Countries announce more virus restrictions WHO not part of Chinese probe into virus origins, transmission

DESPERATE MEASURES Iran announces another 113 deaths; Manila locked down; Islam’s third holiest site closed CHINA: PARTY MEMBER WHO CALLED XI ‘A CLOWN’ MISSING

T E HRAN: Iran on Sunday announced another 113 deaths from the new coronavirus pandemic and urged its citizens to stay at home as countries across continents launched more measures to curb the outbreak.

Lockdowns, curfews and travel restrictions are spreading. Soldiers and police sealed the densely populated Philippine capital of Manila from most domestic travellers in one of Southeast Asia’s most drastic containment measures. The move mirrored a lockdown Spain announced just hours earlier for its 46 million citizens.

France ordered the closing of just about everything the rest of the world loves about it — the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the cafes and restaurants — as governments took increasingly desperate measures to put more space between people and contain the virus.

In China, where the virus was first detected in December, those arriving on overseas flights were routed to a converted exhibition centre for initial checks before being shuttled off to their homes or other quarantine locations.

The centre of gravity in the crisis had shifted westward toward Europe and North America. The virus has infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed over 5,600.

South Korea on Sunday reported 76 new coronavirus cases and three deaths, marking the first time in over three weeks that new cases have dropped to double-digits, as President Moon Jae-in declared the hardest hit provinces “special disaster zones”.

It is the first time South Korea has declared a region a disaster zone from an infectious disease and under the status the government can subsidise up to 50% of r e s t orati on e xpenses and exempt residents from taxes and utility payments.

South Korea, which has the highest number of cases in Asia after China, now has a total to

BEIJING: The World Health Organisation is “extremely anxious” to know the origin of the pandemic-triggering novel coronavirus first found in the central Chinese city of Wuhan and is ready to help the ongoing Chinese investigation looking into the roots of the pathogen.

But so far it has not been involved in the multilayered and critical probe to find the virus’ animal origin and the exact sequencing of the animal-to-human interface.

“The WHO would be ready, but currently the investigation is being done by the government, into the origin (of the virus),” Gauden Galea, the organisation’s China representative said, adding “As far as we can see, we have not been involved in it”.

“The animal origins may take a very long time to identify. If you look at SARS, it took 10 years to identify the source after it happened; if you look at MERS, we are seven years down the line, and we are not yet sure still. So, this is not a story that is going to end quickly,” Galea said.

“There are several areas where additional research and inquiry is necessary to help the global community respond to this outbreak and prevent an outbreak in the future. WHO has discussed the question of animal-origins of Covid-19 on multiple occasions and is prepared to join China’s efforts to research this issue”.

Bats and pangolins have been said to be the source of the virus but scientists are still researching aspect, and whether an intermediate animal host played a part in the zoonosis.

The initial sequences of the transmission aren’t clear either.

BEIJING: An influential former Chinese property executive who called President Xi Jinping a “clown” over a speech he made last month about the government’s efforts to battle the coronavirus has gone missing, three of his friends told Reuters. Ren Zhiqiang, a member of China’s ruling Communist Party and a former top executive of state-controlled property developer Huayuan Real Estate Group, has not been contactable since March 12, they said. “Many of our friends are looking for him,” his close friend and businesswoman Wang Ying said in a statement to Reuters, describing them as being “extremely anxious”. “Ren Zhiqiang is a public figure and his disappearance is widely know. The institutions responsible for this need to give a reasonable and legal explanation for this as soon as possible,” she said. REUTERS

Papal Easter events to be held without congregation attending, Vatican says

ROME: The Vatican said on

Sunday that its traditional Easter week celebrations would be held this year without worshippers due to the coronavirus. “Because of the current global public health emergency, all the liturgical celebrations of Holy Week will take place without the physical presence of the faithful,” the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household statement said.

Australia set to impose 14-day self-isolation on international travellers

AFP

SYDNEY: Australia will impose 14-day self-isolation on international travellers arriving from midnight Sunday and ban cruise ships from foreign ports for 30 days. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced. Further the Australian government will also ban cruise ships from foreign ports from arriving at Australian ports for an initial 30 days. REUTERS

Indonesia president to take coronavirus test after minister tests positive

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Sunday he would get tested for coronavirus, while some of his ministers had also undergone precautionary tests after the Southeast Asian country’s transport minister tested positive for the disease. The country on Sunday reported the number of infections had risen by 21 to 117 and five people have died. REUTERS

Israeli PM’S corruption trial delayed for 2 months over coronavirus fears

JERUSALEM: A Jerusalem district court announced on Sunday that it was postponing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criminal trial for two months because of restrictions arising from the outbreak of the coronavirus. Netanyahu was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to face charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in connection to a series of scandals. AP

Thailand reports 32 new coronavirus cases, biggest daily jump in infections

BANGKOK: Thailand reported 32 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the total infections in the Southeast Asian country to 114, health officials said. It was the biggest daily jump in cases in Thailand, which was one of the first countries outside China to report coronavirus infections that has since swept much of the world. REUTERS

Most Malaysia coronavirus cases linked to single Islamic gathering

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said on Sunday that more than half the country’s 428 coronavirus cases were linked to an international Islamic gathering held last month. The Southeast Asian nation announced a spike of 190 new infections over the weekend. “Of the 428 cases, 243 are participants from the religious event in Sri Petaling mosque,” Noor Hisham Abdullah, director-general of the health ministry, told AFP. AFP