China’s Li in virus-hit Wuhan, toll reaches 81
Chinese health authorities confirm 2,744 cases, US reports 5 cases of coronavirus
SHARES TUMBLED in Europe and Asia after China announced sharp increases in the number of people infected with the potentially deadly virus.
THE HEAD of the World Health Organisation will hold a special meeting with officials in Beijing to discuss steps on how to contain the coronavirus
Beijing, Jan. 27: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited the coronavirus hit Wuhan city on Monday, the first such trip by a top leader as the death toll climbed to 81 with 2,744 confirmed cases.
Li arrived in Wuhan to inspect the epidemic control and prevention work, state-run China Daily reported.
He heads the high-powered group of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) officials empowered to deal with the rapidly spreading virus on war footing.
Ahead of his visit, Chinese health authorities announced the death toll due to coronavirus has sharply increased to 80 with 2,744 confirmed cases.
The confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus officially described as 2019-nCoV included 461 patients who are in critical condition.
Sunday saw 769 new confirmed cases, 3,806 new suspected cases and 24 deaths, all in Hubei province of which Wuhan is the provincial capital, the National Health Commission (NHC) said.
The NHC on Sunday said the new coronavirus is contagious even in its incubation period, which lasts up to 14 days, and that the virus' ability to spread is getting stronger.
By the end of Sunday, the pneumonia situation resulted in 80 deaths. As many as 51 people have recovered while there were currently 5,794 suspected cases, it said.
A total of 32,799 close contacts have been traced, the commission said, adding that among them 583 were discharged from medical observation on Sunday, with 30,453 others remaining under medical observation.
The figures also showed that 17 confirmed cases had been reported in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan, with eight in Hong Kong, five in Macao and four in Taiwan. Overseas, confirmed cases were reported in Thailand (7), Japan (3), South Korea (3), the United States (3), Vietnam (2), Singapore (4), Malaysia (3), Nepal (1), France (3) and Australia (4). China has announced the extension of the Spring Festival holiday for three days to Sunday, February 2, amidst efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. There are signs showing the virus is becoming more transmissible.
China extended its Lunar New Year holiday three more days to discourage people from traveling as it tries to contain the spread of the viral illness, the government said Monday.
Tens of millions of Chinese who visited their hometowns or tourist spots were due to return home this week in the world's largest movement of humanity, raising the risk the virus might spread in crowded trains and planes. The official end of the holiday will be postponed to Sunday from Friday to “effectively reduce mass gatherings" and "block the spread of the epidemic,” a Cabinet statement said. Schools will postpone reopening after the holiday until further notice, the statement said.
Amid reports of countries contacting the Chinese government to evacuate patients with coronavirus, Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe said all nationals will be taken out of Wuhan “by every means including a chartered flight”.
According to reports, several hundred Japanese are in Hubei province. Abe said his office is coordinating with the Chinese government for swift implementation of the plan. The French government announced it would fly its citizens out of the virus-hit city. China has put Wuhan and adjoining areas in a lockdown with several hundred citizens from various countries who are almost trapped inside.
US health authorities said there are now five confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States and more are expected. Nancy Messonnier, head of the respiratory disease section at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said around 100 people in 26 states are being investigated for the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Of the confirmed cases, all five people had travelled to Wuhan.