Virus cases, anger growing
The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus has risen again in China, while the death toll increased to 722 yesterday, as the ruling Communist Party faces anger and recriminations from the public over the death of a doctor who was threatened by police after trying to sound the alarm about the disease over a month ago.
The government announced that another 3399 people had been diagnosed over the previous 24 hours, reversing two days of declines, and raising the total number of cases on the mainland to 34,546.
Cruise ship passengers faced more woe as Japan reported three more cases for a total of 64 on one quarantined vessel, and turned away another.
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with United States President Donald Trump yesterday and urged the US to ‘‘respond reasonably’’ to the outbreak, echoing complaints that some countries are overreacting by restricting Chinese travellers.
Following an online uproar over the government’s treatment of Dr Li Wenliang, the Communist Party struck a conciliatory note, saying it was sending a team to ‘‘fully investigate relevant issues raised by the public’’.
Li, a 34-year-old ophthalmologist, contracted the virus while treating patients, and his death was confirmed on Friday.
Li, one of eight medical professionals in Wuhan who tried to warn colleagues and others when the government did not, had said that police forced him to sign a statement admitting he spread falsehoods.
Even the staunchly progovernment Global Times newspaper said the treatment of Li and other whistleblowers was ‘‘evidence of local authorities’ incompetence to tackle a contagious and deadly virus’’.
The episode has raised longstanding complaints that party officials lie about or cover up disease outbreaks, chemical spills, dangerous consumer products or financial frauds. Chinese citizens can be jailed on charges of rumour-mongering or making trouble if they report the true extent of the problems.
Most of the deaths from the virus have been of older people with existing health problems, but disease specialists said Li’s work – eye doctors sit very close to their patients during examinations – may have subjected him to an extra-large dose of the virus that made his illness more severe.
In Japan, three more cases were diagnosed yesterday among 3700 passengers and crew on the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess. Those aboard remain under a 14-day quarantine.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said foreign passengers on another ship, Holland America’s Westerdam, would not be allowed into Japan because suspected virus patients were on board.
The ship, with more than 2000 people, was near Okinawa and was seeking another port, said Overseas Travel Agency official Mie Matsubara. ‘‘We are getting desperate. We hope we can go somewhere so that passengers can land.’’
Hong Kong yesterday began enforcing a 14-day quarantine for arrivals from mainland China. The territory has refused to completely seal its border but hopes the quarantine will dissuade travellers from the mainland.
The US announced that it was prepared to spend up to US$100 million (NZ$156m) to help China and other countries fight the outbreak. Xi’s government said it had helped with the effort to deliver nearly 18 tonnes of medical supplies donated to China by the US, including masks, gowns, gauze and respirators.
All but one of the deaths in the outbreak have been in China.
China’s National Health Commission said about 6101 of those being treated, or nearly 17 per cent, were in a serious condition.
The vast majority of the infected are in China, while roughly 290 others are in about two dozen other countries, including Japan, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.
The US has reported 12 cases. Hundreds more Americans evacuated from the stricken zone in China began arriving yesterday in the US, where they will be quarantined on military bases for two weeks.