World edges closer to virus pandemic
Sharp rises in new coronavirus cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea
Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea. The Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO) said it no longer had a process for declaring a pandemic but the coronavirus outbreak remained an international emergency.
The WHO has been saying for weeks it dreads the disease reaching countries with weak health systems.
In Europe, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said he would talk to his European counterparts to discuss how best to cope with a possible epidemic in Europe, after Italy reported 150 infections — the biggest outbreak in Europe of the flu-like virus — from just three before Friday.
Yunnan, Guangdong, Shanxi and Guizhou provinces lowered their coronavirus emergency response measures from the most serious level, joining the provinces of Gansu and Liaoning to relax restrictions on movements. Excluding central Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, mainland China reported 11 new cases, the lowest since the national health authority started publishing nationwide figures on January 20.
In the Hubei capital of Wuhan, where its 11 million people have been under virtual lockdown for weeks, officials even said healthy people would be allowed to leave the city for crucial operations, but authorities later revoked the decision.
Outside mainland China, the outbreak has spread to about 29 countries and territories, with a death toll of about two dozen, according to a Reuters tally.
Italy sealed off the worst-affected towns and banned public gatherings in much of the north, including halting the carnival in Venice, where there were two cases.
Austria briefly suspended train services over the Alps from Italy after two travellers coming from Italy showed symptoms of fever.