Coronavirus update: Global outbreak risk at very high level, says WHO chief

South Korea, the new epicentre of coronavirus, reported 315 new cases today, taking its rise on the day to 571 and overtaking the increase reported in China, where the deadly disease first emerged. The country has now has 2,337 confirmed cases, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website. The viral outbreak has infected over 83,000 people globally.

Japan is closing schools to limit the spread of the outbreak. New cases continue to appear outside of China with New Zealand and Lithuania reporting their first infections. Nigeria confirmed its first case, the first reported in sub-Saharan Africa.

The coronavirus death toll from China has climbed to 2,788 as 44 more people died of the deadly infection overnight, while the overall confirmed cases increased to 78,824 Chinese officials said toay.

The National Health Commission (NHC) of China said the new confirmed cases declined to 327, the lowest daily figure for new infections in more than a month.

With new infections reported around the world now surpassing those in China, World Health Organization (WHO) director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has asked nations to be prepare for pandemic.

"This virus has pandemic potential," Tedros said. "This is not a time for fear. This is a time for taking action to prevent infection and save lives now."

Scientists say much remains unknown about the deadly virus, which can lead to pneumonia, and a vaccine could take up to 18 months to develop

Here are the latest updates on coronavirus and its global impact:

Amazon tells employees to defer all non-essential travel due to coronavirus

Amazon.com Inc said all employees should defer non-essential travel including within the United States, in a significant escalation by the world's largest online retailer to guard against the spread of the coronavirus among its ranks.

Dave Clark, Amazon's senior vice president of worldwide operations, notified employees of the change on Thursday, which Amazon confirmed to Reuters. The coronavirus has caused at least 2,797 deaths globally, and new reported infections around the world now exceed those from mainland China, where the flu-like disease arose two months ago out of an illegal wildlife market.

Amazon last month said it was putting in place travel restrictions to China.

US CDC confirms one more coronavirus case among Diamond Princess evacuees

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today confirmed one more case of the coronavirus among citizens evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, bringing the tally among evacuees to 44.

The CDC, on a call with reporters, did not give a comprehensive count of the total cases in the United States. The tally would be 62 if no more patients have contracted the virus.

CDC's head of respiratory diseases Nancy Mesonnier said the agency was ramping up distribution of its test kits for the infection, adding that its goal was to have every state testing with the kits by the end of next week.

Coronavirus is government's top priority, says British PM Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said taking measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus was his government's top priority and that the public were right to be concerned, in his first television appearance to talk about the issue.

"The issue of coronavirus is something that is now the government's top priority," he told broadcasters, adding that he would be chairing a meeting of ministers and officials on the subject on Monday.

At least 210 people died from coronavirus in Iran, says BBC Persia; Tehran rejects

At least 210 people have died from coronavirus in Iran, in various cities, as of Thursday night, BBC Persian reported on Friday, citing hospital sources.

Meanwhile, the Iran health ministry spokesman rejected the BBC Persian report. The health ministry spokesman said 34 people have died of coronavirus so far and that 388 are infected.

Italy coronavirus cases rise to 888, of which 46 have recovered

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy rose on Friday to 888 from 650 the day before, a civil protection official said.

Of the 888 cases, 21 people have died and 46 have recovered, he added, clarifying previous comments which put the total cases at 821, excluding those who had died or recovered.

Bill Gates urges wealthy nations to fund coronavirus response

Philanthropist Bill Gates on Friday urged wealthy nations to help low and middle-income countries strengthen their health systems in hopes of slowing the spread of the coronavirus, which Gates said has started to behave like a "once-in-a-century" pathogen.

"By helping countries in Africa and South Asia get ready now," we can save lives and also slow the global circulation of this virus," Gates, the former chairman and chief executive of Microsoft, wrote in editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine.

US health official warns lawmakers of wider coronavirus outbreak

A top US health official told lawmakers on Friday there would be many more coronavirus cases in the United States and the nation did not have enough testing resources, a source said, as criticism of the Trump administration's response to the crisis mounted.

With more countries reporting new infections and global stock markets on the precipice of a free fall, US health officials have been scrambling to deal with the prospect of a widening outbreak of the flu-like illness domestically.

The number of confirmed US cases is still relatively small at around 60, most of them repatriated American passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan.

But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a closed-door briefing in the US House of Representatives that the sustained spread of the coronavirus in so many countries meant there would many more infections in the United States, according to the source.

Fauci added that it was unlikely the virus would disappear next year and he warned lawmakers the country did not have enough testing resources, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Coronavirus global outbreak risk at very high level: WHO chief

The risk of spread and impact of the coronavirus is now very high at a "global level", World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva on Friday.

"We are not underestimating the risk, that is why we said today the global risk (of coronavirus) is very high, we increased it from high to very high," Tedros added.

The world health body said much of the global community was not yet ready to implement measures that have contained the deadly in China.

The WHO chief said, "I hopes the WHO team will be in Iran on Sunday at earliest; if not, we should have people on the ground by Monday." The global health body said there are severe issues with getting flights and access in Iran.

Fed’s Bullard says rates cuts possible

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said he would back interest-rate reductions if the coronavirus develops into a worldwide pandemic, but last year’s cuts are already supporting the economy.

“Further policy rate cuts are a possibility if a global pandemic actually develops with health effects approaching the scale of ordinary influenza, but this is not the baseline case at this time,” Bullard, who doesn’t vote on monetary policy this year, said Friday in prepared remarks to be delivered in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The deadly virus spreading mostly within families, say experts

Spread of the coronavirus in China has largely occurred within families, according to a report from experts convened by the World Health Organization.

Of about 344 clusters of infection in Guangdong and Sichuan provinces, up to 85% occurred in households, according to the report. Further studies of family spread are underway, the report said.

The team of 25 experts from countries including Germany, Japan, the US and China is studying the outbreak in an effort to understand how the disease is transmitted, how dangerous it is and how to stop it. The officials recently entered Wuhan in Hubei province, the center of the epidemic, where they began collecting data.

China has “meticulous case and contact identification for Covid-19," the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to the report. More than 1,800 teams of epidemiologists are tracing tens of thousands of contacts a day in Wuhan, with “painstaking" follow-up, the report said.

Coronavirus could disrupt US schools, transportation: White House chief of staff

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said that the coronavirus is likely to cause disruptions to everyday life in the US, such as school closures and changes to public transportation.

“Are you going to see some schools shut down? Probably. Maybe see impacts on public transportation? Sure, but we do this. We know how to handle this," Mulvaney said Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C.

But Mulvaney also sought to reassure Americans worried about a potential public-health crisis and stock-market losses tied to the outbreak.

“Really what I’d like to do today to calm the markets is tell people to turn their televisions off for 24 hours," he said.

President Donald Trump has attempted to ease concerns over the outbreak this week, portraying the risk to Americans as “very low." At a press briefing late Wednesday, Trump said, “But, yeah, I think schools should be preparing and, you know, get ready just in case. The words are ‘just in case.’"

First British national dies from coronavirus in Japan

A man who had been aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship has become the first British national to die from the coronavirus.

Japan’s health ministry said the latest death brought deaths from the virus in the country to eleven, including six who were on board the cruise ship, which has over 700 cases of the virus.

The Diamond Princess run by Carnival Japan Inc, docked in Yokohama on Feb. 3. Britain's foreign ministry declined comment. The Japanese government did not supply the name of the dead man.

How India largely remained immune to coronavirus

Large-scale screening of passengers at airports, a robust quarantine system and messages intended to increase awareness about the novel coronavirus reaching the people are among the factors that have helped India steer clear of the deadly virus so far, doctors said.

"India has adopted stringent screening measures at all ports and put in place a robust quarantine system to deal with suspected coronavirus cases," Harshal R. Salve, Associate Professor, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, told IANS.

"Even though India shares its borders with China and Pakistan, there have only been three confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country (Kerala). Even the three who were infected are now completely fine and have been discharged. There are many reasons for this," said Vivek Nangia, pulmonologist at Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj.

"The first is that once alerted, India immediately began large scale screening at all it's international airports. Patients were tested for coronavirus using thermal scanners and those who were suspected of symptoms were immediately isolated and quarantined," Nangia said.

Monitoring and restricting the mobility of passengers travelling from highly affected areas has also helped.

United Airlines cancels flights to Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore

United Airlines Holdings said on Friday it was cancelling flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore and Seoul due to health concerns related to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Chicago-based airline also said it was extending the suspension of US flights to China through April 30.

Earlier this week, United withdrew its full-year 2020 guidance, citing heightened uncertainty over how the duration and spread of the coronavirus to other regions could impact overall air travel demand.

WHO warns of global outbreak as as virus spreads to 60 countries

The rapid spread of coronavirus raised fears of a pandemic on Friday, with five countries reporting their first cases, the World Health Organization warning it could spread worldwide and Switzerland cancelling the giant Geneva car show.

World share markets crashed again, compounding their worst week since the 2008 global financial crisis and bringing the global wipeout to $5 trillion.

Hopes that the epidemic that started in China late last year would be over in months, and that economic activity would quickly return to normal, have been shattered as the number of international cases has spiralled.

"The outbreak is getting bigger," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a news briefing in Geneva.

"The scenario of the coronavirus reaching multiple countries, if not all countries around the world, is something we have been looking at and warning against since quite a while."

Iran closes all schools for 3-day over coronavirus concerns

All schools in Iran will close for three days starting from Saturday over coronavirus concerns, Iran's health minister announced on state TV.

"Based on assessments it was felt that there was a need for closing all the schools in the country and for this reason all the schools in the country will be closed for three days starting from tomorrow," Health Minister Saeed Namaki said.

Japan hits panic button, Hokkaido declares state of emergency

On an average day, Tokyo’s two Disney locations get almost 90,000 visitors, who queue for hours to meet Mickey, take selfies and buy souvenirs.

This weekend they’ll be deserted.

The theme parks join a dizzying array of sudden closures across Japan due to the spread of the coronavirus, which has shut sumo tournaments, called off cherry blossom viewing events and could keep more than 13 million schoolchildren at home for at least a month. Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido declared a state of emergency, with residents urged to stay in their homes over the weekend.

Although Japan has had a front-row seat to the outbreak in China and even on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in its own port of Yokohama, the nation has at times appeared relaxed as the illness spread, infecting more than 83,000 worldwide and killing almost 3,000. But now, after weeks of halting preparations, the mood has changed: infections are starting to climb, and doubts are surfacing over whether Japan is testing enough people. As a result, more people are working from home and shunning crowds, while emptying store shelves by hoarding toilet paper and other essential items.

British PM Boris Johnson calls emergency meeting after 19 confirm cases

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the country’s emergency council on Monday. Earlier, two further patients in England tested positive for the virus, taking the total number of cases in England to 17. Following confirmed cases in Northern Ireland and Wales, the total number of UK cases stands at 19.

Separately, Netherlands reported its second confirmed infection. Five new cases were earlier confirmed in Sweden, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to seven.

Europe debt risk gauge spikes most since Oct. 2014

The Markit iTraxx Europe Crossover index of credit-default swaps on high-yield companies rose for a fifth straight day on Friday. The index, a key measure of risk of debt for Europe’s most fragile companies, rose as much as 80.3 basis points to 300 this week, the biggest weekly jump since Oct. 2014.

Singapore to ban activities of South Korea religious sect

Singapore intends to ban the local activities of the religious sect that’s been at the center of rapidly rising coronavirus cases in South Korea. Five South Korean nationals and two Singaporeans are helping with ongoing investigations into the unregistered local chapter of the sect in Singapore.

Financial pain deepens as nearly 60 countries report the deadly virus

A deepening health crisis became an economic one too Friday, with the virus outbreak sapping financial markets, emptying shops and businesses, and putting major sites and events off limits.

As the list of countries hit by the illness edged toward 60 with Belarus, Lithuania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Azerbaijan and the Netherlands reporting their first cases, the threats to livelihoods were increasingly eyed as warily as the threats to lives.

Investors watched warily as stocks fell across Asia and girded to see if Wall Street’s brutal run would continue, while businesses both small and large saw weakness and people felt it in their wallets.

In Italy, where the count of 650 cases is growing, hotel bookings were dropping and Premier Giuseppe Conte raised the specter of recession. Shopkeepers like Flavio Gastaldi, who has sold souvenirs in Venice for three decades, wondered if they could survive the blow.

Iran confirms 34 deaths from deadly virus amid 388 new cases

A spokesman for Iran's Health Ministry says the new coronavirus has killed 34 people amid 388 confirmed cases in Iran.

Iran's Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour made the announcement on Friday at a news conference in Tehran. The new total pushes the confirmed cases of the virus in the Mideast above 500.

Iran has the highest death toll for the virus and the illness it causes, COVID-19, outside of China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Coronavirus outbreak is "getting bigger": WHO

Coronavirus outbreak is "getting bigger", scenario of it reaching multiple countries, "if not all countries" is something we have been warning about for quite a while, says WHO

The global health body said it is looking into reports of some people getting re-infected, need to look at how tests taken, but in general a person who had the deadly infection would be immune at least for a while.

India pulls out of shooting world cup in Cyprus

India today pulled out of next month's shooting World Cup in Cyprus, citing the novel coronavirus threat there as the epidemic continued to wreak havoc on sporting calendars across the world.

The shotgun world cup, recognised by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), is scheduled to be held in Nicosia from March 4 to 13.The Indian team withdrew from the tournament on the advice of the government, a National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) source told PTI.

"The coronavirus threat is the only reason we are pulling out and it has been done on the advice of central agencies," he said.

"Given the situation it was the right decision as we can't put our shooters, support staff and accompanying officials at risk of contracting the virus," he added.

Two shooters, who were a part of the Indian team for the tournament in Nicosia, also said they "have heard about the withdrawal" but are awaiting an official confirmation.

Pets in Hong Kong face quarantine after dog tests positive

All pets of people in Hong Kong infected with the coronavirus will be quarantined, with one dog already in isolation, the city's authorities said Friday.

The move is the first reported case anywhere in the world of a government quarantining pets over the outbreak and was prompted by a positive test in the pet of an infected patient.

The canine has been placed in quarantine for 14 days as a precaution but has no "relevant symptoms", Hong Kong officials said Friday'

"Nasal and oral cavity samples tested weak positive for COVID-19," a government spokesman said without explaining why they tested the animal in the first place.

He said it was unclear whether the dog had actually contracted the virus or tested positive for low levels due to environmental contamination of the dog's mouth and nose.

Coronavirus reappears in discharged patients, raising questions in containment fight

A growing number of discharged coronavirus patients in China and elsewhere are testing positive after recovering, sometimes weeks after being allowed to leave the hospital, which could make the epidemic harder to eradicate.

On Wednesday, the Osaka prefectural government in Japan said a woman working as a tour-bus guide had tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time. This followed reports in China that discharged patients throughout the country were testing positive after their release from the hospital.

Experts say there are several ways discharged patients could fall ill with the virus again. Convalescing patients might not build up enough antibodies to develop immunity to SARS-CoV-2, and are being infected again. The virus also could be "biphasic", meaning it lies dormant before creating new symptoms.

On Feb. 21, a discharged patient in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu was readmitted 10 days after being discharged when a follow-up test came back positive.

Bahrain reports three new cases of coronavirus infections, bringing total number of infections to 36

Coronavirus crash wipes $5 trillion off world stocks

Coronavirus panic sent world share markets crashing again on Friday, compounding their worst week since the 2008 global financial crisis and bringing the wipeout in value terms to $5 trillion.

The rout showed no signs of slowing as Europe's main markets slumped 2-3% early on and the ongoing dive for safety sent yields on US government bonds, seen as probably the securest asset in the world, to fresh record lows.

One female passenger on virus-hit cruise liner Diamond Princess dies

One female passenger who was on board a virus-hit cruise liner off Japan has died, Japanese media reported on Friday, citing the health ministry.

The woman is Japanese and in her 70s, the reports said.

The quarantined Diamond Princess, off Japan's Yokohama port has seen hundreds of coronavirus infections. If confirmed, it would be the fifth death from the coronavirus on the vessel.

Japan’s Hokkaido declares state of emergency as virus erupts

Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido will go quiet this weekend after its governor declared a state of emergency as the rapid spread of the coronavirus infected more than 60 people in a matter of weeks, Bloomberg reported.

Residents should refrain from leaving their house this weekend, Governor Naomichi Suzuki said on Japanese broadcaster NHK. The state of emergency will remain until March 19, he said. Hokkaido, a popular tourist destination among foreigners, has become Japan’s breeding ground for the deadly coronavirus, leaving at least two people dead.

Germany quarantines 1,000 as coronavirus cases push past 50

Around 1,000 people were in quarantine in Germany's most populous state Friday, as the number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in Europe's biggest economy rose above 50.

The district of Heinsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia said it had to take the step of keeping around 1,000 home as an infected couple had participated in carnival celebrations in mid-February.

Schools and kindergartens were also shut in the district until Monday as the number of cases linked to the cluster reached 20.

Switzerland suspends all major events to combat virus

The Swiss government today said it was suspending all events in the country involving more than 1,000 participants until March 15 in a bid to stop new coronavirus contagion.

"Large-scale events involving more than 1,000 people are to be banned. The ban comes into immediate effect and will apply at least until 15 March," the government said in a statement after the country registered its ninth case.

South Korea reports 315 more coronavirus cases, daily rise 571

South Korea reported 315 new coronavirus cases on Friday afternoon, taking its rise on the day to 571 and overtaking the increase reported in China, where the disease first emerged.

The South -- which has an advanced health system whose statistics are regarded as reliable by observers -- now has 2,337 cases, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website.

United Kingdom confirms 19 coronavirus cases

The United Kingdom now has 19 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus after Wales identified its first case and two new cases were found in England, health authorities said today.

"The total number of UK cases is 19," the health ministry said.

New Zealand confirms first coronavirus case

New Zealand confirmed its first coronavirus case today, saying a recent arrival from Iran who travelled to Auckland via Bali had tested positive.

Health officials said the person, aged in their 60s, was being treated in Auckland City Hospital.

"They are in an improving condition in isolation, in a negative pressure room to prevent any spread of the disease," the health department said in a statement.

Lithuania confirms first case of deadly virus infection

Lithuania today confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus in a woman who returned from Italy, the AFP reported.

The 39-year-old, who returned from Verona, has been isolated in hospital in the Baltic state's northern city of Siauliai and has mild symptoms. Her family members are being monitored.

"We are putting all efforts to establish all people who contacted the infected person so that we can adopt preventive measures and (stop) the spread of the virus," Deputy Health Minister Algirdas Seselgis said in a statement.

India temporarily suspends visa on arrival for Japanese, South Korean nationals

India has temporarily suspended visa on arrival services for nationals of Japan and South Korea in view of the surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the two countries, the Indian embassy in Tokyo said today.

The development comes a day after India evacuated 119 Indians and 5 foreigners who were on board the coronavirus-hit cruise ship, Diamond Princess, moored off the Japanese coast.

"In view of the recent outbreak of COVID-19, VISA ON ARRIVAL which was available only for nationals of Japan and South Korea has been temporarily suspended," the Indian embassy tweeted.

"Regular visas continue to be processed and may be applied for," it said.

Earlier, India had on February 2 suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners residing in China following surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Coronavirus spreads in 3 continents, markets brace for global recession

Countries on three continents reported their first cases of the coronavirus on Friday as the world prepared for a pandemic and investors dumped equities in expectation of a global recession.

Mainland China - where the virus originated late last year - reported 327 new cases, the lowest since Jan. 23, taking its tally to more than 78,800 cases with almost 2,800 deaths.

Four more countries reported first cases, taking the number of countries and territories outside China with infections to 55, with more than 4,200 cases killing about 70 people.

Outbreak has "pandemic potential,” the WHO warns

WHO director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said all nations should prepare.

"This virus has pandemic potential," Tedros said in Geneva. "This is not a time for fear. This is a time for taking action to prevent infection and save lives now."

Scientists say much remains unknown about the virus

Scientists say much remains unknown about the virus, which can lead to pneumonia, and a vaccine could take up to 18 months to develop.

The death toll in Italy, Europe's worst-hit country, rose to 17 and the number tested positive increased by more than 200 to 655.

Germany has about 45 cases, France about 38 and Spain 23, according to a Reuters count.

Tedros told reporters that Iran, Italy and South Korea were at a "decisive point" in efforts to prevent a wider outbreak.

Olympic doubts

South Korea has the most cases outside China, and reported 571 new infections on Friday, bringing the total to 2,337. The outbreak, which has killed 13 people in South Korea, has also dented President Moon Jae-in's popularity, a poll showed.

Olympic organisers will decide next week on the ceremonial torch relay. It is due to arrive on March 20 for a 121-day journey past landmarks including Mount Fuji and Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park.

As of Friday, confirmed cases in Japan topped 200, with four deaths, excluding more than 700 cases and four more deaths from a quarantined cruise liner, Diamond Princess.

South Korea reported 256 new cases, taking its total to 2,022

South Korea reported 256 new coronavirus cases today, taking its total — the highest in the world outside China — to 2,022, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

More than 90% of the new cases were in Daegu — the city at the epicentre of the outbreak in South Korea — and the neighbouring North Gyeongsang province, it added, with no further deaths keeping the toll at 13.

South Korea's total is expected to increase further after checks began on more than 2,10,000 members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive entity often accused of being a cult that is linked to around half of the country's cases.

China reports 44 new virus deaths, lowest rise in new cases in over a month

China reported 44 more deaths from the novel coronavirus outbreak toay and 327 fresh cases, the lowest daily figure for new infections in more than a month.

The death toll now stands at 2,788 in mainland China, according to the National Health Commission.

The number of fatalities — which is up from the 29 reported on Thursday — were all in Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, except for two deaths in Beijing.

In total, 78,824 people have now been infected with the COVID-19 strain in the mainland.

Netherlands confirms 1st case of coronavirus

The first case of the novel coronavirus in the Netherlands was detected on Thursday, in a patient who had travelled to northern Italy, the worst-hit area in Europe, the national public health institute announced, AFP reported.

Individuals who have been in "close contact" with the man have been tested and the patient placed in isolation in a hospital in the southern town of Tilburg, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said.

The public health body advised everyone in the country to be careful to avoid more infections.