Panic and chaos as death toll increases

CHINA has been thrown into a state of chaos by the coronavirus outbreak as the death toll continues to rise.

Wuhan, a city of about 11 million people and capital of Hubei Province, has been on lockdown amid intensifying efforts to contain the outbreak.

The city’s mayor said he expected another 1,000 new patients in the region as the infection threatens to spiral out of control.

China has slapped a nationwide ban on trading wildlife after experts warned the sale of endangered species for human consumption was the cause of the deadly outbreak.

Long-distance buses have been suspended in the eastern province of Shandong, which has a population of about 100 million people.

Buses have also been banned from departing from or arriving at major cities Beijing and Shanghai.

Outbreak

The financial hub of Shanghai, which has extensive international air connections, reported its first death at the weekend, an 88-year-old man who already had various health problems.

Beijing said the reopening of schools and universities after the new year holiday had been indefinitely suspended.

Two of Hong Kong’s biggest attractions, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park, have now said they will close indefinitely.

Hong Kong, a Chinese administrative region, reported its sixth case of coronavirus yesterday.

An outbreak of a similar virus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome, in southern China between November 2002 and July 2003 caused an eventual 8,098 cases.

The virus resulted in 774 deaths in 17 countries, with the majority in China and Hong Kong.