Coronavirus cases in China rise to 11,000 infections and 259 deaths

BEIJING — The number of people infected with the new coronavirus in China has risen to more than 11,000, while 259 people have died, Chinese health officials said on Saturday.

Health officials in Hubei province in central China, the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis, said an additional 1,347 new cases had been reported in the province alone, bringing the number of infections there to 7,153.

Wuhan, with a population of 11 million, and many other Chinese cities have been placed on lockdown.

The number of people infected and China’s national death toll are expected to climb further once other regions report their latest statistics.

More than 100 other people have become ill in about two dozen countries across the globe. On Thursday, the World Health Organization, or WHO, declared the outbreak a global emergency.

Several countries have already flown their citizens out of China, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Jordan and Britain.

A German air force jet left Wuhan early Saturday to evacuate 130 people — 90 German citizens and around 40 citizens of other countries. It was expected to arrive in Germany on Saturday afternoon.

The returnees are to be quarantined at an army barracks near Frankfurt airport.

Some countries have also moved to limit the entry of those who have travelled to China in a bid to stop the spread of the illness.

The United States on Friday announced a public health emergency in order to preempt a coronavirus outbreak.

The measures include a ban on the entry of foreign nationals — other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents — who have travelled in China within the last 14 days.

The U.S. took the “unprecedented” action of issuing a 14-day quarantine on 195 US citizens who recently returned from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the health crisis.

Meanwhile, Delta Airlines said it will suspend all U.S. to China flights starting on Feb. 6, citing concerns of the new coronavirus.

Hundreds of flights to and from China have been canceled around the world, including those run by Air Canada, Lufthansa, British Airways Turkish Airlines, United, American Airlines, KLM and Air France.

Russia announced earlier this week it was closing its land border with China, similar to steps taken by China’s other neighbors. Moscow reported its first case of the virus on Friday.

The U.S. and Japan told citizens not to travel to China, with Washington issuing a warning on par with its advisories for Afghanistan and Iran.