China coronavirus news: Death toll nearly doubles as almost 500 new cases declared, prompting urgent travel warnings
Authorities work to contain outbreak before coming Lunar New Year
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Your support makes all the difference.Chinese health authorities have warned people not to travel to the city of Wuhan over concerns a new viral illness that has infected hundreds and killed at least 17 could mutate and spread further.
Some 473 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in 13 jurisdictions, said Li Bin, deputy director of the National Health Commission.
The virus has also spread to Thailand, where four cases have been confirmed, as well as Japan, South Korea, Macau, Hong Kong and the United States, which have all reported one case each.
Officials are working on the assumption the outbreak resulted from human exposure to wild animals being sold illegally at a food market in Wuhan and the virus is mutating, Gao Fu, an academic of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control, told a news conference.
Health minister Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford has announced there will be “enhanced monitoring” of all direct flights from Wuhan to the UK from today.
Catch-up on events as the happened
Across China, companies from Foxconn to Huawei Technologies and HSBC Holdings were warning staff to avoid Wuhan and handing out masks.
Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of Apple supplier Foxconn, said he was advising employees not to visit China.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said new cases would appear as China stepped up monitoring.
But National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin said there was no evidence of "super-spreaders" capable of disseminating the virus more widely, as happened during the Sars outbreak.
Latest travel advice
Public Health England has said the risk of the disease to those travelling to Wuhan is low and they are not advising people to change their plans.
Here's everything you need to know:
What steps could the UK take to deal with coronavirus cases?
(EPA)
Professor Neil Ferguson, director of the Medical Research Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, said it is not currently known whether, if there is a growing epidemic, it is controllable.
He said the UK would not be able to implement some of the measures China has deployed against outbreaks in the past, including isolating tens of thousands of people.
Cases would have to be diagnosed and isolated as quickly as possible in order to prevent onward transmission, and to ensure what is called contact tracing follow-up, according to Prof Ferguson.
This would involve identifying who those individuals have come into contact with.
And if not isolating them, tracking them through time - daily or more frequently - to see if they develop symptoms and testing them.
Attempts could be made to reduce community transmission through social distancing measures.
These include reducing the occurrence of mass gatherings, said Prof Ferguson.
PA
‘Enhanced monitoring’ of direct flights from Wuhan to UK
(EPA)
Public health officials will meet three direct flights due to arrive from Wuhan into London following the coronavirus outbreak.
Health minister Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford announced there will be “enhanced monitoring” of all direct flights from Wuhan to the UK in place from today.
She said the risk to UK citizens is “currently low” but added the country is “well prepared” should cases of the disease be detected on British soil.
Baroness Blackwood told peers: "Public health officials will meet every flight from Wuhan to the UK and will be on hand to provide information about symptoms, Mandarin and Cantonese speakers will be on hand and leaflets will be available in several languages."
There are three direct flights a week from Wuhan in China to Heathrow Airport.
Under the new measures, planes will be taken to an isolated area of Terminal 4.
The captain of each flight will tell passengers during landing to let a flight attendant know if they feel unwell.
Airline introduces 'waiver' amid outbreak
(AP)
The first airline has introduced a "waiver" for passengers travelling to or from Wuhan, writes travel correspondent Simon Calder.
The Chinese carrier, Xiamen Airlines, has said anyone who bought a ticket before 21 January for travel up to 29 March 2020 can obtain a full refund (even for non-refundable fares) or postpone their journey.
Face masks made mandatory in Wuhan
(Getty)
It is now mandatory for people to wear face masks in public places in Wuhan - the Chinese city where the coronavirus broke out.
Wuhan municipal people's government announced the measure on Wednesday, adding that managers and owners should put up clear signs to remind people to wear masks and to discourage anyone from entering without one.
The public places include:
- Hotels, restaurants, guest houses, cafes, bars, tea houses
- Public baths, barber shops, and beauty shops
- Theatres, video halls, entertainment halls, dance halls, concert halls
- Stadiums, swimming pools, parks
- Exhibition halls, museums, art galleries, libraries
- Shopping centres, book shops
- Waiting rooms, public transportation
- Other public places where crowds gather
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