EMERGENCY IN CALIFORNIA; CRUISE SHIP HELD OFF COAST

LOSANGELES:CALIFORNIA declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus on Wednesday as a cruise ship was held off the coast over fears of a new outbreak.

The measures came as the death toll in the US hit 11, including the first fatality in California.

California governor Gavin Newsom announced the emergency measures as he reported the death of an elderly person who had taken a cruise to Mexico.

Thousands travelling aboard the Grand Princess were held offshore on Wednesday night. The ship cut short its voyage back from Hawaii after passengers and crew developed symptoms. But its planned return to San Francisco was held up in order to carry out testing on board for those potentially infected.

Eleven passengers and 10 crew members were potentially infected with the virus, Newsom said. Some 62 guests who remained on board from the earlier Mexico voyage were being restricted to their cabins for testing, the Princess Cruises company said. Some 2,500 passengers plus crew - up to 1,150 - were on board for its Mexico voyage.

The Grand Princess belongs to Princess Cruises, the company which operated the coronavirusstricken ship held off Japan last month.

NATO HQ IN BRUSSELS CONFIRMS FIRST CASES

BRUSSELS:NATO said on Thursday it had confirmed three cases of the coronavirus linked to its military headquarters in Belgium - a civilian employee and two family members. The employee had recently travelled to Italy.

NATO said the employee and family members had not visited its Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) facility in Mons, southern Belgium, since returning from Italy.