreak.
Materials directly used for epidemic control will be exempt from import tariffs from January 1 to March 31, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
Imports of donations including ambulances and disinfectant products will also be exempt from tariffs, value-added tax and consumption tax, it added.
Authorities in Huanggang City in central China's Hubei Province announced a new regulation on Saturday that only one person per household could go out for grocery shopping every two days while other members must stay at home.
Those who are in need of medical treatment, work in relevant departments involving epidemic prevention and control, as well as staff at supermarkets and pharmacies will be exempt.
The new regulation took effect immediately on Saturday.
Authorities said the decision was made to "minimize personnel mobility and control the spread of the epidemic" to the largest extent.
Huanggang, which borders Wuhan, is the second hardest hit area by novel coronavirus in the province, following Wuhan. It reported 726 cases and 14 deaths as of Friday.
Huanggang is already under a lockdown, with services for city buses, long-distance buses and outbound trains all suspended and all indoor entertainment venues shut down since January 23.
China opposes some countries' actions that create tension and panic
China opposes certain countries' actions that are creating tension and panic over the novel coronavirus outbreak, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.
To address transnational public health challenge in the era of globalization, Wang said: "We should stay objective and rational, strengthen communication and coordination, and play constructive roles."
He made the remarks during a phone call with India's Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Read more:
China opposes some countries' actions that create tension and panic
UK evacuates staff from the embassy and consulates in China
After evacuating its citizens due to the coronavirus outbreak, the UK will remove some staff from its embassy and consulates in China.
As of Friday, some staff and dependents from the British Embassy and Consulates are being withdrawn from China, said the UK government in a statement on Saturday.
The document adds essential staff needed to continue critical work will remain in the country.
Australia raises travel advice warning
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday that the country’s travel advice for China has increased. This means tourists from the Chinese mainland will no longer be permitted to enter Australia during the coronavirus outbreak.
Australian citizens coming from China will have to be quarantined for two weeks, stated Morrison.
Former WHO chief on coronavirus outbreak: China's prevention efforts earning global compliments
"This is a scientific judgment, a prudent and reasonable decision, with the aim to better control the epidemic and prevent it from spreading around the world," said Margaret Chan, former director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), on Friday after the world's top health advisory body deemed the coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Chan noted that China's performance is receiving compliments from all over the world.
Quoting WHO's current director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Chan praised the transparency and speed of China's epidemic control.
Chan stressed that the top priority right now is to effectively implement the existing prevention and control measures.
Accommodations for medical staff at Leishenshan Hospital consist of seven buildings with two floors, totaling 9,000 square meters, with a housing capacity of more than 2,000 people. Each room is around 25 square meters with independent sanitary facilities. So far, 75 percent of the accommodation has been completed, and indoor pipeline installation is underway.
China's Red Cross receives over 849 mln yuan in donations to battle coronavirus outbreak
As of 5 p.m. on January 31, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has received a total of 849.723 million yuan (around 122.502 million U.S. dollars) in donations in a bid to battle the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in China, announced the organization on Saturday.
German jet with five tons of medical supplies lands in Wuhan
A German aircraft carrying over five tons of medical supplies arrived in China's central city of Wuhan on Saturday morning to help contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China, the German Embassy in China said on Saturday.
Highly praising the front-line medics battling the epidemic, the embassy hopes these donations can support them and help fight the disease.
Pictures uploaded to social media show medics of the Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, China, January 25, 2020. / Reuters Photo
CGTN stringer Luo Jingqing, a Wuhan local, spoke to volunteers in Wuhan who help deliver supplies from all over the country to the local medical staff. The supplies donated vary from masks, protective clothing to cakes.
Some volunteers have been working since the Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve. Some others are happy to carry supplies in their cars and they all forgo sleep. Besides organizations, many individuals joined the assistance effort as volunteers.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of China Global Television Network.
At about 2 a.m. Tokyo time on February 1, over 100 Chinese citizens from Hubei Province stranded in Japan due to the coronavirus epidemic, took a chartered flight at Tokyo's Haneda Airport to return home.
WHO calls for no restrictions on China's trade and travel amid coronavirus outbreak
We call on other countries not to impose restrictions on China's travel and trade, Gauden Galea, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in China told CCTV in an exclusive interview, reiterating WHO's full confidence in China's ability to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
Praising China's efforts and measures in fighting the epidemic, Galea noted that communications among countries are especially important to fight the common crisis.
"China's efforts – including active sharing of virus gene sequences and timely announcement of epidemic data – play a significant role in establishing global prevention and control system, and eliminating misunderstandings or rumors," added Galea.
Click here for more.
Lu Jinhuo, one of the oldest coronavirus patients in Hubei, was discharged from hospital on Thursday. The 78-year-old had a severe case of the infection and his health was complicated by hypertension and diabetes, which he had been suffering for years. He was hospitalized for 20 days. How did the old man overcome the illness?
Wuhan residents, Wan Tiansheng and his wife, were discharged from a local hospital on Friday after undergoing a successful treatment of the novel coronavirus. Wan spoke with CGTN after leaving the hospital. He said: "As long as the patients are in a good mental state and cooperate with doctors in the treatment, they will defeat the disease and be cured."
China says U.S. raising travel advisory 'not a gesture of goodwill'
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying Friday criticized certain U.S. officials' words and actions amid the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak, noting that their behavior is certainly not a gesture of goodwill as they are neither factual nor appropriate.
U.S. State Department Thursday announced a highest-level warning not to travel to China due to the recent coronavirus outbreak. On the same day, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the spreading coronavirus will accelerate the return of jobs from China to the U.S.
"Many countries have offered China support in various means. In sharp contrast, certain U.S. officials' words and actions are neither factual nor appropriate. Just as the World Health Organization recommended against travel restrictions, the U.S. rushed to go in the opposite way. Certainly not a gesture of goodwill," Hua stressed.
Click here for more.
China brings back 310 Hubei residents stranded abroad
China dispatched three charter planes to Bangkok in Thailand, Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia and Tokyo in Japan and brought home a total of 310 Hubei residents stranded abroad amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday that the government would bring overseas Wuhan residents back as soon as possible due to practical difficulties that Chinese tourists, especially those from Wuhan, have been facing abroad.
Click here for more.
A total of 11,791 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Friday, with 259 dead and 243 recovered patients, said China’s National Health Commission.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 13
Macao SAR: 7
Taiwan: 10
Spain, Sweden report first cases of coronavirus
Spain has confirmed the country's first case of the novel coronavirus, the health ministry said late on Friday.
The first case of the coronavirus has also been confirmed in Sweden.
Sweden’s Public Health Agency said on Friday that a woman had tested positive for the virus. She had visited Wuhan City in China and experienced cough symptoms after arriving in Sweden.
Central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, reported 1,347 new cases of the infection on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 7,153 in the province.
On Friday, 45 more deaths were reported in Hubei; 50 patients were discharged from hospital in the region.
A chartered plane that was sent to Malaysia to bring back 123 Wuhan tourists who were stranded abroad amid the coronavirus outbreak landed in Wuhan on Friday.
Hubei Province, the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak, has been granted a formal extension of the Lunar New Year holiday in order to effectively curb the spread of the epidemic.
Delays in business operations and school openings should be applied in other places facing a relatively rapid increase in new cases.
Earlier this week, China extended the New Year holiday until February 2 in the face of the virus outbreak. The holiday was initially due to end on January 31.
The decision was made at the meeting of a leading group of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on the prevention and control of the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, chaired by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Read more:
Two specialized coronavirus hospitals in Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the outbreak, will start taking patients on February 3 and 6 respectively, the mayor of Wuhan announced on Friday.
Huoshenshan Hospital, which covers an area of 34,000 square meters, will provide 1,000 beds for patients who will be admitted from February 3.
Leishenshan Hospital will take patients from February 6. It's 75,000 square meters in size and will be able to accommodate 1,500 patients.
The two makeshift hospitals will treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus and follow the model of Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, which was built in response to the SARS epidemic in 2003.
A chartered plane that was sent to Thailand to bring home Hubei residents stranded abroad amid the coronavirus outbreak has arrived in Wuhan on Friday evening.
Click here for a live view.
Coronavirus outbreak: Demand for wildlife trade ban grows
A common link exists between the current novel coronavirus outbreak and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic of 2003 – the wildlife trade.
While the animal spreading the new strain of coronavirus remains unknown, the number of cases has surpassed the 5,327 infected during the SARS epidemic spread by palm civets that killed 775.
This coronavirus has so far infected more than 9,000 people in China and more than 100 abroad, leading the World Health Organization to declare it a global health emergency on Friday.
One of the many animals, including wild game, on sale at Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, is likely to be the source of the new infection.
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Coronavirus: Recovered patients 'still face' secondary infections
Patients who have recovered from pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus still face the risk of being infected again, an expert said at a press conference of China's National Health Commission on Friday.
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Coronavirus: Recovered patients 'still face' secondary infections
Twenty patients with the novel coronavirus have been discharged from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital on Friday, health authorities said. The oldest was 64 and the youngest 15.
They represent the largest number of people discharged at the same time since the outbreak began. A total of 72 patients have been discharged so far from the hospital.
The Beijing Municipal Government announced on Friday that companies in the city could adopt flexible approaches before February 10 and require employees to work remotely via the internet or telephone.
The decision was made to "effectively reduce the gathering of people, block the spread of the epidemic and better protect the lives and health of the people" in wake of China's novel coronavirus outbreak.
But essential industries that guarantee people's livelihoods and those involved in the work of preventing and controlling the virus, as well as key construction work will be excluded, the municipal government said.
China's Lunar New Year break in 2020 is due to finish on February 2.
Two cases of novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China has said it will dispatch a chartered flight Friday night to pick up around 350 Wuhan tourists stranded in Japan's Tokyo and nearby areas.
This will be the third special flight following the other two that have brought back Chinese tourists in Thailand and Malaysia earlier on Friday.
The flight, operated by Spring Airlines, will depart from Shanghai on Friday night and travel to Tokyo International Airport.
It is expected to land in Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 5:50 a.m. on Saturday.
Schools, kindergartens in HKSAR to resume classes in March
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has announced that primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens, will resume on March 2 amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Friday.
At 4:25 p.m. Friday local time, 123 tourists from China's Wuhan City boarded a chartered flight in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, where they were stranded amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The flight, a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane, was operated by China's XiamenAir and will take the tourists back to Wuhan.
Crew members will be put under isolation observation for 14 days after the mission.
There have been 98 cases of the virus in another 18 countries outside China.(Credit: Mark Lennihan/AP)
Two people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in England, according to the country's Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Chris Whitty on Friday said that the pair, who are members of the same family, were receiving "specialist NHS care," adding "we are using tried and tested infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the virus."
The statement, released on the UK government's website, said: "We have been preparing for UK cases of novel coronavirus and we have robust infection control measures in place to respond immediately. We are continuing to work closely with the World Health Organization and the international community as the outbreak in China develops to ensure we are ready for all eventualities."
It is currently unclear where the patients are located.
Later on Friday 80 people, evacuated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan by plane, are expected to land at RAF Brize Norton base, Oxfordshire. The passengers will then be quarantined at the Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral for 14 days.
Elsewhere in Europe, at the time of writing, there are five cases reported in Germany centering around a Bavarian car manufacturing plant. In Italy, two Chinese tourists visiting Rome tested positive for the virus. Finland has one case and France, which was the first European country to report infections, now has six confirmed cases.
Wuhan is the epicenter of the outbreak which has infected almost 10,000 people, killing at least 213.
Canada expresses confidence in China's coronavirus prevention
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne applauded China's strict and transparent preventative measures in tackling the novel coronavirus outbreak, saying that Canada has confidence in China's capability to win the battle.
Champagne made the comments during a phone call with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi Friday.
The Canadian Foreign Minister expressed Canada's willingness to provide assistance to China, along with sympathy and condolences to those who are suffering from the disease.
Wang, for his part, said the Chinese government is taking resolute and forceful measures to conduct scientific and effective prevention and control of the epidemic.
A batch of emergency supplies from Japan arrived in Wuhan late Thursday night. Some of the supplies, including masks, had to be sent immediately to Wuhan Union Hospital. As it was an emergency, a CGTN reporting team volunteered to deliver the supplies.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on January 30 the novel coronavirus outbreak is now a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The video explains what constitutes a PHEIC and the impact it will have.
CAAC to dispatch charter flights to bring home Wuhan tourists
The Civil Aviation Administration of China has said it will dispatch two charter flights on Friday to bring home from overseas trips the residents of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The two flights will be sent to Bangkok, Thailand and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Hours earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced China's decision to dispatch charter flights to fly travelers from Hubei Province back home.
Many tourists from Wuhan, the epicenter of the newly-found virus, were either denied entry into commercial flights or the flights were canceled.
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Chinese family wearing face masks walk in a pedestrian crossing in Bangkok, Thailand, January 29, 2020./AP Photo
As the demand for medical supplies keeps increasing due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China, supply is a problem. Many Chinese abroad are pitching in by buying protection suits and masks and sending them to Wuhan.
In numbers: Daily rise in coronavirus cases in Hubei Province and its capital city, Wuhan
China to dispatch charter flights to fly travelers back to Hubei
China has decided to dispatch charter flights to bring back travelers from Hubei Province who remained abroad amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.
The decision was made after considering the current situation and the actual problems the Chinese people are facing abroad, Hua added.
Many tourists from the epicenter of the new virus were reportedly rejected to board commercial flights at some overseas airports or because some flights to Wuhan were cancelled.
Teams dispatched to supervise the production of medical protective clothing
The National Medical Products Administration on Friday announced that it has sent teams to different areas of the country to supervise the production of the medical protective clothing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
To better monitor the quality of medical devices used for the prevention and control of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus, the inspection teams will guide local drug regulatory departments in their supervision duties, said the administration.
WHO: Novel coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency
World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the novel coronavirus outbreak has become a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30.
Speaking at a press conference after a closed-door meeting of the Emergency Committee, he stressed that the WHO disfavors or even opposes imposing travel or trade restrictions on China. Under the International Health Regulations (IHR), the WHO director-general has the authority to determine that an outbreak constitutes a PHEIC when certain conditions are met.
The designation is aimed at mobilizing more international resources to deal with the epidemic.
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Italy confirms its first two coronavirus cases
Italy confirmed its first two novel coronavirus cases, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced at a press briefing on Thursday night.
Two Chinese tourists infected with the virus are in stable condition and being treated in isolation.
As of 24:00 on Thursday, a total of 9,692 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in the Chinese mainland , with 213 dead and 171 recovered patients.
In central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, the confirmed cases have risen to 5,806, with 204 deaths and 116 cases of recovery.
Overseas, at least 98 cases were confirmed in 18 countries, including Thailand, France, Germany, the U.S., and Canada.
China has called for united efforts in tackling the novel coronavirus outbreak to prevent the epidemic from spreading further, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun said Friday.
The remarks come hours after World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, designated 2019-nCoV, has become a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), in other words, a global health emergency.
Most pressing task
Zhang stressed that fighting the outbreak is the most important and pressing task for the Chinese government and noted that China always has an open, transparent and responsible attitude toward international cooperation on epidemic prevention.
He called for consolidated efforts from the international community amid the outbreak, reiterating Ghebreyesus' statement highlighting the necessity to enhance the response for countries with fragile health systems, as this was the main reason behind the PHEIC declaration.
The WHO has full confidence in China's capability to combat the virus, the ambassador said, citing Ghebreyesus' remarks, emphasizing that there is no reason to impose unnecessary restrictions on international travel and trade.
Acknowledging the outbreak in China, Zhang urged all countries to make joint efforts in tackling the situation with a responsible attitude to prevent further impact as a result of overreaction amid misinformation and rumors.
China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun (L) talks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, January 30, 2020. /CGTN Photo
WHO: China setting a new standard for outbreak response
Speaking at a press conference after a closed-door meeting of the emergency committee, Ghebreyesus stressed that the WHO discourages or even opposes restrictions of travel and trade.
"The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available," a statement published after the emergency committee meeting said Thursday.
"Countries must inform the WHO about any travel measures taken, as required by the International Health Regulations (IHR). Countries are cautioned against actions that promote stigma or discrimination, in line with the principles of Article 3 of the IHR," the statement added.
The committee asked the director-general to provide further advice on these matters and, if necessary, make new case-by-case recommendations, in view of this rapidly evolving situation.
Under the IHR, the WHO director-general has the authority to determine whether an outbreak constitutes a PHEIC. The designation is aimed at mobilizing more international resources to deal with the epidemic. Since the IHR entered into force in 2007, the WHO has made multiple PHEIC declarations.
Ghebreyesus noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping personally commands and deploys the prevention and containment efforts.
"The speed with which China detected the outbreak, isolated the virus, sequenced the genome and shared it with WHO and the world are very impressive and beyond words. So, is China's commitment to transparency and to supporting other countries," Ghebreyesus said.
"In many ways, China is actually setting a new standard for outbreak response," he added.
That reflects not only China's high sense of responsibility for the lives and health of its people but also its strong support for global disease prevention and control, he said.
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WHO chief confident in China's epidemic prevention and control ability
China keeps close communication with WHO on coronavirus outbreak
Chinese government confident of controlling, defeating the epidemic
Disinfection work is conducted on a train in China, January 30, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
Ghebreyesus said he believes China will effectively contain and eventually defeat the epidemic, adding that China's efforts to combat the disease deserve respect and appreciation and are worth learning from.
Now, the situation is still developing, and more research is needed; particularly, countries with fragile health systems should enhance their responses, the WHO chief said.
That is the main reason behind the PHEIC declaration, he said, adding that considering global health security, it is also a necessary step to achieve a scientific, rational and calm response based on evidence, and to help other countries take scientific, reasonable and appropriate measures to prevent the epidemic.
China: Confident in winning the battle against the epidemic
Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the PHEIC declaration is a standard practice of the WHO.
"China's current prevention and control measures are the strictest and very effective. We are confident that we can effectively contain the epidemic and finally overcome it," Wu said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying echoed Wu's remarks on Friday, stressing that many of the prevention and containment measures China has taken far exceed relevant requirements for dealing with emergencies.
China has kept close communication with the WHO and relevant countries by providing timely information and sharing the gene sequence of the novel coronavirus, said Hua.
Hua said China's efforts have been well recognized by the WHO and other countries, reiterating that the country has the confidence and capability to win the battle against the outbreak.
The Chinese government is taking resolute and forceful measures to conduct scientific and effective prevention and control of the epidemic, said the spokesperson, adding that China is ready to work with the WHO and relevant countries in safeguarding the public health in the region and worldwide.
Ghebreyesus visited China on Monday. He praised the Chinese government's timely and effective measures in fighting the novel coronavirus when meeting with President Xi Jinping and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, respectively.
Expert: China should treat WHO's PHEIC decision positively
"China is a big country, so we should have international responsibility and treat WHO's decision to declare the outbreak a 'public health emergency of international concern'(PHEIC) positively," said Hu Shanlian, a professor of health economics at the School of Public Health, Fudan University, who has also served as a temporary consultant for WHO and the World Bank on health system research many times.
The purpose of the decision, Hu said, is to protect countries with weaker health systems, increase awareness of the disease and encourage international collaboration on vaccine and drug development. The WHO does not advise drastic restrictions on travel and trade with China.
Hu said, according to the data, the death rate of the novel coronavirus is around two to three percent, and the ratio of confirmed cases versus suspected cases is around one to 1.5 percent, which suggests the new virus transmits more easily but is less deadly than SARS or MERS.
He also suggests that other countries adopt early detection, diagnosis, isolation and treatment, and advises the public to wear masks and avoid mass gatherings.
(With input from Xinhua. CGTN's Xu Mengqi contributed to the report.)
Huanggang's director of health commission removed amid coronavirus outbreak
The Director of the health commission of Huanggang in central China's Hubei Province Tang Zhihong has been removed from her post for dereliction of duty amid a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak.
The Huanggang municipal committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) made the announcement on Thursday.
The city of 7.5 million people is on lockdown to contain the spread of the contagion. There are 496 confirmed cases in the city and 12 reported deaths, making Huanggang the second worst hit area after Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
Over 6,000 medical workers dispatched to aid Hubei's coronavirus control efforts
Over 50 medical teams with over 6,000 workers have been dispatched to support Hubei's coronavirus control program, the province's party secretary Jiang Chaoliang told media a news conference on Thursday.
Sample detection capability for the coronavirus has now increased from 200 per day to over 4,000, which greatly contributes to current work in screening suspected cases, said Jiang.
The government is planning to bring locals who are staying in other provinces back home, according to the official.
Medical workers treat a patient in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, January 24, 2020. /Xinhua Photo
Analysis: Will WHO cause more panic around China's coronavirus?
It is not difficult to imagine how a "public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)" label could dim the economic outlook not only in China but also the rest of the world. A strong international response should be welcomed if it can contain disease transmission and mitigate risk factors. After all, a disease knows no borders, and humanity knows no limits.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has visited the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Premier Li was there to inspect scientific research on the novel coronavirus. He also chaired a seminar with experts on how to contain the outbreak and urged them to continue to work on finding the sources of the virus and make suggestions on how to better deal with the outbreak. Premier Li said saving people's lives is the priority.
With just six days before the deadline, workers are speeding up the construction of Leishenshan Hospital in central China's Wuhan. The city is the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, and the facility is designed to have 1,600 beds to treat coronavirus patients. Power is already up and running, and on-site progress is being livestreamed online.
India confirms its first novel coronavirus case
One person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday in the southern Indian state of Kerala, the Indian health ministry said.
The patient is being kept in an isolation ward at a hospital.
"One positive case of novel coronavirus patient, of a student studying in Wuhan University, has been reported in Kerala," reads a statement issued by India's federal health ministry.
"The patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is in isolation in the hospital."
The ministry officials said the patient was stable and being closely monitored.
China keeps close communication with WHO on coronavirus outbreak
The Chinese mainland has kept close communication with the World Health Organization (WHO), relevant countries, as well as Chinese Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan region, providing timely information and sharing the gene sequence of the new coronavirus, according to the National Health Commission on Thursday.
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New coronavirus under the microscope /Photo via China's Center for Disease Control
The Philippines confirms first coronavirus case
The Philippines on Thursday reported the first coronavirus case in the country.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a news conference that the patient is a 38-year-old Chinese woman, who arrived in the Philippines from central China's Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, on January 21.
Organization Department of CPC Central Committee allocates 108 million yuan for anti-coronavirus efforts
The Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has allocated 108 million yuan (15.57 million U.S. dollars) to support the ongoing coronavirus prevention and control work.
Health expert infected with coronavirus discharged from hospital
Wang Guangfa, head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Beijing's Peking University First Hospital, was discharged from Beijing Ditan Hospital on Thursday afternoon.
Wang was infected with the novel coronavirus during research work on the ongoing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic.
The World Health Organization has praised China's response to the coronavirus outbreak and its efforts to stop it from spreading overseas. WHO panel is to meet again on whether to declare the epidemic a global health emergency.
Renovation of Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital underway in case of necessity: official
The renovation work of Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was built in 2003 to treat SARS patients, has begun to provide a better medical environment to the public, the director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, Lei Haichao, said on Thursday.
The hospital will come into use if necessary, depending on how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak develops, noted the official.
In April 2003, Beijing built the hospital in seven days to control the SARS epidemic. The facility had 1,000 beds and treated about one-seventh of China's SARS patients within two months of its completion.
Earlier CGTN visited the hospital to check the ongoing work.
CAAC approves chartered flights to bring Wuhan tourists home
To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Thursday approved some chartered flights to bring overseas Wuhan tourists back to China.
Since January 23, some airlines have suspended inbound and outbound flights from Wuhan, but many tourists from that city are still overseas, the CAAC said, adding that chartered flights can't reject passengers that passed the coronavirus test.
CFA postpones games of the 2020 season amid coronavirus outbreak
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced that football matches at all levels in China for the 2020 season are suspended, effective January 30.
The 2020 season was initially scheduled to kick off on February 22, according to the CFA.
China, Australian FMs discuss coronavirus epidemic situation via phone
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held phone talks with the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marise Payne on Wednesday at the latter's request, discussing the situation about the epidemic of the novel coronavirus in China.
Noting that the Australian government firmly supports the Chinese government and people in their fight against the new coronavirus epidemic, Payne expressed appreciation to China for sharing information in time and actively communicating with the international community openly and transparently when dealing with the epidemic.
For his part, Wang said the Chinese government and people are making every effort to fight the epidemic, noting that a nationwide mechanism has been established and decisive measures are being taken to push forward the epidemic prevention and control in a scientific, orderly, and precise manner.
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Tibet confirms its first novel coronavirus case
Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, according to China's National Health Commission.
The number of deaths and confirmed cases of novel coronavirus has risen to170 and 7,711, respectively, in the Chinese mainland on January 29.
Over 7,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus in China, 170 dead
A total of 7,711 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Wednesday, with 170 dead and 128 recovered patients.
China's Hubei Province, the most affected area, has confirmed 4,586 cases and 162 deaths.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Hong Kong SAR: 10
Macao SAR: 7
Taiwan: 8
At least 75 cases were confirmed in other countries, including in eight Asian countries. France, Germany, and Finland reported a total of 10 cases. The U.S. and Canada reported seven cases. On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates announced four cases of the novel coronavirus.
China to strengthen targeted measures in epidemic containment: Premier Li
China will make targeted efforts to strengthen the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to a meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.
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China, U.S. to maintain close cooperation over battle against epidemic
Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by phone on Wednesday. The two sides agreed to maintain cooperation and coordination over the battle against the novel coronavirus.
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Xi Jinping orders military to contribute to winning battle against coronavirus
Noting that the current fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic remains grave and complex, President Xi Jinping has ordered the Chinese military to keep its mission firmly in mind and shoulder the responsibility to make a contribution to winning the battle.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction to the military on the prevention and control of the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.
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Medical supplies in Hubei in severe shortage, says governor
There's currently a severe shortage of medical supplies, not just in Wuhan but in surrounding cities as well, the governor of Hubei Province, Wang Xiaodong said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Employees of all companies in Hubei Province should go back to work no earlier than February 14, and schools should also postpone their opening date for the new semester, he said.
Wang stressed the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in Huanggang City and vowed to prevent it from becoming the second Wuhan.
Over 1,000 confirmed and suspected novel coronavirus cases have been identified in Huangguang City.
Tibet launches Level I emergency response to coronavirus outbreak
Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region launched a Level I emergency response to the coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday.
Tibet is the only provincial region that has not reported any confirmed coronavirus cases in China. So far, only a suspected case has appeared in the region.
New coronavirus cases reported in UAE, Singapore
The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Health and Prevention said four members of a family from China's Wuhan were diagnosed with coronavirus in the first cases announced in the Gulf state, a state news agency reported on Wednesday.
The four patients are in stable condition.
Three new cases have also been reported in Singapore, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county to 10.
Hong Kong reports two more coronavirus cases
Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. So far, 10 cases have been reported in the city.
2022 Winter Olympic test event canceled over coronavirus fear
The coronavirus outbreak has forced the cancellation of the first official Beijing 2022 test event next month.
An International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Skiing World Cup was due to take place on the new Winter Olympic course in Yanqing between February 15 and 16 but has now been called off.
The FIS, the Chinese Ski Association, and its Yanqing Local Organizing Committee have jointly decided to cancel the upcoming men’s Audi FIS World Cup races, due to the outbreak and continuing spread of the novel coronavirus, announced the FIS.
British Airways to suspend all flights to and from the Chinese mainland
British Airways on Wednesday announced that it had suspended all flights to and from the Chinese mainland due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
"We apologize to customers for the inconvenience, but the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority," said the company in a statement.
Sixth coronavirus case confirmed in Australia
Another coronavirus case was confirmed in Australia on Wednesday, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the country to six.
The patient is a local man in his 60s who had been to Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
All eyes in Wuhan: fast construction of hospitals on livestream
As the novel coronavirus outbreak continues, construction of the specialized hospitals started in Wuhan and other Chinese cities.
Located in Caidian District and Jiangxia District in the suburban areas of Wuhan, Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals will play a crucial role in the ongoing battle against the novel coronavirus, attracting the world's attention.
How can China build a hospital in six days? What enables Chinese workers to make the building possible without any compromise to the required quality? That's what's making everyone curious.
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All eyes in Wuhan: fast construction of hospitals on livestream
CGTN exclusive: Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital under reconstruction
Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was built in 2003 to treat SARS patients, is being rebuilt 17 years after the epidemic. Hundreds of construction workers are working around the clock on the first day of the renovation.
In April 2003, Beijing built the Xiaotangshan Hospital in seven days to get the SARS epidemic under control. The hospital had 1,000 beds and treated about one-seventh of China's SARS patients within two months of its completion.
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What are Wuhan's communities doing to fight against the coronavirus?
Luo Jingqing, a CGTN stringer in Wuhan, visited two communities and one health service center in Jiangxia District to find out what the communities have done to protect their residents against the novel coronavirus.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of China Global Television Network.
Daily passenger trips down amid epidemic control in China
The number of passenger trips made by railway, highway, waterway and civil aviation in China totaled 16.267 million on January 27, the third day of the lunar new year, down 68.3 percent from the same day last year following the Chinese lunar calendar, according to China's Ministry of Transport (MOT).
That number includes 3.463 million railway trips, 11.46 million road trips, 283,700 boat trips and 1.06 million air trips, seeing an overall decline.
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Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital is under construction in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province. It's being built to treat pneumonia patients infected by the novel coronavirus.
Leishenshan Hospital is being built to treat pneumonia patients infected by the novel coronavirus in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province. The total construction area has been expanded to about 60,000 square meters to accommodate more than 1,600 hospital beds.
UAE announces first case of new coronavirus
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Wednesday its first case of the novel coronavirus.
It's also thought to be the first confirmed case in the Middle East.
"The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced a case of the new coronavirus affecting people from one family coming from the city of Wuhan in China," the state news agency WAM reported.
The Ministry did not say how many were infected, instead it added the health of those infected is stable and under medical observation.
Aussie scientists claim first re-creation of coronavirus outside China
A team of scientists in Australia said on Wednesday they have successfully developed a lab-grown version of coronavirus, the first to be recreated outside of China, in a breakthrough that could help combat the global spread of the illness.
The Australia-grown virus sample would be used to generate an antibody test, which would allow detection of the virus in patients who had not shown symptoms, as well as contributing to the creation of a vaccine.
The virus was grown from a patient who had arrived at the institute on January 24, it added.
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Aussie scientists claim first re-creation of coronavirus outside China
Wuhan to start online-classes for primary and secondary students
Online courses for primary and secondary students in Wuhan will start on February 10 due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, according to the Wuhan Education Bureau.
Earlier, the local education bureau announced the postponement of the school start to that date, but to avoid any further delay in the students' studies, online courses will be launched on that day.
The decision includes secondary technical vocational schools and other training institutions citywide.
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Wuhan to start online-classes for primary and secondary students
Wuhan's second coronavirus hospital expanded to accommodate 1,600 beds
The general plans of the first and second phases of Wuhan's second novel coronavirus hospital, Leishenshan Hospital, have been completed, with the total construction area expanded to about 60,000 square meters for the accommodation of more than 1,600 hospital beds.
The medical isolation area is now about 51,000 square meters, the accommodation area will be about 9,000 square meters and over 2,000 medical staff members can be accomodated.
Skyscrapers and the Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge were lit up at 7 p.m. Tuesday night in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province. The neon lights displayed "Hang on, Wuhan" in Chinese.
2,287 additional medical personnel sent to Hubei Province
The second batch of 21 medical teams from Xinjiang, Gansu, Guangdong and Shanghai, with a total of 2,287 medical personnel, rushed to Hubei on Monday.
As of now, 26 provinces, cities and autonomous regions including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as three military hospitals, have organized a total of 52 medical teams with 6,097 personnel to support Hubei.
Meanwhile, according to the development of the outbreak situation and the demand for medical treatment in different parts of the province, 10 medical teams and 1,535 medical personnel with national emergency support were allocated to other cities in Hubei Province to alleviate the serious shortage of local medical personnel.
The novel coronavirus and the flu - the differences and similarities you need to know
The novel coronavirus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has now spread to 12 countries, has much in common with seasonal flu. They are both viral infections, share similar symptoms and - crucially - can spread from human to human. In the midst of flu season in much of the northern hemisphere, telling the difference between the two will be vital in stopping its spread.
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The novel coronavirus and the flu - the differences and similarities you need to know
National Health Commission: 5,974 confirmed cases in the Chinese mainland, 132 dead
China's National Health Commission said a total of 5,974 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in the Chinese mainland as of 24:00 on Tuesday, with 132 dead and 103 cured.
Among the confirmed cases, 1,239 patients were in critical condition.
There are 9,239 suspected cases in the Chinese mainland. China's Tibet Autonomous Region, which had been the only place unaffected in the virus outbreak, reported one suspected case on Tuesday.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan and Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) are as follows:
Taiwan: 8
Hong Kong SAR: 8
Macao SAR: 7
What's the situation now compared to SARS?
The number of the confirmed cases caused by novel coronavirus now in the Chinese mainland has surpassed that of SARS in 2003: 5,974 versus 5,327.
The official Chinese mainland death toll of SARS was 349, while that of coronavirus now stands at 132.
As the number of infected people and deaths continues to grow, millions of masks are needed in Wuhan and cities across the country. Although most mask manufacturers in China have been working around the clock, some orders can't be issued on time. Why is that?
United Airlines suspends some U.S. flights to China as demand drops over virus fears
United Airlines Holdings Inc. said on Tuesday it was suspending some flights between the United States and Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 due to a "significant decline in demand" as the new coronavirus spreads.
United's suspension affects a total of 24 flights.
The other two U.S. airlines that fly to China, Delta Air Lines Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc., said they had not reduced their flights, but were monitoring the situation closely.
CNBC reported the White House had told airline executives it was considering suspending flights from China to the U.S. amid the virus outbreak.
But the White House later denied the report. An unnamed senior U.S. official told Reuters the White House did not call U.S.-based air carriers to ask for a suspension of flights between the U.S. and China.
Measures are under discussion in the Trump administration over the spread of the virus, and a temporary ban on flights is not off the table, according to Reuters.
The U.S. currently has five confirmed novel coronavirus cases.
(With input from Reuters)
25 new deaths reported in Hubei Province
Twenty-five new deaths and 840 new coronavirus cases were reported in central China's Hubei Province on Tuesday.
That brings the death toll in the province to 125, including 104 in the provincial capital city of Wuhan, the center of the epidemic.
As of Tuesday midnight, there are 3,554 confirmed cases in Hubei Province, 80 people have been discharged from the hospitals, and 3,349 are receiving treatment.
Noticeably, Hubei Province witnessed a drop in number of new coronavirus cases diagnosed per day for the first time since January 22.
Despite Beijing's impressively coordinated campaign- some regions are facing real challenges, especially in terms of preventive supplies.
Dr. Luo Fengming is a respiratory disease expert from Sichuan Province.
He is leading a team of doctors from Chengdu's West China Hospital.
Due to the doctors' busy schedule, CGTN talked briefly on a ride to their hotel.
Dr. Luo told us it was very difficult to breathe when doctors put on the equipment and mask on. So they have to change shifts every 4 to 5 hours.
He also said the mask is very effective protection from infection.
More medical staffs are on their way to help Wuhan.
Expert: It takes at least one month to develop a vaccine and more time for test, approval
It will take at least a month to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus and half of a month to test it, said Li Lanjuan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, in an interview.
And it needs at least another month and a half for final approval, she added.
Earlier, a laboratory in Hangzhou had successfully isolated strains, which provided the basis for research and development of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said he welcomes the World Health Organization's (WHO) participation in the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus, saying that China is willing to work with the international community on promoting regional and global public health.
Xi made the remarks during a meeting with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday.
The Chinese government has been communicating information related to the virus in a timely, open and transparent way, actively responding to people's concerns and strengthening international cooperation, he said.
He told the WHO chief that with the Communist Party of China leadership and the strength of its people, China is determined and capable of winning the battle against the coronavirus.
During their meeting, Xi emphasized that people's lives and health remains the top priority, and disease prevention and control is the most important task at present.
He also expressed trust in the WHO and international community to give a calm, objective and rational assessment of the virus.
Read more:
WHO chief confident in China's epidemic prevention and control ability
Ghebreyesus praised the Chinese government's timely and effective measures in fighting the novel coronavirus.
He said he appreciates China's efforts during the process, including being transparent in releasing information, having identified pathogens in a short time and sequenced the viral genome and making it public.
The measures taken by China are not only protecting the Chinese people, but also the people of the world, he said.
China's speed, scale and efficiency of response is rarely seen in the world, Ghebreyesus said. This is the advantage of the Chinese system, and the experience is worth learning for other countries, he added.
He said the WHO firmly supports China's measures in fighting the epidemic, and is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with China and provide all necessary assistance.
Ghebreyesus said he believes China will effectively control and eventually kill the epidemic.
Before meeting with Xi, he also met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, January 28, 2019. /Xinhua Photo)
The endorsement for traveling to and from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region has been suspended, the National Immigration Administration announced on Tuesday amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The measure will affect Chinese mainland residents who are going to visit Hong Kong and Macao on individual and group tours. The suspension is for an indefinite period of time.
For those who already have received an endorsement, but have not yet hit the road, authorities said they will reinstate the endorsement after the suspension is over.
Since Hong Kong and Macao have implemented immigration management measures against mainland travelers, an unnamed official with National Immigration Administration urged mainland residents who have valid endorsements to reschedule or cancel their trips.
As of Tuesday, eight confirmed cases have been reported in Hong Kong and seven cases in Macao.
(Cover image: A file photo of Hong Kong SAR. /VCG Photo)
Fresh food delivered in Wuhan despite coronavirus
A CGTN stringer paid a visit to a local fresh food delivery place to visit the unsung heroes, who are working to ensure fresh fruits and vegetables for the residents of Wuhan even as the city remains locked down.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this video and article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of China Global Television Network.
Novel coronavirus fatality rate expected to drop: renowned Chinese expert
The fatality rate for the novel coronavirus outbreak is expected to decrease, said Zhong Nanshan, a renowned Chinese respiratory expert, in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday.
"So far, no medication has been developed to specifically target the virus, but scientists and medical workers have explored many ways. As great improvement has also been made in the life support system, the fatality rate is expected to drop further," he said.
Click here for more.
China's finance ministry allocates 4.4 billion yuan towards coronavirus outbreak
China's finance ministry said on Tuesday it allocated 4.4 billion yuan (about 634 million U.S. dollars) for the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus.
500 million yuan (about 72 million U.S. dollars) will be allocated to Hubei Province.
Last week, China allocated a total of one billion yuan (about 144 million U.S. dollars) to support the province's battle against the deadly novel coronavirus.
Wuhan's Vice Mayor explains the sharp increase of confirmed coronavirus cases
Vice Mayor of Wuhan, Chen Xiexin, has explained the reason behind the recent sharp increase in number of confirmed coronavirus cases in an interview.
He admitted that limited attention in the earlier stage is one of the reasons and further explained that it takes time to test the virus.
Only Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention could diagnose the coronavirus earlier. Now, there are 61 hospitals and clinics across the city to test and diagnose patients, he added.
It's faster and convenient to test the virus now, said Chen. According to Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, there are currently diagnostic kits for 40,000 patients in Wuhan, and kits for 60,000 more patients are on the way to Wuhan's hospitals.
Provincial 'Two Sessions' in SW China's Sichuan delayed
The southwest China's Sichuan Province has postponed the local "Two Sessions" – the annual meetings of provincial lawmakers and political advisors – authorities announced on Tuesday.
Normally, the local "Two Sessions" are held over a month before the full annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, collectively known as the national "Two Sessions", in early March.
Travel from Chinese mainland to Macao suspended
The endorsements for individuals travelling from the Chinese mainland to Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have been suspended, Macao's Secretary for Administration and Justice Cheong Weng Chon announced on Tuesday at a press briefing.
Previously issued endorsements still valid will continue to be accepted, added the official.
Singapore, Japan report new cases of novel coronavirus
Two new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Singapore by the country's Ministry of Health on Tuesday, bringing the total reported cases in the country to seven.
Japan also reported two new cases on the same day. There have been six confirmed cases in the country.
According to Japanese authorities, a man with no recent travel history to China was infected by the novel coronavirus – possibly after driving tourists from Wuhan.
Carrie Lam announces cuts in number of flights, trains to mainland
Starting January 30, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will reduce the number of flights, trains and passenger ferry service to the mainland, said Carrie Lam, the SAR's chief executive on Tuesday.
Forty-nine mainland cities will suspend new endorsements for travel to Hong Kong, said Lam.
As of Tuesday noon, eight new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Hong Kong, and over 100 cases are in quarantine.
Primary, secondary schools in Wuhan to offer online courses from Feb. 10
Primary, secondary and secondary vocational schools in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, will provide students with online courses starting from February 10, according to a statement issued by the city's education bureau on Tuesday.
Before starting the new semester, municipal schools at all levels are prohibited from organizing offline courses and training activities, read the statement.
A day earlier, China announced that the Lunar New Year holiday will be extended to February 2 as a measure to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.
WHO director-general confident in China's ability to handle epidemic
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is confident in China's handling of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The director-general said on Tuesday WHO is fully confident in China's ability to prevent and control the disease.
WHO late Sunday has reevaluated the novel coronavirus outbreak as "very high in China, high at the regional level and high at the global level."
But it does not necessarily mean an international health emergency should be declared.
Read more:
WHO director-general confident in China's ability to handle epidemic
China fast-tracks novel coronavirus vaccine development
The project for the development of an mRNA vaccine targeting the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been urgently approved, said Shanghai East Hospital of Tongji University.
The vaccine will be co-developed by the hospital and Stermirna Therapeutics Co., Ltd.
Li Hangwen, CEO of Stermirna Therapeutics, said no more than 40 days will be needed to manufacture the vaccine samples based on the new generation of mRNA technology and some preliminary procedures.
The samples will be sent for tests and brought to clinics as soon as possible.
The production cycle of traditional vaccines can be as long as five to six months, whereas the mRNA vaccine has the advantage of a shorter development and production cycle.
(Xinhua News Agency)
Wuhan mayor willing to resign over disputed lockdown decision
"As long as it helps contain the spread of the virus, I'm willing to resign as a form of apology," Wuhan mayor Zhou Xianwang said in an exclusive interview with CCTV when asked about the lockdown decision the local government in reaction to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Chinese authorities call on citizens to postpone overseas trips
In consideration of the current novel coronavirus outbreak, Chinese citizens are recommended to avoid recent overseas trips to guarantee the health and safety of both Chinese and foreigners, China's National Immigration Administration said on Tuesday.
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Chinese authorities call on citizens to postpone overseas trips
World offers China help against novel coronavirus
Help has been pouring in from around the world as the novel coronavirus spreads from Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, where the outbreak began.
Read more:
Three infected medical workers discharged from hospital
Three medical workers infected with the new coronavirus were cured and discharged from Wuhan Union Hospital on Tuesday around noon.
They are among the 15 medical workers infected in Wuhan City while tending to patients.
On Sunday, at least 11 members of infected medical staff in the city had tested negative for the virus.
Across China, 60 people have been discharged from hospitals as of Monday midnight.
Standards on discharging and isolation relief (According to China's National Health Commission)
1. Body temperature remains normal for at least three days
2. Obvious improvement of respiratory symptom
3. Virus test negative for two successive times (Sampling interval of at least one day)
National Health Commission: 4,515 confirmed cases in Chinese mainland, 106 dead, 60 cured
China's National Health Commission said a total of 4,515 cases were confirmed in the Chinese mainland as of Monday at midnight, with 106 dead and 60 cured.
Among confirmed cases, 976 patients were in critical condition.
There are 6,973 suspected cases in the Chinese mainland.
The number of confirmed cases in China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs) has also increased. The numbers are as follow:
Taiwan: 5
Hong Kong SAR: 8
Macao SAR: 7
On the novel virus
According to the latest updates from the National Health Commission, the virus is mainly transmitted by respiratory droplets (droplet spread). People can also get infected by touching infectious droplets and then touching their own mouth, nose or eye(s).
Research has revealed an 85 percent genetic similarity between the novel coronavirus, now known as 2019-nCoV, and SARS.
Its incubation period could be up to 14 days, but is usually around three to seven days.
Tracking deaths from the novel coronavirus
As of Monday midnight, a total of 106 people have died from the novel coronavirus. Here's a quick breakdown of the death toll.
Hubei Province: 100
Hebei Province: 1
Henan Province: 1
Heilongjiang Province: 1
Hainan Province: 1
Beijing: 1
Shanghai: 1
Opinion: Will the coronavirus cause a major growth slowdown in China?
The panic generated by the new coronavirus, 2019-nCov, which originated in Wuhan, one of China's largest cities and a major domestic transport hub, reminds many of the fear and uncertainty at the peak of the 2003 SARS.
China's stock market, after rising for months, has reversed itself in recent days, and global markets have followed suit, apparently reflecting concerns about the epidemic's impact on the Chinese economy and global growth. Are these worries justified?
Read more:
Opinion: Will the coronavirus cause a major growth slowdown in China?
1,291 new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed, 100 dead in Hubei
A total of 1,291 new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed as of midnight Tuesday in central China's Hubei Province, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 2,714 in the area.
Twenty-four more deaths were also confirmed in the province, according to local health authorities, raising the total number of deaths in the region to 100.
Germany confirms first novel coronavirus case, UN voices support to China
Germany on Monday confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus, according to German media, making it the second European country affected by the outbreak after France.
A man from the district of Starnberg in Bavaria was infected, a spokesman for the Bavarian Ministry of Health in Munich confirmed, adding details of the case will be released later.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday the organization will firmly support China in preventing and controlling the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, a fifth case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Singapore, its health ministry said in a statement Monday.
Beijing, Shanghai report first deaths from coronavirus
Health commissions in Beijing and Shanghai both reported on late Monday first deaths in their city from the novel coronavirus.
A 50-year-old male died of respiratory failure in Beijing on Monday.
He was diagnosed on January 22, and was in Wuhan City from January 8 to 15.
Meanwhile, Shanghai authorities have yet to release details of the deceased patient.
As of Monday night, Beijing had eight more confirmed cases of the disease, bringing the total number to 80.
Two patients have been discharged from hospitals after treatment, while 63 patients were in stable condition.
Shanghai had 66 confirmed as of Monday night, aged between seven and 88 years old.
The U.S. State department has issued a level 4 advisory for Wuhan, recommending people “do not travel” to Hubei Province.
A level 3 warning has also been issued for all of China, which means people should “reconsider traveling” to the country.
According to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, President Trump has offered President Xi assistance in combating the coronavirus.
In the U.S., travelers are being screened at 20 airports.
The U.S. government is also evacuating American citizens and diplomats from Wuhan.
Other countries such as France and Japan are considering doing the same.
China is also expanding efforts to contain the virus. People traveling from Wuhan are required to register and self-quarantine themselves.
Travel in some areas has also been restricted.
The coronavirus has killed 81 people and infected more than 2,800 so far. Coronavirus cases have been confirmed across east Asia, one in France and five in the U.S..
Wuhan is in Central China, the epicenter for the novel coronavirus that broke out during the winter and spread across the nation.
With 9 million people said to still be in the city, a lockdown has sealed it off from the outside world.
All public transportation has been suspended except the highway.
But once you get into the city, you won't know when you can get out.
CGTN's Xu Xinchen and crew drove into the city to report.
It was a lonely road driving into the city where over 11 million people live.
As the novel coronavirus attracts wide attention, European countries are ramping up their efforts to try and "contain" any possible fallout.
CGTN reporter Nawied Jabarkhyl spoke to Global Business saying one area of focus for European governments has been around travel hubs, especially international airports.
In Paris and London, medical teams have been deployed to screen passengers from China.
Across Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of the outbreak of the coronavirus, a light show took place with the words "Go Wuhan" projected onto the buildings. The message is to encourage the residents who have not been allowed to leave for the last five days.
Cambodia reports first novel coronavirus case
The first coronavirus case in Cambodia was reported on Monday.
The country's health minister announced at a press conference that the first coronavirus case has been detected in a Chinese tourist from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
Medical supplies in virus-hit Wuhan race against time
When Luo Gangqiang, director of the Red Cross Society of Wuhan, put his cell phone number on a donation notice, he was surprised by the responses.
"It has become a hotline," he said. "On the first day, I had over a thousand missed calls. "I got tense and stressed and came to realize the virus situation had been severe."
In just a matter of weeks, the demand for medical supplies has become urgent in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus epidemic.
Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday has made important instructions on the work of combating and controlling the novel coronavirus outbreak, vowing to rely on people to resolutely win the fight.
Xi stressed that Party committees and governments at all levels must fully mobilize, deploy and strengthen their work in accordance with the decisions and arrangements of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, give top priority to the safety of people's lives and health, and make the prevention and control of the outbreak the most important task at present.
Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in instruction to Party organizations, members and officials, asking them to unite the people in resolutely implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee.
Xi required them to firm up confidence, stay united and take scientific and targeted measures in epidemic prevention and control to allow the Party flag "fly high at the frontline of the battleground."
Party committees at all levels should make scientific and accurate judgments on the epidemic situation, Xi said, demanding unity in leadership, command and action in prevention and control work.
Xi asked Party organization officials, especially chief leaders, to always stay on the job, make commands at the frontline and shoulder their governance responsibilities.
Party organizations and members at the primary level should play the vanguard roles to broadly mobilize, organize and unite the people in joint prevention and control to fortify a strong defense by mass participation.
Party officials will be tested in this arduous battle, Xi said, urging Party committees at all levels to encourage Party members and officials to step out and bravely fight in the battle to see that they can stand the tests through their solid work.
(With input from Xinhua)
Two patients discharged from hospital in Shanghai
Two coronavirus patients were discharged from a Shanghai hospital after fully recovering from the virus on Monday, according to local authorities.
At a press conference on Monday, the Shanghai municipal government announced that workers in enterprises in the region should not return to work until midnight on February 9 and the local schools should not open until February 17.
Four new novel coronavirus cases confirmed in Beijing
Four new novel coronavirus cases were confirmed between 21:00 on January 26 to 9:00 the following day in Beijing, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 72 in the city.
Australia confirms fifth case of novel coronavirus
A new case of novel coronavirus has confirmed by Australian authorities on Monday, which brings the total cases to 5 in the country.
The newly infected patient is a 21-year-old Chinese woman; she traveled from Wuhan to Sydney last week.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday came to Wuhan, Hubei Province to inspect and guide the efforts to prevent and control the novel coronavirus outbreak. He also visited patients and medical staff.
Premier Li urged authorities at all levels to prioritize the safety and health of the people and called for strict implementation of containment measures on Sunday.
China's National Health Commission is holding a press conference on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak on Monday.
Officials discussed a slew of new measures including personnel control, tracking migrants especially those who had traveled to central China's Wuhan, strengthening the management of people who have had close contact with coronavirus-infected patients, improving environmental hygiene and promoting public health education.
NDRC allocates 300 million yuan to assist Wuhan's coronavirus outbreak response
China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on Sunday 300 million yuan (around 43.25 million U.S. dollars) from investment under the central budget will be sent to central China's Wuhan city in Hubei Province to assist in the region's coronavirus outbreak response.
The fund will be used to support the construction of two specialized hospitals for novel coronavirus patients in Wuhan – the Huoshenshan Hospital and Leishenshan Hospital. The fund will also be used to purchase important medical equipment.
Wuhan suspends exit and entry services for Chinese citizens
Wuhan authorities on Sunday announced that all exit and entry services for Chinese citizens in the city will be suspended, effective January 26 to 30, according to a notice issued by the Exit and Entry Administration Department of Wuhan Public Security Bureau.
The suspension is aimed at preventing and controlling the spread of the new coronavirus infection, said the bureau.
No passengers on int'l cruise infected with new coronavirus
Tests showed all negative results of coronavirus infection for 13 passengers with fever on board an international cruise arriving in southern China's Shenzhen city on Sunday.
Another 148 who travelled to or lived in Wuhan were isolated for further observation.
The cruise ship departed from Vietnam on January 21 with 6,222 people on board, among them were 414 passengers from Wuhan.
China's General Office of the State Council announced on Monday the Spring Festival holiday will be extended to February 2 as a measure to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.
China's railway operator also announced passengers who purchased tickets before January 28 could cancel their tickets nationwide without incurring any fees.
(Cover: Xinhua Photo)
WHO chief visiting Beijing to discuss coronavirus outbreak
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on his Twitter that he is going to Beijing to provide support for the novel coronavirus response.
He noted, "WHO has activated global networks of experts, quickly developed advice for countries everywhere, and is working with them to activate their response systems."
371 new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Hubei
Three hundred and seventy-one new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed on Monday in central China's Hubei Province, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 1,423 in the area as of midnight January 26.
Twenty-four more deaths were also confirmed in the province, according to local health authorities, raising the total number of deaths to 76.
Coronavirus outbreak: At least 2,070 cases confirmed in China, 56 dead
As of 10:00 p.m. on January 26, China has reported at least 2,070 confirmed cases and another 37 cases have been confirmed abroad. The death toll has risen to 56.
The number of confirmed cases in Hubei Province has risen to 1,058, while southern China's Guangdong Province and eastern China's Zhejiang Province have confirmed 111 and 104 cases respectively.
A total of 14 cases have been confirmed in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
China's Ministry of Finance said all levels of its departments have allocated a total of 11.21 billion yuan (about 1.6 billion U.S. dollars) towards the battle against the deadly novel coronavirus.
Besides China, seven Asian countries have detected confirmed cases. The U.S. confirmed the third case on Sunday while three cases of the coronavirus also found in France, the first in Europe, on Saturday.
But there is also hope. On Sunday, at least 11 members of the medical staff in Wuhan City, who were confirmed infected, had tested negative for the virus.
Coronavirus vs. SARS: How similar are they? Data tells
Originating from what experts believe was a seafood market in Wuhan, China and spreading across the globe, the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak looks a bit like SARS in 2003. Many people have described this new type of coronavirus as "the new SARS" or "evolved SARS.
Though they are not accurate descriptions, the fear of the new disease is obvious. We have yet to find a great way to eliminate the virus from human body. And hundreds of new patients are being discovered on a daily basis.
But how bad is the novel coronavirus compared to SARS? Click here for more.
'2019-nCoV' cures underway in China
The 2019-nCoV does not currently have an effective medicine treatment or vaccine, though efforts to develop them are underway.
Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) announced Sunday that it started research and development of a vaccine for the coronavirus. And the organization is also conducting drug screening for treatment.
Here is the timeline of the "2019-nCoV" treatment in China.
China to extend Spring Festival break to combat coronavirus
China will extend its week-long Spring Festival break, a national holiday that was supposed to end on January 31, in an effort to contain the novel coronavirus, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday.
Schools will also be pushing back the beginning of the spring semester.
Li made the remarks while chairing a symposium on determining policy to control and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
China has mobilized seven groups of 900 medical staff to aid Hubei Province and will send 12 more teams with 1,600 medical personnel in two days to Wuhan City, the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak, as part of the latest efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus, said officials at a press conference on Sunday.
Calling the situation complicated, officials said if the current measures can be implemented effectively, experts think the spread of virus can be curbed.
The control and prevention of the new coronavirus is currently the most important task for the country, said officials from the National Health Commission.
According to the health officials, they're working with the World Health Organization to continue to evaluate the public health risk. They also said they are open to experts from WHO, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan visiting Wuhan to help with research.
More Chinese cities issue travel restrictions to contain coronavirus spread
More provinces and municipalities are restricting the entry of cars and suspending public transportation in a bid to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In the southern city of Shantou, Guangdong Province, all buses, shuttles, taxis, ridesharing cars and ferries were halted starting from 2 p.m. local time Sunday, according to a notice issued by the city’s disease control officials.
It will also ban all vehicles, ships and people from entering or leaving the city starting from Monday, except for permitted emergency vehicles. People arriving at the train stations will be screened and urged to return to their place of origin.
The northwestern city of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province announced on Sunday that it would suspend all inter-provincial and inter-city long-distance bus services, as well as taxis and ride-hailing operations, from 6 p.m. local time on Sunday. All tourism-related charter bus rental services will also be suspended.
Shandong Province announced a similar measure on the same day, suspending all inter-provincial shuttle buses, with inter-city buses subject to strict disinfection and ventilation. It said all inter-city buses are required to check the passengers’ temprature upon boarding the bus.
In Shanghai, four cruise operators have canceled trips starting from ports in Shanghai and offered refunds. Passengers are also able to choose other dates this year as an alternative to a full refund.
Huoshenshan Hospital, a new specialized hospital for novel coronavirus patients in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, will be put into use by February 2 and will be managed by the Chinese military, local media reported, citing authorities.
The hospital is designed to have an area of 25,000 square meters and will provide 700 to 1,000 beds, reports said.
Leishenshan Hospital, Wuhan's other specialized hospital, will hold 1,300 beds and is expected to be put into use by February 5.
3 new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Beijing
Three new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed on Sunday in Beijing, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 54 in the city, according to local health authorities.
Coronavirus vaccine under research and development
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has conducted research and development of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, an official said on Sunday.
So far the center has finished the process of virus isolation, the official noted.
Canada confirms first case of novel coronavirus
Canada confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus in Toronto Saturday evening local time, according to local authorities.
A male patient aged 50 recently traveled to central China's Wuhan City in Hubei Province.
The patient is in stable condition and currently being treated in isolation at a hospital.
Beijing announces 20 designated hospitals for coronavirus patients
Beijing Municipal Health Commission on Sunday announced 20 designated hospitals to treat coronavirus patients.
These hospitals are in charge of the medical treatment for patients infected in the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.
Beijing Ditan Hospital and Beijing Youan Hospital, which were the major hospitals treating SARS patients in 2003, are among the 20.
3 new imported cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Macao
Three new imported cases of novel coronavirus infection were confirmed on Sunday in China's Macao Special Administrative Region, according to local health authorities. This brings the number of confirmed cases to five in the city.
Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park close temporarily amid coronavirus outbreak
Hong Kong's Disneyland and Ocean Park closed Sunday until further notice in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Hotels inside Hong Kong Disneyland remain working under normal operation.
Two new imported cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Liaoning
Two new imported cases of novel coronavirus infection were confirmed on Sunday in China's northeast Liaoning Province, bringing the total number of cases to 19 in the province, according to local authorities.
Tianjin has announced that it will suspend all inter-provincial shuttle buses starting January 27 amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, local authorities said.
40 cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Shanghai
As of Saturday midnight, seven new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Shanghai, which brings the number of confirmed cases to 40, according to local health commission.
The commission said in a statement that one male patient aged 88 died, and the other one is in critical condition.
One person discharged from the hospital, the statement added.
323 new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Hubei, C China
At least 323 new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in central China's Hubei Province as of midnight Saturday, and 13 deaths were reported.
The total number of confirmed cases in Hubei has now reached 1,052, with 129 infected patients in serious condition, while the death toll climbed to 52.
(Cover: An ambulance drives by a cleaner in a street in Wuhan, central China, January 22, 2020. /AP Photo)
10 new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Beijing
Ten new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Beijing on Saturday, according to local health authorities. This brings the number of confirmed cases to 51 in the Chinese capital.
Beijing's Municipal Health Commission said in a statement on Sunday that three of the patients are medical staff, two of which had a travel history to Wuhan. The third contracted the disease after sitting with one of the infected doctors during a meeting.
(Cover: AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
China Customs is requesting all travelers who want to cross China’s border to fill out a health declaration form, because of the outbreak and spread of the coronavirus.
China has diagnosed at least 1,372 coronavirus cases with another 31 cases confirmed abroad.
At least ten countries and regions have reported coronavirus infections.
The death toll from the respiratory illness has risen to 42.
For the very latest information: Coronavirus outbreak
A group of CGTN reporters arrived Saturday in central China's Wuhan City, where the new strain of coronavirus was first discovered. The death toll in China has climbed to 41, with 1,356 confirmed cases nationwide.
Coronavirus outbreak: At least 1,370 cases confirmed in China, 41 dead
China has detected at least 1,370 coronavirus cases with another 28 cases confirmed abroad as of 10:00 p.m. BJT on Saturday. The death toll from the respiratory illness has risen to 41.
At least 730 cases were confirmed in central China's Hubei Province, including over 570 cases in Wuhan City, the epicenter of the outbreak.
The number of confirmed cases in 11 provincial-level jurisdictions in China has surpassed 20 each.
Beijing has confirmed 41 cases, while south China's Guangdong Province is now the second-worst hit area with 78 confirmed cases.
Thirty municipalities and provinces have activated their highest emergency response level.
Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province is on lockdown to contain the spread of a new coronavirus outbreak. A vlogger in the city has recorded what life is like there.
China to halt all outbound tourist groups amid coronavirus outbreak
China will halt all outbound tourist groups as of Monday, January 27, the China Tourism Association announced on Saturday.
The association said domestic flight and hotel bookings through travel agencies have been put on hold since January 24, while similar services for overseas destinations will be suspended from January 27.
Beijing to stop all inter-province shuttle buses from January 26
Beijing has announced that it will suspend all inter-province shuttle buses from January 26 amid the coronavirus outbreak, local authorities said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping: Control of the new coronavirus is currently the primary task
The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Saturday held a meeting on the prevention and control of the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired the meeting.
Xi said the control and prevention of the new coronavirus is the most important task for the country at the present stage.
The standing committee said it would set up a high-level working group to oversee the work.
29 out of 34 provincial-level jurisdictions activate highest emergency response
As of 6:50 p.m., a total of 29 provincial-level jurisdictions in China have activated their Level-I emergency response amid the coronavirus outbreak, with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region declared emergency level, the highest response level for that region.
A rundown of what is categorized as a 'Level-I emergency response'
– Level I is the highest emergency response of China's four-tiered public health emergency mechanism.
– Level-I emergencies include diseases with unknown causes spreading throughout multiple provinces, the emergence of new infectious diseases and the reemergence of infectious diseases that have been eliminated in China.
– Atypical pneumonia with a tendency to spread is categorized as a level-I emergency.
– When a level-I emergency occurs, the provincial-level government will organize and coordinate an emergency response in accordance with the decisions and arrangements made by China's State Council, the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China.
Wuhan to build second special hospital within half month
The government of Wuhan City on Saturday decided to set up a second coronavirus hospital to receive patients within the half month.
The new hospital is named Leishenshan Hospital and is expected to contain 1,300 beds, authorities said.
Hong Kong declares highest emergency response amid coronavirus outbreak
Carrie Lam, the chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), declared the highest emergency response in the city amid the coronavirus outbreak on Saturday.
At a press conference, Lam said the suspension of flights and trains between Hong Kong and Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak on the mainland, will be indefinite.
All official visits to the Chinese mainland will be halted and Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations cancelled in Hong Kong, she added.
Wuhan City bans vehicles in major districts
Roads in Wuhan, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, will be closed to vehicles in the city's major districts, the Wuhan coronavirus command center announced on Saturday.
The ban will be effective starting January 26.
The ban does not include vehicles with special permits, free shuttles and government vehicles.
14,000 hazmat suits allocated to Wuhan City
As of Friday, a total of 14,000 hazmat suits and 110,000 pairs of medical gloves have been allocated to Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, according to an official from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
CFA Super Cup will delay the game on February 5
The Chinese Super Cup which designed to be held in Suzhou, Jiangsu on February 5 will be delayed amid coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced in a statement on Saturday.
Everything about Wuhan's special coronavirus hospital
China's National Health Commission sends 1,230 medical staff to Wuhan
China's National Health Commission is sending 1,230 medical staff in six groups to Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak in the region. Three of the six groups have begun their work in the virus-hit area.
Local media earlier reported that 450 military medical personnel have also landed in the city to offer support.
Malaysia confirms first 3 cases of coronavirus
Malaysian authorities confirmed three coronavirus cases on Saturday.
The three people are related to a 66-year-old patient in Singapore.
Australia reports first case of novel coronavirus
Australia reported its first case of the novel coronavirus on Saturday. The male patient is a Chinese national aged 50, and recently traveled to central China's Wuhan City.
The patient is currently hospitalized and isolated in a Melbourne hospital.
Coronavirus outbreak: 1,297 cases confirmed in China
At least 1,297 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in China, including 10 in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the National Health Commission said on Saturday.
It added that the death toll from the virus has risen to 41, while 38 patients have been cured.
Coronavirus reaches Europe as France confirms three cases
French Health Ministry said on Friday that three cases of the coronavirus have been "confirmed" in France, the first in Europe.
The patients have been placed in isolation, one in Bordeaux and two in Paris.
All three had recently traveled to China, officials said.
14 new coronavirus cases confirmed
At least 14 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed globally as of Friday afternoon.
Seven of them are in Beijing, two in Shaanxi Province, two in Taiwan, one in Qinghai.
Two more new cases were also reported in Singapore on Friday.
As of 10:30 p.m. BJT on Friday, at least 897 of coronavirus were confirmed in China alone.
CGTN reporters get a firsthand view of Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital's intensive care units (ICU) on January 24, Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve, as the hospital battles the new coronavirus outbreak. /CGTN Photo
CGTN reporters get a firsthand view of Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital's intensive care units (ICU) on January 24, Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve, as the hospital battles the new coronavirus outbreak. /CGTN Photo
CMC launches medical team to control novel coronavirus
The Logistic Support Department of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) said Friday that it had organized a professional medical team to prevent and control the spread of pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus.
The commission said it made the decision after receiving important instruction from Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CMC.
Wuhan's coronavirus facility named Huoshenshan Hospital
The specialized hospital set up for patients with the new coronavirus has been named Huoshenshan Hospital, according to Wuhan authorities.
Emulating Beijing's response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, when it built the Xiaotangshan Hospital in seven days to care for SARS patients, the Wuhan authorities plan to complete the specialized hospital in six days.
The new hospital is expected to contain 1,000 beds, officials said.
Shanghai launches highest level for a public health emergency
Shanghai on Friday launched the level I emergency response – the highest level for a public health emergency – to combat the current coronavirus outbreak in the region, according to local authorities.
Beijing launches highest level of public health emergency response
Beijing launched on Friday a level I emergency response – the highest level for a public health emergency – to combat the current coronavirus outbreak in the region, according to local health authorities.
A total of 29 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Beijing as of noon on Friday.
Recovered coronavirus patient released from Beijing hospital
A female patient who contracted the coronavirus was discharged from a Beijing hospital on Friday, according to local authorities.
The patient's respiratory samples tested negative for the novel coronavirus strain and her body temperature was within the normal range.
The woman lives in the southern Beijing district of Daxing and had traveled to central China's Hubei Province, with Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, is the provincial capital.
According to latest data, as of Friday, 35 patients have recovered. China has confirmed 881 cases of coronavirus infection, which has killed 26 people.
(Cover: A worker wearing a hazardous materials suit checks a passenger at a subway station in Beijing, Friday, January 24, 2020. /AP Photo)
Chinese govt asks for tip-offs on coronavirus cover-ups, underreporting
Chinese authorities are asking people for tip-offs on underreporting or concealment of the new coronavirus outbreak.
The State Council said it is welcoming information from citizens about potential issues with the reporting of the new coronavirus. This includes cover-ups, attempts to play down the numbers or delayed and incomplete reporting of the outbreak. All information and leads will be investigated, and any issues will be dealt with according to laws and regulations.
Central China's Hubei Province launched on Friday a level I emergency response – the highest level for a public health emergency – to combat the current coronavirus outbreak in the region, according to local authorities.
Wuhan Yangtze River Tunnel to close from Saturday
Wuhan Yangtze River Tunnel will be closed from Saturday midnight to reduce human traffic and prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus, according to local authorities.
Temperature monitoring will also be implemented on the Yangtze River Bridge within and including the third ring.
Inner Mongolia confirms first case of novel coronavirus
One case of novel coronavirus was confirmed in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday, according to the local health commission.
Coronavirus outbreak: All CBA games to be delayed from February 1
All scheduled games from February 1 onwards will be delayed amid coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced on Friday.
"Fans who have already bought tickets for the games can seek a refund or wait until further notice," the CBA said in a statement.
Faced with a severe novel coronavirus outbreak, Wuhan will build a dedicated hospital in Caidian District for receiving patients.
Caidian District stands on the western suburbs of Central China's Wuhan City.
The government said it learned from the SARS fight at Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was built in 2003 to deal with the disease.
Construction is underway and the hospital will be built within six days.
Four more coronavirus cases confirmed in Shanghai
Shanghai authorities on Friday announced that four new coronavirus cases have been identified, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the city to 20.
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China has risen to 25. All but one of them were recorded in the central province of Hubei, with the other in the northern province of Hebei.
The World Health Organization says a viral illness in China that has sickened hundreds of people is not yet a global health emergency.
The decision came after Chinese authorities moved to lock down three cities on Thursday and canceled major events in the capital, Beijing, during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday period to try to contain the new virus.
The United Nations health agency announced the decision after independent experts spent two days assessing information about the spread of the newly identified coronavirus.
WHO defines a global emergency as an “extraordinary event” that constitutes a risk to other countries and requires a coordinated international response. Previous global emergencies have been declared for the emergence of Zika virus in the Americas, the swine flu pandemic, and polio.
A declaration of a global emergency typically brings greater money and resources, but may also prompt nervous foreign governments to restrict travel and trade to affected countries. Deciding whether an outbreak amounts to an international crisis therefore can also be politically fraught.
In 2014, WHO resisted declaring the devastating Ebola epidemic in West Africa to be a global emergency because it feared the announcement would anger Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. When WHO made its last emergency declaration in July, related to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo, the Congolese health minister resisted the characterization and suggested the decision was made to raise funds “for certain humanitarian actors.”
Hundreds of people infected with the new virus have fallen ill in China, and 17 have died. The first cases appeared last month in Wuhan, an industrial and transportation hub in central China.
Other cases have been reported in the United States, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong reported their first cases Thursday.
China's Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei visited Tianjin on Thursday to check on supplies of epidemic prevention products such as masks and antiseptic products amid the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China.
According to Miao, the maximum production capacity of mask in China is about 20 million per day. Although the Spring Festival holiday has started, many companies have given up their holiday plans and are working overtime to accelerate production.
Miao is confident that the production of masks can meet market demand. He said over 30 companies have resumed production, making the daily production capacity of masks over eight million.
Systems have also been set up to assist enterprises in solving raw material supply, logistics and other problems in the production process, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said during a meeting on Thursday.
American health care company 3M's Shanghai factory has also said that they will maintain mask production during Spring Festival.
The World Health Organization (WHO) held an emergency meeting on January 23 regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus in China and it said it's "too early" to declare the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
"This is an emergency in China. But it has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that WHO's risk assessment is that the outbreak is of very high risk in China, and a high risk regionally and globally.
At the moment, WHO does not recommend any broader restrictions on travel or trade, and recommends exit screening at airports as part of a comprehensive set of containment measures. All countries should have in place measures to detect cases of coronavirus, including at health facilities, Tedros said.
Check this page for latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak.
(With input from Xinhua)
(Cover: Staff sell masks at Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, January 22, 2020. /AP Photo)
Four new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in Beijing
Four new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Beijing on Friday, according to the local health commission. This brings the number of confirmed cases to 26 in the Chinese capital.
This is supposed to be the most festive time of year in China. But in Wuhan, the city at the center of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, holiday spirit has been eclipsed by an atmosphere of unease.
On Thursday, Chinese authorities suspended all means of transport in and out of Wuhan at the busiest time of the Chinese New Year travel rush, putting the central Chinese city of 11 million people on a lockdown. The highways remained open initially but were ordered to close a few hours later. Local transportation, including buses, subway and taxis are also halted, CGTN reporter learned.
The city has set up a command center for disease control which issued its first notice early Thursday announcing the transportation shutdown.
People walk past the closed Hankou Railway Station after the city is locked down following the outbreak of a new coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei Province, central China, January 23, 2020. (China Daily)
At the provincial level, Hubei has also set up a command center to address the current situation, which the government says is "complicated and severe."
The mood in Wuhan has notably changed in the last three days as the number of reported cases and deaths jumped.
All planned celebrations and activities in the city have been canceled.
People have also canceled reservations of New Year's Eve dinners at restaurants, which no longer have a reason to stay open.
Some residents said they haven't gone outside except to take out the trash. And those do go out are all wearing facial masks, as now required.
Many online are also asking the government to provide more supplies, especially due to a shortage of facial masks and rising food prices.
Armed police officers have made their presence known outside the city's Hankou railway station.
Many stranded passengers are left with few options but to wait for further notice, while a loudspeaker repeatedly announces the transportation shutdown.
Hospital staff wash the emergency entrance of Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new coronavirus are being treated, in Wuhan, central China, January 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)
CGTN approached a young man waiting outside the station. Luggage in hands and anxious, he told the reporter that he was traveling to Jingzhou, also in Hubei Province, about an hour away on y high-speed train.
Now he's stuck and can't buy a ticket out of town.
A migrant worker said he arrived at the station to catch a train home when he learned that transportation was suspended.
"We are just waiting for the notice, but no one knows how long it will take," he said.
A local woman who lives near the station told CGTN that she feels for those who are unable to return home for the holiday. But she urged everyone affected by the epidemic to stay positive and not let fear take over their lives. "We should be strong in body and in mind. Confidence is very important if we want to beat this disease," she said.
The command center issued more notices later on Thursday. One reassures residents that their grocery shopping needs will be sufficiently met.
A 24-hour hotline has been established to collect donations of medical supplies and protective equipment, which are in need in large quantities.
China's Finance Ministry has allocated 1 billion yuan (about 144 million U.S. dollars) in relief funds to coronavirus-hit Hubei Province.
Wuhan to build special hospital in six days to receive patients
Faced with the fast-changing situation of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the government of Wuhan City decided to set up a special hospital for receiving patients.
The government said it learned from experience from SARS fight at Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was built in 2003 to deal with the disease.
The hospital is required to be built within six days, according to local authorities.
Gansu Province confirms first two cases of novel coronavirus
Two cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in northwestern China's Gansu Province on Thursday, according to the local health commission.
Vietnam confirms first two novel coronavirus cases
Vietnam on Thursday confirmed its first two cases of novel coronavirus, Xinhua reported citing officials.
Singapore confirms first case of novel coronavirus
Singapore on Thursday confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus, according to the country's health authority.
Beijing cancels large-scale Lunar New Year celebrations
Two days before the start of the Chinese New Year on January 25, the Beijing government has canceled large-scale Lunar New Year events as part of the national effort to control the spread of the new strain of coronavirus.
The government said on Thursday that it would cancel events, including temple fairs "to strengthen prevention and support" within the city.
The China State Railway Group also announced on Thursday that passengers could get free refunds for rail tickets nationwide from January 24 amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Spring Festival movie releases canceled due to new virus
Seven highly-anticipated movies, which were set to hit Chinese cinema during the Spring Festival holiday, announced Thursday to withdraw their original release plan due to recent pneumonia outbreak on their official accounts on China's Twitter-like Weibo.
Read more: Spring Festival movie releases canceled due to new virus
Two cases of new coronavirus strain confirmed in Hong Kong
At least two pneumonia cases related to the new coronavirus strain have been confirmed in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday, according to the health authorities.
Two coronavirus patients released from Shenzhen hospital
A 35-year-old man and a 10-year-old child who contracted the coronavirus were discharged from a Shenzhen hospital on Thursday after achieving full recovery, according to Guangzhou Daily.
Two more cities in Hubei Province shut public transport
The cities of Ezhou and Huanggang in central China's Hubei Province have announced the suspension of public transportation, including air and rail transport, as China battles to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Wuhan opens hotline to receive much-needed medical supplies
Wuhan City's coronavirus command center has opened a 24-hour hotline to receive much needed medical supplies and protective equipment from members of the society.
Hubei Province on Thursday also set up a provincial-level command center to combat the disease as the current situation is "complicated and severe," the government said in a statement.
14 more coronavirus cases confirmed in China, Xinjiang reports first 2
Fourteen new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in China as of 6:00 p.m. Thursday: eight in Beijing, one in Fujian Province, three in Shaanxi Province and two in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to local health authorities.
Wuhan tightens transportation measures
All forms of public transportation, including shuttle buses and ferries into Wuhan City, have been temporarily suspended amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to China's Transport Ministry on Thursday.
Passengers are not allowed to board or disembark in Wuhan, the ministry said.
Cases of novel coronavirus with no travel history to Wuhan emerge
There have been confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in patients with no travel history to Wuhan, China's National Health Commission said Thursday.
Meanwhile, cases of the new coronavirus without exposure to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market are increasing, said the bureau.
Medical staff carry a box as they walk at the Jinyintan hospital, where the patients with pneumonia caused by the new strain of coronavirus are being treated, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China January 10, 2020./Reuters Photo
E China's Zhejiang reports 17 new cases of novel coronavirus
Seventeen new cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in east China's Zhejiang Province on Thursday, according to the local health commission. This brings the number of confirmed cases to 27 in the area.
Medical workers infected in Wuhan, mayor admits it 'profound lesson'
Among the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, are medical workers from a city hospital.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group, Mayor of Wuhan Zhou Xianwang admitted these unfortunate cases could have been avoided, and they have given people a "profound lesson."
"This shows that we didn't get to know enough about the virus at the beginning," he told CCTV.
NE China's Jilin reports first case of novel coronavirus
Northeastern China's Jilin Province reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on Thursday, according to local health bureau.
The diagnosis came after the patient, a 42-year-old woman, travelled from Wuhan, said the bureau.
CGTN Photo
Hankou Railway Station has suspended operation in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus which has infected more than 540 people in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.
Exclusive: Inside a hospital that treats viral pneumonia
Patients with pneumonia caused by the new strain of coronavirus are being treated at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province.
A reporter from China Media Group brings you this special look inside one of the isolation wards at the facility.
New case of novel coronavirus confirmed in Macao
A fresh case of novel coronavirus was confirmed in China's Macao Special Administrative Region on Thursday, according to local health authorities. This brings the number of confirmed cases to two in the city.
The patient is a 66-year-old man, who was detected with fever upon his arrival in Macao from Wuhan on January 22.
More details on 17 deaths from novel coronavirus
China's National Health Commission on Thursday gave more details on the 17 deaths caused by the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, central China.
The deceased were between 48 and 89 years old, with 15 over 60 years of age, and most of whom had underlying health conditions.
There were 13 men and four women among the deceased.
HK investigates second highly suspected imported case of novel coronavirus
The Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday announced that the second highly-suspected imported case of novel coronavirus infection is under investigation.
The case involves a 56-year-old Hong Kong resident with a good health record. The man traveled to Wuhan on January 10.
The patient's respiratory samples have tested positive for novel coronavirus in preliminary screening.
(Cover: Passengers are seen wearing masks to guard against a novel coronavirus in a subway station, Hong Kong, China, January 22, 2020. /AP Photo)
Seven new novel coronavirus cases confirmed in Shanghai
Seven new cases of the novel coronavirus, three female and four male, were confirmed in Shanghai on Thursday, according to local health authorities. This brings the number of infected to 16 in the city.
One patient, an 88-year-old male, is in critical condition, local health authorities said.
Passengers wearing masks are seen at Shanghai railway station in Shanghai, China January 21, 2020./Reuters Photo
WHO delays decision on whether novel coronavirus is global health emergency
World Health Organization officials said that they will delay until Thursday the decision on whether to declare the novel coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern or a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
Members said Chinese health officials gave an extensive presentation on the virus, first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Infections have now been reported in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and possibly Russia.
Read more: World Health Organization delays decision on whether novel coronavirus is global health emergency
Wuhan shuts down airport, railway stations to contain spread of coronavirus
Wuhan City in central China, where an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus has claimed 17 lives in three weeks, is suspending all public transport to prevent further spread of the disease, according to a statement released by the Pneumonia Epidemic Control Headquarters in the city.
Starting from 10:00 a.m. Thursday, the city will shut down all outbound flights and trains, the statement said.
The government has asked local residents not to leave Wuhan "without special reasons."
Services of bus, subway and inter-city bus are also going to be suspended.
Nearly 500 cases of infections of this new virus has been reported nationwide in China as of Wednesday, most of which are in Wuhan, and the rest were mostly traced back to people traveling from Wuhan.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday voiced their support to China in fight against the pneumonia outbreak caused by a novel strain of coronavirus.
Macron said France is willing to work with China in strengthening cooperation in healthcare to safeguard global health security.
Merkel applauded China's response in preventing the spread of the virus, saying Germany is willing to offer support to China.
Read more:
Xi, Merkel pledge to take China-Germany, China-EU ties to a new level in 2020
China's Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron exchange Lunar New Year wishes
Hebei reports first case of novel coronavirus
Northern China's Hebei Province reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, according to local health authorities.
A total of 544 cases of novel coronavirus have so far been confirmed in the country.
17 dead, 444 confirmed infected with coronavirus in China's Hubei Province
17 people have died due to the novel coronavirus and 444 cases have been confirmed in Hubei Province as of 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, according to government officials.
All of the deaths so far have occurred in Hubei Province, said an official.
Carrie Lam says Hong Kong vigilant over coronavirus
Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Wednesday that the HKSAR government had been very vigilant over the coronavirus, adding that the rapid flow of people made the city highly vulnerable to the outbreak.
Lam also confirmed the first "highly suspected" case of the coronavirus during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Wuhan starts checking all people out of city to prevent virus spread-out
The central China city of Wuhan where a deadly pneumonia first broke out has been starting to test the temperature of all people going out of the city to prevent the new virus to spread out fast.
The authorities will also inspect all vehicles coming into the city to prevent wild animals to enter the city, local authorities said on Wednesday. The pneumonia caused by coronavirus first broke out at a water life market in Wuhan in December.
Nine people have died from the disease, while nearly 500 cases of infection have been confirmed nationwide. Nearly 400 cases were reported in Hubei province, where Wuhan is the capital.
The emergency disease control measures will continue to operate 24 hours a day until the outbreak is over to ensure that nothing is missed in the outbreak investigation. The city has also called on the general public to cooperate.
473 novel coronavirus cases confirmed in China
A total of 473 cases of a new strain of coronavirus that causes pneumonia have been confirmed in China as of 7:30 p.m. BJT on Wednesday.
Seven confirmed cases have been reported outside China: one in Japan, four in Thailand, one in the U.S. and one in South Korea.
Twelve more confirmed coronavirus cases reported in China
Twelve more new confirmed novel coronavirus cases reported in China on Wednesday: three in Sichuan, one in Chongqing, one in Shanxi, one in Ningxia, two in Guangxi and four in Henan, according to local health authorities.
Five more confirmed coronavirus cases reported in China
Five more new confirmed novel coronavirus cases were reported in China on Wednesday, including three in Hunan, one in Fujian and one in Guizhou, according to local health authorities.
At least 450 novel coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in the country.
Anhui confirms first case of novel coronavirus
Anhui Province reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus at 4:00 p.m. BJT Wednesday, according to China's National Health Commission.
Six new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed
Liaoning Province reported two new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus while Hainan Province reported four as of Wednesday noon, bringing the total number of cases to 448 in the country, according to National Health Commission.
Your coronavirus questions answered
Several burning questions were raised during a press conference Wednesday.
Are there super-spreaders?
Was early information disclosure insufficient?
Why is the rise in the number of infected so dramatic?
How bad is the situation compared to SARS and MERS?
Check to see what China's health authorities and experts have said.
Read more: Your coronavirus questions answered: 9 dead, source confirmed, no super-spreaders, and more
Tianjin reports two new confirmed cases of coronavirus
Tianjin City reported two new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of noon Wednesday, bringing the number to four in the city and 442 in the country.
Chinese authority earlier said at a press conference that 440 coronavirus cases were diagnosed in China as of Tuesday.
Thailand finds fourth new coronavirus case
Thailand has confirmed a fourth patient with the new type of coronavirus, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said Wednesday.
Two Chinese patients have recovered and returned home, said Anutin, adding that at present Thailand's health ministry is capable of containing the virus outbreak.
Overseas, seven cases have been confirmed abroad – four in Thailand, one in Japan, one in the U.S. and one in South Korea.
Premier Li urges self-protection for medics amid coronavirus outbreak
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for timely and vigorous efforts in the fight against the novel coronavirus-related pneumonia while urging medical workers to ensure self-protection as they are at the frontline.
Premier Li made the remarks on Tuesday when visiting a local hospital in Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province.
Read more:
Li Keqiang urges medical workers to ensure self-protection in fight against coronavirus epidemic
Macao confirms first novel coronavirus case
The first novel coronavirus case has been confirmed in the Macao Special Administrative Region, said Macao officials at a press briefing on Wednesday.
The patient, a 52-year-old female, traveled from Wuhan, added an official.
Expert: Wild animals source of novel coronavirus
The novel coronavirus originated from wild animals illegally sold at a Wuhan seafood market, confirmed Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday.
Young people such as children are not susceptible to the new type of coronavirus, said Gao.
Coronavirus fears infect global markets
Asian stock markets slumped Tuesday as a mysterious pneumonia taking hold in China spooked investors
Most European and U.S. markets followed Asia lower after Hong Kong slumped by 2.8 percent by the close and Shanghai ended with a loss of 1.4 percent.
AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould attributed the weakness in stock markets in Asia and beyond to "Reports the deadly virus has spread to neighboring countries, with all the potential economic disruption that could cause."
Read more:
Expert dismisses rumor on epidemic super-spreader
An expert on Wednesday dismissed the rumor of the existence of a super-spreader in the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus, in response to a question raised by a reporter.
"There's no evidence to support the idea there are already super-spreaders," Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said. "But we will keep monitoring the situation."
What is a super-spreader?
A super-spreader is a highly contagious virus carrier. It could infect more secondary contacts than other hosts who are also infected with the same disease.
Potential of viral mutation and further spread
National Health Commission Vice Minister Li Bin said Wednesday at a press conference that the coronavirus is transmitted via the respiratory tract and there "is the possibility of viral mutation and further spread of the disease."
Expert also suggested Wuhan residents remain in the city.
9 deaths, 440 confirmed coronavirus cases in China
Nine people have been killed due to the novel coronavirus and 440 cases have been confirmed in China, Chinese health officials said Wednesday, while briefing the media on epidemic control measures.
All of the deaths are cases in Hubei Province, said an official.
Health officials brief media on virus surveillance
Chinese Health officials are briefing media on epidemic control measures.
Experts will also answer questions from reporters. Click here to watch live.
Stepping into center of China's virus outbreak that has killed six
The Wuhan Union Hospital designated new medical areas as fever clinics.
It expanded five times since the novel coronavirus started spreading in China. Doctors from different departments came to help at the fever clinics.
With the increasing number of confirmed cases, there are five floors of fully-protected wards that are up to standard. Protective measures for medical staff are also in place.
A total of 324 novel coronavirus cases confirmed in China
10 novel coronavirus cases have been confirmed in China as of 07:20 a.m. BJT, January 22:
Beijing: 5
Jiangxi Province: 2
Hunan Province: 1
Yunnan Province: 1
Sichuan Province: 1
Hubei provincial government has initiated Level-Ⅱ public health emergency response measures in order to strengthen the prevention and control of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus and ensure public health and safety.
Passengers wearing masks are seen at the waiting area for a train to Wuhan at the Beijing West Railway Station, ahead of the Spring Festival, January 20, 2020. /Reuters Photo
The first U.S. case of the Wuhan coronavirus has been confirmed in Washington State, according to federal officials. The deadly virus has spread from China to at least four countries.
The patient, who was hospitalized with pneumonia last week, recently had traveled to Central China's Wuhan City, where the outbreak appears to have originated, according to federal officials.
The outbreak began in a seafood and poultry market in Wuhan. The confirmed cases have climbed to more than 300 and have spread to other parts of the country, as well as Thailand, Japan, the ROK and the Taiwan Region.
The death toll has risen to at least six since it was first reported in December.
A total of 314 novel coronavirus cases confirmed in China
Ten new novel coronavirus cases have been confirmed in China as of 10:30 p.m., January 21:
Shandong Province: 1
Chongqing: 5
Sichuan Province: 1
Guangdong Province: 3
Responses from several Chinese ministries and departments:
Ministry of Transport: Level Ⅱ emergency response activated. China has a four-level emergency system, with level Ⅰ being the most severe.
National Healthcare Security Administration: Adopt new reimbursement policy on medical payment to lighten the burden on patients as well as hospital investment.
Wuhan municipal government has earlier announced to cover payments for patients in both confirmed and suspected cases.
Civil Aviation Administration of China: Airlines should process a full refund without charge for passengers who have booked tickets involving Wuhan.
China State Railway Group: Passengers, either leaving or arriving in Wuhan, can get a full ticket refund before January 24.
Timeline of new coronavirus outbreak
Wuhan coronavirus outbreak: what are the symptoms and what can you do?
Wuhan government boosts measures to curb spread of new virus
The central Chinese city of Wuhan is beefing up measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, which has infected nearly 300 people on the Chinese mainland and another four cases in Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission has said local tourist groups are banned from traveling outside of the city and vehicles entering and leaving will be subject to spot checks.
Medical pay for all patients in both confirmed and suspected cases in Wuhan will be covered by the municipal government.
Read more:
Wuhan government boosts measures to curb spread of new virus
China and other countries affected by a novel coronavirus will jointly attend an emergency meeting convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday night, confirmed China's foreign ministry on Tuesday.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will convene the emergency committee.
As of Tuesday, four countries – China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand – have reported confirmed cases caused by the novel virus.
Read more:
Novel coronavirus: China, other affected countries will join WHO emergency meeting
A total of 304 novel coronavirus cases confirmed in China
A total of 304 cases of novel coronavirus-caused pneumonia have been confirmed in China as of 8:30 p.m. BJT on Tuesday.
Outside China, four cases have been reported: One in Japan, two in Thailand and one in South Korea. The case in South Korea is reportedly improving.
Screenshot from the official website of China's National Health Commission.
China's National Health Commission Monday vowed to take preventive and control measures against Category A infectious diseases to effectively battle pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Read more: The novel coronavirus outbreak explained
Pneumonia has been classified as a Category B infectious disease which can be quarantined at the borders, read an announcement released by the Commission.
As of Tuesday, 219 cases of pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Chinese cities, including Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing. Cases have also been reported in Japan, Thailand and South Korea.
Medical staff are at the forefront in the prevention and control of the epidemic stemming from the new type of coronavirus that was first reported in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, in December 2019, where it might have originated at a seafood market.
Read more: New coronavirus update: Human-to-human infection confirmed
Chinese President Xi Jinping orders resolute efforts to curb coronavirus epidemic
The new coronavirus that has caused a pneumonia outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan can be spread through human-to-human contact, according to Zhong Nanshan, the expert who discovered the SARS virus during an outbreak in China in 2003.
Zhong confirmed human-to-human infection during a live interview with CCTV. He also said that some medical staff in Wuhan have been infected.
Yet, he remains confident that the outbreak will be put under control.
"We have confidence in controlling the new coronavirus," he said.
Other experts from a high-level group at China's National Health Commission Monday also expressed confidence in controlling the novel coronavirus.
So far, more than 210 cases have been confirmed in Chinese cities, including Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing. Cases have also been reported in Japan, Thailand and South Korea. Detailed numbers are available here.
The outbreak may spread to larger areas because of the large population movement during the Spring Festival rush.
But experts said there's no need to panic as China's prevention and control level has greatly improved over the years.
"The situation is still in its initial stage," said Zeng Guang, another expert in the group. "The outbreak can surely be contained with the right measures taken."
Scientists are accelerating research to study the origins of the virus and how it is spreading.
Experts have warned people, especially those in Wuhan who had relevant symptoms including fever and cough, to get tested in hospitals as a precaution as soon as possible.
China has been pushing hard on hospitals across the country to set up fever clinics.
"If you live in Wuhan and have a fever, you should not leave the city right now," Zhong warned.
The city government requires anyone leaving Wuhan to take a body temperature check. People with a high temperature may not be allowed to leave.
Zhong speaks during a live interview on CCTV-13
The novel coronavirus has been associated with SARS since the beginning of the outbreak. According to Zhong, the new virus is completely different from SARS and MERS.
"It's not as contagious and virulent as SARS. I think there's a difference between the severity and the spread of the disease between the new coronavirus and SARS," Zhong said during the interview with CCTV.
The number of new cases has been increasing rapidly during the past couple of days, which has caused concern among the masses. Zhong clarified that the fast growth was caused by two reasons, the use of new detection reagents, and the law of development of the new coronavirus.
"When it comes to a new disease, the use of detection reagents varies from place to place; it takes time for the authority to make further confirmation," said Zhong, adding that there was a period of relative stagnation of the growth of cases at the beginning of the outbreak.
The expert, who has arrived in Wuhan, told CCTV that the development of the novel coronavirus pneumonia in local areas is relatively rapid.
He said that 95 percent of the cases are connected with Wuhan residents, either going there or coming from the city, where the mysterious pneumonia was initially reported in December from a local seafood market that also sells game.
"From preliminary epidemiological analysis, there's a good chance that the virus was transmitted to humans by wild animals," Zhong said, adding that people should remain on alert since the virus can be spread through human-to-human contact.
Zhong said that currently there is limited understanding of the new virus. "What we know is that the virus is new and the symptoms it causes are similar to SARS."
The expert said that the source of the coronavirus hasn't been confirmed yet, but there is a good chance that it came from wild animals such as bamboo rats and badgers.
Zhong warned the public to be on alert. He suggested avoiding the city unless there is a special situation, visiting the hospital if uncomfortable and wearing a mask to prevent droplet transmission.
"The virus doesn't exist alone, it exists in droplets," said the expert, adding that it's not necessary for people to wear N95 masks, normal surgical masks can also prevent most of the virus contained in droplets.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered resolute efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus that caused cases of pneumonia in some major Chinese cities and other Asian countries.
Xi said governments and departments at all levels should put the health and safety of the people in the first place, especially during a time when China is experiencing huge mobility during the Spring Festival holiday.
Xi urged relevant parties to take effective measures to stop the spread of the virus, make all efforts to cure the infected, find out the origin of the virus and how it has been spreading.
He also required the timely release of the latest information about situation of the disease and called for deepened international cooperation.
Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also made important instructions on the spread of the virus, saying China will work with the World Health Organization (WHO), relative countries and regions to deal with the new coronavirus and strictly prevent its further spread.
As is required by President Xi and Premier Li, the State Council has convened a teleconference on Monday to make comprehensive deployment of the prevention and control of the pneumonia outbreak.
The National Health Commission has set up a special leading group to guide local governments to properly cope with the epidemic.
China has reported 217 confirmed cases and seven suspected cases of this new type of coronavirus, labeled 2019-nCoV, as of Monday afternoon at 6:00 p.m.
The mysterious virus was first reported in Wuhan City, Central China's Hubei Province in December 2019, where it might originate at a seafood market.
China will join hands with all parties to cope with the novel pneumonia that started in Wuhan city and guard regional and global health, said Geng Shuang, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Monday at a press briefing.
"Since the outbreak of the disease, China has been actively dealing with it in an earnest and professional manner, rolling out strict prevention and control plan, paying all efforts to treat the infected, managing the close contacts with the patients, and conducting in-depth investigation of the pathogen," he said.
Meanwhile, China has been updating the latest situation of the epidemic to the World Health Organization (WHO), relevant countries and regional organizations in a timely and responsible manner, he said.
"We have shared with the WHO information on the genome sequence of a new-type coronavirus detected in the viral pneumonia cases instantly," he noted.
"After receiving notifications of related cases from other countries, China attaches great importance to them, and has maintaining close communication and strengthened cooperation with all parties through bilateral and multilateral channels," he added.
"If other countries also find related suspected cases, we welcome the instant notification of China through official channels, so as to strictly prevent and control the disease," he said.
Copyright © 2020 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3
Copyright © 2020 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3
Copyright © 2020 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3