COVID-19 cases jump in Iran as Italy toll rises: Live updates
NEWS - HEALTH
Iran announces 205 new infections in last 24 hours as Italian authorities say the number of cases has exceeded 1,000.
by Umut Uras & Ted Regencia
29th February 2020
In France, two people have died so far due to the coronavirus outbreak [Nacho Doce/Reuters]
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-outbreak-bigger-latest-updates-200228232914773.html

Qatar has become the latest Middle Eastern country to report its first case of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, South Korea on Saturday urged citizens to stay indoors as it warned of a "critical moment" in its battle against the coronavirus after recording the biggest daily jump in infections, with 813 new cases taking the tally to 3,150 with 17 new deaths.

Seoul is grappling with the largest outbreak of the virus outside China, the epicentre of the deadly disease. The National Health Commission reported on Saturday at least 47 new deaths, bringing to 2,835 the number of fatalities nationwide among 79,251 confirmed cases.

In Europe, Italy has reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths, the most in Europe.
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the spread of the virus is "getting bigger". More than 85,000 people have been infected worldwide. 

Here are the latest updates:
Saturday, February 29
20:35 GMT - Luxembourg reports first coronavirus case, linked to Italy
Luxembourg announced its first case of infection by the new coronavirus, a man who recently returned from Italy, Health Minister Paulette Lenert told reporters.
The man in his 40s exhibited COVID-19 symptoms "at the beginning of the week" and testing in Luxembourg confirmed the disease, she said.
A second test is being carried out in the Netherlands and the results should be known on Sunday, she added.
The patient was isolated in a Luxembourg hospital and his family members were in quarantine, the minister said.

19:40 GMT - Turkey halts passenger flights to and from Italy, Iraq and South Korea
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that all passenger flights to and from Italy, Iraq and South Korea had been halted due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The measure will be effective 12am on Sunday, he said, adding the land crossings between Turkey and neighbouring Iraq had also been closed.
Turkey had previously halted passenger flights to and from Iran and China. 

18:49 GMT - France has more than 100 confirmed cases: official
France has 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus, the head of the public health service, Jerome Salomon, said, raising the tally from 73.
Of those cases, two people have died, 12 have recovered and 86 are in hospital, nine of them in a serious condition, Salomon told journalists in a daily news briefing about the outbreak.

18:20 GMT - First US death reported in Washington state
A person has died in Washington state of the new coronavirus, state health officials said - making it the first reported death in the United States.
President Donald Trump announced that the person who died was a woman at her 50s.

17:40 GMT - Coronavirus cases exceed 1,000 in Italy, death toll at 29: official

The number of cases of the new coronavirus in Italy has exceeded 1,000, the health ministry said, with the death toll rising by eight to 29 in the past 24 hours.
The number of cases reached 1,128 since the start of the epidemic, up from 888 on Friday, although 52 percent of those tested show few to no symptoms, the Italian health authorities said.

17:00 GMT - Cases in the Netherlands increase to seven
Three more people in the Netherlands have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, increasing the total number of cases to seven.
The wife and daughter of the country's first coronavirus patient tested positive, according to health agency RIVM.
Hours later, a woman in Delft was reported as the seventh confirmed case by the Dutch media.

16:43 GMT - Iraq confirms five news cases
Iraq has detected five new cases of coronavirus, four in Baghdad and one in Babel province, the health ministry said, taking the total number of cases there to 13.
The patients were placed in quarantine, the ministry said in a statement.

16:00 GMT - Azerbaijan shuts border with Iran 
Azerbaijan said it had closed its border with Iran for two weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, after the death toll in Iran rose to 43, the highest number outside of China.
Two Azerbaijanis have been placed in quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus, the government said in a statement, adding that both had arrived from Iran.
It said the decision to close the border had been taken "in light of the World Health Organisation's recommendations and the experience of other countries related to the risk of the spread of coronavirus".

15:45 GMT - Lebanon confirms three new cases
Lebanon's health ministry said three new cases of coronavirus had been confirmed, state news agency NNA reported, bringing the total number of cases in the country to seven.
The ministry said the three new patients had been quarantined at a Beirut hospital and that their cases were the result of contact with those who were already infected in Lebanon.

15:20 GMT - Pakistan announces two more cases
The Pakistani health minister confirmed two more coronavirus infections in the country, bringing the total number of cases in the country to four.
229/ I can confirm 2 new cases of #coronavirus disease have been diagnosed today in Pakistan. 1 in Sindh and 1 in Fed areas. These patients are being handled according to clinical protocols. Contact tracing has started and we will make sure all concerned are taken well care off
— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) February 29, 2020

15:01 GMT - Northern Italian schools, universities to stay closed 
Schools and universities will stay closed for a second consecutive week in three northern Italian regions in an effort to contain Europe's worst outbreak of coronavirus, the head of the Emilia Romagna region said.
Stefano Bonaccini wrote on Facebook that besides his own region, educational centres in neighbouring Lombardy and Veneto would remain shuttered on the advice of the government, dashing any hopes of a swift return to normality in Italy.
This is Umut Uras  in Doha, covering the latest developments on the outbreak. 
Various countries around the world, such as Lebanon, Pakistan and South Korea, have reported new cases of coronavirus throughout the day. Qatar has reported its first case, as a 36-year-old man, who returned from Iran, tested positive for the virus. 
Meanwhile, Iran reported nine more deaths due to the coronavirus. The country has the highest number of coronavirus-related deaths outside China.
Keep following this blog for today's latest updates.  

11:26 GMT - Qatar reports first case of coronavirus
Qatar's health ministry has reported the first case of coronavirus infection in the country, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA).
The patient is a 36-year-old Qatari man who was recently evacuated from Iran on a government-chartered plane and had been in quarantine with other evacuees, QNA reported. The health ministry said the infected man is in stable condition.

10:55 GMT - Taiwan accuses China of waging cyberwar to disrupt virus fight
Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has accused China of using "cyber warriors" to wage a "war" on the island and disrupt its fight against the coronavirus with fake news. 
The coronavirus outbreak has strained already poor ties between Taipei and Beijing, which claims the island as part of China. Taiwan says China has blocked its efforts to participate with the WHO independently. 
#PRC officials say they care about our health as if we're blood relatives. But while #Taiwan is dealing with #COVID19 originating from #Wuhan, their cyber warriors are waging war to disrupt our efforts. So this is epidemic fighting with Chinese characteristics. I'm speechless. JW pic.twitter.com/mOsZMNpEOe
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan)  February 29, 2020

10:00 GMT - Iran reports nine more deaths 
Iran's health ministry has said 205 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the country in the last 24 hours, with nine more deaths reported. 
The new numbers bring the total deaths in the country to 43 among 593 cases. 

09:40 GMT - North Korea calls for stronger anti-virus efforts
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for stronger anti-virus efforts to guard against COVID-19, saying there will be "serious consequences" if the illness spreads to the country.
During a governing party meeting, Kim called for the country's anti-epidemic headquarters to strengthen screening and tests to seal off all "channels and space through which the infectious disease may find its way", Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said. 
Kim said all fields and units of the country should "unconditionally" obey quarantine instructions laid-out by the anti-epidemic headquarters, according to The Associated Press news agency. 

09:25 GMT - Saudi Arabia calls on citizens to postpone Lebanon travel
Saudi Arabia called on its citizens and residents to postpone travel to Lebanon over concerns of the spread of coronavirus, the Saudi embassy in Lebanon said on Twitter on Saturday.
Lebanon confirmed its fourth case of the virus on Friday and announced that it was closing all schools until March 8. 

09:10 GMT - Kuwait asks citizens to avoid travelling
Kuwait is calling on its citizens to avoid travelling over concerns of coronavirus contamination, a health ministry official said at a media conference.
The Gulf state has not registered any new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, she said. The total number of people infected with the virus in Kuwait is 45, the health ministry said on Friday, which has reported no deaths.

08:30 GMT - S Korea reports 219 new cases
There were 219 new coronavirus cases in South Korea, bringing the country's total infections to 3,150, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new cases added to the 594 confirmed earlier in the day. Together they logged a record daily increase in infections since South Korea confirmed its first patient on January 20.

07:55 GMT - Russia asks citizens to avoid foreign travel
A senior Russian official has called on citizens of the country to refrain from non-essential travel abroad over fears about the growing number of coronavirus cases internationally.
Anna Popova, the head of Russia's consumer health watchdog, told local news agencies that Russians should stay put to avoid contracting the virus, according to Reuters news agency. 
"In order to consider yourself protected today, first of all, possible future trips outside the native country need to be reduced as much as possible," Popova said. "Now is a time when it is not worth leaving Russia."

07:00 GMT - Taiwan reports five new cases 
Taiwan reported a jump of five cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, including four people who had contact with another patient in a hospital and one person returning from the Middle East, bringing Taiwan's total to 39.
The government's Central Epidemic Command Centre said a cleaner and three nurses were the four staff who had been infected at the hospital, which was treating another coronavirus case. The fifth new case is a woman in her 60s who went on a tour to Egypt and Dubai.

06:40 GMT - Australia bans foreign travellers from Iran
Australi's health minister has said the country will ban foreign travellers arriving from Iran due to the country's "high death rate" from coronavirus, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the ban will go into effect on March 1 and will last for 14 days. Australian citizens will be allowed to return from Iran during that time, but will be required to self isolate for 14 days, the newspaper reported. 

05:44 GMT - Uzbekistan Airways halts flights to Seoul 
Uzbekistan Airways will temporarily halt flights to the South Korean capital of Seoul from March 1 over concerns about a coronavirus outbreak in the Asian nation, the airline said on Saturday.
The airline halted flights to the Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah and Medina over the growing number of virus infections in February. 

05:28 GMT - New coronavirus infection in Thailand takes tally to 42
Thailand recorded a new coronavirus infection, taking its tally to 42, a health official has said.
The newest case is a 21-year-old Thai salesman whose job brought him exposure to foreign tourists, Sukhum Kanchanaphimai, the permanent secretary of the health ministry, told a news conference.

This is Joseph Stepanskyin Doha taking over from Ted Regencia.
Here is a quick summary of the latest developments:
South Korea has reported 594 new coronavirus cases, the most reported infections in a single day since the outbreak began. The new numbers bring the total in the country to 2,931, with 17 deaths. 
Meanwhile, the United States has reported cases in California and Oregon of unknown origin, alarming health officials. 
Keep following us here for today's latest updates. 
04:33 GMT - Japan to create fund to subsidise parents during school closure

Japan's government plans to create a fund to help companies pay subsidies to workers who need to take days off to look after their children while schools are closed, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday, without citing sources.
The move comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday asked local authorities to shut schools from Monday in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
This means students will be out from Monday at least until the new academic year starts in early April, prompting Japanese parents, along with teachers and businesses, to scramble to find new ways to cope.
Infections from the virus in Japan have topped 200, with five deaths - including one on Friday of a man in his 70s. That excludes more than 700 infections and five more deaths from the quarantined cruise liner Diamond Princess, docked in Yokohama.

03:42 GMT - UN chief recommends ministers, diplomats skip meeting due to coronavirus risks - letter
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recommended that ministers and diplomats skip a meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York next month due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
More than 7,000 people usually attend the annual meeting, officials said, which is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is due to be held from March 9 to 20.
However, in a letter to the UN member states from the chair of the commission, Armenia's UN Ambassador Mher Margaryan said Guterres had recommended that member states "shorten and scale down the session" and cancel dozens of side events.

02:45 GMT - Oregon reports first coronavirus case of unknown origin
The US state of Oregon has reported its first coronavirus case, which is of unknown origin.
According to the statement from Oregon health officials, the infected individual - identified as a resident of Washington County - had neither history of travel to a country where the virus was circulating, nor is believed to have had close contact with another confirmed case.
Public health officials are considering it a likely community-transmitted case, which means that the origin of the infection is unknown, the statement added.
Oregon is located just north of the state of California, which reported its second infection late on Friday - also of unknown origin. 

01:25 GMT - South Korea reports 594 new coronavirus cases, total hits 2,931
South Korea reported 594 new coronavirus cases, raising the country's total infections to 2,931, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday.

00:42 GMT - China reports 427 new coronavirus cases, 47 deaths
Mainland China had 427 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Friday, the country's National Health Commission said on Saturday, up from 327 cases a day earlier.
That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 79,251.
The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 2,835 as of the end of Friday, up by 47 from the previous day.
Of the total number of deaths, at least 45 were from Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak. Of the 45 deaths in Hubei, 37 were from the city of Wuhan.

00:10 GMT - California confirms second coronavirus case
The US state of California has confirmed a second case of coronavirus.
"Now, we have a case who did not recently travel or come in contact with anyone known to be ill," Sara Cody, the director of public health for Santa Clara County, near San Francisco, told reporters.
She said the second patient is a woman being treated at a hospital.

23:19 GMT (Friday) - US urges citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Italy
The US on Friday warned against non-essential travel to Italy, a top destination for US tourists, over the growing coronavirus epidemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "recommends that travellers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy. There is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas", a statement said.
The State Department raised its travel advice a notch for Italy to "reconsider travel".

23:04 GMT - US postpones summit with ASEAN leaders
The US will postpone a meeting with leaders of Southeast Asian countries it planned to host on March 14, amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, two US officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.
US President Donald Trump had invited leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian nations to meet in Las Vegas after he did not attend a summit with the group in Bangkok in November.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

19:50 GMT - Two South Africans test positive in Japan
Two South Africans on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a state-run medical institute.
"We confirm that these citizens are currently being treated in Japan and are in good care," said a statement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the coronavirus from our bureau in Kuala Lumpur - Ted Regencia
Coronavirus outbreak 'getting bigger': All the latest updates

WHO warning comes after Nigeria records first case in sub-Saharan Africa, as number of cases worldwide surpass 83,000.
by Usaid Siddiqui
28 Feb 2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-outbreak-latest-updates-200227234556140.html

Hopes that the coronavirus would be contained to China have vanished as the first case in sub-Saharan Africa was announced in Nigeria and stock markets took a pounding amid fears of a global recession.
In China - the epicentre of the deadly disease - the National Health Commission reported on Friday at least 44 new coronavirus deaths, bringing to 2,788 the number of fatalities nationwide.

Coronavirus has killed more than 2,800 people and infected more than 83,000 worldwide.

Here are the latest updates:
Friday, February 28
19:50 GMT - Two South Africans test positive in Japan  
Two South Africans on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a state-run medical institute.
“We confirm that these citizens are currently being treated in Japan and are in good care,” said a statement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

19:50 GMT - France reports 19 news coronavirus cases 
France reported 19 new confirmed coronavirus cases, taking the total to 57.
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that several schools in the Oise area north of Paris would remain closed after holidays end on Sunday in order to halt the spread of the virus.
Separately, Defence Minister Florence Parly said on her Twitter feed that several confirmed coronavirus infections had been reported on the military base of Creil, north of Paris.

19:40 GMT - Russia to deport 88 foreingers
Russia will deport 88 foreigners for allegedly violating quarantine measures put in place as a precaution against the coronavirus.
The foreign nationals were caught during raids carried out by Moscow police in order to implement the measures for preventing the infiltration of the deadly virus, Anastasia Rakova, Moscow’s deputy mayor said on Friday, adding that cases have yet to be detected in the Russian capital. 

19:20 GMT - Window to tackle coronavirus 'narrowing': UN chief 
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that containment of the global spread of coronavirus was possible "but the window of opportunity is narrowing".
"This not a time for panic - it is time to be prepared - fully prepared," he told reporters in New York.
"Now is the time for all governments to step up and do everything possible to contain the disease. We know containment is possible, but the window of opportunity is narrowing."

19:15 GMT - UK's Johnson says coronavirus is government's top priority
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

19:00 GMT - Italy coronavirus death toll rises to 21, positive cases 888
A civil protection official in Italy said that four more people have died from coronavirus, bringing the total to 21, while the number of those testing positive for the illness jumped to 888 from 650 the day before. Of those infect, 46 are said to have recovered. 
Northern Italy's Lombardy region said it will ask the government to maintain for at least another week the containment measures already implemented against the outbreak. 

18:20 GMT - Pakistan re-opens border with Iran 
Pakistan re-opened its border with neighbouring Iran, allowing hundreds of its stranded citizens to return home.
"We have reopened the border to allow our citizens to enter [the country] in batches," Liaquat Shahwani, a spokesperson for the government of southwestern Balochistan province that borders Iran was quoted as saying by Anadolu Agency.
"Those who have touched the virus-hit areas in Iran are being quarantined until they are declared clear."

18:00 GMT - EU health ministers to hold extraordinary meeting
European Union health ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting on March 6 to discuss the coronavirus outbreak, an EU official said.
EU health ministers held a first extraordinary meeting earlier in February on the epidemic, where they decided to coordinate their response to the outbreak.

17:50 GMT - More US coronavirus cases likely
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said  t he number of additional coronavirus cases in the US is likely to increase but that does not mean they will "skyrocket" in North America.
Kudlow, in an interview with Fox Business Network, added that while there are not currently US supply chain problems that does not mean they will not surface.

17:40 GMT - Countries not ready to take same measures as China: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report that much of the global community is not yet ready to implement the types of measures that have contained the fast-moving coronavirus outbreak in China.
"These are the only measures that are currently proven to interrupt or minimize transmission chains in humans," the report said.
"Fundamental to these measures is extremely proactive surveillance to immediately detect cases, very rapid diagnosis and immediate case isolation, rigorous tracking and quarantine of close contacts, and an exceptionally high degree of population understanding and acceptance of these measures."

17:30 GMT - Corona virus unlikely to vanish next year: US health official 
Anthony Fauci, head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases, said the coronavirus is unlikely to disappear next year and that many more cases should be expected in the US.
Fauci told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting that the US currently does not have enough coronavirus testing resources. 

16:55 GMT - Coronavirus risk is at very high global level: WHO chief 
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the risk of spread and impact of the coronavirus is now 'very high' at a global level. 
Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva the 329 cases reported in China over the past 24 hours made it the lowest there in more than a month. 

16:50 GMT - Coronavirus increases economic risks: Swiss National Bank 
The Swiss National Bank said in a statement that the widening coronavirus outbreak has increased economic risks which would have negative consequences for Switzerland and increase the attraction of the safe-haven franc. 
"The coronavirus has increased the economic risks. If the international environment were to deteriorate, this would have consequences for Switzerland as a small, open economy," the central bank said in a statement. 

16:30 GMT - Pompeo says US ready to help Iran with coronavirus 
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said his country offered to help Iran in its efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak which has killed 34 people and raised questions about Tehran's willingness to share information. 
Pompeo told a House Foreign Affairs Committee said authorities in the Islamic Republic were poorly equipped to deal with the health crisis. 
Heavy economic sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump have made it difficult for the country's health sector to import vital medical equipment and pharmaceutical products.

16:15 GMT - British man on board Diamond Princess dies 
Japan's Kyodo news agency said a British man who was on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship has passed away after being infected by the coronavirus. 
The British national's death, the first of a foreign passenger, brought the death toll aboard the ship to six. 

16:00 GMT - Two more cases confirmed in Romania 
Nelu Tataru, Romania's deputy health ministry, said two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed, raising the total number of patients to three. 
"They are a 45-year-old man from the county of Maramures and a 38-year-old woman from (the western city of) Timisoara," Tataru told reporters, adding that they had both recently returned from Italy. 

15:40 GMT - France: Companies can declare 'force majeure'
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced that companies can declare 'force majeure' when dealing with small-to-medium sized enterprises. 
"We are going to consider the coronavirus as a case of force majeure," Le Maire told reporters, referring to instances where parties to a contract are unable to meet their obligations due to external circumstances. 

15:30 GMT - Kenya High Court orders flights from China suspended 
Kenya's High Court has ordered flights from China temporarily suspended, following a petition by the Law Society of Kenya. 
"I find that unless conservatory orders sought are granted Kenyans will continue to be exposed to the deadly disease coronavirus," Judge James Makau said. 

15:20 GMT - Almost 60 confirmed cases in Germany 
A spokesperson for the German health ministry said nearly 60 people had tested positive for the coronavirus, adding that the number included those who recovered. 
"At the moment in Germany, we have almost 60 but it's a very dynamic situation, as we keep saying." 

14:50 GMT - Coronavirus outbreak 'getting bigger' after Nigeria case: WHO 
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the coronavirus outbreak is getting bigger after Nigeria diagnosed the first case in sub-Saharan Africa, reiterating that the virus could reach "most, if not, all countries". 
Christian Lindmeier, a spokesperson for WHO, told a new conference in Geneva that the agency was investigating the possibility of patients getting re-infected. 
"But in general a person who had coronavirus infection would be immune for at least a while," he added. 

14:30 GMT - Brussels Airlines to reduce flights to northern Italy by 30 percent 
Brussels Airlines, a Lufthansa subsidiary, said it was cutting flights to northern Italy, including routes to Milan, Venice and Rome, by 30 percent for 12 days starting March 2. 
"Because of the rapidly declining demand in air travel within Europe, Brussels Airlines has taken the decision to reduce flight frequencies on a number of routes in order to limit the negative economic impact on its business," it said in a statement.

14:20 GMT - Prefecture in northern Japan declares state of emergency over coronavirus 
Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture, declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, asking that residents avoid going outdoors during the weekend. 
"Hokkaido has been doing everything it can to contain the virus but the crisis is deepening," said Governor Naomichi Suzuki in a televised news conference, adding that the state of emergency would go on until March 19.

13:50 GMT - Israel confirms fourth case of coronavirus
Israel's health ministry confirmed its fourth case of coronavirus in a person which it said had been in close contact with a man who tested positive after returning from a trip to Italy. 
"Another coronavirus patient who was in close personal contact with the patient who returned from Italy was diagnosed with a positive result and transferred to isolation," the health ministry said in a statement. 
Two Israeli passengers had last week tested positive and were put in quarantine after traveling on the Diamond Princess, a virus-stricken cruise ship. 

13:40 GMT - First case in France's Nice
Authorities in the southern French city of Nice have confirmed a first case of the deadly coronavirus in a woman who had recently returned from Milan. 
"I have been informed of a first case of coronavirus diagnosed this morning at the Nice hospital," wrote Mayor Christian Estrosi on Twitter. 
This is Ramy Allahoum in Doha taking over from Usaid Siddiqui. 
Here's a quick summary of the latest developments:
Thirty-four people have been confirmed dead in Iran with a total of 388 people infected.
Wales identified its first case and two new cases were found in England, taking the total tally  in the UK to 19.

12:40 GMT - Two Abu Dhabi hotels under quarantine after guests diagnosed
Guests at two hotels in the United Arab Emirates' capital Abu Dhabi have been placed under quarantine after interacting with two Italians diagnosed with coronavirus, state news agency WAM reported.
Other people who also interacted with the two Italians on Yas island have been isolated at home, the agency said, citing the health department of Abu Dhabi.
The Italians individuals were diagnosed with the disease on Thursday.

11:50 GMT - More guests leave Canary Islands hotel
Three small groups of guests left a Tenerife hotel in minibuses on its fourth day of quarantine over the coronavirus.
At least two people could be seen leaving in an ambulance, but around 700 holidaymakers remained in the compound. It was not clear where they were being taken or whether those in the ambulance had any symptoms of the virus.
The regional government of Canary Islands cleared 130 guests on Thursday to leave the hotel, after it was  placed on lockdown when four cases of the coronavirus were detected there.

11:17 GMT - Second case confirmed in Georgia
Georgia confirmed its second case of the coronavirus, according to the director of National Center for Disease Control and Public Health.
Amiran Gamkrelidze said the new case arrived from Italy. The first case reported in Georgia was on February 26.

10:56 GMT - One more confirmed case in Thailand, total now 41
Thailand recorded one new case bringing the total in the South East Asian country to 41.
According to the health ministry, the case is of a 25-year-old Thai national and tour guide who recently returned from South Korea.

10:45 GMT - Death toll in Iran rises to 34 - health ministry
Thirty-four people have been confirmed dead in Iran because of the coronavirus, a health ministry spokesman said.
The number of people diagnosed with the disease now stands at 388, 143 more than Thursday - from different parts of the country had tested positive for the virus, Kianush Jahanpur told reporters.

10:15 GMT - Second case confirmed in Netherlands - health authorities
A second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the Netherlands, health officials said
This latest case was reported in Amsterdam, the Dutch capital, while the first case, identified on Thursday, was confirmed in the southern city of Tilburg.
Both individuals had recently travelled in Northern Italy.

10:10 GMT - Nigeria's first case travelled through Lagos before detection - minister
Nigeria's first confirmed case was not detected at airport, and travelled through Lagos before he became ill and went to a hospital, the country's health minister said.
The Italian man, who authorities said arrived in Nigeria from Milan on the evening of February 24, did not have symptoms when the plane landed.
Authorities are now working to "meet and observe" all those who were on the flight with him, and are also identifying all the people he met and places he visited in Lagos, a city of some 20 million people.

09:50 GMT - First case in Wales reported, UK tally now 19
The United Kingdom is now reporting 19 confirmed cases of the coronavirus after Wales identified its first case and two new cases were found in England, health authorities said on Friday.
"The total number of UK cases is 19," the health ministry said.

09:45 GMT - Pope cancels more official appointments over cold
Pope Francis was working from home, and cancelled postponed his official appointments, the Vatican said, a day after cancelling a scheduled appearance at mass because of "a mild ailment".
Francis had appeared earlier in the week to be suffering from a cold, seen blowing his nose and coughing during the Ash Wednesday service.
While the Pope, 83, celebrated morning mass, and greeted participants at the end, he cleared his schedule of everything apart from meetings at the Saint Martha's guest house at the Vatican where he resides, chief press officer Matteo Bruni said in a statement.

09.40 GMT - Switzerland suspends all major events to combat virus
The Swiss government has suspended all events in the country involving more than 1,000 participants until mid-March in a bid to stop the novel virus
"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 15 cases.
"In the case of public or private events at which fewer than 1,000 people would gather, event organisers must carry out a risk assessment in conjunction with the competent cantonal authorities to decide whether or not the event can be held", the statement read.

09:16 GMT - Online virus game in China removed: developer
A popular game that allows players to create a virus and spread it worldwide has been pulled from Apple's App Store in China, its developer said, as the country battles a real-life epidemic.
Users based in China could not download "Plague Inc" on Friday after the cyberspace watchdog ordered its removal over "illegal" content, UK-based Ndemic Creations said.
Ndemic said it was not clear if the decision was linked to the deadly new coronavirus outbreak, which began in central China in December. "We have a huge amount of respect for our Chinese players and are devastated that they are no longer able to access and play Plague Inc," Ndemic said.

08:43 GMT - Russia restricts Iran, South Korea travellers over virus
Moscow has announced new restrictions on people travelling to Russia from Iran and South Korea, two countries hit hardest by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in statement announced a temporary suspension of visas for Iranians travelling to Russia for employment, tourism, education and transit purposes.
A separate decree imposed restrictions on travel to Russia from South Korea, with exceptions including members of official delegations.

08:26 GMT - Recovered patients found not to be infectious - official
Recovered coronavirus patients who were discharged from hospitalization but later tested positive again have been found not to be infectious, an official at China's National Health Commission (NHC) said.
A hospital administration official, Guo Yanhong, told reporters at a daily press conference that there is a need to deepen the understanding of the new coronavirus, while improving health tracking and management of patients who recovered.

08:00 GMT - Two South Africans test positive on cruise ship
A pair of South Africans working on the Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for COVID-19, the South African health ministry said.
"On 25 February 2020, we were informed by the Japanese authorities that two of these South Africans tested positive for COVID-19," the ministry said in a statement.
"They are currently being treated in Japan and the latest reports indicate that they are currently asymptomatic," the statement said.

07:40 GMT - Mongolian President under quarantine: state media
Mongolia President Khaltmaagiin Battulga and his accompanying staff who travelled to China on Thursday have been placed under quarantine, according to Mongolian state media outlet Montsame. 
Battulga was the first foreign leader to visit China amid the Coronavirus outbreak.
In January, Mongolia shut its borders with China, to prevent the spread of the virus. So far no cases of coronavirus have been reported in Mongolia.

07:30 GMT - Qatar evacuates citizens from Iran
All Qatari citizens have been evacuated from Iran and arrived in Doha, the Government Communications Office (GCO) confirmed in a press release.
All individuals will be quarantined in a hotel facility for 14 days, where they will be provided with all necessities and taken care of, the GCO said.

07:20 GMT - Belarus announces first case of coronavirus - TASS
Belarus has reported the first case of coronavirus infection in the country, according to Russian news agency TASS,
"We would like to inform you that February 27 tests conducted at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of epidemiology and microbiology showed the presence of coronavirus 2019-nCoV in one of the students from Iran," TASS quoted the Belarussian Ministry of Healthcare.

06:50 GMT - WHO: 'Pandemic potential' as infections spread globablly
World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said all nations should prepare themselves for potential pandemic, as nations aside from China now accout for three-quarters of new infections.
"This virus has pandemic potential," Tedros revealed in Geneva. About 12 countries reported their first virus cases in past 24 hours.
According to WHO, outside China the virus has spread to a further 46 countries, where about 3,700 cases and 57 deaths have been reported so far.
I'll be handing over this page shortly to my colleague Usaid Siddiqui in Doha.
Here's a quick summary of the latest developments:
Nigeria becomes the first sub-Saharan country to confirm a coronavirus case, while several Asian and European countries, as well as New Zealand, also confirm their first infections.
Meanwhile,it's becoming increasingly clear the virus will take a large toll on the global economy, as the markets have their worst week since 2008.

06:15 GMT - Kyrgyzstan resident in Japan tested positive for virus
A Kyrgyz citizen staying in Japan has tested positive for coronavirus and will be hospitalised there until full recovery, Kyrgyz deputy foreign minister Nurlan Abdrakhmanov said.
The man was one of the crew of the Diamond Princess cruise ship berthed in Japan's port of Yokohama. Kyrgyzstan has reported no coronavuris cases on its own territory.

06:05 GMT - New Zealand reports first virus patient; case linked to Iran
New Zealand health officials said the country had its first coronavirus case, a person in their 60s who recently returned from Iran.
The person was being treated at the Auckland City Hospital and members of their household had also been isolated as a precaution.
Authorities said the patient arrived on an Emirates flight that landed in Auckland on Wednesday. They said anybody on the flight who had any concerns should contact health experts.

05:35 GMT - Stock markets take a pounding worldwide
Stock markets around the world have plummeted as it has become increasingly clear the virus will take a huge toll on the global economy.
Stock markets in Asia plunged again in opening trade on Friday morning, tracking huge losses in the United States and Europe.The Dow shed nearly 1,200 points, or 4.4 percent, on Thursday, taking its losses for the week to more than 11 percent.
"There was more coronavirus carnage on the markets," Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell said."One of the worst weeks in recent memory and terrifyingly, it's not over yet. Friday is a tricky proposition."
Share prices were on track for the worst week since the global financial crisis in 2008.

05:15 GMT - Coronavirus fear touches off a global run on face masks
Fear of the spreading coronavirus has led to a global run on sales of face masks despite medical experts' advice that most people who aren't sick don't need to wear them.
Many businesses are sold out, while others are limiting how many a customer can buy. Amazon is policing its site, trying to make sure sellers don't gouge panicked buyers.
Ordinary people trying to protect themselves from the outbreak are not the only ones encountering shortages. Some health care professionals are seeing them as well.

05:10 GMT - Virus detected in sub-Saharan Africa, global stocks tank
Nigeria reported the first new coronavirus case in sub-Saharan Africa on Friday, as global stock markets tanked on deepening fears of a pandemic and the World Health Organization warned against the "fatal mistake" of complacency.
On Friday, Nigeria reported its first case: an Italian man who returned to densely populated Lagos early this week. Cases had previously been reported in Egypt and Algeria, but not in the sub-Saharan region.
The low number of cases across Africa, which has close economic ties with China, has puzzled health specialists and raised questions about authorities' capabilities to detect the virus.
Commissioner Akin Abayomi said the man was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. The patient was clinically stable with no serious symptoms and was being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.

03:58 GMT - Lithuania confirms first case of coronavirus
Lithuania's government reported the country's first confirmed case of coronavirus in a woman who returned this week from a visit to Italy's northern city of Verona.
Italy is the European nation worst hit by the virus, with its death toll at 17, while the numbers of those testing positive for the illness increased by more than 200, to 350.
In a statement, the Lithuanian government said the stricken woman had been isolated in hospital in the northern town of Siauliai.She has been under observation since and is showing only slight symptoms.
The woman, aged 39, was attending a conference with colleagues in Italy before flying to the southern city of Kaunas, Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga said.

03:40 GMT - K-pop group BTS cancel concerts over coronavirus scare
K-pop megastars BTS on Friday cancelled four Seoul concerts due in April as the number of novel coronavirus cases in South Korea passed 2,000.
The seven-piece boy band - currently one of the biggest acts in the world - had scheduled four gigs at the capital's Olympic Stadium to promote their new album, Map of the Soul: 7.
More than 200,000 fans were expected to attend, their agency Big Hit Entertainment said in a statement, with "a number of global production companies and a large group of expert international crew" also involved.

03:30 GMT - New Zealand limits entry of travellers from Iran
New Zealand said on Friday that it was placing temporary restrictions on incoming travellers from Iran as a precautionary measure to protect against the coronavirus outbreak.
"This means people will not be able to travel from Iran to New Zealand and anyone who has been in Iran in the last 14 days will need to self-isolate," Health Minister David Clark said in a statement.
The death toll in Iran from coronavirus had risen to 26, by far the highest number outside China.

01:56 GMT - Tokyo Disneyland to close through mid-March on coronavirus concerns
Tokyo Disneyland will be closed starting on Saturday through to March 15 amid an outbreak of coronavirus infections in Japan, operator Oriental Land Co Ltd said on Friday.
Both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea will be affected, the company said.
The move comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for all schools to close to stop the coronavirus from spreading. The government has also urged that big gatherings and sports events be scrapped or curtailed for two weeks.

01:01 GMT - South Korea reports 256 new coronavirus cases, total 2,022 - KCDC
South Korea reported 256 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the total number of infected in the country to 2,022, the Korea Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention said.
Of the new cases, 182 were in the southeastern city of Daegu, the location of a church at the centre of South Korea's outbreak, the KCDC said in a statement.
The death toll from the virus stood at 13, unchanged from the day earlier.
The coronavirus, which originated in China, has rapidly spread to more than 40 other countries and territories.

00:02 GMT - Coronavirus risk to Americans low, but can change: US health secretary
The risk to American people from coronavirus is low, but that could change, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Thursday.
"We have really been able to keep the risk to the Americans low right now so that everyday Americans don't need to be worried, but that can change and that's why it's important for all of us to prepare," Azar said at a White House event with President Donald Trump.

23:48 GMT - Thursday - US grants sanctions waiver for humanitarian trade to Iran
The US on Thursday granted a licence to allow for certain humanitarian trade transactions with Iran's sanctioned central bank, a move it said was in step with the formalisation of a Swiss humanitarian trade channel.
The newly created channel, which the US Treasury Department said became fully operational on Thursday as it granted the licence, would allow for companies to send food, medicine and other critical supplies to Iran.

This comes as Iran is grappling with a rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases which have already killed at least two dozen people.

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the coronavirus from our bureau in Kuala Lumpur - Ted Regencia

 Updates from Thursday, February 27.
A worker disinfects journalists visiting the Mengniu dairy factory in Beijing on Thursday [Ng Han Guan/AP]

00:02 GMT - Coronavirus risk to Americans low, but can change: US health secretary
The risk to American people from coronavirus is low, but that could change, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Thursday.
"We have really been able to keep the risk to the Americans low right now so that everyday Americans don't need to be worried, but that can change and that's why it's important for all of us to prepare," Azar said at a White House event with President Donald Trump.

23:48 GMT - Thursday - US grants sanctions waiver for humanitarian trade to Iran
The US on Thursday granted a licence to allow for certain humanitarian trade transactions with Iran's sanctioned central bank, a move it said was in step with the formalisation of a Swiss humanitarian trade channel.
The newly created channel, which the US Treasury Department said became fully operational on Thursday as it granted the licence, would allow for companies to send food, medicine and other critical supplies to Iran.
This comes as Iran is grappling with a rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases which have already killed at least two dozen people.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera's continuing coverage of the coronavirus from our bureau in Kuala Lumpur - Ted Regencia

Updates from Thursday, February 27.
A worker disinfects journalists visiting the Mengniu dairy factory in Beijing on Thursday [Ng Han Guan/AP]

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/trump-ready-coronavirus-live-updates-200226235731205.html

Iran VP infected; Saudi halts pilgrimage: All the latest updates
Coronavirus spreading to more countries globally, with the Netherlands, Estonia and Denmark confirming first cases.
27 Feb 2020
NEWS / HEALTH

The coronavirus is spreading more quickly in Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the world than in China where the virus first emerged in the central city of Wuhan at the end of last year.
The number of new infections inside China was for the first time overtaken by fresh cases elsewhere on Wednesday, with Italy, Iran and South Korea emerging as new hotspots for COVID-19.

Thursday, February 27
First case in the Netherlands
A patient in the Netherlands has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus, the country's first case.

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health said in a statement the patient in the southern city of Tilburg had recently travelled in northern Italy and is now being treated in isolation.

France now confirms 38 cases
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in France has more than doubled in 24 hours, with the tally now standing at 38.
During a press conference, Health Minister Olivier Veran said this "sharp increase" was due to the identification of so-called "contact persons" linked to previously known cases. The minister stressed that the country is ready for a potential epidemic and has prepared 138 medical facilities.
Health ministry director Jerome Salomon later said that out of the 38 cases, two people had died, 12 were cured and 24 were hospitalised, with two of them being in a "serious condition".

Northern Ireland registers first case
Northern Ireland authorities confirmed their first case of coronavirus, with the British region's chief medical officer Michael McBride telling journalists that the patient had travelled from Italy via Dublin.
The case is in addition to the 15 cases confirmed in the United Kingdom by England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty earlier on Thursday.

Vatican closes Italy's catacombs
The Vatican has closed all of Italy's ancient catacombs normally open to the public because of the country's coronavirus outbreak.
Vatican official Monsignor Pasquale Iacobone said the decision was taken to protect guides who work in the restricted underground spaces, as well as visitors.

California monitoring 8,400 people for coronavirus, awaiting test kits
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday that health officials are monitoring 8,400 people for coronavirus symptoms after they arrived in the state from domestic commercial flights.
The state currently has only about 200 test kits, an "inadequate" number, but has been in "constant contact with federal agencies" that will be sending a significant number of new test kits in coming days, Newsom said.

Facebook scraps conference
Tech giant Facebook has cancelled its annual F8 developers conference over fears about the possible spread of the new coronavirus.
The event in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose typically draws thousands of software makers from around the world who collaborate with the company on the programming of its platform.
"In light of the growing concerns around COVID-19, we've made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 this year, in order to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners, employees and everyone who helps put F8 on," Facebook said.
The gathering will be replaced with sessions streamed online.

US mulls using sweeping powers to ramp up protective masks production

The US administration is considering invoking special powers through a law called the Defense Production Act which would grant the president the power to expand industrial production of key materials or products for national security and other reasons.
The use of the law, passed by Congress in 1950 at the outset of the Korean War, would mark an escalation of the administration's response to the outbreak. 
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told legislators this week that the country needs a stockpile of about 300m N95 face masks to combat the spread of the virus. The US currently has only a fraction of that number available for immediate use, Azar testified.

Kuwait suspends studies at military institutions 
The Kuwaiti army will suspend studies at military colleges and schools for two weeks from March 1 due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, according to state news agency KUNA.
A Kuwaiti health ministry official said the country now has 43 confirmed cases of coronavirus, all involving people who had been to Iran.

UAE suspends passenger ferry services with Iran
The United Arab Emirates has suspended passenger ferry services with Iran until further notice over coronavirus fears, state media said.
The UAE has also obliged all commercial ships coming to the country to provide a statement on the health status of their crews 72 hours before arrival to help prevent the spread of the virus, according to WAM news agency.

Three more deaths in Italy
Three more people died in Italy due to the virus, bringing the total number of victims to 17.
The latest fatalities were in their 80s and in the northern region of Lombardy, according to the Civil Protection Agency's director Angelo Borrelli.
The number of confirmed cases has now risen to 650, from 528 announced at a news conference earlier in the day. The vast majority are in Lombardy and Veneto, also in the north.

Coronovarius fears pound US stocks into 'correction' territory
Wall Street's main indices slipped into correction territory minutes after the open of trading as the rapid spread of the coronavirus outside China deepened worries about economic growth and corporate earnings.
Nearly two trillion dollars has been wiped off the value of US equities since Friday, with the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 10 percent from highs achieved earlier this month.

Over 100 guests to leave Canary Islands hotel on lockdown
None of the remaining 700-plus guests at a hotel in Spain's Canary Islands on lockdown over the coronavirus have shown any symptoms of the virus, according to a spokesman for the regional government who also said 130 of the guests have been cleared to leave the building.
"At the same time, there is the possibility that the remaining ones ... could be leaving the hotel as soon as a similar situation is verified," the spokesman said in televised comments.
The guests in Tenerife's H10 Costa Adeje Palace Hotel have spent three days in isolation after the coronavirus was detected there in four Italian tourists.

Saudi slashing oil supplies to China
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, is reducing crude supplies to China in March by at least 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) due to slower refinery demand following the coronavirus outbreak, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters News Agency.
The scale of the reduction underlines the drop in consumption caused by the outbreak in the world's top oil importer. China normally takes 1.8 million bpd to two million bpd of Saudi crude, the sources said.
China state-owned Sinopec Corp, PetroChina , China National Offshore Oil Company and independent refiners, such as Hengli Petrochemical and those in Shandong, have cut their crude processing rate in February.

IMF likely to downgrade global growth due to virus
The fast-spreading coronavirus will clearly have an effect on global economic growth and the International Monetary Fund is likely to downgrade its growth forecast as result, according to a spokesman for the Washington-based institution.
"Clearly, the virus is going to have an impact on growth," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a regular briefing without giving specific details.
He said he expected a decision soon on the impact of the coronavirus,

Russia to suspend some Iran flights
Russia will suspend some flights to and from Iran from Friday, except those operated by its national carrier Aeroflot and Iranian airline Mahan Air, according to the Russian Ministry of Transport.
Moscow said earlier this week it would suspend some flights to and from South Korea and would also stop issuing visas to Iranian citizens for regular and transit travel from February 28.
The move is part of wider measures that Russia is taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus including raids by authorities on potential carriers of the virus and the use of facial recognition technology to enforce quarantine measures. Russia has also barred many categories of Chinese nationals from entering the country.

Moscow asks China to respect measures taken to contain spread of coronavirus
Moscow's mayor asked China to respect the measures the city is taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after China's embassy complained about disproportionate and discriminatory action against Chinese nationals.
The embassy this week deplored what it described as the "ubiquitous monitoring" of Chinese nationals on Moscow's public transport network, in a formal complaint sent to local authorities and leaked to Russian media.
But Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin defended the measures and urged the Chinese embassy to encourage its citizens in the Russian capital to comply with the quarantine measures.

"I ask that you relate with understanding to these necessary measures, which are aimed at preventing coronavirus infections from spreading," Sobyanin wrote in a response to the embassy, the Interfax news agency reported.

US health secretary says 40 labs can test for coronavirus
Alex Azar, the US's health and human services secretary, said at least 40 public health labs can currently test specimens for coronavirus and that could more than double as soon as Friday.
Speaking before the House Ways and Means Committee, Azar said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had tested 3,625 specimens for the fast-moving virus as of Thursday morning. 
He said a newly manufactured CDC test can be sent to 93 public health labs as soon as Monday, and a privately manufactured test based on the new CDC test could be sent to those same labs as early as tomorrow, pending FDA clearance.

US Senate leader hopes to see coronavirus funding bill within 2 weeks
US Senate Majority leader McConnell said that he expects the Senate to take up coronavirus funding legislation within the next two weeks.

McConnell, speaking on the Senate floor, said he has faith that bipartisan discussions on the Senate Appropriations Committee would agree on "the right sum ... at this time to ensure our nation's needs are fully funded."
"I hope they can work expeditiously so the full Senate would be able to take up the legislation within the next two weeks," the Republican said.

German minister sees limited effect on world economy
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier expects the coronavirus to have only a limited effect on the global economy but warned that much depended on how the situation develops.
"I said a few days ago that I currently expect only a limited impact on the world economy. That does not have to be corrected but a lot depends on how things develop," Altmaier told reporters.
He added that companies could implement short-time work if the situation in Germany deteriorated.

Lebanon reports third case 
Lebanon confirmed the country's third case after a man arriving from Iran on February 24 tested positive, according to a report by the health ministry.
The patient was taken from his home by the Lebanese Red Cross and into quarantine at a Beirut hospital after early symptoms appeared, the ministry statement said. His condition appeared to be stable, it said.
The previous two cases in Lebanon had been tied to an earlier flight from Iran that arrived last week carrying 150 passengers.

Coronavirus epidemic at a 'decisive point': WHO
Speaking to journalists at a daily briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesussays said the coronavirus epidemic was at a "decisive point".
Despite having a pandemic potential, the spread of the coronavirus can be contained "if you act aggressively now ... you can prevent people getting sick, you can save lives."
Tedros also warned that no country should assume it will not get cases. "That could be a fatal mistake," he said.

Iran's vice president infected by coronavirus
Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president of Iran for Women and Family Affairs, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The vice president is also known as the English-language spokeswoman for the 1979 hostage-takers who seized the US embassy in Tehran and sparked the 444-day diplomatic crisis.

On Tuesday, Iranian officials confirmed that Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi had been infected and was under quarantine.

Iran cancels Fridays sermons 
Iran has cancelled Friday prayers in the capital, Tehran, and elsewhere in the country. The move came in response to a drastic jump in the number of confirmed cases from 100 to 245, with 26 deaths.

Iran also banned Chinese citizens from entering the country. 
IOC 'fully committed' to holding Tokyo Olympics on schedule 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is "fully committed" to holding the Tokyo Olympics on schedule despite the coronavirus outbreak, President Thomas Bach told Japanese media in a conference call.

The event is scheduled to begin on July 24.
Two more people die from coronavirus in Italy
Two more people have died in Italy from coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 14, the Civil Protection agency said in a statement.
The agency chief, Angelo Borrelli, had earlier told reporters that officials were still seeking confirmation that coronavirus was responsible for the latest two deaths.
The number of confirmed cases has risen to 528 from some 420 announced on Wednesday, the vast majority in northern Italy.

Israel confirms third coronavirus case
Israel's health ministry said a man who returned from travel in Italy has tested positive for coronavirus.
The man returned from Italy four days ago and tested positive after developing symptoms, the ministry said.
It is the country's third coronavirus case.

Greece reports two new coronavirus cases
Greece has reported two new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to three.
The health ministry said one of the cases concerned a relative of a 38-year-old woman in the northern town of Thessaloniki, the first confirmed case reported in Greece.
The woman had recently returned from Milan in northern Italy.
Virus quarantines must be 'proportionate', respect rights: UN
Countries should only use quarantine against the deadly new coronavirus when truly needed, and must respect the rights of those in isolation, the UN rights chief said.
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet hailed the medical teams around the world working to rein in the COVID-19 outbreak. But she said that respect for human rights needed to guide the response.
She also said the ongoing epidemic, which began in China, had "set off a disturbing wave of prejudice against people of Chinese and East Asian ethnicity".

Japan to close schools nationwide
Japan will close schools nationwide to help control the spread of the new virus, the government announced.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he asked all elementary, middle and high schools to remain shut until spring holidays begin in late March.
The measure affects 12.8 million students at 34,847 schools nationwide, the education ministry said.

Swiss confirm three new coronavirus cases
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Switzerland has risen to four, the country's health authority said.
In the western canton of Geneva one person was tested positive for the virus while it was also confirmed in a couple in the southeastern Alpine canton of Grisons, it added.
"All three patients are isolated in the hospital. Their condition is good," the Federal Office of Public Health said.

Iranian official confirmed infected with coronavirus
Mojtaba Zonnour, head of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Relations Commission says he is infected with COVID-19.
Zonnour, who is also a deputy from the country's virus-hit Qom city, said in a video message that he is currently in quarantine.

Britain reports two new cases of coronavirus
The United Kingdom said two additional patients tested positive for the new coronavirus, which was passed on in Italy and Spain's Tenerife. The latest cases raised the total number of infections to 15, including eight recovered patients.

Crew leaves Japan virus-hit ship for new quarantine
Crew members from a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship off Japan began leaving the vessel for a new quarantine on-shore after passengers left the boat, the government said.
"Today, 240 crew members are leaving the ship and this disembarking operation will continue for a couple of days," a health ministry official told AFP news agency.
Those leaving the boat will be placed in medical observation for 14 days at government-designated dormitories before being allowed to leave Japan, they said.

Infected South Korean flight attendant worked Los Angeles route
A Korean Air flight attendant who worked on flights between Seoul and Los Angeles subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus, South Korea's disease control agency and sources said.
The flight attendant worked on Korean Air's flight KE017 from Seoul's Incheon airport to Los Angeles on February 19, and on the return flight KE012 on February 20, Yonhap news agency and other media reported. A South Korean official familiar with the case verified those flight details.
"She took a flight after showing symptoms, and we are investigating people who had contact with the employee on the flight," the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.

Osaka city to close kindergartens, elementary, junior high schools
Japan's Osaka city has decided to close all public kindergartens, elementary and junior high schools from February 29 to March 13 in a bid to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, Kyodo reported.
An Osaka city official said the municipal government was holding a meeting to discuss measures concerning the virus but that he was not aware of the reported decision.

Iran infection cases reach 245, deaths 26
Iran's health ministry spokesman says the new coronavirus has killed 26 people amid 245 confirmed cases in the country.

Estonia confirms first coronavirus case
Estonia has confirmed its first coronavirus case in a man who returned from Iran, Russian news agencies TASS and Interfax reported on Thursday, citing Estonian health authorities.
"We are talking about a permanent resident of Estonia who is not a citizen of Estonia," Interfax reported, citing Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik.
"According to my information, he is a citizen of Iran," Interfax cited Kiik as telling Estonian TV.

Saudi Arabia halts travel to Mecca, Medina
Saudi Arabia halted travel to the holiest sites in Islam over coronavirus fears just months ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as the Middle East recorded more than 220 confirmed cases.

Denmark confirms first coronavirus case
Denmark has confirmed its first coronavirus infection in a man who returned from a ski holiday in northern Italy, the Danish health authority said. The man was put in isolation in his own home.

Iraq announces sixth case of coronavirus
Iraq's health ministry said a young Iraqi man in Baghdad tested positive after returning from Iran.

Virus strikes another blow at religious tourism in Iraq
Iraq's vital religious tourism sector was already suffering after months of protests, political turmoil and sanctions hitting pilgrims from neighbouring Iran - then the novel coronavirus arrived.
In the southern Shia holy city of Karbala, hotels have closed and face masks are more common on the street than the full-length black veils worn by female pilgrims.
Visitors are scarce at the golden-domed tomb of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, despite twice-daily visits by health officials to sanitise the site.

North Korea extends school breaks over virus fears
North Korea has postponed the new school term to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, reports said, the latest measure as the ill-equipped country ramps up efforts to prevent a devastating outbreak.

Pyongyang has not reported a single case of the COVID-19.
"School breaks for students have been extended as a preventive measure against the infection," the Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported, according to Yonhap news agency.

China asks low-risk areas to resume visa, passport services
Regions in China at low risk of the coronavirus should resume visa and passport services for both Chinese and foreign travellers to help the nation get back to work, immigration authorities said.
Medium-risk areas should do the same, depending on the state of the epidemic within their borders, the China Immigration Administration also said.
The immigration authority said on its official Weibo account that it would roll out measures to facilitate such moves, without providing further details.

World on brink of coronavirus pandemic, Australia's Morrison says
There is every sign the world is about to be gripped by a pandemic of coronavirus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned, as Australia kicked off emergency measures to curb the spread of the disease.
"The advice we have received today is...there is every indication that the world will soon enter a pandemic phase of the coronavirus," Morrison told a televised news conference in Canberra, the capital.
"As a result we have agreed today and initiated the...coronavirus emergency response plan," he added.
Australia will extend a travel ban on foreigners arriving from China by at least another week, Morrison said, although there was as yet no need to stop mass gatherings.

China city offers $1,400 reward to virus patients who report to authorities
Qianjiang, a city of around one million people in China's Hubei province, will pay residents as much as 10,000 yuan ($1,425.96) if they proactively report symptoms of the illness and it is confirmed after testing.
The city is located around 150km (90 miles) from the provincial capital of Wuhan, and has so far reported a total of 197 cases.

Hubei has reported more than 65,000 cases and more than 2,600 deaths.
India evacuates nationals, foreign citizens from Wuhan
An evacuation flight carrying 76 Indian citizens as well as a number of foreign nationals from Wuhan arrived back in India on Thursday.
It earlier delivered medical supplies to the city where the outbreak originated at the end of last year
Geeta Mohan گیتا موہن गीता मोहन✔@Geeta_Mohan
The IAF Flight to #Wuhan carrying medical supplies, brought back 76 Indian nationals (including 3 Indian Embassy officials who were on ground in Wuhan to coordinate the evacuation) and 36 foreign nationals. #CoronavirusOutbreak #coronavirus
3:36 AM - Feb 27, 2020

China investigates release of coronavirus-infected inmate in Hubei
China has sent an investigation team to Wuhan after reports that a prison released an infected inmate who then managed to travel to Beijing.

A team led by the Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court and Ministry of Public Security will look into the incident, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China said in a news release on Thursday.
Media reports said an infected inmate was released from a Wuhan women's prison after completing her sentence. Family members then drove her to Beijing.
The report triggered an uproar on social media, as people asked how she could have escaped the sealed-off city.

Taiwan raises epidemic response level to highest
Taiwan on Thursday raised its epidemic response level to the highest, official media reported, amid growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
Taiwan's Central News Agency said Premier Su Tseng-chang announced the decision in a cabinet meeting on Thursday, citing sporadic cases of community transmission on the island.
Taiwan has logged 32 cases of the coronavirus and one death, and has largely suspended travel and tourism links with China to curb its spread.

Japanese woman confirmed with coronavirus for second time
A woman working as a tour-bus guide in Japan has tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time, Osaka's prefectural government said on Wednesday. She is the first person in the country to do so amid growing concerns about the spread of the infection.
The second positive test comes as the number of confirmed cases in Japan rose to 186 by Thursday from around 170 the day before.

New US coronavirus case may be first from unknown origin
A new coronavirus case in California could be the first in the US with no known connection to travel abroad or another known case, and a possible sign the virus is spreading in a community within the country, health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the case on Wednesday.
California officials said the person is a resident of Solano County, northeast of San Francisco, and is getting medical care in Sacramento County. They did not immediately release any other details.

South Korea reports 13th death from coronavirus
The Mayor of Daegu, the city at the centre of South Korea's coronavirus outbreak, said a 13th person had died from the infection on Thursday. The figure was not confirmed by the KCDC.

South Korea reports hundreds of new cases, raising total to 1,766
South Korea reported hundreds of additional cases of the new coronavirus, raising the total tally to 1,766, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.

China reports 433 new coronavirus cases, 29 deaths
Mainland China reported 433 new cases of coronavirus infections on February 26, the National Health Commission said on Thursday, up from 406 on the previous day.
The total number of confirmed cases on mainland China has now reached 78,497, the health authority said.

The number of new deaths stood at 29, the lowest daily rate since January 28, and down from 52 the previous day. A total of 2,744 people have now died as a result of the outbreak.

Hubei, the central Chinese province at the epicentre of the outbreak, reported 409 new cases and 26 deaths on Wednesday. Beijing and the provinces of Heilongjiang and Henan were the locations of the other three fatalities.

US, South Korea postpone joint exercises over virus
The US and South Korea postponed planned joint military exercises as a result of the coronavirus.
The decision to delay the training was made after Seoul declared its highest "severe" alert level over the virus, Combined Forces Command said, adding the postponement was "until further notice".

The United States has 28,500 troops in South Korea.
Trump says US 'very ready' for virus; Pence to lead response
President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that the US was "very, very ready" for the coronavirus and put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of overseeing the nation's response.
Trump also sought to minimise fears of the infection spreading widely across the US, saying, "I don't think it's inevitable".
He said the US might have to restrict travel to Italy, South Korea and other countries as a result of the outbreak, but now was not the right time.
Health authorities at the White House news conference said Americans should be ready for what could become a wider outbreak requiring such steps as school closures.
"Our aggressive containment strategy here in the United States has been working and is responsible for the low levels of cases we have so far. However, we do expect more cases," said Dr Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Shanghai trying to find people who crossed patient from Iran
Shanghai is taking action to try and identify people who came into contact with a coronavirus patient who arrived in the city from Iran, the local government said.
The patient, who has not been identified, was diagnosed in Zhongwei, a city in the northwestern region of Ningxia, some 2,000km (1,240 miles) away, on Wednesday.
Authorities in Zhongwei said the patient arrived in Shanghai on February 20 after flying from Iran via Moscow. The patient then travelled to Zhongwei via the city of Lanzhou by train.

Trump says ready for coronavirus response on 'much larger scale'
President Donald Trump said the US was prepared to escalate its response to the novel coronavirus on a "much larger scale" should the pathogen continue to spread.

"We do have plans for a much larger scale should we need that," he said.

"We have hospitals in states that make rooms available and they're building quarantine areas where you can keep people safely."

Asked if the US had increased its stockpile of protective equipment such as face masks and gowns, he said: "We've ordered a lot of it, just in case we need it."

MF, World Bank consider 'virtual' Spring Meetings
Growing concerns inside the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank about the spread of the new coronavirus have prompted the institutions to consider scaling back their Spring Meetings in April or hold them by teleconference, people familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
The institutions' April 17-19 Spring Meetings are scheduled to bring some 10,000 government officials, journalists, business people and civil society representatives from across the globe to a tightly packed, two-block area of central Washington DC.

Coronavirus spreads in Middle East and beyond: Live updates
New infections and deaths reported around the world, with Brazil confirming its first case in Latin America.
27 Feb 2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/china-coronavirus-outbreak-latest-updates-200226003835539.html

The coronavirus is spreading in the Middle East, Europe and other parts of the world, as Brazil confirmed its first case in Latin America, while parts of China begin to lower their emergency response level as the number of new cases reported there continues to slow.
More deaths have been reported in Iran and Italy, while South Korea on Wednesday said an 11th person had died of the disease there. Globally, at least 80,000 people have been diagnosed with the illness.

Here are the latest updates:
Wednesday, February 26
Coronavirus cases in Italy rise to 400 as regional official self-isolates
The number of people infected with coronavirus in Italy has risen to 400, according to civil protection chief Angelo Borrelli, while the death toll remains at 12 people.

Italy is struggling to contain the virus in its northern region; several European countries have reported their first cases in recent days, many of which stemmed from people who had visited Italy.
Meanwhile, Attilio Fontana, president of Lombardia Region, has gone into self-isolation after one of his staff tested positive. He announced the news live on Facebook.
Qatar orders evacuation of its citizens and Kuwait's from Iran
Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani ordered the evacuation of Qatari and Kuwaiti citizens from Iran due to the spreading of the coronavirus and its associated disease COVID-19, state news agency reported on Twitter.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran had no plans to quarantine any "cities and districts" in response to the country's coronavirus outbreak.
The virus had killed 19 people in Iran until now and infected 139 others, the health ministry announced.

Norway detects its first case
Norway's Public Health Agency said that one person had tested positive for coronavirus and was being kept isolated at home, in what was the country's first confirmed case.
The person had returned from China late last week, but did not appear ill and was unlikely to infect others, the agency said.

Kuwait sends evacuation plane to Italy
Kuwait Airways has said on its Twitter account it will send a plane to the city of Milan in northern Italy, where the country's coronavirus outbreak is centred, to evacuate citizens.
Italy has registered more than 400 coronavirus cases and 12 deaths.
Iraq bans public gatherings and travel to 9 countries
Iraq banned all public gatherings and banned travellers from Kuwait and Bahrain from entry, the health minister said, taking the total number of countries on the entry ban list to nine amid growing fears over the spread of the coronavirus.

The nine countries are: China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Italy, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The minister also ordered the suspension of schools and university and the closure of cinemas, cafes, clubs, and other public gathering spots nationwide from February 27 to March 7.

Iran announces domestic travel curbs
Iranian authorities announced that instead of quarantining cities, domestic travel restrictions will be implemented for people with confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus.
Health Minister Saeed Namaki said at a news conference that teams would be located at the entrance of cities "that see a lot of movement", without naming them, adding that such controls had already started.
The teams will take people's temperature and "stop those who are infected or suspected of infection", Namaki said.
All those suspected of being infected with coronavirus would be quarantined for 14 days.

France reports new case, tally now at 18
One more person has been infected with the coronavirus in France, putting the tally at 18 in the country, the French health minister said.
"There is no epidemic in the country, just isolated cases", Olivier Veran said during a news conference, adding that 15 million protection masks would be made available.
Health ministry director Jerome Salomon added that out of the 18 cases, two people had died, 12 were cured and four were still hospitalised.
Pentagon says it may need additional funding to deal with coronavirus
The Pentagon told Congress it was reviewing the possibility it may need additional funding to deal with the spread of the coronavirus, hours after the US military reported a soldier in South Korea had become infected.
"It is spreading and we can't give you a definitive answer on whether we'll need additional resources or not," said Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressing a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee.
"We owe you some answers."
Georgia reports first coronavirus in the country: health minister
Georgia reported the first case of coronavirus in the country, the health minister said.
Ekaterine Tikaradze said that a Georgian citizen, who was travelling from Iran, crossed the border from neighbouring Azerbaijan.
"He was immediately taken to hospital from the border checkpoint," Tikaradze said.

Finland reports second case
A second confirmed coronavirus case has been diagnosed in Finland, health authorities said.

The female Finnish patient had recently visited the city of Milan in Italy.

She is being treated at the Helsinki University Hospital. The woman had a fever but was reported to be doing well and had only been in contact with two other people since arriving back in Finland on the weekend, public broadcaster YLE reported.

Pakistan confirms first two cases
Pakistan's Health Minister Zafar Mirza confirmed the first two cases of coronavirus in the country.
"Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols and both of them are stable," Mirza wrote on Twitter.
"No need to panic, things are under control. I will hold press conference tomorrow on return from Taftan."
Zafar Mirza@zfrmrza
220/ I can confirm first two cases of corona virus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable. No need to panic, things are under control. I will hold press conf tomorrow on return from Taftan.
4:41 PM - Feb 26, 2020 · Quetta, Pakistan

Speaking at a press conference in the southwestern city of Quetta, Mirza said both patients - one in the southern province of Sindh and the second in the capital Islamabad - had travelled to Iran in the past two weeks.

First case of coronavirus confirmed in North Macedonia
A woman who recently arrived from Italy is North Macedonia's first confirmed case, the country's health minister said on Wednesday.
"The patient tested positive for coronavirus ... She is the first patient in North Macedonia to have tested positive for this pathogen," Health Minister Venko Filipce said.
The woman, who sought medical help early on Wednesday, drove to North Macedonia from Italy in a van. All other passengers from the van are undergoing tests, Filipce said.

Ireland vs Italy rugby fixture postponed
The Irish Rugby Football Union said it has postponed the country's Six Nations fixture against Italy due to the coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy, following a recommendation from Irish health authorities.
"We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look to reschedule. I would hope to have an update on that in the coming days," IRFU chief executive Philip Browne told reporters after a meeting with the health minister.
The game was scheduled to take place in Dublin on March 7 with thousands of Italian supporters, many from the regions most affected by the outbreak, expected to make the trip.

New cases confirmed in Germany
Seven new cases were found in Germany across three states, bringing the country's total to 19.
Two cases were confirmed in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia of a man and his wife. The man, reported to be in his 40s and suffering from a pre-existing health problem, is being treated in an intensive care unit in Dusseldorf.

His wife is a kindergarten teacher. State Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann said the children from the facility had been ordered to stay at home. The couple are believed to have had widespread social contacts over the past two weeks.

Lebanon health ministry confirms second case of coronavirus
Lebanon's health ministry confirmed the country's second case of coronavirus and said the patient was quarantined after returning from a religious trip to Iran.
The woman arrived in Lebanon last week on the same flight as the first case and had been in quarantine at a Beirut hospital since showing symptoms on Monday, the ministry statement said.

Brazil confirms first case in Latin America: health ministry
Brazil's government confirmed that a 61-year-old Brazilian man who travelled to Italy this month has Latin America's first confirmed case of the contagious new coronavirus.
"We will now see how this virus behaves in a tropical country in the middle of summer, how its behaviour pattern will be," Brazil's Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said in a news conference.
The Brazilian man spent two weeks in northern Italy's Lombardy region on a work trip, where he contracted the contagious virus, the health ministry said.

China to Russia: end discriminatory measures against Chinese
China's embassy in Russia has demanded authorities in Moscow end what it said are discriminatory anti-coronavirus measures against Chinese nationals.
The complaint, detailed in an embassy letter to the city's authorities, deplored what it called "ubiquitous monitoring" of Chinese nationals, including on public transport.
Authorities in Moscow have also been carrying out raids on potential carriers of the virus - individuals at their homes or hotels - and using facial recognition technology to enforce quarantine measures.
The letter followed unconfirmed local media reports that Mosgortrans, which runs Moscow's vast bus, trolleybus and tram networks, had told drivers to try to identify Chinese passengers and inform police of their presence.

Coronavirus cases emerging faster outside China: WHO
There are now more new cases of the coronavirus reported each day outside China than inside the hardest-hit country, the World Health Organization said.
"Yesterday, the number of new cases reported outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told diplomats in Geneva, according to a written version of his speech.
The UN health agency put the number of new cases in China at 411 on Tuesday and those registered outside the country stood at 427.

Japan to continue Olympics planning amid doubts
Japan vowed to continue preparing to host this year's Olympics after an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member suggested the Games could be cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto dismissed the member's comment, saying at a parliamentary session that was not "the IOC's official view".
"All we can do is to prepare to host the Games with peace of mind and to be recognised by the IOC," she said.

UK conducts coronavirus testing as part of early warning plan
The UK has started random tests for coronavirus on flu patients to have an early warning system in place in case the outbreak becomes more widespread, a senior health official said.
"We're heightening our vigilance because of the apparent spread of the virus in countries outside mainland China," Public Health England's medical director, Paul Cosford, told BBC radio.
In the UK, random tests for the virus will be carried out at 11 hospitals and 100 general medical offices on people who have flu symptoms including a cough, plus shortness of breath and a fever.

Trump will hold White House news conference on Wednesday
US President Donald Trump said he will hold a news conference on the coronavirus at 6pm (23:00 GMT) on Wednesday, as infections surge globally and US health officials urge Americans to prepare for it to spread in the US.

Abu Dhabi's Etihad suspends flights to Hong Kong on low demand
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has suspended flights to Hong Kong until March 28, the airline said, citing a drop in demand.
The UAE suspended all flights to mainland China, except Beijing, on February 5 amid the coronavirus outbreak there.

Etihad has suspended flights to Hong Kong since February 21, it said.
Japan reports one new death
A man in his 80s died in Tokyo after catching the new coronavirus, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said, citing a government source.
This was Japan's third fatality from the coronavirus, excluding those who were on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess", NHK said.

Guests in locked down Tenerife hotel to stay in isolation for 14 days
Hundreds of guests who have been locked down in a hotel on the Spanish island of Tenerife after Italian tourists staying there were diagnosed with coronavirus, will remain in isolation for 14 days, a senior regional government official said.

Two more of the group of 10 Italian holidaymakers tested positive for the infection, but tests on the rest of the group have returned negative, the official, Maria Teresa Cruz Oval, told a news conference.

EU calls for coordinated European response to coronavirus
European Union countries should coordinate their responses to the outbreak of the coronavirus to avoid diverging approaches, the EU's Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told reporters.
Speaking at a joint news conference in Rome with the health minister of Italy, Kyriakides said countries should not give in to panic and that the EU would issue information for travellers on the virus.
"All member states need to inform us of their preparedness plans," she said. "Diverging approaches across the EU should be avoided," she said, adding the EU executive was ready to coordinate responses.

Quarantine envelops contacts of Austria's first coronavirus case
Austria quarantined 12 people in close contact with a couple who were the country's first coronavirus cases, one of whom works as a hotel receptionist, the local government in the province of Tyrol said.

Greece confirms first coronavirus case
Greece has confirmed its first coronavirus case, the health ministry said.
The patient is a 38-year-old Greek woman who had travelled from an area of northern Italy, said Sotiris Tsiodras, a representative of the Ministry of Health.

12th person dies in northern Italy of coronavirus
A 12th person has died in northern Italy of coronavirus, while the number of confirmed cases has risen to 374, an increase of more than 50 on the day before, the head of the Civil Protection agency said.

Angelo Borrelli told reporters that the dead man was 69. All those who have died so far in the outbreak, which came to light on Friday, have been elderly and most had underlying health problems.

Singapore charges man with coronavirus for lying
A Chinese man infected with coronavirus and his wife have been charged in Singapore for lying to health authorities investigating whether they had passed the illness to others, officials said.
The couple faces a fine of up to $7,150 and six-month imprisonment if convicted.

Iran reports 19 new deaths
Iran's state television says 19 more people were killed by the coronavirus and the total number of confirmed cases rose to 139.
The official cited in the report urged limiting nonessential travel.

Kuwait says more coronavirus cases confirmed, tally now 25
Kuwait's health ministry said that the number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in the country rose to 25 after 13 more cases were confirmed, the state news agency reported.
The ministry also confirmed in a statement that the new cases were all Kuwaiti citizens "who are related to travel to Iran".

France reports first French national death
France reported three new infections, including one new death, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 17 and the death toll to two.
The latest victim was a 60-year-old man, the first French national to die of the disease, the health ministry said. The first victim was an 80-year-old Chinese tourist, who died in mid-February.

Bahrain reports three new cases
Bahrain's number of infections rose to 26 after three Bahraini women who arrived from Iran were confirmed to have the coronavirus, according to the health ministry.

About 3,000 Hong Kong people seek help in Hubei
The Hong Kong government says it has been contacted by about 3,000 Hong Kong people in mainland China's Hubei province, including 532 in Wuhan city, seeking help.
It says those affected in Hubei need to register by February 28 in order to return to Hong Kong.

Mongolia restricts travel from capital to curb risks
Mongolia, China's landlocked northern neighbour, will restrict travel from its capital Ulaanbaatar to other provinces until March 3 in a bid to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, a minister said.
Mongolia, which has not reported any infections, has suspended all flights from Japan, adding to previous restrictions on flights from China and South Korea.
It will also take precautions with other flights from Europe, Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan, said Enkh-Amgalan Byambasuren, the country's road and transportation minister, during a briefing.

Algeria reports first coronavirus case
A 61-year-old Italian, who arrived in Algeria on February 17 from Italy, tested positive for the coronavirus, Algeria's health ministry said. He is being monitored in the southern Ouargla area, the ministry said.
The country is not contemplating a suspension in flights, but will reinforce controls on planes from Italy, the ministry said.

Egyptair postpones resumption of flights to China
Egyptair said it would postpone the resumption of its flights to and from China because of the new coronavirus outbreak.
The Egyptian national airliner first suspended its flights to China on February 1, and had said it would resume services from Thursday.

South Korea reports 115 more cases
South Korea has reported 115 new cases, bringing the total to 1,261, according to Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
KCDC said the 169 coronavirus cases announced earlier included a US soldier.

Guatemala on 'maximum alert' over coronavirus
Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei has declared a "maximum alert" over the possible arrival of coronavirus to the country, saying medicinal supplies are fully available at local hospitals.
Giammattei also confirmed that there are no infected cases at the moment, although he said a family was in quarantine after returning to Guatemala from South Korea.
"Better safe than sorry," Giammattei said.

Philippines imposes travel ban on S Korea's North Gyeongsang
The Philippines barred travellers from South Korea's coronavirus-impacted North Gyeongsang province from entering the country.
Philippine presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told a media briefing the government would also conduct a risk assessment within 48 hours to determine whether the travel ban should be expanded to other parts of South Korea.

El Salvador to bar entry of foreign nationals from Italy, S Korea
El Salvador will bar the entry of foreign nationals arriving from Italy and South Korea to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than two thousand people worldwide, President Nayib Bukele said.
Salvadoran nationals and diplomats who arrive from these countries will have to spend 30 days in quarantine, Bukele wrote on his Twitter account.

Iran: Virus could spread across the nation
Iran's Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told reporters in Tehran the outbreak was "likely" to spread to unaffected provinces "soon".
He said Iran hoped to contain the virus before the Persian new year, which starts on March 20.
"A more pessimistic prospect is that we will reach the containment phase by late April," Jahanpour added.

Kazakhstan to suspend Iran flights
Kazakhstan plans to suspend flights to and from Iran from March 1 because of the spread of coronavirus in the Gulf nation, Kazakhstan's chief sanitary doctor, Zhandarbek Bekshin.
Kazakhstan will also reduce the number of flights to and from South Korea, another country with a large number of coronavirus cases, he told a briefing.

No coronavirus in Turkish citizens returning from Iran
Turkish citizens returning from Iran amid coronavirus fears tested negative for infection, said the health minister.
A total of 132 Turkish citizens arrived in Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Tuesday after they were evacuated from Iran where 15 deaths from coronavirus were confirmed so far. The evacuees are in 14-day quarantine in a hospital.
Addressing a news conference, Koca said there are no confirmed coronavirus cases in Turkey so far, thanks to effective measures against the disease.

UAE says it is equipped for 'worst-case scenarios'
The United Arab Emirates, which reported 13 cases, is "well prepared and equipped for the worst-case scenarios" as the coronavirus spreads in the Middle East, an official from the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority told Reuters news agency.
The UAE has enough facilities to quarantine patients and relevant bodies have been instructed to undertake "complete surveillance of all people entering the country", the official said.

Pompeo: Iran may have suppressed vital COVID-19 details
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that Iran may have covered up information about the spread of coronavirus there, and accused China of mishandling the epidemic through its "censorship" of media and medical professionals.

"The United States is deeply concerned by information indicating the Iranian regime may have suppressed vital details about the outbreak in that country," Pompeo told reporters as Iran's coronavirus death toll rose to 16, "all nations, including Iran, should tell the truth about the coronavirus and cooperate with international aid organizations."

Qatar Airways lowers Iran flight frequency

Qatar Airways said on Twitter that it has lowered the frequency of its flights to Iran.

Brazil reports first possible case of coronavirus

A 61-year-old man from Sao Paolo who recently returned from Italy is being tested for coronavirus, Brazil's health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The man travelled to Lombardy - the epicentre of the Italian outbreak - from February 9 to 21- and had developed symptoms including a sore throat and fever, the ministry said.

If the case is confirmed, it will be the first in South America.

Thailand reports three new coronavirus cases

Thailand reported three new cases of a coronavirus on Wednesday, taking total infections to 40, a health ministry official said.

Two of the new patients, all Thai nationals, had returned from holidays in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido and came into contact with the third, said Sukhum Kanchanapimai, permanent secretary at the ministry.
Dozens allowed off Japan virus-hit ship have 'symptoms': minister
Dozens of passengers who were allowed off the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have developed symptoms including fever and will be asked to take tests for the coronavirus, Japan's health minister said on Wednesday.
Some 970 passengers were allowed off the boat last week after testing negative for the virus, but several have subsequently been found to be carrying the disease.
The ministry found "45 people had certain symptoms," health minister Katsunobu Kato told parliament.
"We asked all of them [who have symptoms] to see a doctor and to take tests," Kato said.

Kuwait bans foreign ships - except oil tankers - to fight virus
Kuwait has barred foreign ships, except those carrying oil, from several countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to a notice seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
The notice, dated February 25, banned vessels from and to South Korea, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Iraq.

US military reports South Korea virus case
An American soldier stationed in South Korea has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, commanders said on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old man is the first confirmed infection among the 28,500 US soldiers stationed in the south.
Based at Camp Carroll, 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Daegu, the serviceman is in self-quarantine at his home, US Forces Korea said, adding it was conducting "contact tracing" to determine whether other soldiers had been exposed.

Japan's Hokkaido prefecture seeks closure of schools
The board of education in Japan's northern Hokkaido prefecture will seek to close all public elementary and junior high schools for a few days starting Thursday, Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.
Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, has confirmed a total of 35 coronavirus cases - the highest number outside Tokyo. A number of them have been discovered in people who have links to schools, including students, teachers, school bus drivers, and cafeteria workers.

San Francisco declares emergency over coronavirus
San Francisco declared a local emergency over the coronavirus on Tuesday, despite having no cases, as US officials urged Americans to prepare for the spread of infections within their communities.
California's fourth-largest city said it made the move to boost its coronavirus preparedness and raise public awareness of risks the virus may spread to the city.
"Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents, the global picture is changing rapidly, and we need to step-up preparedness," Mayor London Breed said in a statement.

Kuwait reports three new coronavirus cases, taking total to 12
Kuwait announced three new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with the infections occurring among people returning from Iran.
The new cases bring the total number to 12 in Kuwait, according to a statement from the health ministry.

Mainland China reports 406 new cases of coronavirus, 52 more deaths
Mainland China had 406 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Tuesday, the country's National Health Commission said on Wednesday.
That brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 78,064.
The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China rose to 2,715 as of the end of Tuesday, up by 52 from the previous day, the commission said.
The central province of Hubei, epicentre of the outbreak, reported 401 new cases on February 25 compared with 499 cases a day earlier.

South Korea-China flight quarantined: State media
A flight from the South Korean capital of Seoul to the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing was quarantined on Wednesday after three passengers were found to have a fever, state media reported.

The plane was carrying 94 passengers.
Three more Chinese regions lower emergency response level 

China's northwestern regions of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang and the southwestern province of Sichuan have lowered their emergency response level after assessing that health risks from the coronavirus outbreak have receded, state media reported.

China has a four-tier response system for public health emergencies that determines what measures a region will implement, with Level I the most serious.
Sichuan announced it would adjust its measures from Level I to II, while Inner Mongolia will change from Level I to III, state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday.
Xinjiang, home to China's Muslim Uighur population, also reduced its emergency response level from I to II after reporting no new cases for seven consecutive days, the official local news portal, the Tianshan Daily, said on Wednesday.

Air Canada extends flight suspension to Chinese cities, citing virus
Air Canada announced on Tuesday it was extending its suspension of flights between Canada and the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai until April 10 because of the coronavirus.
Flights from Canada to the two cities were temporarily suspended from January 30 until the end of February after the foreign ministry advised Canadians against non-essential travel to China.
Air Canada usually offers direct flights from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to Beijing and Shanghai.
The airline also extended the suspension of daily flights to Hong Kong from Toronto until April 30, citing "reduced market demand". 
Flights to and from Taipei "remain unaffected," according to the company's website.
Malaysia brings home more citizens from Wuhan
A second group of Malaysians arrived home on Wednesday morning after the country ran a second evacuation flight from Wuhan.
The 66 Malaysians and their family members were met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and will remain in quarantine for 14 days.
KKMPutrajaya✔@KKMPutrajaya
 · Feb 25, 2020
Antara rakyat Malaysia bersama ahli keluarga yang dibawa pulang dari Wuhan.
Mereka akan menjalani saringan kesihatan dan jika bergejala, akan dihantar ke HTJ Seremban.
Bagi yang tidak bergejala, bas khas akan membawa mereka ke AKEPT untuk pemantaun atau kuarantin 14 hari.
KKMPutrajaya✔@KKMPutrajaya
11:55 PM - Feb 25, 2020​

Africa sees 'extremely rapid evolution' of pandemic, UN saysFAIR ANNA, 
Associated Press •March 19, 2020 AP
https://news.yahoo.com/africa-sees-extremely-rapid-evolution-140617763.html

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - More African countries closed their borders Thursday as the coronavirus' local spread threatened to turn the continent of 1.3 billion people into a new pandemic alarm.
Africa is seeing an “extremely rapid evolution,” the World Health Organization's regional chief, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, told reporters.
Thirty-six of Africa's 54 countries now have cases, with the total over 720. Chad and Niger announced their first cases Thursday. The first case in sub-Saharan Africa was announced Feb. 28, less than three weeks ago.
Moeti said she did not believe that large numbers of infected people are going undetected but short of testing kits. Forty-three countries have testing capability, up from two when the outbreak began. By Monday, countries will have 60,000 testing kits.
The WHO regional chief also expressed concern about travel restrictions and their impact on the ability to deliver needed resources. The WHO is considering humanitarian corridors, Moeti said.
But many African nations were taking their cue from China and other countries by sharply restricting travel.
On Thursday, Senegal closed its airspace. Angola and Cameroon shut air, land and sea borders. Rwanda blocked all commercial flights for a month. The island nation of Mauritius closed its border after announcing its first case.
Some people in other countries are clamored for their government to block flights, too.
“Nairobi's international airport is going to stop this flight once. Let them stop, ”said Uhuru Evans, a bus driver in the capital of Kenya, East Africa's economic hub.
He is offered a sanitizer to passengers as they boarded.
"Since I have announced that Kenya has arrived, I am refusing to take customers to the airport," said Peter Muteru, a taxi driver. "It has reached a point where I carry only people I know."
South Africa, where the number of cases jumped to 150 from 116, said Zimbabwe to keep infected people from crossing into either country undetected. South Africa has the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Zimbabwe has reported none.
"We must protect our citizens and fellow Africans," Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille said. The new fence will stretch some 12 miles (19 kilometers) on either side.
Some African nations also started cracking down on alcohol sales to help prevent the coronavirus' spread among crowds of patrons. South Africa said all places that sell alcohol on site must close from 6 pm to 9 am
In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni declared that “drunkards sit close to one another. They speak with saliva coming out of their mouth. They are a danger to themselves. ”
Elsewhere, Mauritania announced a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am and closed restaurants and cafes, another trend likely to spread on the continent.
And the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. John Nkengasong, warned that simply being tested shouldn't end anyone's concerns.
"If you're tested today, it doesn't mean you're not infected tomorrow," he told reporters.
Meanwhile, a day after the US Embassy in Ethiopia issued a security alert on reports of attacks on foreigners accused of having the virus, that country's government appealed for calm.
“COVID-19 is not related to any country or nationality,” the office of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said. "It is a test against all humanity."
Hours later, the US Embassy in Cameroon said Americans and other foreigners in the major cities of Yaounde and Douala reported "verbal and online harassment, stone throwing and banging on vehicles occupied by expatriates."

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Members of all three organisations had their temperatures taken upon arrival in Melbourne and key F1 officials have said a race for championship points will not go ahead without them

Medical workers wait together before taking over a large temporary hospital built in an exhibition center

in Wuhan on February 5. Feature China-Barcroft Media via Getty Images

In just one week, the ASX 200 went from a record closing high of 7,162 last Thursday to 6,441 by 10am on Friday

The outbreak has affected high-profile politicians, including Vice-President Masoumeh Ebteka

26 different types of antibacterial hand sanitiser are completely sold out on Priceline Australia's website

Li Wenliang wears a respirator mask on February 3. He died on February 7. LI WENLIANG-GAN EN FUND via REUTERS

COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS / INCUBATION
UPDATES - Cases - Deaths - Countries - Death Rate - Incubation - Age - Symptoms - Opinions
Coronavirus Incubation Period:Last updated: February 23, 2:00 GMT
2 - 14 days
Possible outliers: 0 - 27 days​

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-incubation-period/

Summary of findings:
2-14 days represents the current official estimated range for the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
However, a case with an incubation period of 27 days has been reported by Hubei Province local government on Feb. 22 [12]
In addition, a case with an incubation period of 19 days was observed in a JAMA study of 5 cases published on Feb. 21. [13]
An outlier of a 24 days incubation period had been for the first time observed in a Feb. 9 study.[11] WHO said at the time that this could actually reflect a second exposure rather than a long incubation period, and that it wasn't going to change its recommendations.
Period can vary greatly among patients.
Mean incubation period observed:
3.0 days (0 - 24 days range, study based on 1,324 cases)
5.2 days (4.1 - 7.0 days range, based on 425 cases).
Mean incubation period observed in travelers from Wuhan:
6.4 days (range from 2.1 to 11.1 days).

Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Incubation Period

The incubation period (time from exposure to the development of symptoms) of the virus is estimated to be between 2 and 14 days based on the following sources:
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported an incubation period for 2019-nCoV between 2 and 10 days. [1]
China’s National Health Commission (NHC) had initially estimated an incubation period from 10 to 14 days [2].
The United States' CDC estimates the incubation period for 2019-nCoV to be between 2 and 14 days [3].
DXY.cn, a leading Chinese online community for physicians and health care professionals, is reporting an incubation period of "3 to 7 days, up to 14 days".
The estimated range will be most likely narrowed down as more data becomes available.

Incubation period of up to 24 days?
The incubation period has been found to be as long as 24 days (range: 0-24 days; median: 3.0 days) in a study published on February 9. [11]
The WHO said in a press conference on February 10 that:
a very long incubation period could reflect a double exposure.
24 days represented an outlier observation that must be taken into consideration in the context of the main finding of the study.
WHO is not considering changing recommendations regarding incubation periods.
More recently, however, a case with an incubation period of 19 days was observed in a JAMA study published on Feb. 21. [13], and another case with an incubation period of 27 days was reported by Hubei Province on Feb. 22 [12]

Incubation period of 5.2 days on average
A Chinese study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Jan. 30[7], has found the incubation period to be 5.2 days on average, but it varies greatly among patients. The Chinese team conducting the study said their findings support a 14-day medical observation period for people exposed to the pathogen.
Below is an extract of the study findings (highlight added by Worldometer):
Among the first 425 patients with confirmed NCIP, the median age was 59 years and 56% were male. The majority of cases (55%) with onset before January 1, 2020, were linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, as compared with 8.6% of the subsequent cases.
The mean incubation period was 5.2 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1 to 7.0), with the 95th percentile of the distribution at 12.5 days.
In its early stages, the epidemic doubled in size every 7.4 days. With a mean serial interval of 7.5 days (95% CI, 5.3 to 19), the basic reproductive number was estimated to be 2.2 (95% CI, 1.4 to 3.9).
Conclusions On the basis of this information, there is evidence that human-to-human transmission has occurred among close contacts since the middle of December 2019. Considerable efforts to reduce transmission will be required to control outbreaks if similar dynamics apply elsewhere. Measures to prevent or reduce transmission should be implemented in populations at risk.
Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia - Qun Li et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 29, 2020
Incubation Period in Travelers from Wuhan
A study financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Health and published on Eurosurveillance,[10] analyzed data on 88 cases with known travel history (to and) from Wuhan which were detected between 20 and 28 January as being infected with 2019-nCoV.
The mean incubation period was estimated to be 6.4 days. The incubation period ranges from 2.1 to 11.1 days. The upper limit of 11.1 days could be considered conservative.[10]

The importance of knowing the incubation period
Understanding the incubation period is very important for health authorities as it allows them to introduce more effective quarantine systems for people suspected of carrying the virus, as a way of controlling and hopefully preventing the spread of the virus.
Comparison with other viruses
For comparison, the incubation period for the common flu (seasonal influenza) is typically around 2 days. Incubation period for other coronaviruses: SARS 2-7 days; MERS 5 days typically (range 2-14 days).

​Virus                               Incubation Period

                                          (typical cases)
Novel Coronavirus
(2019-nCoV)                     2-14 or 0-24 days *                

SARS                                 2-7 days,

                                         as long as 10 days
MERS                                5 days (range: 2-14)
Swine Flu                           1-4 days,

                                          as long as 7 days
Seasonal Flu                       2 days (1-4 range)

Novel Coronavirus Worldometer Sections:
Coronavirus Update - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Cases -  https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-cases/
Deaths - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-toll/
Mortality Rate - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-rate/
Transmission Rate - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#repro
Incubation Period - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-incubation-period/
Age, Sex, Demographics - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/
Symptoms - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-symptoms/
Countries with cases: 

basic list - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/countries-where-coronavirus-has-spread/

detailed list - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Expert Opinions  - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-expert-opinions/
Cases in the US - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa-coronavirus/

Sources
Novel Coronavirus(2019-nCoV)Situation Report-7 - World Health Organization (WHO), January 27, 2020
China's National Health Commission news conference on coronavirus - Al Jazeera. January 26, 2020
Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - CDC
Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - Australian Government Department of Health
Transmission of 2019-nCoV Infection from an Asymptomatic Contact in Germany - The New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 30, 2020
'There's no doubt': Top US infectious disease doctor says Wuhan coronavirus can spread even when people have no symptoms - CNN, Jan. 31, 2020
Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia - Qun Li et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 29, 2020
Asymptomatic #2019nCoV infection - WHO Tweet, Feb. 1, 2020
Philippines reports coronavirus death, as China toll reaches 304 - Al Jazeera, Feb. 2, 2020
Backer Jantien A, Klinkenberg Don, Wallinga Jacco. Incubation period of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections among travellers from Wuhan, China, 20–28 January 2020. Euro Surveill. 2020;25(5):pii=2000062. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.5.2000062
Clinical characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in China, Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, et al., February 9, 2020.
Coronavirus incubation could be as long as 27 days, Chinese provincial government says - Reuters, Feb. 22, 2020
Presumed Asymptomatic Carrier Transmission of COVID-19. JAMA. Bai Y, Yao L, Wei T, et al., February 21, 2020.​

The New York Times •March 21, 2020

Brian M. Rosenthal, Joseph Goldstein and Michael Rothfeld
https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-york-deluge-cases-begins-142242444.html

NEW YORK - New York state's long-feared surge of coronavirus cases have begun, thrusting the medical system toward a crisis point.
In a startlingly rapid ascent, officials reported Friday that the state was closing in on 8,000 positive tests, about half the cases in the country. The number was 10 times higher than what was reported earlier in the week.
In the Bronx, doctors at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center say they have only remaining ventilators for patients who need them to breathe. In Brooklyn, doctors at Kings County Hospital Center say they are so low on supplies that they are reusing masks for up to a week, slathering them with a hand sanitizer between shifts.
The state began this week. But the escalation, and the response, could give other states a glimpse of what might be in store if the virus continues to spread. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday urged residents to stay indoors and ordered.
State officials have determined that the number of coronavirus cases in New York will peak in early May. Both the governor and Mayor Bill de Blasio have used wartime metaphors and analogies to paint a grim picture of what to expect. Officials have said the state would need double its available beds for 100,000 and could be short as many as 25,000 ventilators.
As it prepares for the worst-case projections, the state is asking for the care of the volunteer. The city is considering trying to turn the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan into a makeshift hospital.
"The most striking part is the speed with which it has ramped up," said Ben McVane, emergency room doctor at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens. "It went from a small trickle of patients to a deluge of patients in our departments."
At Elmhurst, a 545-bed public hospital that serves a large population of immigrants living in the country without legal permission and low-income residents, coronavirus patients have begun to crowd out others. Protective gear is running low. Doctors are worried there will be a shortage of ventilators.
Outside of the facility, at a tent housing line, a line snaked around the building Friday, a sign of the demand on testing and how much worse the influx could become.
Demetre Daskalakis, deputy commissioner of the city's Department of Health, estimated that hundreds of thousands or even millions of city residents would be infected in the outbreak. Officials, however, have said that most people have mild to moderate symptoms, or none at all.
Generally, about 20% of coronavirus patients require hospitalization, with about one-quarter of those needing to breathe. Statewide, more than 1,200 people have been hospitalized with the virus, according to Cuomo's office. About 170 patients in intensive care units in city hospitals, according to the city.
But even those initial cases were straining the health care system, a worrying sign.
"There's no reference for this," said Daniel Singer, who has been an emergency room doctor for 14 years and now works at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center. "It's totally unprecedented."
Lincoln administrators met Friday to discuss its dwindling supply of ventilators, according to another employee.
Dr. Mitchell Katz, head of the Health and Hospitals Corp., which runs New York City's public hospitals, said there were 230 patients in the Elmhurst emergency room Thursday, about 50 more than any recent peak. Most were patients with symptoms of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, he said.
The system has received 100 more ventilators from its supplier and is expecting hundreds more, Katz said. At the same time, de Blasio has cast the equipment shortage in stark terms and has asked the federal government for help.
“I don't mean to be too dramatic here; it's just a fact, ”he said Friday in an interview with WNYC radio host Brian Lehrer. "It's a lot of people going to die who doesn't need to die if this doesn't happen quickly."
As of Friday, 35 people with the coronavirus died in New York state - the second-highest number in the nation behind Washington state, where the virus appeared to hit first.
In addition to converting the Javits Center, officials have considered turning into other medical facilities, including Madison Square Garden and the student dorms at New York University. A military hospital ship with 1,000 beds is coming, but it won't arrive until April. The state is planning to waive regulations in order to urge hospitals to increase capacity.
In the short term, hospital workers say that they have a serious shortage of medical illness that protects them from sick patients.
The state has three stockpiles of medical supplies, including millions of masks and gloves as well as more sophisticated equipment like ventilators. On Friday, the state health commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, said those supplies have been tapped to help backfill shortages at some hospitals.
Hospitals have been trying to find more of the N95 masks, which is most effective at preventing the virus's spread, as well as lighter surgical masks, goggles and gowns. But with suppliers running out across the world, hospital workers have improvised.
At Kings County Hospital and the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, administrators have given doctors one N95 mask to last all week, according to employees at the facilities. At Kings County, emergency room doctors wipe down the masks with a hand sanitizer between shifts and put up the masks
The Health and Hospitals Corp., which runs Kings County, denied that workers were told to reuse masks. A representative of Northwell Health, which includes Long Island Jewish, because administrators were trying to preserve masks because of the limited supply.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that N95 masks should be discarded after each interaction with the infected patient and should not be used for more than eight hours.
At other hospitals across the city and beyond, workers have turned to social media to plead for masks.
In a hospital affiliated with Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, administrators stowed their masks in a locked room after a fistfight broke out among workers and visitors over to the dwindling stockpile. Several hospitals have sent emails warning workers that they can be fired for the "unauthorized use" of masks.
Medical workers exposed to the coronavirus have been self-quarantining, but this week state and city health officials have issued new guidance recommending that hospital workers stay on the job until they show symptoms of the virus. People with symptoms of the virus spread it most easily, but research has also indicated that asymptomatic transmission is possible.
"I'm worried because if we get it, everybody is going to get it," said Aretha Morgan, a pediatric emergency room nurse at Columbia University Medical Center in Manhattan. "I might actually be exposing children in the ER."
Katz, the head of New York City's public hospitals, said he was afraid of having to work after being exposed. The virus was already widespread, so workers were exposed in hospital and were not exposed to anyone on the subway.
He also said that he had not been able to do so.
Deanne Criswell, the city's commissioner of emergency management, said Deanne Criswell, the city's commissioner of emergency management.
Some medical students have also volunteered to help respond to the crisis. David Muller, dean of medical education at the Mount Sinai Health System, says David Muller, dean of medical education at the Mount Sinai Health System.
However, if graduating students could start seeing patients - even though their residencies are not scheduled to start in July.
"It couldn't be even a week or two before we have to sweep away some of those restrictions," Muller said.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 

PM Trudeau: Canada continues to ramp up virus testing, working to charter flights to bring Canadians stuck abroad homeAndrew Cuomo
 ✔@NYGovCuomo
Younger people listen up: 55% of NYS # Coronavirus cases are ages 18-49.
Young people aren't invincible. You can give it to someone older you love.
You certainly shouldn't endanger your own health & you certainly shouldn't endanger other people's health. # StayAtHome
3:35 PM - Mar 21, 2020
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
 ✔@drsanjaygupta
Please don't get complacent this weekend. I know it will be hard, as this is really starting to settle in for many. Stay home. Slow down. Tidy up. Call the old friend, as they are hopefully home as well. Please behave as you have the virus. So, be kind.
4:08 PM - Mar 21, 2020

Coronavirus: Iran's deaths at least 210, hospital sources say
28 February 2020

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51673053

At least 210 people in Iran have died as a result of the new coronavirus disease, sources in the country's health system have told BBC Persian.
Most of the victims are from the capital, Tehran, and the city of Qom, where cases of Covid-19 first emerged.
The figure is six times higher than the official death toll of 34 given by the health ministry earlier on Friday.
Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour insisted it was being transparent and accused the BBC of spreading lies.
It comes after a member of parliament for Qom accused the authorities of a cover-up and the US expressed concern that they may not be sharing information.
Coronavirus: A visual guide to the outbreak
Analysis: How close are we to a pandemic?
What is coronavirus and what are the symptoms?
"We have made offers to the Islamic Republic of Iran to help," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a congressional committee in Washington on Friday.
"Their healthcare infrastructure is not robust and, to date, their willingness to share information about what's really going on inside... Iran has not been robust."
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi dismissed the offer of help.
"The claim to help Iran confront coronavirus by a country that has imposed expansive pressures on the Iranian nation through its economic terrorism and has even blocked the way for purchase of medical equipment and medicines is ridiculous and a political-psychological game," he said.
[Presentational grey line]
Growing lack of confidence in authorities
By Kasra Naji, BBC Persian
There are fears in Iran that the government, unsure of how to handle the outbreak, is covering up the extent of the spread of the new coronavirus disease.
Now, a tally of figures reported by BBC Persian's sources in several hospitals suggests at least 210 people had died across the country as of Thursday night.
The highest number of deaths were said to be in Tehran, where a disproportionately high number of officials have reportedly tested positive for Covid-19, including a vice-president, a deputy minister, and at least two MPs.
Friday prayers in Tehran and 22 other cities were cancelled, and schools and universities closed.
Thousands of Iranians have also been stranded inside and outside the country as many flights have been stopped to and from Iran.
[Presentational grey line]
There have been more than 83,000 reported cases of Covid-19 worldwide and 2,800 deaths since the disease emerged late last year - the vast majority in China.
At midday on Friday, the Iranian health ministry reported eight new deaths related to Covid-19, increasing the official toll to 34.
It also said 143 new cases had been detected, bringing the total to 388.

"Staying home, restricting traffic, reducing movement and interactions, avoiding unnecessary travel, cancelling any nationwide gatherings along with observing individual health tips are the only ways to control Covid-19," Mr Jahanpour tweeted.

Later, Health Minister Saeed Namaki announced that all schools would be closed for at least three days from Saturday as a precaution.
"We have a relatively difficult week ahead... as we see the trend, the main peak of the disease will be in the next week and coming days," he told state TV.

A member of the Tehran City Council told Ilna news agency that "the number of infected patients may rise to 10,000 or 15,000" in the coming weeks.
The head of the World Health Organization's emergencies programme, Dr Michael Ryan, said on Thursday that the apparent high mortality rate in Iran indicated its outbreak might be more widespread than realised.

A WHO mission is due to arrive in Iran on Sunday or Monday to help.
Dr Ryan said on Friday that its departure had been delayed due to "issues with getting flights and access to Iran", but that the United Arab Emirates was helping.

Some health experts have questioned the actions of the Iranian authorities since the first cases of Covid-19 were reported nine days ago.
President Hassan Rouhani has ruled out placing any cities or areas in quarantine, despite the head of the joint WHO-Chinese mission on Covid-19 saying such measures had helped "changed the course" of the outbreak in China.
There has also been concern about the decision not to close the Shia Muslim shrine of Hazrat Masumeh in Qom, which is visited by millions of pilgrims every year.

Some restrictions on access have nevertheless been imposed in recent days.
Mr Namaki told state TV that people would be allowed to visit the shrine once they had been given hand-sanitising gels, health information and face masks.
"[They must] not gather together in groups - just pray and leave," he said.
The shrine's custodian, Ayatollah Mohammed Saeedi, has said that it should be kept open as a "house for cure" and that "people should be encouraged to come".

Vice-President for Women's and Family Affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, and Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi are among several senior officials who have been infected.
The Hamshahri Online website reported that Ms Ebtekar - the highest-ranking woman in the Iranian government - had attended a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani and a number of ministers shortly before testing positive on Thursday.
Iran has also been the source of dozens of cases in neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Pakistan.

Coronavirus outbreak
Yes, it is worse than the flu: busting the coronavirus myths
The truth about the protective value of face masks and how easy it is to catch Covid-19
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent
@hannahdev
Sat 29 Feb 2020 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/29/worse-than-flu-busting-coronavirus-myths

 A China Airlines flight crew wear masks at Los Angeles international airport. Photograph-Mario Tama-Getty Images
Claim: ‘It is no more dangerous than winter flu’
Many individuals who get coronavirus will experience nothing worse than seasonal flu symptoms, but the overall profile of the disease, including its mortality rate, looks more serious. At the start of an outbreak the apparent mortality rate can be an overestimate if a lot of mild cases are being missed. But this week, a WHO expert suggested that this has not been the case with Covid-19. Bruce Aylward, who led an international mission to China to learn about the virus and the country’s response, said the evidence did not suggest that we were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. If borne out by further testing, this could mean that current estimates of a roughly 1% fatality rate are accurate. This would make Covid-19 about 10 times more deadly than seasonal flu, which is estimated to kill between 290,000 and 650,000 people a year globally.

Claim: ‘It only kills the elderly, so younger people can relax’
Most people who are not elderly and do not have underlying health conditions will not become critically ill from Covid-19. But the illness still has a higher chance of leading to serious respiratory symptoms than seasonal flu and there are other at-risk groups – health workers, for instance, are more vulnerable because they are likely to have higher exposure to the virus. The actions that young, healthy people take, including reporting symptoms and following quarantine instructions, will have an important role in protecting the most vulnerable in society and in shaping the overall trajectory of the outbreak.

Claim: ‘Face masks don’t work’
Wearing a face mask is not an iron clad guarantee that you won’t get sick – viruses can also transmit through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can still penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is the main transmission route of coronavirus, and some studies have estimated a roughly five-fold protection versus no barrier. If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on. If you’re just walking around town and not in close contact with others, wearing a mask is unlikely to make any difference.

Claim: ‘You need to be with an infected person for 10 minutes’
For flu, some hospital guidelines define exposure as being within six feet of an infected person who sneezes or coughs for 10 minutes or longer. However, it is possible to be infected with shorter interactions or even by picking the virus up from contaminated surfaces, although this is thought to be a less common route of transmission.

Claim: ‘A vaccine could be ready within a few months’
Scientists were quick out of the gates in beginning development of a vaccine for the new coronavirus, helped by the early release of the genetic sequence by Chinese researchers. The development of a viable vaccine continues apace, with several teams now testing candidates in animal experiments. However, the incremental trials required before a commercial vaccine could be rolled out are still a lengthy undertaking – and an essential one to ensure that even rare side-effects are spotted. A commercially available vaccine within a year would be quick.

Claim: ‘If a pandemic is declared, there is nothing more we can do to stop the spread’
A pandemic is defined as worldwide spread of a new disease – but the exact threshold for declaring one is quite vague. In practice, the actions being taken would not change whether or not a pandemic is declared. Containment measures are not simply about eliminating the disease altogether. Delaying the onset of an outbreak or decreasing the peak is crucial in allowing health systems to cope with a sudden influx of patients.


Coronavirus outbreak
Coronavirus: more than 3,000 Britons tested
Eight of nine people who tested positive successfully treated and discharged from hospital
Frances Perraudin
@fperraudin
Sun 16 Feb 2020 16.33 GMTLast modified on Mon 17 Feb 2020 00.08 GMT
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/16/coronavirus-more-than-3000-britons-tested

NHS England said on Saturday that all 94 people in quarantine at Arrowe Park in Wirral had been released. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

The number of people tested for coronavirus in the UK has passed 3,000, according to official figures.
Statistics from the Department of Health and Social Care show that 3,109 tests had been carried out in the UK as of 2pm on Sunday, an increase of 117 on the 2,992 reported on Saturday.
Nine people have tested positive for the virus in the UK so far, eight of whom have since been discharged from hospital after recording two ne

UPDATE on #coronavirus testing in the UK:
As of 2pm on Sunday 16 February 2020, a total of 3109 tests have concluded:
3100 were confirmed negative.
9 positive.
Updates will be published at 2pm daily.
For latest information visit: http://bit.ly/2UvGyzh
gative tests.
The news came as the Sunday Telegraph reported that people with flu-like symptoms could be told by authorities to self-isolate by staying at home for a fortnight if the number of confirmed cases in the UK passes 100.
The government did not comment on the report, but said official advice was under constant review as the situation developed.
The UK chief medical officers are instructing anyone experiencing a cough, fever or shortness of breath who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the past 14 days to stay indoors and call NHS 111.
NHS England said on Saturday that all 94 people in quarantine at Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral had been released. The group had been kept in isolation at the hospital after returning to the UK from Wuhan in China, the centre of the outbreak.
Prof Keith Willet, the NHS strategic incident director, said: “The last guests have left Arrowe Park hospital and I would once again like to thank them for the calm, patient and responsible way that they have responded to what must have been a trying situation.”
More than 100 people, who were evacuated later from the region, remained in isolation at the Kents Hill Park Hotel in Milton Keynes.
“I am also pleased that eight of the nine individuals who tested positive for coronavirus have now been successfully treated and discharged from hospital,” said Matt Hancock, the health secretary.
“I want to stress that any individuals who are discharged from hospital are now well and do not pose any public health risk to the public. Again, this is evidence of how well prepared our NHS is to deal with the Wuhan coronavirus.”
On Saturday, an 80-year-old Chinese man in France on holiday became the first person to die from virus in Europe, and the first fatality outside Asia. The patient, who was from the province of Hubei that includes Wuhan, had arrived in France on January 16 and suffered a lung infection caused by the virus.
The death toll from Hubei province rose by 100 late on Sunday night, taking the total number of fatalities to 1,765. There are at least 70,400 confirmed cases around the world.

Eight Australians had been flown from the Diamond Princess cruise ship at Yokohama in Japan to a quarantine centre near Darwin,

where they tested positive

California said it was monitoring some 8,400 people as the US state confirms second coronavirus case [Josh Edelson-AFP]

Pedestrian wearing face masks walk past a display promoting the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games on February 26

COVID-19 cases jump in Iran as Italy toll rises: Live updates

NEWS - HEALTH
Iran announces 205 new infections in last 24 hours as Italian authorities say the number of cases has exceeded 1,000.
by Umut Uras & Ted Regencia
29th February 2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-outbreak-bigger-latest-updates-200228232914773.html

​Vanessa Hudgens slammed for insensitive response to the coronavirusMEREDITH NARDINO
Mar 17th 2020 4
https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2020/03/17/vanessa-hudgens-slammed-for-insensitive-response-to-the-coronavirus/23953212/

Too much of a hot take?  Vanessa Hudgens  received an insensitive comment about the global coronavirus crisis.
The  Spring Breakers  actress, 31, fielded questions from her Instagram followers during a live Q&A on Monday, March 16, and widely worried the prospect of staying  under self-quarantine  may last until summer.
“Yeah, 'til July sounds like a bunch of bulls – t. I'm sorry, ”Hudgens said to the camera. “It's a virus, I get it. I respect it. But at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it… yeah, people are gonna die. Which is terrible but, like, inevitable? ”
Her comments quickly made the discomfort with her remarks.
“I know Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical 2 said, 'I gotta say what's on my mind,' but Vanessa Hudgens as Vanessa Hudgens in real life in 2020 talking about the  coronavirus  should've just been quiet,” one Twitter user wrote on Tuesday, March 17, after sharing the clip.
Another fan simply  said , “Most celebrities have been doing an excellent job of  spreading awareness  and best practices to flatten the curve. Looks like Vanessa Hudgens isn't one of them. ”
The Disney Channel alum addressed the controversy on Tuesday, claiming that her response was "taken out of context" in this "crazy time."
Throughout the uncertainties of the COVID-19 outbreak, stars like  Ariana Grande and  Taylor Swift have  encouraged their followers to stay at home  so as not to unknowingly spread the virus to other people who may be in more vulnerable conditions.
“Guys, I follow you online and I love you guys so much and  need to express my concern  that things are not taken seriously right now,” the “Delicate” singer, 30, posted in Instagram Story on Sunday, March 15. “This is the time to cancel plans, and you do not assume that because you do not feel sick that you may not have something. ”
Grande, 26, echoed Swift's concern in an Instagram Story of her own, which she also posted to Twitter the same day.
“I keep hearing from a surprising amount of people like 'we still have a lot about our lives' and it's really blowing my mind,” she wrote . “I understand that how u felt weeks ago. but please  read about what's going on . please don't turn a blind eye. It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to take this situation that lightly. ”
The “God Is a Woman” singer called out the “privileged” mindset of going out amid a global pandemic and ended her Twitter thread  with a simple plea : “Like your hip hop yoga class I can wait.
Yashar Ali 
 ✔@yashar
What a horrible and heartless message for you to share with the younger people who look up to you @ VanessaHudgens https: // twitter.com/ifioridiMonet/ status / 1239955714459594754 / video / 1  …
43.8K
7:07 PM - Mar 17, 2020

Dave Hodges interviews Mike Adams about where the coronavirus pandemic will be headed next… and it isn’t pretty
Saturday, March 14, 2020 by: Mike Adams

https://www.naturalnews.com/2020-03-14-dave-hodges-interviews-mike-adams-coronavirus-pandemic.html
Tags: Collapse, coronavirus, Dave Hodges, interview, outbreak, pandemic, panic, SHTF

https://dcs.megaphone.fm/REP7402712972.mp3?key=4258e7b49abe784413c989ebb656edb7

There are 129 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, and three have died
Globally 121,000 people have contracted COVID-19 and at least 4,300 have died
Do you have a story about the coronavirus? Email us at tips@dailymail.com
Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Australia must shut its borders NOW, close all schools and cancel mass events - or face a 'complete and utter coronavirus epidemic' and Italy-style turmoil, health experts warn
The Grattan Institute called for Australia to shut down schools and close borders
Its chief executive said country must bring in radical social distancing measures
He warned Australia's number of cases will skyrocket if policies aren't made
There are 129 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, and three have died
Globally 121,000 people have contracted COVID-19 and at least 4,300 have died

Do you have a story about the coronavirus?

Email us at tips@dailymail.com
Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By ALANA MAZZONI FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 16:27, 11 March 2020 | UPDATED: 00:23, 12 March 2020
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8100251/Australia-close-borders-shut-schools-universities-face-coronavirus-epidemic.html

Australia has been urged to close its borders, shut down schools and universities and cancel mass events or risk facing a 'complete and utter coronavirus epidemic'. 
Grattan Institute's chief executive John Daley called for Scott Morrison to follow the lead of Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which have introduced radical social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Mr Daley said while some countries' approaches to the outbreak have impacted their economies, they had been successful in reducing virus cases. 
Dr Muhammad Mohsin, who runs a number of GP clinics, has called for all public events, schools, businesses, childcare centres and universities to be shut down for a month 
The 22-year-old man could have infected hundreds of other revellers at Friday's Riverside (pictured) in Brisbane 's CBD on Saturday night between 5 and 9pm

The man also attended classes at University of Queensland's St Lucia campus in Brisbane on Thursday and Friday last week  
Australian Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo (right) and teammate Esteban Ocon (left) were due to take questions from reporters, but the conference was cancelled
Members of all three organisations had their temperatures taken upon arrival in Melbourne and key F1 officials have said a race for championship points will not go ahead without them
Australia has been warned to close its borders, shut down schools and universities and cancel mass events to reduce the country's coronavirus death rate, according to the Grattan Institute. A woman is seen arriving at Sydney Airport on Wednesday 

Australia has been urged to close its borders, shut down schools and universities and cancel mass events or risk facing a 'complete and utter coronavirus epidemic'. 
Grattan Institute's chief executive John Daley called for Scott Morrison to follow the lead of Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which have introduced radical social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Mr Daley said while some countries' approaches to the outbreak have impacted their economies, they had been successful in reducing virus cases. 

'One option is that we can introduce very significant social distancing now and also potentially close the airports to foreign travellers. The consequence of that would be you would probably see the number of cases in Australia drop to zero,' he told The Australian.
'The second option is that you keep doing what we are doing at the moment. At some point it is likely that we will start to see significantly more person-to-person transmission in Australia.'
Mr Daley warned if Australia keeps up its 'non-stringent measures like Italy', our cases would climb 'pretty quickly' and the fatality rate would skyrocket.  
Dr Muhammad Mohsin, who runs a number of GP clinics, called for all public events, schools, businesses, childcare centres and universities to be shut down for a month.
'This is the only way we can avoid a complete and utter epidemic in Australia. Otherwise, the virus will spread and it will devastate our country and our economy. We must do it before winter arrives. This is absolutely critical,' he said.
Dr Mohsin said the only way to stop the spread of coronavirus is for workers and students to work and study from home.
A number of schools in NSW and Melbourne have temporarily closed because of the coronavirus, but Education Minister Dan Tehan doesn't expect state-wide closures.
Mr Tehan said it would be more likely for schools in particular areas to close, with the government relying on expert medical advice.

Universities are scaling back their course offerings or providing more online tuition.
But Southern Cross University has gone further, temporarily closing its Gold Coast and Lismore campuses on Wednesday after a staff member visiting from the Philippines tested positive to the virus.
The stark warnings come as Australia's coronavirus cases jump to 129 - surpassing 100 cases just 24 hours earlier.
A man with coronavirus may have exposed hundreds of revellers to the deadly disease after partying at one of Queensland's most popular nightclubs. 
The 22-year-old man, who attends the University of Queensland, was at Friday's Riverside in Brisbane's CBD on Saturday night. 

He was confirmed as having the virus on Tuesday, after recently returning from Italy - Europe's COVID-19 epicentre.
The man partied at the popular venue between 5pm and 9pm. 
Other patrons are being warned they may need to self-isolate if they come down with symptoms.
'(He) had fleeting contact with a lot of different people,' Queensland chief medical officer Jeannette Young said. 
'They (patrons) don't need to go into home quarantine.
'But they do need to be aware and alert if they develop any symptoms suggestive of an infection - any respiratory-type symptoms, or a fever - they should go and get themselves tested.'
The man also attended classes at the university's St Lucia campus in Brisbane on Thursday and Friday last week.
China's death toll reached 100 just nine days after it went over 100 COVID-19 cases.

In Italy - Europe's epicentre for the outbreak - 100 people died ten days after the country reached 100 cases.
But only 12 people have died in Japan, whose measures have been more strict.   
Italy's alarmingly rapid outbreak of the virus prompted Scott Morrison to announce a travel ban for foreign nationals from Italy from Wednesday night.
It comes as medical experts warned Australia's hospitals will become swamped by thousands of coronavirus patients within a month.  

 
Cases of COVID-19 are doubling every six days around the world - and a similar rate is predicted in Australia. 
Professor Raina MacIntyre, the head of Biosecurity at the University of New South Wales's Kirby Institute, said Australia's rate of infection could soon be on par with the rest of the world.
'If it becomes widespread, there is the potential for the health system to be overwhelmed,' she said.
With 129 confirmed cases in Australia, the number could climb to more than 3,200 patients within four weeks, based on the six-day doubling model.
Australian Grand Prix is thrown into turmoil as three F1 team members are placed in isolation after showing signs of coronavirus - before Daniel Ricciardo is withdrawn from media conference
Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo has been pulled out of a scheduled Renault team media conference to protect him from coronavirus, while three crew from other teams have been placed in self-isolation after displaying symptoms of the illness just days out from the Australian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo and teammate Esteban Ocon were due to take part in a media conference on Wednesday at the Albert Park circuit, ahead of Sunday's race but team officials made a call at the last moment to withdraw them and keep them protected from the public going into the weekend.
Our drivers were supposed to be with us for this event but due to the situation we've excused them for the occasion,' Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul said.
'I hope you understand why we are taking such measures.' 
Elsewhere, a member of the McLaren team, as well as two personnel from the US outfit Haas, were put in isolation after displaying flu-like symptoms and being tested for the virus in Melbourne.
This year's race has been under a cloud since the onset of the virus, which has caused major sporting events around the world to be cancelled, postponed or contested without spectators present.
A key point of concern for organisers has been the presence of Italian teams Ferrari and the newly rebranded AlphaTauri team, formerly Toro Rosso, as well as tyre supplier Pirelli.
Italy has the highest number of Covid-19 cases outside of China, and the government announced on Wednesday that it would stop travellers arriving from the European nation. 
Members of all three organisations had their temperatures taken upon arrival in Melbourne and key F1 officials have said a race for championship points will not go ahead without them.
Next week's race in Bahrain will take place behind closed doors, while the Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for April 19 has been cancelled. 
The 22-year-old man could have infected hundreds of other revellers at Friday's Riverside (pictured) in Brisbane 's CBD on Saturday night between 5 and 9pm

Iran Map of confirmed cases of ​Coronavirus

Coronavirus: Iran's deaths at least 210, hospital sources say 28 February 2020

US President Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans over the spread of the coronavirus at a news conference on Wednesday [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

Civilization Ruffled by Another Perfect Epidemiological Storm
by JOHN DAVIS- MARCH 19, 2020 Counter Punch
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/03/19/civilization-ruffled-by-another-perfect-epidemiological-storm/

It is the beginning of the twenty-first century and most humans remain inhabitants of what James C. Scott calls the ‘Multispecies Resettlement Camp’ – the aggregation of men, women, children and their domesticated  plants and animals that was made possible by the development of agriculture. His book, Against the Grain – A Deep History of the Earliest States, 2017, takes a jaundiced look at sedentism – the staying put that initially gave rise to urban culture and that would, some millennia later, come to define modernity. This progression represents our understanding of the development of Western Civilization which we are accustomed to celebrate – or did, until a couple of months ago when we reaped its corollary of epidemiological terrorism. As city dwellers, and more broadly, as subjects of highly interdependent, globally connected states, we remain prey to the “chronic and acute infectious diseases that devastate the population again and again,” which Scott identifies as a primary characteristic of the very earliest states.
Scott’s ambit spans across the early states that emerged in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Egypt in around 2500 BCE, and a little later in the drainage basins of the Yellow and Yangzi Rivers in China.  But he extends his review of ‘civilized’ humanity to the moment, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, when urbanity at last predominated over its antithesis, the world of non-state peoples. For these barbarians, from the very beginnings of emergent states, and entirely beforehand, had always been vastly more populous.
We Americans are heirs to one of the last great ‘victories’ of the civilized world over the barbarian. That victory was won, initially, by our introduction of the myriad zoonoses – those diseases we share with our domestic animals – to which our habitual sedentism in the ‘Multi-Species Resettlement Camp’ have made us hosts. Scott writes, “Once a disease becomes endemic in a sedentary population, it is far less lethal, often circulating largely in a subclinical form for most carriers. At this point, unexposed populations having little or no immunity against this pathogen are likely to be uniquely vulnerable when they come into contact with a population in which it is endemic.” He notes that Native Americans had been “isolated for more than ten millennia from Old World pathogens” and succumbed in horrifying numbers to the diseases that the earliest colonists brought with them. It should be remembered, however, that Europeans were not themselves immune to novel infectious disease, having lost perhaps one-third to one-half of their population during medieval pandemics. Despite their partial epidemiological eradication, the more complete destruction of Native Americans populations required, as  Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz notes in, An Indigenous People’s History of the United States,  2014, “three hundred years of colonial warfare, followed by continued wars waged by the independent republics of the hemisphere.”
So, just as early states were reborn after repeated pandemics, medieval Europe survived debilitating plagues and Native Americans survived a concerted pathogenic assault beginning in the sixteenth century, the world will survive COVID-19. But in every case, the argument can be made that survival required a fundamental reevaluation of accustomed ways of life. Early states collapsed under the pressure of disease, but their surviving populations melted back into the world of un-taxed, non-state peoples whose support strategies included slash and burn cultivation, small scale horticulture, maritime foraging and hunting and gathering. After devastating early losses, Native Americans adopted both the firearms and the domestic animals of their oppressors. Now, after a limited die-off of vulnerable populations, survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely fundamentally challenge the political calculus of the modern state.
But what is certain is that, for the foreseeable future, the preponderance of the global population will remain tax-paying creatures indebted to their particular continental state, entirely trapped for their livelihood within a global web of capitalist trade. We, as a species, have been domesticated as surely as we have functioned as the agents of plant and animal domestication. As Michael Pollan and others have remarked, we have become slaves to landscapes designed to provide us with a consistently abundant food supply. That dependence has been extended, at least since the mid-nineteenth century, to include a reliance on the state together with the corporations it embraces for our travel, entertainment, news and personal communication. We are faced, in the longue durée, not only with the collapse of states, or of empires, but with potential global, systemic disintegration. Perhaps it is unlikely that the-little-virus-that-could, COVID-19, will be the agent of that cataclysm, but it certainly constitutes one element in the decay of urban centers that Scott establishes as a characteristic of the ancient world.
Scott argues that the repeated collapse of early states was due to the rise of infectious diseases caused by crowding and the domestication of animals, to the ecological disaster caused by deforestation and the salinization of over-irrigated croplands, and to the practice of total war in which the population of the losing state was entirely captured as slaves and their urban infrastructure razed. It does not require a great deal of imagination to understand that the fragility of our current global civilization – a manifestation of hyper-sedentism, only compounded in its pathologies by the hyper-mobility of our work, trade and leisure – is similarly threatened, and that these threats are inextricably braided in a world of metastasizing diseases, climate catastrophe and habitat destruction together with extinction-grade military lethality.
In 1918-1920, the Spanish ‘flu impacted 25% of the global population of 1.8 billion and killed between 17 and 50 million people in three distinct waves of infection. Less than half a century later, in 1957-1958, Asian ‘flu killed a million people world-wide, including 116,000 Americans. In 1968, the Hong Kong Flu again killed over a million victims. HIV/AIDS was first identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1981 and has since killed 36 million people. It remains a virulent threat in sub-Saharan Africa where over 5% of the population is infected.
In a highly urbanized world, chronic and acute infectious diseases strike crowded populations again and again. Little has changed since humans elected to forgo survival strategies that ranged over a variety of ecological habitats for the concentrated production of grain and livestock in early states. Now we rely on agribusiness and factory farms to funnel food to endlessly conjoined urban, suburban and exurban developments. We wait helplessly for the latest vaccine while new strains of disease quietly gestate in fetid congeries of human habitation.
For Americans, a secondary impact of this latest epidemiological threat is the backgrounding of our concerns for global warming, for the apparent selection of a deeply flawed Democratic candidate for the Presidency in 2020, for the endless wars in support of Empire, and for all those other pressing issues that evaporate in the presence of impending death. The unfolding threat has already caused the cancellation of the American people’s other opiate of choice, national sporting events, disrupted travel, and will likely result in a broad economic recession. As we contemplate these trivial impacts, truly existential terror awaits.
We live in a world that is characterized by its epidemiological, ecological and political fragility. Its continued existence, our continued existence, is constantly at threat. Crises such as 9/11, Katrina, continent-spanning wildfires, and now COVID-19, that have so recently piled up across the globe, are not black swan events, appearing out of nowhere: they are manifestations of this inherent fragility.
While statism and its symptomatic urbanity have spread across the planet, barbarians are in full retreat, marginalized in the least propitious areas of the world. Their shrinking territorial base no longer represents a safe haven for those fleeing a failing civilization. Change must come from within, and it will be forced upon us through crisis. We are left to question, ‘Can COVID-19 be the one that, like Shiva, is the destroyer who ends this cycle of time and begins a new Creation?’
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More articles by:JOHN DAVIS
John Davis is an architect living in southern California. Read more of his writing at urbanwildland.org  

Chart shows the rate at which the coronavirus has spread.

​The dramatic spike in the COVID-19 reported cases

22-year-old man could have infected hundreds of other revellers at Friday's Riverside  in Brisbane 's CBD on Saturday night between 5 and 9pm

A girl wears a face mask at Beijing's central railway station. Kevin Frayer-Getty Images

Australian Minister for Health Greg Hunt, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly

give an update on the coronavirus 

Australian Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo (right) and teammate Esteban Ocon (left) were due to take questions from reporters, but the conference was cancelled

​COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS / DEATH TOLL

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-toll/
UPDATES - Cases - Deaths - Countries - Death Rate - Incubation - Age - Symptoms - Opinions
Last updated: February 29, 2020, 22:25 GMT
Coronavirus Death Toll
2,942 deaths
2,942 people have died so far from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak as of February 29, 2020, 22:25 GMT.
There are currently 86,033 confirmed cases in 64 countries and territories . The fatality rate is still being assessed.
 Latest findings:
Age and Sex of COVID-19 Deaths
Deaths reported for Feb. 12 are the result, in part part, of a change in diagnosis classification. See also: How to interpret the 15,152 (+600%) surge in new cases of February 12

Why The Coronavirus Mortality Rate is Misleading
The mortality rate is likely much higher than we thought.

Charit Narayanan
 https://towardsdatascience.com/why-the-coronavirus-mortality-rate-is-misleading-cc63f571b6a6
Feb 18 · 

Photo: Johns Hopkins Medicine

As you probably know, the coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new virus that causes respiratory ailments. Its origins can be traced back to Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It is comparable to other animal-based coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS. Although most cases have been confined to the Hubei Province, which Wuhan is part of, it has spread to HK, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, the US, and possibly even North Korea. Although new details about the virus’s nature and its growth are still emerging, we know that it has a 2–14 day incubation period and the average #/transmissions by each person who has it is roughly 2.6. As of Feb 14, over 64,000 have been suspected/confirmed to be infected, with almost 1400 deaths.

Despite the seemingly endless media coverage of the virus, many questions remain unanswered. Are there truly only 60k+ confirmed cases, or is this figure deflated? Is the number of fatalities under-reported as well? How fast is the virus spreading every day? How dangerous is it? In order for us to accurately gauge the danger it poses, it’s necessary to calculate the mortality rate. Even if the virus is spreading quickly, it is not a large threat if people don’t die after contracting it.

Currently, the mortality rate calculations are incorrect and misleading. As of now, it is calculated by dividing the number of deaths by the number of infected. The figure below shows the “misleading” mortality rate for Hubei Province since Jan 22. Based on these calculations, the mortality rate is determined to be around 2.5% currently. However, it is incorrect because it does not take one hugely important factor into account: the lag effect.

What is the lag effect?
Consider a group of 100 people that feel sick on Jan 10, 2020. Let’s track them over time. Some of them fall seriously ill over a period of a few days. Some recover, while others continue to be sick. If we could fast forward a year from now, we would know exactly the number of people that would die from this cohort. Most of the people that were sick would have recovered, and others would have died. At this point, you can calculate the death rate for this cohort to be the number of dead to the number that were initially infected. For example, we could use this method to calculate the mortality rate of the 2002 SARS outbreak in China, since everyone who contracted SARS has either recovered or died by now. This is not true of the COVID-19 because it is still ongoing.

In the midst of an infection, we have different cohorts at different stages. I.e, a few thousand people that just became sick yesterday would not die today; but people that die today would be from a much earlier cohort. As a result, it is completely incorrect to calculate the mortality rate to divide the number of dead by the number of infected. The correct way to do this would be to follow each cohort separately and determine the death rate from each. Of course, when the disease has completely stopped, both the methods would converge. The coronavirus epidemic is ongoing and has not ceased and this method will not work. In contrast, this would work with calculating the SARS mortality rate now.

Here is the graphical way of depicting it.
On the x-axis is the number of days after the members of the cohort have been infected (they were all infected on the same day) On the y-axis is the cumulative death rate (number of deaths/number infected) within the cohort.
Reports say it takes anywhere between 2–14 days to even show symptoms and possibly an additional few weeks or so before you could potentially die. Therefore, the number of deaths will likely be zero for the first few days regardless of the nature of the cohort members.

For the sake of illustration, we will look at two different groups. Say one group is 25-year-old men from Wuhan (modeled by a mortality rate of 2 % and reaching its peak in 14 days), and another represents a cohort of 80-year old men (modeled by a mortality rate of 5% reaching a peak in 7 days). We can assume the latter will rise faster, reach a greater height, and plateau sooner than the former. This means that more 80-year olds will die, and more quickly, due to their generally lower immunity and weaker overall health. The same can be said for people with health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, as well as chronic smokers. As well as these factors (the very old and very young have demonstrated more vulnerability), the cohort curves will vary with country, wealth, etc.

So, why can’t we calculate by cohort and find the mortality rate?
This idea sounds quite simple in theory: find the number of infected each day and track them at the cohort level and we would have the mortality rate. In practice, this is a bit difficult. Here are some challenges.
The date of infection: since the incubation varies and is still uncertain, it is hard to determine the date of infection. Additionally, the symptoms would vary among different groups, and it would be time-consuming to document every person who shows symptoms such as a cough or a fever. Since there is no defining symptom of the COVID-19, ambiguous symptoms such as a cough could easily be symptomatic of the Flu or the common cold.
The #/infected: there are likely many people that have not been tested but have the virus that are unaccounted for. It is even harder as some have the infection and are asymptomatic. Now, since people are forced to stay in quarantine in Wuhan, it is slightly easily
Time to mortality: we don’t know how long it takes for people to die from infection, since the dates that people show symptoms may differ and may report them at different dates even if they all contracted it on the same day.
The risk of mortality varies with age, health, etc: People sick and elderly are much more vulnerable than healthy people. If the proportions of differing-risk groups in each infected cohort changes, so will the mortality rate.
The risk of mortality varies by place: With any rapidly-spreading contagion, the samples chosen for determining the mortality rate are biased since the virus propagates so quickly, affecting different people in different places. So far, the mortality rate is composed mostly of those who caught the Coronavirus during January in the city of Wuhan. As the virus moves to different places, the mortality will inherently be different, and must, therefore, be representative of the threat posed so adequate precautions can be taken. For example, the danger it poses to people in say, Somalia, would be significantly higher than the danger to people in Switzerland, due to factors such as the people’s immunity/health, sanitation, access to medical services, etc. Thus, to give an accurate appraisal of the threat, the mortality rate should be expressed per cohort.

Ideally, how can we fix this?
We need to have much more granular data on the cohort level that can help us model the mortality rate. Unfortunately, that data does not appear to be available.
Triangle charts are the right way to calculate the death rate by cohort. We would need to construct these triangle charts for groups that are as homogeneous as possible to ensure that certain members do not skew the death rates. Age, high-risk medical groups, and countries are the right granular segments to look at. Using these, we can most accurately gauge the mortality rate for each group.

Below is an example triangle chart for the death rate.
Here, the uppermost rows depict older cohorts, and newer cohorts are represented by the lower rows. Each column represents an additional day after they were infected, with the number in the box representing the cumulative number of deaths within the cohort. Scanning the boxes diagonally from right to left gives the numbers for each cohort on the same day.

In order to model the number of deaths, two assumptions are made.
1) There is a 5% mortality rate among all cohorts.
2) If people died, they died within 7 days after contracting the virus. Additionally, the data is only from the Hubei Province, where Wuhan is situated.

We can immediately see the cool-to-warm gradient between the topmost and bottom-most rows. This means that the older cohorts were smaller in size to start with and the newer cohorts are larger, indicating the spread of the COVID-19. (see the above figure)
Although the information can paint a general picture of what’s happening, shedding light on the basic nature of COVID-19’s spread, the model has several shortfalls. Firstly, not all information is available, hence the entire rows without data. There may be deaths not accounted for, especially in Wuhan, the epicenter. We are likely vastly undercounting the number of infected. We also do not understand how long it takes for people to die once infected. We do not know the mix of old and young; healthy and sick; etc. Despite its deficiencies, the model is still illustrative.
Okay, here is some preliminary analysis that shows that the data is seriously incorrect

Next, we use the model — there is a mortality rate of 5% and the number of days until death is 7— to compare the predicted number of death versus actual in Hubei province.
This figure compares the model of the number of cumulative deaths with the assumed mortality rate and time to mortality to the numbers reported by Beijing. Our model, with the current parameters, is strikingly close. However, given the huge amount of factors other than time to mortality and the mortality rate, we can never be completely sure what the real numbers are. Here are some key insights.
If the number of infected is indeed correct, then the mortality rate is likely much higher than 2.5% and closer to 5% to even larger.
If the time to mortality is longer than 7 days, then the mortality rate will be even larger than 5% and could be as high as 10% or more.
If the number of infected is substantially larger, it is possible to have a mortality rate too much smaller (even as small as 1%).
It should be noted that there are multiple ways to get to the same number of deaths by altering some of these parameters. Regardless, it is very likely that the data is seriously incorrect (many more are infected) or we have a serious crisis (the mortality rate is > 5%).

Takeaways
The current method for calculating COVID-19’s mortality rate is inherently flawed as it does not take into account the lag effect.
A new (cohort-based) approach to calculating the mortality rate is presented.
The model and the actual data are in close agreement, using specific parameters (5% mortality rate & 7 days until mortality).
This implies that either the mortality rate is higher than thought, or the number of cases is much higher than reported.

China has gone into lockdown after the virus claimed more than  2,700 lives (pictured, students in Beijing) 

Coronavirus: Which countries have evacuated their citizens?
30 January 2020
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51312378

As the Chinese city at the heart of the coronavirus outbreak remains under lockdown, governments abroad are continuing efforts to bring their citizens home.
The death toll from the virus now stands at 170, with more than 7,700 confirmed cases in China alone.
Many airlines have reduced or cancelled flights to the country as a result.
So which countries have evacuated their citizens so far, and what awaits them once they are brought home?

UK
Around 200 British citizens are due to return home on Friday on a flight that was delayed earlier because the Chinese authorities had not cleared it.
Coronavirus: How worried should we be?
Passengers will be transported to accommodation in the north west of England, where they will stay in "supported isolation" for 14 days with "all necessary medical attention", a Downing Street spokesman said.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the prime minister said the government was pressing Beijing to allow the spouses or partners of UK nationals to be on the flight, following reports that family members with Chinese citizenship were being prevented from travelling by local authorities.

US
Around 200 of the estimated 1,000 US nationals in Wuhan have returned to the US.
Among the passengers are non-essential diplomatic staff and their family members, who were ordered to leave Wuhan by the State Department.
US officials are continuing to work on plans to evacuate the remaining US citizens.
All those who have returned so far have been placed in voluntary quarantine in an air base in southern California for three days of testing and monitoring, CNN reported.
Passengers not displaying any symptoms will be monitored for a 14-day incubation period.

Australia and New Zealand
Australia is working to repatriate around 600 of its nationals from Wuhan.
How are coronavirus patients treated?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said evacuees will be held on the remote Christmas island, which lies around 2,000km (1,200 miles) from the mainland and is better known for its recently reopened immigration detention centre.
Currently only housing one Sri Lankan family of four, the facility was built to accommodate more than 1,000 people and was previously criticised for its conditions.
New Zealand, which has 53 citizens in Wuhan, says it will co-operate with the Australian government to bring back its nationals.
But the country's foreign minister has said the government is looking into domestic options for quarantining its returning nationals, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ).

Canada
Canada has prepared a plane to repatriate nationals who have requested consular assistance.
Wuhan: The London-sized city where the virus began
The next steps for Canadians who return home remain unclear, with Health Minister Patty Hajdu telling reporters: "Part of the process now is figuring out what our protocols will be when we return Canadians who wish to come home."

EU countries
The EU is sending two flights to bring back 350 European citizens from Wuhan.
The costs of the flights will be co-financed by the EU, which said that "EU citizens present in the region and who wish to be repatriated can still request it, no matter their nationality".
The first flight is expected to carry around 250 French citizens, while more than 100 nationals of other EU countries will join the second.

Diary of a life in locked-down Wuhan
Separately, around 90 German citizens still in Wuhan and their family members are expected to be flown to Frankfurt in the coming days, according to Germany's Bild tabloid.
While the country's health minister did not give any details on any plans for quarantine, he told the newspaper that the government wanted to house passengers returning from Wuhan centrally: "If everyone goes to the supermarket or the cinema, it makes no sense."
Spain's foreign minister tweeted on Tuesday that the country was continuing to work "with our partners in the EU and China to organise the repatriation of Spaniards in Wuhan".

Japan
Two government-chartered flights have already arrived in Tokyo, with a third flying back to Wuhan on Thursday.
However, three of the passengers later tested positive for the coronavirus.
Around 650 Japanese citizens said they wanted to be repatriated, but the Japan Times reports that the government has not enforced any quarantine on those returning from the affected area of China.

South Korea
South Korea, which has so far confirmed four cases of coronavirus, is planning to evacuate around 700 of its nationals from Wuhan.
The country had initially planned to fly people out on two chartered planes on Thursday night, but this was later reduced after Beijing only gave permission for one aircraft.
Returning citizens will be held in isolation in two separate public facilities in the provinces of North and South Chungcheong, according to the Yonhap News Agency.
However, there has been opposition to the repatriations from residents who fear that the virus could spread.

India
According to a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian government has requested permission to operate two planes to Hubei province.
The country has confirmed its first case of the virus after a student in the southern state of Kerala, who had studied in Wuhan, was found to have been infected.
India's Business Standard newspaper quoted the country's health minister as saying returnees would be required to spend two weeks in quarantine.

Turkey
Thirty-two Turkish citizens and their families are to be evacuated from Wuhan, the country's ambassador to China said on Wednesday.
"We will bring them back as soon as possible...with a medical or similarly-equipped plane," Ambassador Emin Onen told Turkey's NTV channel.
"There will be certain quarantine conditions when they land in Turkey."

Egypt
The latest country to announce evacuation plans from Wuhan, Egypt has said it will send a special flight to return its citizens.
A quarantine period of 14 days would then be enforced.

Man leaves a medical center in Wuhan. Noel Celis-AFP via Getty Images

How the coronavirus epidemic is already hitting Australia hard - and why everyone in the country could contract the deadly disease

Share market in free fall, flights slashed to just $50 and supermarket shelves EMPTY: How the coronavirus epidemic is already hitting Australia hard - and why everyone in the country could contract the deadly disease

Panic buying has already begun in supermarkets after warnings of a pandemic
The deadly coronavirus has already infected 23 people from across Australia 
It is now threatening to wreak havoc with the economy, with prices on the rise
Airlines are launching last minute sales to encourage people to travel abroad 
There are now 49 countries impacted, a rise of seven in the last 24 hours alone 
Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By ALISHA ROUSE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 00:21, 28 February 2020 | UPDATED: 04:06, 28 February 2020
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8053871/How-coronavirus-epidemic-hitting-Australia-hard.html

Coronavirus has killed more than 2,800 people globally and can cause severe lung damage and trigger multiple organ failure
Pedestrian wearing face masks walk past a display promoting the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games on February 26
Minister for Health Greg Hunt, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly give an update on the coronavirus on Thursday (pictured)
Basic medical supplies, toilet paper and food staples are flying off the shelves as panicked shoppers stockpile goods amid growing fear around the coronavirus (pictured)
China has gone into lockdown after the virus claimed more than  2,700 lives (pictured, students in Beijing) 

Australia is already buckling under the weight of the coronavirus epidemic - with the stock market in free fall, supermarket shelves bare and a panic sale on flights. 
With the world on the cusp of an unstoppable pandemic, experts warned every Australian could soon be struck down by the killer virus.
Families could soon see their supermarket bill balloon as worried households begin to stockpile food and medicines. 
The Australian Securities Exchange has now fallen for the sixth straight session, shedding $221 billion - or 10 per cent - in just one week, including $72 billion on Friday morning alone.
It comes as the respiratory virus infected more than 82,000 people worldwide - including 23 in Australia - causing 2,804 deaths. 
The deadly strain, known now as Covid-19, originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. 
The economic plunge threatened to get even worse after Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared a coronavirus pandemic is 'very much upon us'.
Launching an emergency plan on Thursday afternoon, he said the government was identifying 'gaps in capabilities' within Australia's state-based health services. 
As residents prepare for the epidemic to hit, with 23 people already struck down on Australian soil, there is already evidence of panicked stockpiling.
Shocking photos emerged showing Woolworths shelves stripped of medicine, toilet paper and food staples.
Customers were greeted with near-empty aisles when they arrived at the supermarket giant's Bondi store in Sydney on Thursday night.
The grocery store appeared to be struggling to keep the shelves stocked with paracetamol, toilet paper, tea, milk, pasta, oats and rice crackers. 
Coronavirus fears wiped an incredible $72 billion off the Australian stock exchange on Friday morning.
It tumbled from a record closing high of 7,162 last Thursday to just 6,441 at 10am on Friday.
The dollar has fallen below 66 US cents for the first time in a decade. 

Indicating that businesses are struggling, Air New Zealand slashed prices to Australia to just $69 on Friday morning in a bid to boost sales.
The airline is offering $69 one way flights from Christchurch to Melbourne, while fares for Auckland to Sydney and Brisbane will set Kiwis back $79.
It'll cost passengers just $69 to fly from Christchurch to Melbourne one way, and $79 to fly into Brisbane.
The cheap airfares are available for travel from mid-March. 
Thanks to coronavirus travel bans, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have reduced the amount of flights heading across the ditch. 
But they are lowering ticket prices to fill up the remaining planes.
There are currently 23 cases of coronavirus in Australia, eight of which originated on the doomed Diamond Princess cruise ship.
At least 621 people on the ship tested positive for the virus, officially named Covid-19, making it the biggest cluster outside China.
There were a total of 223 Australians quarantined on the ill-fated ship in the Japanese port of Yokohama. 
Fears are growing for one 78-year-old man from Western Australia, who has been rushed into intensive care at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
Worldwide, the virus has killed more than 2,800 people and infected 82,000.
 'We believe that the risk of a pandemic is very much upon us,' he told reporters in Canberra.
'We need to take the steps necessary to prepare for such a pandemic.'
An expert has issued a stark warning about the future of the virus, saying it is unlikely it will ever be contained and the world should prepare for the worst.
Professor Ian Mackay, from the University of Queensland, said: 'We're likely to have the virus become what we call an endemic virus, or a virus that's just with us for life,' he told The Australian. 
'At some point in the coming months or years we're all going to get infected because we've all been infected by these other endemic viruses.' 
The World Health Organisation has not yet formally declared a global pandemic, but Mr Morrison said Australia was operating on the basis that there is one. 
Meanwhile Priceline stores have run out of hand sanitiser as fears grow over the development of a global pandemic.
Increased demand has forced some chemists to ration supplies, including a number of Priceline stores in Sydney which are limiting the number of products customers can buy.
The pharmacy chain is also experiencing shortages of the product online, with 26 different types of antibacterial hand sanitiser completely sold out.
Media agency OMD announced on Friday morning it was to close its office in Sydney, after one of its UK staff - who had visited the Sydney office - showed symptoms of the coronavirus.
In an email to staff, CEO Aimee Buchanan confirmed the office would be closed on Friday, and potentially on Monday.
She wrote: 'You may have seen the news today that OMD UK closed their offices as one of their staff has come down with flu-like symptoms following a trip from Australia via Singapore.
'Given the coronavirus breakout around the world, we will be acting with precaution and closing the OMD Sydney office until we have clearance from our UK office.' 
Meanwhile Chinese students in Australia are being urged to 'walk quickly' to avoid spreading the deadly coronavirus.
Hundreds of Chinese high school students are set to stay with Australian families when arriving in the country to continue their year 11 and 12 courses.
They will spend two weeks in isolation after touching down, but are being told to walk fast around the house to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to their host family. 
Giving an update on Friday lunchtime, the minister for health, Greg Hunt, confirmed there are now 49 countries impacted by coronavirus.
'The latest from the National Incident Centre is that 49 countries around the world are impacted, that's an extra seven in just 24 hours,' he said. 
He confirmed the 15 isolated cases of coronavirus in Australia have all been successfully treated and discharged.
The eight who contracted the disease on the Diamond Princess cruise ship are still being cared for.   
26 different types of antibacterial hand sanitiser are completely sold out on Priceline Australia's website (pictured)
Eight Australians had been flown from the Diamond Princess cruise ship at Yokohama in Japan to a quarantine centre near Darwin (pictured), where they tested positive
In just one week, the ASX 200 went from a record closing high of 7,162 last Thursday to 6,441 by 10am on Friday (stock image)

​​Garlic and red wine to protect the body from viruses
There were two prisoners in a french prison, when the bubonic plague was rampant, and every prisoner was dying with bubonic plague ... as well am millions dropping dead on the streets of Paris
But these two prisoners were not getting bubonic plague they were even asked to help the authorities to pick up the dead bodies off the streets of people who had died with bubonic plague because these two prisoners were not getting bubonic plague
The two prisoners were asked why they seemed to be immune from butonic plague when everyone is dying around them
They replied.. " well it is very simple ... we got hold of some cheap red wine and  fresh garlic in it and left it for a few days to ferment and the combined  red wine and  fresh garlic .. .... fermented for a few days creates an amazing anitioxidant and anti bodies that helps ones immune system fight off any bad virus..."
I collapsed in the snow in the middle of the worst UK winter about 10 years ago when I was applying for Asylum in the UK
I had the most terrible flue and had no right to see a doctor because I had no national insurance number.....
So I had to find a way of curing myself from  the most terrible flue
So I virtually crawled to the nearest shops and purchased a cheap bottle of red wine and some garlic..
I cut the garlic up into small pieces and put the garlic into the red wine bottle... and let it ferment for a couple of days..
then I started taking small amounts a few times a day.. and it cured me within a week

Plague is defeated, detail of the “Column of the Plague” (Pestsäule), Graben, Vienna, Austria. Photograph Source: Jebulon – CC0

The man also attended classes at University of Queensland's St Lucia campus in Brisbane on Thursday and Friday last week  

​COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS / AGE
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/

Age, Sex, Existing Conditions of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths
 29th February 2020

There are two sources that provide age, sex, and comorbidity statistics:
The Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission published on Feb. 28 by WHO, [2] which is based on 55,924 laboratory confirmed cases. The report notes that "The Joint Mission acknowledges the known challenges and biases of reporting crude CFR early in an epidemic" (see also our discussion on: How to calculate the mortality rate during an outbreak)
A paper by the Chinese CCDC released on Feb. 17, which is based on 72,314 confirmed, suspected, and asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 in China as of Feb. 11, and was published in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology [1]
We will list data from both, labeling them as "confirmed cases" and "all cases" respectively in the tables.
Age of Coronavirus Deaths
COVID-19 Fatality Rate by AGE:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on the age group. The percentage shown below does NOT represent in any way the share of deaths by age group. Rather, it represents, for a person in a given age group, the risk of dying if infected with COVID-19.
AGE                    DEATH RATE confirmed cases        DEATH RATE   all cases
80+ years old           21.9%                                         14.8%
70-79 years old                                                        8.0%

60-69 years old                                                        3.6%
50-59 years old                                                        1.3%
40-49 years old                                                        0.4%
30-39 years old                                                         0.2%
20-29 years old                                                        0.2%
10-19 years old                                                       0.2%
0-9 years old                                                         no fatalities
*Death Rate = (number of deaths/number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%).
In general, relatively few cases are seen among children.

Sex ratio               

COVID-19 Fatality Rate by SEX:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths/number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on sex. When reading these numbers, it must be taken into account that smoking in China is much more prevalent among males. Smoking increases the risks of respiratory complications.

SEX     DEATH RATE confirmed cases     DEATH RATE all cases

Male              4.7%                                     2.8%
Female          2.8%                                      1.7%
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%).
Pre-existing medical conditions (comorbidities)
Patients who reported no pre-existing ("comorbid") medical conditions had a case fatality rate of 0.9%. Pre-existing illnesses that put patients at higher risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection are:

COVID-19 Fatality Rate by COMORBIDITY:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on pre-existing condition. The percentage shown below does NOT represent in any way the share of deaths by pre-existing condition. Rather, it represents, for a patient with a given pre-existing condition, the risk of dying if infected by COVID-19.
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION   DEATH RATE      DEATH RATE 

                                              confirmed cases     all cases
Cardiovascular disease                13.2%                  10.5%
Diabetes                                      9.2%                    7.3%
Chronic respiratory disease          8.0%                   6.3%
Hypertension                              8.4%                     6.0%
Cancer                                       7.6%                     5.6%
no pre-existing conditions                                     0.9%
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%).

Novel Coronavirus Worldometer Sections:
Coronavirus Update

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
29th February 2020: Coronavirus Cases:  86,031

Deaths: 2,942

Recovered:39,802​
ACTIVE CASES:

43,287 Currently Infected Patients

35,419 (82%) in Mild Condition
7,868 (18%) Serious or Critical

CLOSED CASES​
42,744 Cases which had an outcome:
39,802 (93%) Recovered / Discharged
2,942 (7%) Deaths
Useful info:
Symptoms

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-symptoms/​
Coronavirus Symptoms (COVID-19)
Last updated: February 29, 4:40 GMT - We will continue to update and improve this page as we gather new information and details.
Reported illnesses have ranged from people with mild symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.
Symptoms can include:
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath

Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1]

Summary of findings:
2-14 days represents the current official estimated range for the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
However, a case with an incubation period of 27 days has been reported by Hubei Province local government on Feb. 22 [12]
In addition, a case with an incubation period of 19 days was observed in a JAMA study of 5 cases published on Feb. 21. [13]
An outlier of a 24 days incubation period had been for the first time observed in a Feb. 9 study.[11] WHO said at the time that this could actually reflect a second exposure rather than a long incubation period, and that it wasn't going to change its recommendations.
Period can vary greatly among patients.
Mean incubation period observed:
3.0 days (0 - 24 days range, study based on 1,324 cases)
5.2 days (4.1 - 7.0 days range, based on 425 cases).
Mean incubation period observed in travelers from Wuhan:
6.4 days (range from 2.1 to 11.1 days).

Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Incubation Period

The incubation period (time from exposure to the development of symptoms) of the virus is estimated to be between 2 and 14 days based on the following sources:

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported an incubation period for 2019-nCoV between 2 and 10 days. [1]
China’s National Health Commission (NHC) had initially estimated an incubation period from 10 to 14 days [2].
The United States' CDC estimates the incubation period for 2019-nCoV to be between 2 and 14 days [3].
DXY.cn, a leading Chinese online community for physicians and health care professionals, is reporting an incubation period of "3 to 7 days, up to 14 days".

The estimated range will be most likely narrowed down as more data becomes available.
Incubation period of up to 24 days?
The incubation period has been found to be as long as 24 days (range: 0-24 days; median: 3.0 days) in a study published on February 9. [11]
The WHO said in a press conference on February 10 that:
a very long incubation period could reflect a double exposure.
24 days represented an outlier observation that must be taken into consideration in the context of the main finding of the study.
WHO is not considering changing recommendations regarding incubation periods.
More recently, however, a case with an incubation period of 19 days was observed in a JAMA study published on Feb. 21. [13], and another case with an incubation period of 27 days was reported by Hubei Province on Feb. 22 [12]

Incubation period of 5.2 days on average
A Chinese study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Jan. 30[7], has found the incubation period to be 5.2 days on average, but it varies greatly among patients. The Chinese team conducting the study said their findings support a 14-day medical observation period for people exposed to the pathogen.
Below is an extract of the study findings (highlight added by Worldometer):
Among the first 425 patients with confirmed NCIP, the median age was 59 years and 56% were male. The majority of cases (55%) with onset before January 1, 2020, were linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, as compared with 8.6% of the subsequent cases.
The mean incubation period was 5.2 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1 to 7.0), with the 95th percentile of the distribution at 12.5 days.
In its early stages, the epidemic doubled in size every 7.4 days. With a mean serial interval of 7.5 days (95% CI, 5.3 to 19), the basic reproductive number was estimated to be 2.2 (95% CI, 1.4 to 3.9).
Conclusions On the basis of this information, there is evidence that human-to-human transmission has occurred among close contacts since the middle of December 2019. Considerable efforts to reduce transmission will be required to control outbreaks if similar dynamics apply elsewhere. Measures to prevent or reduce transmission should be implemented in populations at risk.
Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia - Qun Li et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 29, 2020

Incubation Period in Travelers from Wuhan
A study financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Health and published on Eurosurveillance,[10] analyzed data on 88 cases with known travel history (to and) from Wuhan which were detected between 20 and 28 January as being infected with 2019-nCoV.
The mean incubation period was estimated to be 6.4 days. The incubation period ranges from 2.1 to 11.1 days. The upper limit of 11.1 days could be considered conservative.[10]
The importance of knowing the incubation period
Understanding the incubation period is very important for health authorities as it allows them to introduce more effective quarantine systems for people suspected of carrying the virus, as a way of controlling and hopefully preventing the spread of the virus.
Comparison with other viruses
For comparison, the incubation period for the common flu (seasonal influenza) is typically around 2 days. Incubation period for other coronaviruses: SARS 2-7 days; MERS 5 days typically (range 2-14 days).

​

Incubation Period

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-incubation-period/
Coronavirus Incubation Period:Last updated: February 23, 2:00 GMT
2 - 14 days
Possible outliers: 0 - 27 days
Mortality Rate

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-rate/

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Mortality Rate
Last updated: February 29, 4:40 GMT
See also: Death Rate by Age and Sex of COVID-19 patients
At present, it is tempting to estimate the case fatality rate by dividing the number of known deaths by the number of confirmed cases. The resulting number, however, does not represent the true case fatality rate and might be off by orders of magnitude [...]
A precise estimate of the case fatality rate is therefore impossible at present.
2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): estimating the case fatality rate – a word of caution - Battegay Manue et al., Swiss Med Wkly, February 7, 2020

Presented on this page:
Mortality Rate in China as of Feb. 20 (3.8% nationwide, 5.8% in Wuhan, 0.7% other areas)
Mortality Rate in China as of Feb. 4 (2.1% nationwide, 4.9% Wuhan, 3.1% Hubei, and 0.16% other provinces) reported by the NHC of China
Initial (Jan. 29) Mortality Rate comments by the WHO (2% estimate, but too early to tell)
Study providing a tentative mortality rate of 3%
Death rate among patients admitted to hospital (HFR): 15%
Days from first symptom to death: 14 days
Comparison with other viruses
How to calculate the mortality rate during an outbreak

Mortality Rate as of Feb. 20 in China (findings from the Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission)

The Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission published on Feb. 28 by WHO [12] is based on 55,924 laboratory confirmed cases. The report notes that "The Joint Mission acknowledges the known challenges and biases of reporting crude CFR early in an epidemic" (see also our discussion on: How to calculate the mortality rate during an outbreak). Here are its findings on Case Fatality Ratio, or CFR (the mortality rate):

"As of 20 February, 2,114 of the 55,924 laboratory confirmed cases have died (crude fatality ratio [CFR: 3.8%) (note: at least some of whom were identified using a case definition that included pulmonary disease).
The overall CFR varies by location and intensity of transmission (i.e. 5.8% in Wuhan vs. 0.7% in other areas in China).
In China, the overall CFR was higher in the early stages of the outbreak (17.3% for cases with symptom onset from 1-10 January) and has reduced over time to 0.7% for patients with symptom onset after 1 February. " [12]
The Joint Mission noted that the standard of care has evolved over the course of the outbreak.
Mortality Rate, as discussed by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China on Feb. 4
Asked at a press conference on February 4 what the current mortality rate (or case fatality rate, CFR) is, an official with China NHC said that [7]:
The formula they are using is: cumulative current total deaths / current confirmed cases. Therefore, as of 24:00 on Feb. 3, the formula used was 425/20,438.
Based on this figure, the national mortality rate to date was 2.1% of confirmed cases.
There might be mild cases and other cases not reported.
97% of the country's total deaths (414) were in the Hubei Province.
Mortality rate in Wuhan was 4.9%.
Mortality rate in the Hubei Province was 3.1%.
Mortality rate nationwide was 2.1%.
Fatality rate in other provinces was 0.16%.
Deaths in Wuhan were 313, accounting for 74% of China's total.
Most of the cases were still mild cases, therefore there was no need to panic.
Asked why Wuhan was so much higher than the national level, the NHC official replied that it was for lack of resources, citing as an example that there were only 110 critical care beds in the three designated hospitals where most of the cases were sent.
National mortality rate was basically stable, as of Feb. 4 at 2.1%, and it was 2.3% at the beginning of the epidemic, which can be seen as a slight decline.
Front the analysis of death cases, it emerged that the demographic profile was mainly male, accounting for 2/3, females accounting for 1/3, and is mainly elderly, more than 80% are elderly over 60 years old, and more than 75% had underlying diseases present such as cardiovascular and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and, in some cases, tumor.
Elderly people with basic diseases, as long as they have pneumonia, were clinically a high-risk factor regardless of whether it is a coronavirus or not, and the case fatality rate was also very high, so it is not that the case fatality rate of pneumonia is high because of the infection with the new coronavirus. "This point must be explained to everyone," concluded the NHC official.[7]
World Health Organization: too early to make conclusive statements
The World Health Organization (WHO) had mentioned 2% as a mortality rate estimate in a press conference on Wednesday, January 29 [1][2] and again on February 10. However, on January 29 WHO specified that this is a very early and provisional estimate that may change. Surveillance is increasing, within China but also globally, but at the time:
We don't know how many were infected ("When you look at how many people have died, you need to look at how many people where infected, and right now we don't know that number. So it is early to put a percentage on that."[1][2]).
The only number currently known is how many people have died out of those who have been reported to the WHO.
It is therefore very early to make any conclusive statements about what the overall mortality rate will be for the novel coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization [1][2].
Preliminary study providing a tentative 3% estimate for case fatality rate
A preliminary study published on The Lancet on January 24 [3] provides an early estimation of 3% for the overall case fatality rate. Below we show an extract (highlights added for the relevant data and observations):
Of the 41 patients in this cohort, 22 (55%) developed severe dyspnoea and 13 (32%) required admission to an intensive care unit, and six died.
Hence, the case-fatality proportion in this cohort is approximately 14.6%, and the overall case fatality proportion appears to be closer to 3%.
However, both of these estimates should be treated with great caution because not all patients have concluded their illness (ie, recovered or died) and the true number of infections and full disease spectrum are unknown.
Importantly, in emerging viral infection outbreaks the case-fatality ratio is often overestimated in the early stages because case detection is highly biased towards the more severe cases.
As further data on the spectrum of mild or asymptomatic infection becomes available, one case of which was documented by Chan and colleagues, the case-fatality ratio is likely to decrease.
Nevertheless, the 1918 influenza pandemic is estimated to have had a case-fatality ratio of less than 5% but had an enormous impact due to widespread transmission, so there is no room for complacency.A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern - Chen Wang et al., The Lancet. January 24, 2020
Fatality rate can also change as a virus can mutate, according to epidemiologists.
Death rate among patients admitted to hospital
A study on 138 hospitalized patients with 2019-nCoV infection, published on February 7 on JAMA, found that 26% of patients required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 4.3% died, but a number of patients were still hospitalized at the time. [9]
A previous study had found that, out of 41 admitted hospital patients, 13 (32%) patients were admitted to an ICU and six (15%) died.[5]

Days from first symptom to death
The Wang et al. February 7 study published on JAMA found that the median time from first symptom to dyspnea was 5.0 days, to hospital admission was 7.0 days, and to ARDS was 8.0 days.[9]
Previously. the China National Health Commission reported the details of the first 17 deaths up to 24 pm 22 Jan 2020. A study of these cases found that the median days from first symptom to death were 14 (range 6-41) days, and tended to be shorter among people of 70 year old or above (11.5 [range 6-19] days) than those with ages below 70 year old (20 [range 10-41] days.[6]

Median Hospital Stay
The JANA study found that, among those discharged alive, the median hospital stay was 10 days.[9]
Comparison with other viruses
For comparison, the case fatality rate with seasonal flu in the United States is less than 0.1% (1 death per every 1,000 cases).

​Mortality rate for SARS was 10%, and for MERS 34%.

Virus                                                           Death Rate
Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)          2%*
SARS                                                               9.6%
MERS                                                              34%
Swine Flu                                                       0.02%

How to calculate the mortality rate during an outbreak

The case fatality rate (CFR) represents the proportion of cases who eventually die from a disease.

Once an epidemic has ended, it is calculated with the formula: deaths / cases.
But while an epidemic is still ongoing, as it is the case with the current novel coronavirus outbreak, this formula is, at the very least, "naïve" and can be "misleading if, at the time of analysis, the outcome is unknown for a non negligible proportion of patients." [8](Methods for Estimating the Case Fatality Ratio for a Novel, Emerging Infectious Disease - Ghani et al, American Journal of Epidemiology).
In other words, current deaths belong to a total case figure of the past, not to the current case figure in which the outcome (recovery or death) of a proportion (the most recent cases) hasn't yet been determined.
The correct formula, therefore, would appear to be:
CFR = deaths at day.x / cases at day.x-{T}
(where T = average time period from case confirmation to death)
This would constitute a fair attempt to use values for cases and deaths belonging to the same group of patients.
One issue can be that of determining whether there is enough data to estimate T with any precision, but it is certainly not T = 0 (what is implicitly used when applying the formula current deaths / current cases to determine CFR during an ongoing outbreak).
Let's take, for example, the data at the end of February 8, 2020: 813 deaths (cumulative total) and 37,552 cases (cumulative total) worldwide.
If we use the formula (deaths / cases) we get:
813 / 37,552 = 2.2% CFR (flawed formula).
With a conservative estimate of T = 7 days as the average period from case confirmation to death, we would correct the above formula by using February 1 cumulative cases, which were 14,381, in the denominator:
Feb. 8 deaths / Feb. 1 cases = 813 / 14,381 = 5.7% CFR (correct formula, and estimating T=7).
T could be estimated by simply looking at the value of (current total deaths + current total recovered) and pair it with a case total in the past that has the same value. For the above formula, the matching dates would be January 26/27, providing an estimate for T of 12 to 13 days. This method of estimating T uses the same logic of the following method, and therefore will yield the same result.
An alternative method, which has the advantage of not having to estimate a variable, and that is mentioned in the American Journal of Epidemiology study cited previously as a simple method that nevertheless could work reasonably well if the hazards of death and recovery at any time t measured from admission to the hospital, conditional on an event occurring at time t, are proportional, would be to use the formula:
CFR = deaths / (deaths + recovered)
which, with the latest data available, would be equal to:
2,942 / (2,942 + 39,804) = 7% CFR (worldwide)
If we now exclude cases in mainland China, using current data on deaths and recovered cases, we get:
107 / (107 + 501) = 17.6% CFR (outside of mainland China)
The sample size above is limited, and the data could be inaccurate (for example, the number of recoveries in countries outside of China could be lagging in our collection of data from numerous sources, whereas the number of cases and deaths is more readily available and therefore generally more up to par).
There was a discrepancy in mortality rates (with a much higher mortality rate in China) which however is not being confirmed as the sample of cases outside of China is growing in size. On the contrary, it is now higher outside of China than within.
That initial discrepancy was generally explained with a higher case detection rate outside of China especially with respect to Wuhan, where priority had to be initially placed on severe and critical cases, given the ongoing emergency.
Unreported cases would have the effect of decreasing the denominator and inflating the CFR above its real value. For example, assuming 10,000 total unreported cases in Wuhan and adding them back to the formula, we would get a CFR of 5.6% (quite different from the CFR of 7% based strictly on confirmed cases).
Neil Ferguson, a public health expert at Imperial College in the UK, said his “best guess” was that there were 100,000 affected by the virus even though there were only 2,000 confirmed cases at the time. [11]
Without going that far, the possibility of a non negligible number of unreported cases in the initial stages of the crisis should be taken into account when trying to calculate the case fatally rate.
As the days go by and the city organized its efforts and built the infrastructure, the ability to detect and confirm cases improved. As of February 3, for example, the novel coronavirus nucleic acid testing capability of Wuhan had increased to 4,196 samples per day from an initial 200 samples.[10]
A significant discrepancy in case mortality rate can also be observed when comparing mortality rates as calculated and reported by China NHC: a CFR of 3.1% in the Hubei province (where Wuhan, with the vast majority of deaths is situated), and a CFR of 0.16% in other provinces (19 times less).
Finally, we shall remember that while the 2003 SARS epidemic was still ongoing, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a fatality rate of 4% (or as low as 3%), whereas the final case fatality rate ended up being 9.6%.

Novel Coronavirus Worldometer Sections:
Coronavirus Update

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Cases

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-cases/

Deaths

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-toll/

Mortality Rate

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-rate/

Transmission Rate

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#repro

Incubation Period

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-incubation-period/

Age, Sex, Demographics

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/

Symptoms

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-symptoms/

Countries with cases:

basic list -https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/countries-where-coronavirus-has-spread/

detailed list-https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

​
Expert Opinions

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-expert-opinions/

Cases in the US

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa-coronavirus/

Sources
Update on the situation regarding the new coronavirus [transcript] - World Health Organization (WHO), January 29, 2020
WHO: "Live from Geneva on the new #coronavirus outbreak" [video] [audio]
A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern - Chen Wang et al., The Lancet. January 24, 2020
Case fatality risk of influenza A(H1N1pdm09): a systematic review - Epidemiology. Nov. 24, 2013
Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China - Huang et al., The Lancet. January 24, 2020
Updated understanding of the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019nCoV) in Wuhan, China - Journal of Medical Virology, Jan. 29, 2020
NHS Press Conference, Feb. 4 2020 - National Health Commission (NHC) of the People’s Republic of China
Methods for Estimating the Case Fatality Ratio for a Novel, Emerging Infectious Disease - Ghani et al, American Journal of Epidemiology
Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China - Wang et. al, JAMA, Feb. 7, 2020
Virus-hit Wuhan speeds up diagnosis, treatment of patients - Xinhua Net, Feb. 2, 2020
Coronavirus: 100,000 may already be infected, experts warn - The Guardian, Jan. 26, 2020
Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) [Pdf] - World Health Organization, Feb. 28, 2020
​

Age, Sex, and existing conditions of Deaths

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/

Expert Opinions

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-expert-opinions/

 COVID-19 Testing Criteria and Numbers by Country

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/

​​view by country

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Cases
Deaths
Mortality Rate
Transmission Rate
Incubation Period
Age, Sex, Demographics
Symptoms
Countries with cases: basic list - detailed list
Expert Opinions
Cases in the US
Sources
1. The Epidemiological Characteristics of an Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) - China CCDC, February 17 2020
2. Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) [Pdf] - World Health Organization, Feb. 28, 2020

Dr Muhammad Mohsin, who runs a number of GP clinics, has called for all public events, schools, businesses, childcare centres and universities to be shut down for a month 

Basic medical supplies, toilet paper and food staples are flying off the shelves as panicked shoppers stockpile goods amid growing fear around the coronavirus (pictured)

Coronavirus: News and live updates21-03-2020
Yahoo News Staff-Yahoo News •March 21, 2020
Christopher Wilson
 https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-covid-19-news-and-live-updates-120246923.html

The latest on the pandemic
The latest on the pandemic•  The number of coronavirus deaths around the world has surpassed 11,000 , with more than 280,000 people infected with the disease.
* Italy and Span both reported hundreds of new deaths.
•  Mainland China reported zero locally transmitted cases  of the coronavirus for a third day running. However, the number of imported cases involving travelers arriving from other countries continued to rise.
• Worried you're experiencing coronavirus symptoms? Here's what the CDC says to do .
• Want some good news? Click here .
Brian M. Rosenthal, Joseph Goldstein and Michael Rothfeld

In France, two people have died so far due to the coronavirus outbreak [Nacho Doce/Reuters]

COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS / USA
UPDATES - Cases - Deaths - Countries - Death Rate - Incubation - Age - Symptoms - Opinions
U.S. Coronavirus Cases as at 29th February 2020
 1st death in the United States (Washington State) [source] [source]
As of February 29, 2020 at 23:45 GMT, there have been 68 confirmed cases of patients infected with COVID-19 in the United States:
44 former passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
3 repatriated from Wuhan
19 US domestic cases

US DOMESTIC CASES:
10 in California
3 in Washington state
2 in Illinois
1 in Wisconsin
1 in Arizona
1 in Massachusetts
1 in Oregon

Click here for More information on the 17 domestic cases that do not include repatriated cases and do not include Diamond Princess cruise ship evacuee cases is presented in the table

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa-coronavirus/

Patients Under Investigation (PUI) in the United States
CDC releases information regarding the number of cases and people under investigation that is updated regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Below is a history of cases in order to track the progression in the number of suspected cases and US states involved through time:

PLEASE NOTE: CDC is no longer publishing Patients Under Investigation reports.
Below we provide the historical reports that we were able to gather

As of Feb. 10:
Number of U.S. States with PUI              36
Positive                                                   12
Negative                                                 318
Pending
(specimens awaiting testing)                  68
TOTAL                                                  398

As of Feb. 7:
Number of U.S. States with PUI               36
Positive                                                   12
Negative                                                 225
Pending
(specimens awaiting testing)                  100
TOTAL                                                    337

As of Feb. 5:
Number of U.S. States with PUI                 36
Positive                                                     11
Negative                                                  206
Pending
(specimens awaiting testing)                    76
TOTAL                                                    293

As of Feb. 3:
Number of U.S. States with PUI                  36
Positive                                                      11
Negative                                                   167
Pending
(specimens awaiting testing)                      82
TOTAL                                                       260

As of January 31:
Number of U.S. States with PUI                    36
Positive                                                          6
Negative                                                     114
Pending
(specimens awaiting testing)                      121
TOTAL                                                       241

Previously, as of January 29, there were 92 suspected cases awaiting testing.
Number of U.S. States with PUI                   36
Positive                                                         5
Negative                                                     68
Pending
(specimens awaiting testing)                       92
TOTAL                                                        165
Source: CDC - 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the U.S.

Events
 HHS has declared Coronavirus a Public Health Emergency in the US
As of Jan. 31, the Wuhan coronavirus is officially a public health emergency in the United States, Alex Azar, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced at a White House press briefing.
 On Jan. 31, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a federal quarantine for 14 days affecting the 195 American evacuees from Wuhan, China. Starting Sunday, Feb. 2, U.S. citizens, permanent residents and immediate family who have visited China's Hubei province will undergo a mandatory 14 days quarantine and, if they have visited other parts of China, they will be screened at airports and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. The last time the CDC issued a quarantine was over 50 years ago in the 1960s, for smallpox.
 President Donald Trump signed an order on Jan. 31 for the U.S. to deny entry to foreign nationals who have traveled to China within the past two weeks, aside from the immediate family of U.S. citizens.
On Jan. 30, the CDC had confirmed the first case of person to person transmission in the U.S.: [12] the husband of the Chicago, Illinois case who had returned from Wuhan, China on Jan. 13 and who tested positive for the virus on Jan. 24).
CDC stated on Jan. 30 that "It is likely there will be more cases of 2019-nCoV reported in the U.S. in the coming days and weeks, including more person-to-person spread."[12]
The virus has been confirmed in 5 states.
Despite rumors circulating on Jan. 31, no coronavirus case has been reported in New York City, and city health officials vehemently denied the rumor.[13]. On Feb. 1, however, the city's health commissioner did report that there is a person in NYC who will undergo testing: a person under 40 who returned from China and developed matching symptoms and tested negative to the seasonal flu.
Most US patients had recently visited Wuhan.
All of the first five U.S. cases have been described as mild.
A study on the first US case of novel coronavirus details mild symptoms followed by pneumonia
U.S. Airlines suspending ALL flights between the U.S. and China
On Friday, January 31, Delta, American and United announced they will temporarily suspend all of their mainland China flights in response to the coronavirus outbreak.[14]
Prior to this January 31 announcement:
UNITED AIRLINES
on Jan. 28 had announced it would cut 24 flights between the U.S. and China for the first week of February.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
on Jan. 29 had announced it would suspend flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai and Beijing from Feb. 9 through March 27, 2020. It will maintain its flight schedules (10 daily A/R) from Dallas-Fort Worth to Shanghai and Beijing, as well as from Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth to Hong Kong.
DELTA
had not adjusted its schedule of direct flights from the U.S. to China. It is the only airline with direct flights to not take action so far.
The White House was considering issuing a ban on flights between the United States and China, as of late Jan. 28[11]. Italy has announced on January 31 that it was suspending all flights to and from China following the first 2 cases of coronavirus in Italy.
Travel Alert: Do Not Travel to China
The U.S. State Department on January 30 issued a Level 4: Do Not Travel to China Alert [4] (the highest level of alert).
Previously, on January 29, the advisory was set at a lower "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" advising not to travel to Hubei Province: (Level 4) and reconsider travel to the remainder of China (Level 3).
The CDC on Jan. 28 issued a Level 3 Warning, recommending that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China [5].

Screening incoming passengers at 20 airports in the U.S.
On January 17, the CDC announced that 3 airports in the United States would begin screening incoming passengers from China: SFO, JFK, and LAX [6] Other 2 airports were added subsequently, and on January 28, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that 15 additional U.S. airports (bringing the total to 20) would begin screening incoming travelers from China.

Below is the complete list of airports where screening for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is in place:
Los Angeles International (LAX)
San Francisco International (SFO)
Chicago O'Hare
New York JFK
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International
Houston George Bush Intercontinental 
Dallas-Fort Worth International
San Diego International
Seattle-Tacoma International
Honolulu International
Anchorage Ted Stevens International
Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Detroit Metropolitan
Miami International
Washington Dulles International
Philadelphia International
Newark Liberty International
Boston Logan International
El Paso International
Puerto Rico's San Juan Airport

Useful info
CDC - 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Summary
Novel Coronavirus Worldometer Sections:
Coronavirus Update
Cases
Deaths
Mortality Rate
Transmission Rate
Incubation Period
Age, Sex, Demographics
Symptoms
Countries with cases: basic list - detailed list
Expert Opinions
Cases in the US

Sources
Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation reports - World Health Organization (WHO)
2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the U.S -. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - CDC
China Travel Advisory - U.S. State Department, accessed January 31, 2020.
Novel Coronavirus in China - Warning - Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel - CDC, January 28, 2020.
Public Health Screening to Begin at 3 U.S. Airports for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (“2019-nCoV”) - CDC January 17, 2020
First Travel-related Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detected in United States - CDC, January 21, 2020
Second Travel-related Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detected in United States - CDC, January 24, 2020
CDC confirms additional cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in United States - CDC, January 26, 2020
2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the U.S. - CDC, Updated January 29, 2020
White House considers ban on flights to China amid coronavirus outbreak - USA Today, Jan. 28, 2020
CDC Confirms Person-to-Person Spread of New Coronavirus in the United States - CDC Press Release, Jan. 30, 2020
NYC Officials Deny Report Of Coronavirus Amid Confusion - Forbes, Jan. 31, 2020
Delta, American, United to suspend all China mainland flights as coronavirus crisis grows - USA Today, Jan. 31, 2020
Secretary Azar Declares Public Health Emergency for United States for 2019 Novel Coronavirus - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Jan. 31, 2020
Man returning from Wuhan, China is first case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus confirmed in Massachusetts - Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Feb. 1, 2020
County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Reports First Case of Novel (new) Coronavirus - Santa Clara County Public Health, Jan. 31, 2020
Coronavirus: First case confirmed in Santa Clara County - Mercury News, Jan. 31. 2020

Officials carry out disinfection works at subway trains in Tehran [Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom: 56% of Calif. could get infected[Business Insider]
INSIDER@INSIDER.COM (KATIE CANALES)
Mar 19th 2020 8:31 PM
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/03/19/california-gov-gavin-newsom-56-of-calif-could-get-infected/23955797/

California Gov. Gavin Newsom: 56% of Calif. could get infected
[Business Insider]
INSIDER@INSIDER.COM (KATIE CANALES)
Mar 19th 2020 8:31 PM
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 56% of people living in California - about 25.5 million people - could contract the coronavirus in the next eight weeks, according to the  San Francisco Chronicle.
The projection was included in a letter sent to President Donald Trump asking that the Navy hospital be sent to Los Angeles to help with the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19. 
"This resource will help decompress the health care delivery system to allow the Los Angeles region to ensure that it has the capacity to address critical acute care needs, such as heart attacks and stroke or vehicle accidents," the Chronicle.
There are  978  confirmed cases of the virus in the state, with 19 deaths. California has been among the states hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak.

Vendor in Hong Kong on January 11 gives out copies of a newspaper with headlines about the coronavirus outbreak. Associated Press

Coronavirus Update
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
29th February 2020: Coronavirus Cases:  86,031

Deaths: 2,942
Recovered:39,802

ACTIVE CASES: 
43,287 Currently Infected Patients
35,419 (82%) in Mild Condition
7,868 (18%) Serious or Critical

CLOSED CASES​
42,744 Cases which had an outcome:
39,802 (93%) Recovered / Discharged
2,942 (7%) Deaths

Click here for list of Confirmed Cases and Deaths by Country, Territory, or Conveyance
The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 64 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan).

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#repro

​Latest Updates on Coronavirus Cases

February 29, 2020  (GMT):
Europe | Middle East | South America | North America | Asia
NORTH AMERICA
United States

 1st death in the United States in Washington State. [source]
Travel advisory raised to level 4: Do not travel to specific regions in Italy and South Korea.
Travel from Iran banned.
Recent new cases in Washington State, Oregon and California suggest local, person-to-person spread of the virus in the United States.
3 new cases in the United States earlier today: [source] [source] [source]
- 1 in Washington State: a 18-year-old student from Jackson High School in Mill Creek with no travel history to an outbreak area who on Feb. 24 had body aches, chills and a headache. After feeling better, he returned to school, before test results came out on Feb. 28. The school will be closed for a few days of deep disinfecting.
- 1 in Washington State: a woman in her 50s with confirmed travel to Daegu, South Korea.
- 1 in Oregon [source]
1 new case in Mexico: a man who had traveled to Northern Italy with 2 previously confirmed cases [source]
1 new case in Canada (Ontario): a man in his 80s with a travel history to Egypt

[ Feb. 29 News ↑ ]

EUROPE
 1st case in Ireland: a man in the eastern part of the country who "returned from northern Italy, had symptoms, identified himself, was brought to hospital and confirmed as a positive case for coronavirus.” [source]
5 new cases in the Netherlands:
- 1: a woman in Delft who was in Lombardy, Italy last week [source]
- 2: daughter and wife of the patient hospitalized in Tilburg who recently visited Lombardy, Italy. [source]
- 2: the "partner and the youngest child of the patient who is in home isolation in Diemen" [source]
 1st case in Luxembourg: a man around the age of 40 who returned from Italy through Charleroi last week with his family. He is doing well. Family members (with no symptoms) have been placed in quarantine. Contact tracing (to isolate his contacts) is being performed. [source]
25 new cases in Spain [source]
Current distribution and new cases today (+):

15 in the Valencia area (+7)
10 in Madrid (+5)
10 in Andalusia (+4)
6 in Catalonia (+3)
7 in the Canary Islands (+1)
2 in Castile and León
3 in the Basque Country (+1)
2 in the Balearic Islands (+1)
1 in Asturia (+ 1)
1 in Cantabria (+1)
1 in Navarra (+1)
0 in Aragon (previous confirmation retracted [source] )

New cases include:
- a woman in Majorca
- a 52-year-old woman in Girona who had recently traveled to Italy
- man in Sant Cugat del Vallès (north of Barcelona) "who was in intimate contact with one of the previously confirmed cases" as reported by health authorities.
 239 new cases and 8 new deaths in Italy. Among the 1,049 active cases, 401 (38%) are hospitalized, and 105 (10%) are in intensive care. Among the 79 closed cases, 50 (63%) have recovered, 29 (37%) have died. [source] [source]
 43 new cases in France bringing the total in the country to 100. New cases include: [source] [source]
3 health workers at the Tenon Hospital in Paris who were contaminated by a patient who is in intensive care since Feb. 21. [source]
“All public gatherings of more than 5,000 people in a confined space are temporarily banned across France,” Health Minister Olivier Veran told journalists. The Paris half-marathon scheduled for Sunday, March 1 has been cancelled as a consequence.
8 new cases in Norway, bringing the total to 15 in the country. Among the new cases, 4 are in Bergen and 3 are employees of the Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo. The authorities know the source of contagion for all 15 cases which are all linked to outbreaks abroad. [source]
10 new cases in Switzerland, of which:
4 in the circle of the two children of an Italian family in Graubünden who tested positive last week. [source]
1 new case in Croatia
3 new cases in the U.K: 2 had recently traveled to Italy, 1 to Asia. [source]
-- 1 in Gloucestershire
- 1 in Berkshire
- 1 in Hertfordshire
1 new case in Georgia: a Georgian citizen who, having returned from Iran and showing high fever, was immediately taken to Tbilisi Infectious Hospital from the border checkpoint. [source]
1 new case in Sweden, bringing the total to 12 in the country: 5 in Västra Götaland, 3 in the Stockholm region, 2 in the Jönköping Region, 2 in the Uppsala Region.
1 new case in Norway: an employee at the eye department at Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo, as tests were conducted on 4 staff members with symptoms after that, on Feb. 28, Covid-19 infection was confirmed in a staff member who had traveled to Northern Italy, showed symptoms on Sunday but still went to work on Monday and Tuesday. [source]
1 new case in Denmark: an employee at the Aarhus University Hospital in northern Denmark. [source]
5 new cases in Germany.
- Feb. 20: Italy's outbreak begins.
- Feb. 26: “We are at the beginning of a coronavirus epidemic in Germany,” said German Health Minister Jens Spahn, adding that infection chains can no longer be tracked in Germany [source] . The German government saw no need to advise its citizens against travel to Italy [source]
- Feb. 28: German government announced that travelers arriving from South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran must declare their health status upon arrival. Passengers from China were already required to do so.
3 new cases in Austria, (where 1,649 tests were done, with 10, or 0.6%, testing positive) [source] including a couple from the Korneuburg district in Lower Austria. The woman is now hospitalized, the man is isolated at home.

[ Feb. 29, 2020 News ↑ ]

MIDDLE EAST
5 new cases in Iraq
2 new cases in the UAE
3 new cases in Bahrain [source]
3 new cases in Lebanon [source]
 1st case in Qatar [source]
 205 new cases and 9 deaths in Iran. 5 Iran parliament members have so far tested positive for the virus. Azerbaijan closes the border with Iran over coronavirus concerns. [source] [source]

[ Feb. 29 News ↑ ]

SOUTH AMERICA
1 new case in Brazil (second in the country): as with the first case, the person was in Italy [source]
 1st case in Ecuador: an Ecuadorian citizen, resident of Spain, who entered Ecuador on Feb. 14 without showing any symptom. [source]

[ Feb. 29, 2020 News ↑ ]

ASIA
2 new cases in Pakistan
4 new cases and 3 new discharges in Singapore [source]
 813 new cases and 1 new death in South Korea. [source] [source] [source]
1 new case in Thailand
5 new cases in Taiwan
8 new cases in Japan:
- 1: a 20-year-old nurse in Tokyo who had contact with a patient who died of coronavirus
- 1: a nurse in her 30s in Kochi
- 1: a men in his 60s in Niigata City
- 1: a woman in her 60s, a woman in her 30s, and a women in her 20s who work in Sapporo
- 3: woman in her 90s who lives in Tomakomai
- 1: a 70-year-old male in Sendai City (Tohoku region) who, having tested negative, got off the Diamond Princess cruise ship on Feb. 20. On Feb. 28, however, he complained of low-grade fever and sore throat. On Feb. 29, he tested positive to Covid-19. He is in mild condition. [source]

[ Feb. 29, 2020 News ↑ ]

February 28:
Europe | Middle East | Africa | North America | Oceania | Asia
 WHO raises Global Risk from Coronavirus to the highest level of alert “We have now increased our assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of impact of COVID-19 to very high at global level,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

“If we don’t take action... that may be a future that we have to experience,” he said, adding that “a lot of the future of this epidemic is in the hands of ourselves.” [source]

NORTH AMERICA
1 new case in the United States in Santa Clara County, California. It’s the second case of unknown origin. [source]
2 new cases in the United States from the Diamond Princess cruise ship. [source]
1 new case in Mexico, (Sinaloa), a 41-year old man who had recently traveled to Italy. He is linked to the first case. [source]
 1st case in Mexico (Mexico City): a man who had recently traveled to Northern Italy [source]
1 new case in Canada (Quebec): a woman who had returned to Montreal from a trip to Iran on a flight from Doha, Qatar. She went to a clinic on Feb. 24, with minor symptoms. She did not take public transit to get to the clinic, and she hadn't gone back to work since returning from Iran, so she has "limited contact" with people in the community. [source] [source]

[ Feb. 28, 2020 News ↑ ]

EUROPE
 U.S. CDC issues travel warning to Italy: avoid all nonessential travel to Italy. [source]
 1st case in the Principality of Monaco. [source]
1 new case in Denmark: a person who had been on a skiing trip to Northern Italy. [source]
2 new cases in Norway (1 in Oslo and 1 in Bergen): both associated with the outbreak in Italy. They are isolated at home. [source]
- 1 is an employee of the Eye Department at the Ullevål Hospital in Oslo who had traveled to Northern Italy, showed symptoms on Sunday but still went to work on Monday and Tuesday.
4 new cases in the UK, including: [source]
- 1st in Wales: a person who had traveled to Italy. [source]
- 2 in England: “the virus was passed on in Iran and the patients have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres at the Royal Free Hospital.” in London [source]
19 new case in France [source]
"A new stage of the epidemic has been reached. We’re now moved to stage 2: which means the virus circulates in our territory and we have to slow down its spread." said French Health Minister Olivier Véran. [source]
New cases include:
- 6 in the Oise region
- 2 in the village of La Balme-de-Sillingy, in Haute-Savoie: they are relatives of the first contaminated in the town: a man who had returned from a trip to Italy and whose wife, friend, and friend's wife then contracted the virus. The infected friends had then participated to a 120-guest gathering on Feb. 15. "It is quite possible that there are many more cases in our town," said the mayor, who admits "being worried". [source]
- 1, first in Nice, a woman returning from Milan, Italy. [source]
-
 233 new cases and 4 new deaths in Italy: for a total of 888 cases, of which: [source] [source]
- 821 active cases (including 64 in intensive care and 412 asymptomatic/very mild symptoms)
- 21 deaths
- 46 recovered
Distribution of the 888 cases by region (14 out of 20 Italian regions affected): 531 in Lombardy, 151 in Veneto, 145 in Emilia-Romagna, 19 in Liguria, 11 in Piedmont, 8 in Tuscany, 6 nelle Marche, 4 in Sicily, 4 in Campania, 3 in Lazio, 3 in Puglia, 1 in Abruzzo, 1 in Calabria, and 1 in the Province of Bolzano (Alto Adige). [source]
4 new cases in Sweden: in Stockholm, Uppsala and Jönköping. [source]
2 new cases in Austria:
- a 50-year-old woman who had returned from a risk area in northern Italy [source]
- the adolescent son of a Viennese couple already infected who had been on a family vacation in Lombardy, Italy. [source]
 1st case in Iceland: a man who had recently traveled to Northern Italy. [source]
Russia (0 active cases): Moscow deports 88 foreigners for violating coronavirus quarantine [source]
 1 new death of a British man who was on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. [source]
2 new cases in Romania: both had recently traveled to Italy. [source]
11 new cases in Germany [source]
1 new case in the Netherlands "has no link to the first patient." The patient is in home quarantine in the town of Diemen, 6 km southeast of Amsterdam's city centre. [source] [source]
7 new cases in Switzerland. [source]
- currently there is "no case where one would have lost the chain of infection in Switzerland".
- events with more than 1,000 people are now banned in response to the coronavirus threat. "The ban comes into force with immediate effect and is valid until March 15 at least." The Geneva Motor Show (scheduled to start on March 5) is going to be cancelled or postponed. [source]
8 new cases in Spain. Total cases include: [source]
5 cases in Madrid
8 in the Valencia area
6 in Andalusia
6 in the Canary Islands
3 in Catalonia
2 in Castilla y León
1 in Aragon
1 in Balearic Islands
Today's new cases include: (first in Aragon): a 27-year-old woman in Zaragoza who had recently traveled to Milan, Italy. [source]
1 new case in Greece: a Greek woman aged 36, who had recently traveled to one of the virus-stricken regions in Italy and developed mild symptoms after her return.
2 new cases in Croatia (Zagreb and Rijeka): contacts of the first and third cases in Croatia. The first case got infected after being in Milan, Italy for a match, the second is his brother, and the third is a person in Rijeka who works in Italy.
 1st case in Belarus: a citizens of Iran, who arrived on a flight from Baku on Feb. 22. Given the deteriorating epidemic in South Korea, Iran and Italy, the Ministry of Health had disposed since Feb. 20 that people from these countries be tested upon arrival. [source]
 1st case in Lithuania: a 39-year-old woman who came to Kaunas after visiting Verona, Italy. [source]

[ Feb. 28 News ↑ ]

MIDDLE EAST
4 new case in Israel, including: [source]
- 2 men who had recently returned from Italy [source]
- 1 contact of the first confirmed case (a person returning from Italy). First transmission within Israel. [source]
1 new case in Iraq: a 32-year-old Iraqi woman who returned from neighboring Iran. [source]
 143 new cases and 8 deaths in Iran [source]
- Iran's former ambassador to the Vatican, Hadi Khosroshahi, has died of coronavirus: he was 80 years-old and had a pre exisiting condition.
2 hotels in Abu Dhabi have been put in an effective lockdown by authorities after two Italians in the country for the UAE Tour cycling race tested positive for the coronavirus. [source]
5 new cases in Bahrain [source] [source]

[ Feb. 2, 2020 News ↑ ]

AFRICA
 1st case in Nigeria: an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on Feb. 25. [source] [source]

[ Feb. 28 , 2020 News ↑ ]

OCEANIA
 1st case in New Zealand:
A person, in their 60s, who had recently travelled to Iran
They arrived in NZ on Feb. 26 via Emirates flight EK450 from Iran, via Bali, and travelled home in a private car
The person's family, who were wearing medical masks, went to Auckland City Hospital where the person was admitted. The person is now a stable condition
First two tests, taken from a throat sample, were negative . The symptoms of a lung infection were present though so a third test was done, coming back positive
New Zealanders who have returned from Iran in the last 14 days asked to self isolate and register with Healthline.

1 new case in Australia from the Diamond Princess cuise ship.
[ Feb. 28 News ↑ ]

ASIA
427 new cases and 47 new deaths occurred in China on Feb. 28, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. [source]
2 new cases and 3 new discharges in Singapore. All Singapore cases are mapped here. [source]
 1st case in Azerbaijan
 571 new cases in South Korea. [source] [source]
12 new cases and 1 death in Japan.
- Hokkaido declares state of emergency and urges people to stay at home
- Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan being closed for at least 2 weeks
1 new death on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan: a Japanese woman in her 70s. [source]
2 new cases in Taiwan.
1 new case in Thailand.
327 new cases and 44 new deaths (of which 318 cases and 41 deaths in Hubei) occurred in China on Feb. 27, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. [source]

[ Feb. 28 News ↑ ]

February 27, 2020:
NORTH AMERICA
United States: In a move to tighten control of coronavirus messaging, government health officials and scientists will now have to coordinate statements with the vice president’s office.
1 new case in Canada (Ontario): the husband of the previously confirmed case in Toronto. [source]

EUROPE and MIDDLE EAST
3 new cases in Germany:
- 1 person in Hamburg
- 1 person in Hesse
- a man in Bavaria, from Middle Franconia, who was in contact with an Italian man later diagnosed with COVID-19. [source]
1 new case in Iraq, first in Baghdad, a man who had recently visited Iran. [source]
1st case in San Marino, an 88-year old man who has been hospitalized in Rimini, Italy. [source]
 1st case in the Netherlands: a person who had recently visited Lombardy, Italy. He is hospitalized in Tilburg. [source]
3 new cases in Norway: [source]
- 2 persons in Oslo who are connected to the outbreak in Italy
- 1 person in Bærum who is linked to the outbreak in Iran
12 new cases in Spain, including:
- a person in critical condition in Madrid. [source] [source] [source]
- a 22-year-old woman from Tenerife who went to Milan, Italy between Feb. 19 and Feb. 23. She is in mild condition
- 1 person in Barcelona who had been to Italy
- 9 people in Valencia who had been to Italy
1 new case in the UK (the first in Northern Ireland): a person who had travelled to Northern Italy. He is hospitalized at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. [source]
3 new cases in Austria (first in Vienna): [source]
- a 72 year old man in Vienna who is seriously ill
- a couple (with two children showing mild symptoms awaiting test results) in Vienna who had recently been on a family vacation in Lombardy, Italy
20 new cases in France, including: [source]
- 12 diagnosed on a military base in the department of Oise, "linked together by a chain of contamination."
5 new cases in Sweden: [source]
- 1 middle-aged woman in Stockholm who had visited Iran.
- 1 woman in Uppsala who had been to Germany where she had first developed symptoms.
- 2 persons in their 30s in Västra Götaland who had had contacts with a previously confirmed case who had been to Italy.
- 1 person in Västra Götaland who had recently been to Northern Italy.
14 new cases in Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia): they’re in good health and have been quarantined at home. [source]
 180 new cases and 5 new deaths in Italy. Among the 472 active cases from an earlier report, 159 (34%) are hospitalized and 37 (8%) are in intensive care. [source]
Italy has now relaxed its testing criteria: contacts linked to confirmed cases or recent travelers to outbreak areas will not be tested anymore, unless they show symptoms. [source] See: comparison with other countries.
About 60% of new cases (31 out of 54) diagnosed in Europe outside of Italy in the last 4 days (from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27) had recently traveled to Northern Italy.
Israel’s Ministry of Health is mandating a 14-day quarantine for all travelers who have visited Italy in the past 14 days. The decree takes effect immediately and is retroactive and, therefore, effective as of February 13th. In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, Israel had already ordered a 14-day home quarantine for travelers coming from China, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Thailand. The Health Ministry also issued a travel warning asking Israeli citizens to refrain from traveling abroad. “If you don’t genuinely have to fly — don’t do so,” the Ministry said in a statement. [source] [source]
2 new cases in Oman, both had traveled to Iran. [source] [source]
6 new cases in the United Arab Emirates: the country has suspended all flights from and to Iran.
1 new case in Lebanon: a man arriving from Iran on Feb. 24. [source]
2 new cases in Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki): [source]
- the child of a 38-year-old woman in Thessaloniki who had been diagnosed on Feb. 26.
- a woman in Athens who had recently travelled to Milan.
1 new case in Israel: an Israeli citizen who came back from Italy. [source]
 106 new cases and 7 new deaths in Iran.
2 new cases in the UK: "the virus was passed on in Italy and Tenerife and the patients have been transferred to specialist NHS centers in Royal Liverpool Hospital and Royal Free Hospital, London," reports DHSC. [source]
4 new case in Switzerland, including:
- 2 Italian children who were on vacation in the canton of Graubünden. They have been hospitalized, show symptoms but are in good health.
- A 26-year old man in Canto Aargau who had travelled on business to Verona, Italy a week ago.
- a 28-year-old man who had returned 3 days ago from Milan, Italy. He presents mild symptoms and is currently hospitalized at Geneva University Hospital. Around 15 contacts of the man have been placed in quarantine at their homes. This is the second case in Switzerland, both with recent travel history to Milan or Lombardy, in Italy. [source] [source]
1 new case in Spain (Valencia): a 44-year-old male who traveled to Milan to watch the Champions League match between Atalanta and Valencia of Feb. 19. [source]
 1st case in Estonia: a resident of Iran in Estonia who came from Riga (Latvia) by bus and "called an ambulance upon arriving at the bus station" said Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik. The patient is being treated in the infectious clinic at West Tallinn Central Hospital.
 1st case in Denmark: a TV 2 employee who came home from a ski vacation with his family in Lombardy, Italy (Chiesa in Valmalenco in the province of Sondrio) 3 days ago on Feb. 24 departing from the Malpensa airport in Milan. He bagan showing symptoms of cough and fever on the morning of Feb. 26. [source]

ASIA
The Japanese government is asking all schools in the country to close beginning March 2nd until April. In Osaka, schools have already been asked to close from Feb.29 until Mar. 13. About 13.7 million children and 38,000 schools will be affected. [source]
3 new cases in Singapore, including a 12-year-old. 66 out of 96 cases have so far recovered from the infection. [source]
 505 new cases (of which 422, or 84%, in Daegu) and 1 death in South Korea. The number of new cases in South Korea has topped China for the first time (China has reported 433 new cases for Feb. 26 [source]). This number is expected to further increase in the coming days as health authorities have started testing more than 210,000 members of the Shincheonji religious group in Daegu, attended by the 31st case (a possible "super spreader") and which accounts for more than half of the country's 1,766 total cases to date. [source] [source]
433 new cases and 29 new deaths (of which 26 in Hubei) occurred in China on Feb. 26, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. [source]

February 26, 2020:
5 new cases in Germany: including a 25-year-old man near Stuttgart who is reported to have contracted the disease during a trip to Milan.. source]
1st case in Romania: a person who had returned from Italy 3 weeks ago. [source]
1 new case in Spain (Canary Islands): a woman who works in Italy. [source]
1st case in Norway: the person had returned from China last week. Now isolated at home. [source]
 147 new cases and 1 new death in Italy: a 69-year-old man from the Lodi area who was hospitalized in Emilia Romagna and had existing respiratory problems. The virus has now spread in more than half of the Italian's regions:

- Lombardy: 305 cases and 9 deaths [source]
- Veneto: 87 cases and 2 deaths [source]
- Emilia Romagna: 47 cases and 1 death [source]
- Liguria: 16 cases [source]
- Marche: 3 cases (all in the Pesaro area [source])
- Lazio: 3 cases
- Sicily: 3 cases [source]
- Tuscany: 2 cases: including a Norwegian student (first case of a student) at the University of Florence who had returned from Norway (via Munich) 5 days ago. [source]
- Piedmont: 1 case (2 retracted as false positives)
- Campania: 1 case [source]
- Puglia: 1 case (a 33-year-old Taranto resident who had visited Codogno in Lombardy) [source]
- Alto Adige: 1 case.

A total of at least 35 cases are currently in intensive care.
- Lombardy governon cancels scheduled press conference and announces in a video that he is going to self quarantine after his close assistant tested positive. [source]
- Schools most probably will be closed for at least another week.
- British Airways cancels 22 flights from Milan due to cancellations. Milan (population of about 1.5 million people) has 2 confirmed cases. For comparison, among travelers returning from Milan, there are at least 5 confirmed cases: in Croatia, Germany, France, Spain, and Finland.
- Tourism: 90% cancellation rate in Rome.
- Israel to impose quarantine for travelers from Italy.
- The United States issues a Level 2 ("Excercise Increased Caution") travel advisory to Italy. [source]
3 new cases in the United States: 2 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship and 1 who had been repatriated from Hubei on Feb. 7 and was put on quarantine upon entering the United States at JBSA-Lackland base in Texas. [source]
President Trump news conference on Covid-19 (scheduled for 6:00 PM ET). [source] The U.S. CDC yesterday suggested that the risk of a coronavirus pandemic is likely and is alerting the public to begin preparing for community spread in the United States. Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's principal deputy director declared: "It's not a question of if. It's a question of when and how many people will be infected." [source] See also CDC on Feb. 21: "Tremendous Public Health Threat. Likely that Community Spread may eventually happen in the United States." The city of San Francisco declared a state of emergency on Tuesday even if at the moment there are no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the area. [source]
1 new case in France: the wife of a confirmed case hospitalised in Annecy. [source]
1st case in Georgia: a 50-year-old man, Georgian citizen, who returned home from Iran via Azerbaijan. [source]
1 new case in Sweden: a person in Gothenburg who developed fever and respiratory symptoms 3 days after returning home from northern Italy. [source]
1 new case in Lebanon, a 45-year-old woman linked to the first case, who returned to Lebanon after a seven-day religious visit to Iran. [source]
1st case in North Macedonia: a woman who had recently returned from Italy. [source]
2 new cases in Pakistan (1st cases in the country). "No need to panic, things are under control" says Pakistani Minister of Health, Zafar Mirza. [source]
1 new case in Finland: a woman of working age who had travelled to Milan. [source]
1 new case in Lebanon: a woman who had returned last week from Iran on the same flight as the first case. [source]
1 new case in Germany (in North-Rhine Westphalia): a 47 year-old with pre-existing conditions. He had been in contact with an acquaintance who had recently returned from China. He is in critical condition. [source]
3 new cases in Spain, two of which had recently returned from Italy: [source]
- a 62 year old man in Sevilla (Andalusia).
- a 36 year old Italian woman resident in Barcelona (Catalunya) who had travelled to Northern Italy.
- a 24 year old man in Madrid who travelled to Italy.
3 new cases and 4 new discharged patients in Singapore. [source]
1 new case in Canada (Ontario).
1st case in Greece: a 38-year-old woman from Thessaloniki who recently returned from a trip to northern Italy. She is now suffering from viral pneumonia but is in good condition. The patient has no existing health problem. [source]
14 new cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship: 9 crew members and 5 passengers. [source]
UK: About 30 schools have shut for a fortnight after pupils return from half term ski trips to Italy. [source]
3 new cases and 1 new death in France: a 60 year old teacher from the Oise region. [source]
4 new cases in Hong Kong: 2 of which from the Diamond Princess cruise ship: [source]
- a 21-year-old woman who had a fever on board the ship on Feb. 12 and was fine afterwards.
- a 16-year-old man (youngest confirmed patient to date in Hong Kong) who had runny nose on the ship on Feb. 17 and is currently hospitalized at Queen Mary Hospital.
1 new case in Australia is a former passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship. 8 of the 23 cases in Australia had been on the ship. [source]
44 new cases and 3 new deaths in Iran. [source] [source]
- Epicenter of the outbreak is the central city of Qom.
- Schools and cultural institutions closed for a week in over 10 provinces as of Tuesday Feb. 25 in order to "prepare schools" which have to be disinfected and sanitized.
- More than 1750 tests performed.
- Iran's Deputy Health Minister falls ill with coronavirus (video).
- Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiyee cautioned yesterday that "those regional states which have kept the number of their coronavirus-infected patients confidential will be bombarded by media reports about their conditions in the next few days."
284 new cases and 1 new death in South Korea: Death of a 73-year-old male [source] [source] [source]
14 new cases in Kuwait: a woman coming from Iran, an additional 6 citizens who had traveled to Iran, and other 7 cases when the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced that the total had increased to 25 cases. [source] [source] [source]
1 new case in Croatia: the brother of the first case, infected after visiting Milan in Italy. [source]
3 new cases in Bahrain: Bahraini women who had returned through indirect flights from Iran. Testing was conducted immediately upon their arrival at the Bahrain International Airport in the hall designated for testing. [source]
1 new case in Taiwan: a 27-year-old female foreigner with only a slight throat discomfort. She is linked to the clustering incident in a hospital for which 53 people among patients and caregivers have been tested, resulting in 5 confirmed cases, 141 negatives, and 7 awaiting results. [source]
11 new cases and 1 new death in Japan: an elderly person in Hakodate, Hokkaido. [source]
3 new cases in Thailand. Health Minister Anutin urges citizens to avoid traveling abroad if possible. "For the airlines, please reduce promotions," he said. "Even though tickets are cheap, it could be your last holiday." Health officials have been prohibited to visit at risk countries, which are: China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Italy, Iran, and Japan. "We are entering a full war with Covid-19" Anutin said. [source] [source]

 We're in a phase of preparedness for a potential pandemic (WHO)

February 25, 2020:
406 new cases (of which 401 in Hubei) and 52 new deaths (all in Hubei) occurred in China on Feb. 25, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China and Hubei. [source] [source]

The news feed below will be updated soon with all Feb. 25 developments.

1st case in Brazil.
1 new death in South Korea: a female patient who died of acute respiratory failure after being admitted to the hospital for pneumonia only two days earlier, on Feb. 23. [source]
1 new death on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan: a person in their 80s. [source]
2 new cases in Italy: 1 in Alto Adige and 1 in Lombardy. [source]
60 new cases in South Korea (including 49 in Daegu, 5 in Gyeonggi Province, 3 in Busan, and 2 in Seoul).
- Sharp decline in new cases compared to previous morning's report (of 161 new cases)
- The two clusters at the Sincheon Daegu Church (in Daegu) and at the Cheongdo Daenam Hospital (in Daegu's neighboring county of Cheongdo), account for over 50% of total cases within South Korea. [source] [source]

February 24, 2020: ITALY OUTBREAK (Day #4)
4 new deaths in Italy (an initially confirmed death of a woman from Crema has been later retracted and not attributed to coronavirus:
- a 62-year old man from Como with pre-existing conditions.
- a 80-year-old man in Milan (Sacco hospital).
- a 84-year-old man in Bergamo (Lombardy) with pre-existing medical conditions. [source]
- a 88-year-old man in Caselle Landi (Lombardy).
Total case progression in Italy:

Feb. 24: 229 cases (day still in progress)
Feb. 23: 157 cases
Feb. 22:   79 cases
Feb. 21:   21 cases
Feb. 20:   4 cases

A client of a bar in Vo' Euganeo (Veneto epicenter) had been to Codogno (Lombardy epicenter). He is now being tested. [source]
Joint WHO and ECDC mission to arrive in Italy tomorrow.
In Milan: some people fled, some stocked up on essentials, others simply called for calm.
- 172 cases in Lombardy including 4 deaths. Total includes 3 tourists from Lombardy whose cases was confirmed in Trentino Alto Adige but have now returned to Lombardy. [source]). "In the coming days the number of new cases should decrease, according to experts" said Lombardy governor Fontana. [audio source from 2'].
-   33 in Veneto (including 1 death): 25 in Vo' Euganeo, 4 in Mirano, and 4 in Venice. [source]
-   18 in Emilia Romagna: 9 new cases today include: 1 in the Modena area (who had traveled several times to the Lodi area in Lombardy), 2 in Parma, and 5 in Piacenza (of which 4 from the Lodi area).
-   3 in Piedmont. [source]
-   3 in Rome (including 1 person who had been repatriated).

508 new cases (499 in Hubei) and 71 new deaths (68 in Hubei) occurred in China on Feb. 24, reported the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. Cumulative total: 77,658 cases. [source] [source]
1 new case in Spain (Tenerife): an Italian from Lombardy, on vacation there. [source]
1 new case in Bahrain. [source]
2 new cases in Kuwait. [source] All festivals marking the National Days have been cancelled sine die. "This is an exceptional situation, which needs exceptional and restrictive procedures." [source]
18 new cases in the United States from the Diamond Princess cruise ship. [source]
1 new case in Canada (B.C.): a man in his 40s in the Fraser Health region who had close contact with the sixth case in B.C. [source]
First 2 cases in Oman: two woman who had visited Iran. They are in stable condition. [source]
5 new cases in Hong Kong. [source]
- 2 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
- 2 woman in their 50s and 60s from Buddhist hall.
- a 35-year-old businessman who returned from mainland China on Feb. 7.
1 new case in Singapore is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore. 2 new discharges. [source]
1st case in Iraq: an Iranian student who entered Iraq before the border with Iran was closed. [source]
2 new cases in Taiwan. [source 5 recovered to date. [source]
70 new cases and 1 new death in South Korea. [source] [source]
4 new deaths and 18 new cases (3 retracted) in Iran. Claim of 50 deaths rejected by Health Ministry [source]
- Iranian officials said that people who illegally entered Iran from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China were the source of the outbreak.
- Canada, Lebanon, and today also Kuwait, Oman, and Iraq, have all confirmed cases of travelers from Iran.
- Daily sanitization of Tehran’s metro and public transportation implemented.
- Schools closed in at least 10 provinces. University classes suspended.
- Attendance at soccer matches, movie theaters, and other public venues suspended.

1st case in Afghanistan: state of emergency announced in the Western province of Herat, which borders Iran. [source]
3 new cases in Kuwait (1st cases), all returning from the Iranian city of Mashhad.[source]
- 53-year-old Kuwaiti citizen (asymptomatic).
- 61-year-old Saudi Arabian citizen (asymptomatic).
- 21-year-old of undisclosed nationality (with symptoms).
1st case in Bahrain: a Bahraini citizen arriving from Iran. [source]
409 new cases (of which 398 in Hubei) and 150 new deaths (of which 149 in Hubei) occurred in China (of which 366 new cases and 106 new deaths in Hubei province) on February 23, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. [source]
 161 new cases and 1 death in South Korea [source] [source]

February 23, 2020:
 Opinion: Tipping point seems a lot closer after the past 24 hours
 ITALY OUTBREAK (Day #3)
see also: Feb. 22 Italy Outbreak

Mayor of one of the towns in lockdown says they've run out of coronavirus testing kits. [source]
ECDC: "As the situation is rapidly evolving, more cases are expected in Italy [...] Extraordinary measures in northern Italy are essential to limit the outbreak and may need to be replicated in other communities in the coming days." [source]
78 new cases in Italy and 1 new death in Italy (a woman being treated for cancer in Crema), including 4 new cases near Bergamo, 2 new cases in Venice (historical center), a 17-year-old male in Valtellina, and a couple in Turin who visited their child at the Regina Margherita Hospital yesterday.
Current total cases in Italy:
- 114 cases in Lombardy (including 2 deaths):. The total includes: at least 76 in Codogno, 3 in Castiglione D'adda, 2 in Pieve Porto Morone, 1 in Casalpusterlengo, 1 in Pizzighettone, 1 in Sesto Cremonese, 1 in Santa Cristina e Bissone, 1 in Mediglia, 1 in Sesto San Giovanni, and 1 in Monza. Latest cases near Bergamo: 2 in Alzano Lombardo, 1 in Seriate, and 1 in Bergamo.
- 25 in Veneto (including 1 death): 19 in Vo' Euganeo, 3 in Dolo, 1 in Mira, and 2 in Venice..
-   9 in Emilia Romagna (all in Piacenza).
-   3 in Trentino Alto Adige (tourists from Lombardy)
-   3 in Piedmont (3 previously confirmed cases were later retracted).
-   3 in Rome (including 1 person who had been repatriated).
At least 26 patients (of which 17 in Lombardy) are in critical condition in intensive care.
11 towns, 50,000 people, placed in lockdown.
Armed forces and police forces have been mobilized to form an insurmountable "health belt" around contagion areas. Roadblock violators risk up to a 3 months prison sentence.
- Schools closed in Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, and in Trentino Alto Adige regions. Universities closed in Piedmont.
- Carnival in Venice and all sport and public events in Veneto cancelled.
- All public and private events, including sport, cultural, and religious events in Lombardy cancelled. Movie theaters closed.
- More than 40 football matches, including at least 4 Serie A games, postponed.
- Teatro alla Scala in Milan suspends all performances.
- Duomo in Milan and Teatro la Fenice in Venice closed.
- "I think these three cases that have no contact with a primary carrier show how this virus is now ubiquitous so, as with flu symptoms, you get it and don't know who you got it from" said Veneto governon Luca Zaia who, in a separate comment, said "we are worried, drastic measures are needed."

- "Serious mistake was made not to quarantine people who arrived in Italy from China" said Walter Ricciardi of the WHO, adding that "within two weeks we will know if we are facing an epidemic" and advising that, for the next two weeks, people "should avoid crowded places: metro, buses, trains, schools, discos, and gyms."

 SOUTH KOREA OUTBREAK (Feb. 23, 2020 Updates):
166 new cases and 4 new deaths in South Korea.
President Moon Jae-in raised the alert level to maximum (Level 4: Serious) thus empowering the government to lock down cities and restrict travel. “The coming few days will be a critical time for us” he said in an emergency meeting.
Last few days progression of total cases in South Korea:

Feb. 23: 602 cases
Feb. 22: 436 cases
Feb. 21: 209 cases
Feb. 20: 111 cases
Feb. 19:  58 cases
Feb. 18:   31 cases

1 new case in Canada (Toronto) is a woman who arrived from China on Feb. 21. [source]
1 new case in Israel is a former passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
4 new case in the UK are former passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
1 new death in Hubei province, China, of Huang Wenjun, a 42-year-old doctor.
57 new cases (55 crew members and 2 passengers, of which 52 asymptomatic) and 1 new death (a man in his 80s) from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. [source]
2 new deaths and 14 new cases in Iran. [source]
2 new cases in Taiwan: father an son, in their late 80s and 50s. [source]

- The older man, a kidney dialysis patient with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, had symptoms such as cough and runny nose on Feb. 6, developed fever and was diagnosed with pneumonia on Feb. 9, and had shortness of breath on Feb. 16, when he was transferred to the intensive care unit.

- The son, whose brother had returned from China on Feb. 2, started showing symptoms two days prior, on Jan 31. He had a fever, runny nose and sore throat on Jan. 31, went to the clinic on Feb. 4 and, due to continuous fever, went to the emergency room on Feb. 8, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He returned home for independent health management, but went back to the hospital twice - on Feb. 11 and Feb. 18 - before being isolated on Feb. 21.
12 new cases in Japan, including:

- a man in his 40s living in Chiba Prefecture who, after the onset of joint and muscle pain on Feb. 12, has been on a business trip to Hiroshima and Gifu prefectures.

- a woman in her 50s who works as a part-time school lunch attendant in Hokkaido. She had sore throat on February 15. She wore a mask, a white coat, and gloves, and carried lunches to 194 school children from the serving room to each classroom using a wagon.
1 new case in Australia from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
18 new cases and 1 new death occurred outside of Hubei province in China on February 22, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China,
630 new cases and 96 new deaths were reported by Hubei province in China for Feb. 22.

February 22, 2020: 
ITALY OUTBREAK (Day #2)

With 79 total cases and 2 deaths as of the end of February 22:
Italy becomes the country with the highest number of cases and deaths in Europe, accounting for over 60% of all European cases, and representing the country with most cases among all western (non Asian) nations.
As of the end of February 22, there were a total of:
- 54 cases in Lombardy region (including 1 death, with 18 in critical condition).
- 18 in Veneto region (including 1 death).
-   3 in Emilia Romagna region (all of which hospitalized from the Lombardy hotspot).
-   3 in Rome (including 2 recoveries).
-   1 in Turin, Piedmont.
18 cases are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
EMERGENCY MEASURES: 11 towns and areas affected by the outbreak have been placed in lockdown: "In areas considered hotspots, neither entry or exit will be authorised without special permission" said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, adding that businesses and schools in the areas would be closed.
"From the tests carried out, it emerged that the alleged zero patient did not develop antibodies. Therefore, he never had Coronavirus. The whole picture changes now" said Deputy Minister of Health, Pierpaolo Sileri.
2 new cases in Milan:
- a person from Mediglia (south of Milan) who was hospitalized in Melegnano and now has been transferred to the Sacco hospital.
- a 78-year-old patient at the San Raffaele Hospital since a week ago.
1 new case in Turin - had participated in a running race in Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure (Liguria region) with patient #1 of Codogno on February 2.
Hundreds waiting for test results. At least 10 towns, 50,000 people, initially placed in precautionary voluntary quarantine, later in lockdown (first in Europe). Schools (full list), workplaces, municipal and private offices, 3 train stations, coffee shops, and public places closed in the affected towns. Soccer games postponed. All universities in Lombardy and Veneto regions, all schools in Trentino region will be closed starting Monday. Friuli Venezia Giulia region declared a state of emergency.
40+ new cases today in Italy, including:
- 2 doctors, husband and wife (a pediatrician), in Pieve Porto Morone (Pavia, Lombardy).
- 5 new cases in Vò Euganeo (Padua, Veneto region), where 4,200 people are now going to be tested.
- 1 in Cremona (Lombardy region), a 38 year-old woman, friend of a health worker in Lodi.
- 1 in Sesto Cremonese (Lombardy region).
- 2 in Dolo and Mira (Veneto region).
 1 new death in Italy, a 77-year-old woman with pre-existing conditions who was hospitalized a few days ago for pneumonia in the Lodi area (Lombardy region) and had contacts with the 38-year-old man.
The 38-year-old man in Codogno (Lodi), near Milan (patient #1) is in critical condition (mechanically ventilated in intensive care, according to his parents) and at least 14 contacts are in serious condition, according to doctors, and include:
- 5 health workers and doctors.
- 3 patients at the Codogno hospital.
- 3 elderly (in the 70s and 80s) clients of a bar run by the father of the man's friend.
"People must be distantiated right now, because this is a virus that is transmitted very effectively at close range" said the director of the infectious diseases department of the Higher Institute of Health, Gianni Rezza.

3 new cases in South Korea.
First possible case in Iraq was later retracted.
1 new case in Hong Kong.
3 new case in Singapore: 1 from the Grace Assembly of God church, 1 repatriated from Wuhan, and 1 with contact tracing underway to establish links or travel history to China. 2 new discharges, for a cumulative total of 49 fully recovered cases.
2 new cases in the United Arab Emirates: a 70-year-old Iranian national and his wife.
18 new cases in Japan.
 2 new deaths and 11 new cases in Iran.
87 new cases in South Korea bringing the total to 433. Last few days progression of total cases in South Korea:

Feb. 22: 433 cases
Feb. 21: 209 cases
Feb. 20: 111 cases
Feb. 19:  58 cases
Feb. 18:   31 cases

[country-level pages with statistics and graphs coming soon]

2 new cases in Australia (Victoria residents) from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, bringing the country's total to 21 (of which 6 repatriated from the cruise ship in Japan)
1 new case in Japan.
 142 new cases in South Korea, of which 92 linked to the Cheongdo Daenam Hospital, 38 to the Sincheon Daegu Church, and 12 unknown pending investigation.

February 21:, 2020:
US CDC: this virus represents a "Tremendous Public Health Threat. Likely that Community Spread may eventually happen in the United States"
WHO: "Although the total number of COVID-19 cases outside of China remains relatively small, we are concerned about the number of cases with no clear epidemiological link, such as travel history to China or contact with a confirmed case" WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Feb. 21 press briefing [video of sentence].
Expert opinion: Last 36 hours indication of possible pandemic.

397 new cases and 109 new deaths occurred in China (of which 366 new cases and 106 new deaths in Hubei province) on February 21, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China, which has also reported revisions to Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 numbers, both national and for Hubei. We will adjust our statistics accordingly.
 1st death in Italy: a 77 year old man in Vò Euganeo (Padua). The man had been in the hospital for the past ten days due to other health problems. Schools and shops in the town to be closed in an attempt to prevent the virus from spreading, said Veneto governor Zaia.
3 new cases in South Korea.
1 new case in the United States in Sacramento County, California. The individual had returned from China on Feb. 2 and has so far shown no symptoms.
 12 new cases in Italy. New cases include:

5 health workers and 3 patients in the Codogno Hospital.
the son of a bar owner who practiced sport with the man.
3 clients of the bar.
a couple, aged 78 and 67 years old, in critical condition in the Veneto region (the man has later died).

7 new cases in the United States from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, in addition to the 11 previously confirmed, for a total of 18 from the ship.
2 new cases in the United Arab Emirates: contacts of a previous case.
2 new cases in Australia: two Queenslanders women, aged 54 and 55, who had been evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
1 new case in Singapore.
1st case in Lebanon confirmed by the Minister of Health.
Hubei province in China has corrected its Feb. 20 previously reported numbers to include 220 additional new cases reported "on a hand-written card" by the prison department during the night. The total is being revised from 62,442 to 62,662 cases.
3 new cases in Italy, contacts of the cases reported earlier today near Milan, in Lombardy region. "All citizens of Castiglione d'Adda, Codogno and Casalpusterlengo are invited, as a precaution, to stay home and avoid social contacts" a regional government official said in a note.
12 new cases in Japan, of which 3 in Tokyo.
 1 new death in South Korea: a 54 year-old woman.
1st case in Israel: a passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship who was found to have the virus only after returning to Israel.
 2 new deaths and 13 new cases in Iran: 7 in Qom, 4 in Tehran, and 2 in Rasht.
 2 new cases in Italy: the wife (eight-month pregnant) and friend of the previously confirmed case of a 38-year-old man near Milan, who is now in critical condition in intensive care. In early February, the man had dinner with a friend who had recently returned from China. He went to the emergency room on Feb.15 and again on Feb. 19. The friend is now undergoing tests. About 160 contacts of the man have been put under quarantine. Emergency procedures are being set in place in the firm where the man works.
11 new cases in the United States are former passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan who were evacuated on Feb. 17. The CDC has verified the test results performed by the Nebraska Public Health lab.
1 death in China, yesterday, of a 29-year-old doctor in Wuahn, Peng Yinhua, who worked in respiratory and critical care at the First People’s Hospital in Jiangxia district, Wuahn. He was hospitalized on Jan. 25 and his condition dramatically worsened by Jan. 30.
48 new cases in South Korea, bringing the total to 204. "Currently, the COVID-19 situation at home is that the scope of mass outbreak via a single exposure is relatively big," KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said in a statement.
2 new cases in Taiwan: the 40-year-old daughter and the 20-year-old granddaughter of a previously confirmed case.
3 new cases in Japan, including a woman in her 40s who had a low-grade fever on Feb. 16, a 38° fever on Feb. 17, and is now being treated at home.
1 new case in Canada (British Columbia): a woman in her 30s recently returned from travel to Iran.
45 new cases in South Korea.
1 new case in the United States (Humboldt County, in Northern California). A close contact who has symptoms is being tested as well. They are both "doing well" and self-isolating at home.

February 20, 2020:
2 new cases in Australia, passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
1 new case in Italy: a 38 year-old man, currently being treated in intensive care.
5 new cases in South Korea, including a 22 year-old Navy sailor on the southern island of Jeju who had recently visited his hometown, Daegu.
411 new cases and 115 new deaths were confirmed by Hubei province for February 20.
1 new case in Singapore. 3 more discharged. [Pdf from Ministry of Health]
13 new cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
10 new cases in Japan, including:

a woman in her 60s, wife of previous case in Kyushu. She had chills on the Feb. 17 and fever the next day.
a man in his 80s who got infected at the "Sagamihara Central Hospital."
a man in his 80s in Okinawam but with no contact with the passengers of the cruise ship.
a woman in her 70s who had a 38° fever for a few minutes on Feb. 14, then went on a bus tour until Feb. 16, visited a medical institution on Feb. 18, and showed symptoms of pneumonia on Feb. 19.
a man in his 40s who reported chills, sweating and malaise on Feb. 15, and had symptoms such as fever, muscle pain and cough on Feb. 18. The man has no recent travel history abroad and attended the Sapporo Snow Festival where a previously infected case was present
2 government employees who had done office work on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

3 new cases in Iran: two in Qom and one in Arak. All three patients are Iranian nationals. (The Islamic Republic News Agency).
 1 death in South Korea.
The mayor of Daegu (South Korea), Kwon Young-jin, urged its 2.5 million residents to refrain from going outside and to wear masks even indoors if possible. He called for urgent help from the central government in Seoul. Meanwhile, Vice Health and Welfare Minister Kim Kang-lip cautioned that: "at this stage, (the government) judged that COVID-19 is spreading locally with a limited scope." Virus alert was not raised, with its level kept at "orange" (third highest).
The Shincheonji religious group in Daegu, attended by the 31st case (a possible "super spreader"), has been shut down after about 10 members tested positive for the virus. About 1,000 members attended worship at the church.
22 new cases in South Korea (in the city of Daegu): all associated with the the first confirmed patient in the region.
 2 deaths among the passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan: a man and a woman in their 80s. The man had pre-existing conditions which included bronchial asthma.
1 new case in Taiwan, bringing the total to 24. The source of infection for this latest case has not been traced. Possible community-based transmission is being investigated. Patient is a 60-year-old woman with no travel history abroad in the last two years. She had a fever and cough on Jan. 22, went to the clinic four times and was diagnosed with common cold and other diseases. Symptoms worsened with shortness of breath. Diagnosed with pneumonia on Jan. 29, hospitalized on Jan. 30, transferred to the intensive care unit on Feb. 10.
60 new cases and 6 new deaths occurred outside of Hubei province in China on February 19, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
24 new cases in South Korea (31 cases, of which 24 announced after midnight GMT and 7 cases reported previously). Cases have more than doubled (+165% increase) in the last 24 hours, rising from 31 to 82 (+ 51).

February 19, 2020
Highest number of new daily cases outside of mainland China to date (see previous days)

5 new cases in South Korea. With 27 new cases today, total cases in South Korea have increased by 87% in a single day.
349 new cases and 108 new deaths were confirmed by Hubei province for February 19. The report actually confirmed 628 new cases (615 in Wuhan, 5 in Xiantao, 3 in Shiyan, 3 in Suizhou, and 2 in Xiangyang) but at the same time it subtracted 279 cases from the current total due to data corrections applied to previously reported numbers in ten separate locations, specifying how many cases were subtracted in each.
2 new cases in South Korea.
 2 deaths in Iran only hours after announcing the first two cases in the country (The Islamic Republic News Agency).
1 new case in Taiwan.
3 new cases in Singapore, and 5 new discharges.
3 new case in Hong Kong:
the mother in law of a previously reported case.
a 68-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman couple with underlying illnesses.

2 new cases in Iran “two cases of the new coronavirus in the city of Qom,” confirmed the Government of Iran spokeman Ali Rabiei.
79 new cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. So far, a total of 621 infected people were found among 3,011 passengers and crew members tested (21% infection rate) out of 3,711 total people on the ship.
1 new case in Taiwan: the 60-year-old younger sister of the taxi driver who was the first person to die from the virus in Taiwan.
5 new cases in South Korea.
10 new cases in Japan, including :

a man in his 50s, who was among the 65 people who were brought back from Wuhan on the fifth charter flight.
a man in his 60s: a taxi driver who had contacts with people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship. He has had fever since last week, and on Feb. 18 developed severe pneumonia with difficulty breathing. He is currently being treated in an intensive care unit.
a man in his 60s with initial symptoms of low-grade fever and sore throat. No travel history abroad for at least two weeks prior to onset.
a man in his 40s with malaise and muscle pain on Feb. 8 and later diagnosed with pneumonia.
a man in his 70s with fever on Feb. 17, then diagnosed with pneumonia before testing positive for COVID-19.
 1 new death in Hong Kong: a 70-year-old man with underlying health issues (diabetes, hypertension, and kidney problems). He had taken a day trip to mainland China on January 22, then fallen ill on February 2, with his conditions becoming critical on February 14, when his case was confirmed.
15 new cases in South Korea.
56 new cases and 4 new deaths occurred outside of Hubei province in China on February 18, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.

February 18, 2020:
Report from Hubei province for February 18:

1,693 new cases
132 new deaths
61,682 cumulative total cases
9,128 cumulative total hospital discharges
43,471 currently hospitalized, of which:
- 32,225 (74.1%) in mild condition
- 9,289 (21.4%) serious
- 1,957 (4.5%) critical
1,266 new hospital discharges
206,807 close contacts have been tracked

1 new death in Wuhan is that of Dr. Liu Zhiming, Director of the Wuchang Hospital. "Unfortunately he became infected and passed away at 10:54 Tuesday morning at the age of 51 after all-out efforts to save him failed" reported the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. A medical colleague said that the chief doctor was in good health and did not expect to die from COVID-19. A few days earlier, on February 14, a 59-year-old nurse from the same hospital had died from the disease. A total of at least 7 health workers have died so far among the 1,716 doctors and nurses who got infected with COVID-19.
8 new cases in Japan:
- 3 in Tokyo
- 3 in Wakayama Prefecture
- 1 in Aichi Prefecture
- 1 in Kanagawa Prefecture
4 new cases in Singapore:
- a 57 year-old female and a 50 year-old male, both Singapore citizens, linked to the Grace Assembly of God church.
- a 35 year-old female Malaysian national related to a previously confirmed case.
- a 38 year-old female Singapore citizen working at the National University Hospital (NUH) in an administrative function.
88 new cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan were confirmed as a result of 681 people being tested (13% infection rate). Of these, 65 people (74%) have no symptoms. So far, a total of 542 infected people were found among 2,404 passengers and crew members tested (23% infection rate) out of 3,711 total people on the ship.
2 new case in Hong Kong:
- a 32-year-old Filipino woman who is the domestic helper of a previously confirmed case.
- a 58-year-old man with good past health who developed fever and chills since February 11, and cough since February 15.
1 new case in South Korea.

February 17, 2020:
79 new cases and 5 new deaths occurred outside of Hubei province in China on February 17, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
Report from Hubei province for February 17:

1,807 new cases
93 new deaths
59,989 cumulative total cases
7,862 cumulative total hospital discharges
41,957 currently hospitalized, of which:
- 30,987 (73.9%) in mild condition
- 9,117 (21.7%) serious
- 1,853 (4.4%) critical
1,223 new hospital discharges

2 new cases in Taiwan:
- woman in her 80s.
- man in his 30s who had fever and coughing symptoms from Jan. 28 to Feb. 6.
1 new case in Japan: a man in his 60s in the Owari district of Aichi Prefecture who is an acquaintance of a case confirmed on Feb. 16.
2 new cases in Hong Kong.
2 new cases in Singapore. 5 new discharges. New cases:
- a 1 year-old male Singaporean, part of the group evacuated from Wuhan on Feb. 9.
- a 35 year-old male Singaporean with no recent travel history to China but a contact of a previously confirmed case.
1 new case in Hong Kong.
85 new cases onboard the cruise ship in Japan: 12% of passengers and crew (1 out of 8) have so far tested positive for the virus (454 cases out of 3,711).
4 new cases in Japan (Wakayama Prefecture).
14 new cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan: a group of US citizens whose results for COVID-19 tests (done 2-3 days earlier) arrived while en-route from the cruise ship to the airport for a flight back to the United States.
1 new case in Thailand: a 60-year old Chinese woman whose family members earlier contracted the virus.
2 new cases in Japan:
- a hospital staff who was nursing a patient.
- a 50-year-old male government employee who was engaged in quarantine-related operations on the cruise ship Diamond Princess.
1 new case in South Korea: the 68-year-old wife of a previously confirmed case.
115 new cases and 5 new deaths occurred outside of Hubei province in China on February 16, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.

February 16:
Report from Hubei province for February 16:

1,933 new cases
100 new deaths
58,182 cumulative total cases
6,639 cumulative total hospital discharges
40,814 currently hospitalized, of which:
- 31,007 (76.0%) in mild condition
- 8,024 (19.7%) serious
- 1,773 (4.3%) critical
1,016 new hospital discharges
191,434 close contacts have been tracked

1 new case in the United Arab Emirates.
3 new cases in Singapore: a family member of a previously confirmed case and 2 persons linked to the Grace Assembly of God church, including a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) serviceman.
 1 new death in Taiwan: a 61-year-old man with no travel history abroad but - as a taxi driver - serving clients from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, who had underlying conditions (diabetes and hepatitis B).
2 new cases in Taiwan.
6 new cases in Japan.
1 new case in Hong Kong: 54-year-old man with no travel history and no known contacts with confirmed cases.
70 new cases onboard the cruise ship in Japan. Nearly 1 out of 10 passengers and crew (9.6%) have tested positive for the virus so far (355 cases out of 3,711 passengers and crew).
1 new case in South Korea: a 82-year-old South Korean man in Seoul, with no travel history to China.
166 new cases and 3 new deaths occurred outside of Hubei province in China on February 15, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.

February 15:
Report from Hubei province for February 15:

1,843 new cases (of which 888 clinically diagnosed)
139 new deaths
56,249 cumulative total cases
39,447 currently hospitalized, of which:
- 29,051 (73.6%) in mild condition
- 8,439 (21.4%) serious
- 1,957 (5.0%) critical
849 new hospital discharges
183,183 close contacts have been tracked

1 new case in France.
1 new case in Malaysia is a 83-year-old US Citizen who arrived in Malaysia from the Westerdam cruise ship docked in Cambodia. The ship had been stranded at sea for two weeks after being turned away from five places – the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Guam and Thailand.
5 new cases in Singapore.
1 new case in Japan: the wife of an infected man who had traveled to Hawaii
 1 death in France. First death in Europe and outside of Asia: a 80 year-old Chinese tourist.
8 new cases in Japan confirmed in Tokyo, where city officials have examined more than 100 close contacts of the taxi drivers.
67 new cases on the cruise ship in Japan.
1 new case in Thailand: a 35-year-old Thai woman, medical personnel, who got infected from a patient.
2 new cases in Malaysia: a 27-year-old Chinese man and a 32-year-old woman, both with recent travel history to China.
3 new cases in Japan in the Saiseikai Arida Hospital in Yuasa. "Possibility of hospital infection" according to the governor of Wakayama Prefecture.
193 new cases and 3 new deaths, occurring outside of Hubei province in China on February 14, have been reported by the National Health Commission of China.


February 14:, 2020:
Report from Hubei province for February 14:
2,420 new cases (including 1,138 clinically diagnosed)
139 new deaths (including 34 clinically diagnosed)
54,406 cumulative total cases (including 16,522 clinically diagnosed)
38,107 currently hospitalized, of which:
- 27,955 (73.4%) in mild condition
- 8,276 (21.7%) serious
- 1,876 (4.9%) critical
912 new hospital discharges
176,148 close contacts have been tracked

1 new case in Canada (B.C.)
 First case in Egypt, and first in Africa: a foreigner who had been put into isolation in a hospital.
4 new cases in Japan:
a Japanese man in his 50s living in Hokkaido and with no history of traveling abroad. The man had fever and cough on Jan. 31, visited three medical institutions before confirming the infection, and has developed severe symptoms for which he is now being treated in an intensive care unit.
a man in his 60s who initially had a cold on Feb. 3, followed by a fever of 39° C. on Feb. 8, and then pneumonia on Feb. 10. He had traveled to Hawaii from Jan. 28 to Feb. 7.
a person from the Jan. 31, charter flight (third in a series) from Wuhan.
a 30-year-old man working in the local government who had transported patients from the cruise ship.

9 new case in Singapore (6 linked to Grace Assembly church). With two patients discharged today, 17 people have now fully recovered from the disease.
2 new cases in Japan. Both are connected to the previously confirmed case of a taxi driver. One had attended a Taxi Union New Year's party with 80 participants, including the infected taxi driver.
3 new cases in Hong Kong. 1 case had attended a family gathering of twenty-nine at a restaurant in North Point on January 26, which resulted in a total of 8 cases so far, with at least 2 additional people pending test results.
2 new cases in Japan.
 The National Health Commission of China, in its February 14 official report, deducted 108 previously reported deaths and 1,043 previously reported cases from the total in Hubei Province due to "repeated statistics." We have updated the daily (Feb. 12 and Feb. 13) and cumulative totals accordingly.
Report from Hubei province for February 13:

4,823 new cases (including 3,095 clinically diagnosed)
116 new deaths (including 8 clinically diagnosed).
51,986 cumulative total cases (including 15,384 clinically diagnosed)
36,719 currently hospitalized, of which:
- 27,081 (73.8%) in mild condition
- 7,953 (21.7%) serious
- 1,685 (4.6%) critical
690 new hospital discharges (including 214 clinically diagnosed)
166,818 close contacts have been tracked
77,685 people are undergoing medical observation

February 13, 2020:
3 new cases in Hong Kong include a mother and her 37-years old son who had dinner with three earlier cases at a restaurant in North Point on January 26.
1 new case in the United States, in Texas, was part of federal quarantined group at JBSA-Lackland who had been brought back from Wuhan on a State Department-chartered flight.
 First death in Japan: a woman in her 80s.
8 new cases in Singapore.
1 new case in Malaysia (daughter of 16th case and a friend to the 14th case, all arrived from Wuhan on Jan. 25).
2 new cases in Japan:
a taxi driver in Tokyo.
a surgeon at a hospital in Yuasa-cho who, after developing fever, continued to work as usual (including visiting patients) for three days.
44 new cases in Japan on the cruise ship, bringing the total on the "Diamond Princess" to 218.
1 new case in the United States (8th in California).

February 12, 2020:
Report from Hubei for Feb. 12: 14,840 new cases and 242 new deaths. [original document]

Surge in number of cases and deaths is due for the most part to the adoption of a new diagnosis classification.
In conformity with other provinces, starting with Feb. 12 counts, Hubei Province will include the number of clinically diagnosed cases into the number of confirmed cases.
Of the 14,840 cases added, 13,332 are due to the new classification while 1,508 are new cases.
There were 242 new deaths (including 135 clinically diagnosed cases).

1 new case in the UK (a Chinese national). First case in London.
1 new case in Hong Kong and 1 recovered.
3 new cases in Singapore

February 11, 2020:
39 new cases in Japan aboard the cruise ship.
2 new cases in Germany (Starnberg district west of Munich).
COVID-19 is the name officially given to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
2 new cases in Singapore, 7 new cases in Hong Kong and 1 in Thailand.
 A building’s piping system is being investigated as a potential cause of airborne transmission via feces in Hong Kong after the 42nd case, who lives 10 stories below the 12th confirmed case, was confirmed on February 10. Some of the vents might not have been properly blocked, allowing the virus to be transported to other flats. Still unsure about the exact route of transmission (“it could be the usual droplet transmission but there is the environmental factor"), authorities have evacuated the building.
2 new cases in Japan: two men who had returned from Wuhan at the end of January.
1 new case in the United States (San Diego, California).
1 new case in South Korea

February 10, 2020
 UK risks a ‘major’ coronavirus outbreak, warns world expert who co-discovered Ebola. Compared to Ebola, coronavirus is a “greater threat because of the mode of transmission. The potential for spread is much, much higher.” (The Times)
3 new cases in Hong Kong.
2 new cases in Singapore, including a two year-old Singapore citizen who was evacuated from Wuhan. Update on 45 patients: 7 discharged, 7 in critical condition in ICU.
4 new cases in the UK
65 new cases in Japan on the “Diamond Princess” cruise ship. Total on ship quarantined in Japanese waters: 135 cases. Rest of Japan: 26 cases.
1 new case in Malaysia.

February 9, 2020: 
With 906 deaths as of February 10, the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has surpassed MERS (final toll of 858 deaths in 2012).
3 new cases in Singapore. Out of 43 cases: 6 critical in ICU, 6 discharged.
1 new case in the UK. First in London
1 new case in Spain
The novel coronavirus had already overtaken the total case count of SARS (8,096 cases worldwide) on January 30.

February 8, 2020
With 813 total deaths as of February 8, 2020, the novel coronavirus has surpassed SARS (final toll of 774 deaths in 2003).
7 new cases in Singapore: information on each of the 40 Singapore cases so far (sex and age, days from onset of symptoms to 2019-nCoV infection confirmation, travel history to China, etc.). Of the 40 cases, 23 are male, 17 female; median age is 41 and five patients are aged 56.
The US embassy in Beijing confirmed the death of a 60-year-old American woman in Wuhan on February 6.
5 new cases in France: four adults and a child. None of them severe.
3 new cases in Japan on cruise ship, bringing the total on the Diamond Princess to 64.

February 7, 2020:
41 new cases in Japan on the cruise ship.

February 6, 2020:
2 new cases in Canada (British Columbia): a man and a woman in their 30s. The man displayed only mild symptoms. Health officials said that young healthy people can have very mild symptoms that may manifest as a cold.
1 new case in Italy: a 29-year-old Italian national repatriated from Wuhan with other 55 Italians. First case of coronavirus in an Italian national (the other two were Chinese tourists visiting Italy).
Death of Dr Li, the Chinese doctor who warned others to protect themselves, before being summoned and investigated by Chinese authorities for "making false comments" and "spreading rumors" denying the official story that only those who came into contact with infected animals could catch the virus.
1 new case in England: a British national who contracted the virus from an Asian country other than China.
1 new case in Germany (in Bavaria, bringing the total there to 11): the wife of an employee of the company from the district of Starnberg. Two of the couple's children also tested positive for the coronavirus.
1 new case in Australia, a 37-year-old Chinese woman part of the tourist group that was placed in quarantine. This is the 5th case in Queensland. 4 other cases have been confirmed in Victoria, 4 in NSW and 2 in South Australia to date.

February 5, 2020: 
10 additional cases confirmed on board the cruise ship in Japan
1 new case in the United States (Wisconsin)
1 Japanese man in his 20s who deals with tourists is the 35th case in Japan. He had not been to China recently.
3 new coronavirus cases in South Korea; 2 men had traveled to Singapore for conference.
4 new cases confirmed in Singapore, including a six-month-old child of an infected couple.
2 new cases in Malaysia, 1 new case in Australia (Queensland).
1 death reported from Tianjin, China: the patient had developed fever and cough after shopping in a department store on January 22. The patient had a history of type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

February 4, 2020: 
Japan has confirmed at least 10 cases of coronavirus from a cruise ship in the port of Yokohama near Tokyo. A 80-year-old Hong Kong man on the ship, who tested positive for the virus, infected a number of other people. Earlier on the day, Japanese authorities had quarantined some 3,700 passengers in an attempt to contain the virus from causing an outbreak.
1 new case in Canada (second one in metro Vancouver): a woman in her 50s who had been hosting relatives from the Wuhan area
Four-year-old in Malaysia is the first case in the country to have recovered after being infected by the coronavirus.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) says that:
about 80% of those who died were over the age of 60.
75% had pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

As they confirm 6 new cases in Singapore, 4 of which did not travel to China. Health official announce first local coronavirus transmissions.
2 new cases, both in their 60s, in Hong Kong: Health officials said it was suspected the virus had been transmitted locally.

Other cases include:
1 new case in Taiwan is a returning evacuee who had displayed symptoms on Feb. 2 on arriving in Taiwan on a China Eastern Airlines charter flight.
6 new cases in Thailand.
2 new cases in Japan, 1 in Australia (the third in Queensland): an eight-year-old child from Wuhan.
1st case of coronavirus confirmed in Belgium (one of the nine repatriated from Wuhan on Feb. 2).
a 39-year-old man died from the coronavirus in Hong Kong. According to reports, the patient had an underlying illness and had traveled to Wuhan on January 21.

Timeline:
On February 3, two new cases were reported in Germany, one is the children of a family already infected with the virus.
On February 2, doctors in Thailand said they discovered medical treatment that cured a patient of coronavirus ‘in 48 Hours’
On February 2, a death in the Philippines marked the first death occurring outside of China. It was a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 25 with fever, cough, and sore throat, developed severe pneumonia but in the last few days “was stable and showed signs of improvement; however, the condition of the patient deteriorated within his last 24 hours resulting in his demise." reported the Philippine Department of Health.
On February 2, China shut down another major city as it closed roads and restricted the movement of residents in Wenzhou, a city with a population of 9 million that is located 800 km away from Wuhan, in Hubei province. The Zhejiang province, where Wenzhou is located, has the highest number of confirmed cases outside the Hubei province.
On February 1, the 8th case in the United States was reported (a male in his 20s, in Boston, MA).
On January 31, the first 2 novel coronavirus cases in the UK, [18] the first 2 cases in Russia, [20] and the first case in Sweden and in Spain were reported. Canada reported its 4th case.
On Jan. 31, the United States

declared Coronavirus a Public Health Emergency
issued 14 days quarantine rules for US citizens entering the US from China (mandatory if entering from the Hubei province).
issued an order to deny entry to foreigners who have traveled to China within the past two weeks.

On January 30, the novel coronavirus total case count surpassed that for SARS (which affected 8,096 people worldwide).
On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency.
On January 30 CDC confirmed the first US case of human to human transmission[17].
Germany, Japan, Vietnam and the United States have reported cases in patients who didn't personally visit China, but contracted the virus from someone else who had visited Wuhan, China[15]. These cases of human to human transmission are the most worrisome, according to the WHO[16].
Wuhan (the city where the virus originated) is the largest city in Central China, with a population of over 11 million people. The city, on January 23, shut down transport links. Following Wuhan lock down, the city of Huanggang was also placed in quarantine, and the city of Ezhou closed its train stations. This means than 18 million people have been placed in isolation. The World Health Organization (WHO) said cutting off a city as large as Wuhan is "unprecedented in public health history."[12] and praised China for its incredible commitment to isolate the virus and minimize the spread to other countries.

How dangerous is the virus?

There are three parameters to understand in order to assess the magnitude of the risk posed by this novel coronavirus:

Transmission Rate (Ro) - number of newly infected people from a single case
Case Fatality Rate (CFR) - percent of cases that result in death
Determine whether asymptomatic transmission is possible

How contagious is the Wuhan Coronavirus? (Ro)

The attack rate or transmissibility (how rapidly the disease spreads) of a virus is indicated by its reproductive number (Ro, pronounced R-nought or r-zero), which represents the average number of people to which a single infected person will transmit the virus.
WHO's estimated (on Jan. 23) Ro to be between 1.4 and 2.5. [13]
Other studies have estimated a Ro between 3.6 and 4.0, and between 2.24 to 3.58. [23]
Preliminary studies had estimated Ro to be between 1.5 and 3.5. [5][6][7]
An outbreak with a reproductive number of below 1 will gradually disappear.
For comparison, the Ro for the common flu is 1.3 and for SARS it was 2.0.
Fatality Rate (case fatality ratio or CFR) of the Wuhan Coronavirus
See full details: Wuhan Coronavirus Fatality Rate
The novel coronavirus' case fatality rate has been estimated at around 2%, in the WHO press conference held on January 29, 2020 [16] . However, it noted that, without knowing how many were infected, it was too early to be able to put a percentage on the mortality rate figure.
A prior estimate [9] had put that number at 3%.
Fatality rate can change as a virus can mutate, according to epidemiologists.
For comparison, the case fatality rate for SARS was 10%, and for MERS 34%.
Incubation Period (how long it takes for symptoms to appear)
See full details: COVID-19 Coronavirus Incubation Period
Symptoms of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 (estimated ranges vary from 2-10 days, 2-14 days, and 10-14 days, see details), during which the virus is contagious but the patient does not display any symptom (asymptomatic transmission).
Age and conditions of Coronavirus cases
 See latest findings: Age, Sex, Demographics of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths
According to China's National Health Commission (NHC), about 80% of those who died were over the age of 60 and 75% of them had pre-existing health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.[24]
According to the WHO Situation Report no. 7 issued on Jan. 27:
The median age of cases detected outside of China is 45 years, ranging from 2 to 74 years.
71% of cases were male.
A study of 138 hospitalized patients with NCIP found that the median age was 56 years (interquartile range, 42-68; range, 22-92 years) and 75 (54.3%) were men.[25]
The WHO, in its Myth busters FAQs, addresses the question: "Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?" by answering that:
People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
Patient who died in the Philippines was a 44-year old male
The patient who died in the Philippines on February 2, in what was the first death occurring outside of China, was a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who was admitted on Jan. 25 after experiencing fever, cough, and sore throat, before developing severe pneumonia. In the last few days, “the patient was stable and showed signs of improvement, however, the condition of the patient deteriorated within his last 24 hours resulting in his demise." according to the Philippine Department of Health.

Serious Cases of 30 year old patients in France
As of Jan. 29, according to French authorities, the conditions of the two earliest Paris cases had worsened and the patients were being treated in intensive care, according to French authorities. The patients have been described as a young couple aged 30 and 31 years old, both Chinese citizens from Wuhan who were asymptomatic when they arrived in Paris on January 18 [19].
Age and Sex of the first deaths as reported by the China National Health Commission (NHC)
The NHC reported the details of the first 17 deaths up to 24 pm on January 22, 2020. The deaths included 13 males and 4 females. The median age of the deaths was 75 (range 48-89) years.[21]
WHO Risk Assessment: Global Emergency
See full details: WHO coronavirus updates
On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency.

For more information from the WHO regarding novel coronavirus: WHO page on Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Comparisons:
Every year an estimated 290,000 to 650,000 people die in the world due to complications from seasonal influenza (flu) viruses. This figure corresponds to 795 to 1,781 deaths per day due to the seasonal flu.
SARS (November 2002 to July 2003): was a coronavirus that originated from Beijing, China, spread to 29 countries, and resulted in 8,096 people infected with 774 deaths (fatality rate of 9.6%). Considering that SARS ended up infecting 5,237 people in mainland China, Wuhan Coronavirus surpassed SARS on January 29, 2020, when Chinese officials confirmed 5,974 cases of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). One day later, on January 30, 2020 the novel coronavirus cases surpassed even the 8,096 cases worldwide which were the final SARS count in 2003.
MERS (in 2012) killed 858 people out of the 2,494 infected (fatality rate of 34.4%).

Novel Coronavirus Worldometer Sections:
Coronavirus Update
Cases
Deaths
Mortality Rate
Transmission Rate
Incubation Period
Age, Sex, Demographics
Symptoms
Countries with cases: basic list - detailed list
Expert Opinions
Cases in the US

More info


Novel coronavirus outbreak may reach peak in one week or about 10 days: expert - Xinhua, Jan. 28, 2020
China’s Xi Jinping pledges to overcome ‘devil’ coronavirus - Financial Times, Jan. 28, 2020
Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China - The Lancet, Jan. 24, 2020
The Age, Sex and Symptoms of China’s Coronavirus Victims - Bloomberg, Jan. 23, 2020

Sources


Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation reports - World Health Organization (WHO)
2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the U.S. -. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Outbreak Notification - National Health Commission (NHC) of the People’s Republic of China
Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - Australian Government Department of Health
Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV: early estimation of epidemiological parameters and epidemic prediction - Jonathan M. Read et al, Jan. 23,2020.
Early Transmissibility Assessment of a Novel Coronavirus in Wuhan, China - Maimuna Majumder and Kenneth D. Mandl, Harvard University - Computational Health Informatics Program - Posted: 24 Jan 2020 Last revised: 27 Jan 2020
Report 3: Transmissibility of 2019-nCoV - 25 January 2020 - Imperial College London‌
Case fatality risk of influenza A(H1N1pdm09): a systematic review - Epidemiology. Nov. 24, 2013
A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern - Chen Want et al. The Lancet. January 24, 2020
Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - CDC
China's National Health Commission news conference on coronavirus - Al Jazeera. January 26, 2020
Wuhan lockdown 'unprecedented', shows commitment to contain virus: WHO representative in China - Reuters. January 23, 2020
Statement on the meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - WHO, January 23, 2020
International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on novel coronavirus in China - WHO, January 30, 2020
Human-to-human transmission of Wuhan virus outside of China, confirmed in Germany, Japan and Vietnam - The Online Citizen, Jan. 29, 2020
Who: "Live from Geneva on the new #coronavirus outbreak"
CDC Confirms Person-to-Person Spread of New Coronavirus in the United States - CDC Press Release, Jan. 30, 2020
CMO confirms cases of coronavirus in England - CMO, UK, Jan. 31, 2020
Coronavirus in France: what you need to know - The Local France, Jan. 31, 2020
First two persons infected with coronavirus identified in Russia - Tass, Jan. 31, 2020
Updated understanding of the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019nCoV) in Wuhan, China - Journal of Medical Virology, Jan. 29, 2020
Estimating the effective reproduction number of the 2019-nCoV in China - Zhidong Cao et al., Jan. 29, 2020
Preliminary estimation of the basic reproduction number of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, from 2019 to 2020: A data-driven analysis in the early phase of the outbreak - Jan. 30, 2020
Coronavirus: Window of opportunity to act, World Health Organization says - BBC, Feb,\. 4, 2020
Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China - Wang et. al, JAMA, Feb. 7, 2020

The Hazrat Masumeh shrine in Qom is being disinfected regularly, but not closed

More new cases of coronavirus are being reported outside China than in the country, where the outbreak first began in the central city of Wuhan late last year. The city remains sealed off [China Daily via Reuters]

Coronavirus has killed more than 2,800 people globally and can cause severe lung damage and trigger multiple organ failure

NHS England said on Saturday that all 94 people in quarantine at Arrowe Park in Wirral had been released. Photograph-Anthony Devlin-Getty Images

​​The coronavirus death toll is approaching 3,000, with more than 86,000 infected. The US reported its first death on Saturday. Here's everything we know.
Sinéad Baker, Lauren Frias and Aria Bendix
28th February, 2020
https://www.businessinsider.com/china-virus-everything-we-know-deadly-2019-ncov-wuhan-spread-2020-1?r=US&IR=T

The death toll of the coronavirus outbreak is nearing 3,000, with more than 86,000 people infected. China has seen a drop-off in its rate of new cases, but the virus seems to be gaining momentum in other parts of the globe.
As of Saturday, the coronavirus — which causes a disease known as COVID-19 — has spread to every province and region in China as well at least 58 other countries. At least 104 people have died outside of mainland China.
The US has reported at least 70 cases, including 44 passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan. The country reported its first coronavirus death on Saturday — a patient in Washington state.

Researchers think the zoonotic virus originated in bats. It may have jumped from animals to people at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. 
The World Health Organization considers the outbreak an international public-health emergency and warned that the window of opportunity to contain it could be narrowing.

Here's everything we know.
The coronavirus has killed at least 2,976 people.
"The people who are likely to die first will have other illnesses," Adrian Hyzler, the chief medical officer at Healix International, which offers risk-management solutions for global travelers, told Business Insider. 
Indeed, most patients who have died were elderly or otherwise unwell, according to Chinese officials.

The virus had infected at least 86,584 people as of Friday.
A vendor in Hong Kong on January 11 gives out copies of a newspaper with headlines about the coronavirus outbreak. Associated Press

This chart shows the rate at which the coronavirus has spread.
Cases have been confirmed in at least 58 countries beyond China.

Outside of China, cases have been reported in:
· Afghanistan
· Algeria
· Australia
· Austria
· Azerbaijan
· Bahrain
· Belarus
· Belgium
· Brazil
· Cambodia
· Canada
· Croatia
· Denmark
· Egypt
· Estonia
· Finland
· France
· Georgia
· Germany
· Greece
· Iceland
· India
· Iran
· Iraq
· Ireland
· Israel
· Italy
· Japan
· Kuwait
· Lithuania
· Lebanon
· Malaysia
· Mexico
· Nepal
· The Netherlands
· New Zealand
· North Macedonia
· Nigeria
· Norway
· Oman
· Pakistan
· The Philippines
· Qatar
· Romania
· Russia
· San Marino
· Singapore
· South Korea
· Spain
· Sri Lanka
· Sweden
· Switzerland
· Taiwan
· Thailand
· United Arab Emirates
· UK
· US
· Vietnam

The US has reported 70 coronavirus cases in total, including 47 repatriated citizens.
US health officials issued a dire warning to American citizens on Tuesday: Prepare for a coronavirus outbreak.
"It's not so much of a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more of a question of exactly when this will happen," Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a press briefing. "We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad."
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee confirmed the first US death on Saturday. "Our hearts go out to his family and friends. We will continue to work toward a day where no one dies from this virus," he said.
The patient was a man in his 50s with chronic underlying health problems. He died at EvergreenHealth, a regional healthcare network based in Seattle.
A letter sent by EvergreenHealth, which was obtained by KIRO, said the man tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday night and did not have a history of travel to China.
The CDC said the risk to the US public remains low, but the agency may recommend canceling large public events in Washington state if the virus spreads further there. 
"In all likelihood, there is ongoing low-level transmission" in Washington, Francis Riedo, an infectious-disease specialist at EvergreenHealth, said at a press conference on Saturday. 
The US recorded several cases of "community spread" this week — patients who had no known exposure to the virus or travel history in China.
US passengers leave the Daikaku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama port, next to the Diamond Princess cruise ship, on February 17, 2020. Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images
The cases include two patients in California, at least four in Washington state, and one in Oregon.
Two US patients transmitted the coronavirus to their spouses. (This is not considered community spread.)

Passengers from Wuhan go through quarantine at Narita International Airport near Tokyo on January 23. Kyodo News via Getty Images
In Chicago, a woman in her 60s transmitted the virus to her husband. She had recently traveled to Wuhan to care for her elderly father, but her husband did not travel with her. He is in stable condition, CDC authorities said, and the woman is reportedly doing well, too.
In California's San Benito County, a 57-year-old man passed the virus to his wife after returning from Wuhan. Both were hospitalized at the University of California, San Francisco.
Forty-four of the US patients were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
A passenger on the balcony of a cabin of the cruise ship Diamond Princess on February 11. Reuters/Issei Kato
Last week, 328 Americans who had been quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan were brought back to the US. 
Fourteen sick people were kept isolated on the plane, but many others who were on the flight later tested positive. Everyone who was on the cruise has been quarantined at US military bases for two weeks.
Health experts and US officials have criticized the decision to quarantine people on the ship, suggesting that the confined spaces and poor hygiene practices on board may have helped the virus spread.
Three US citizens who were evacuated from Wuhan and put under quarantine also tested positive for the virus.

A picture uploaded to social media on January 25 by the Central Hospital of Wuhan showing medical staff in Wuhan. THE CENTRAL HOSPITAL OF WUHAN VIA WEIBO /via REUTERS

One patient tested positive for the virus while under a mandatory 14-day federal quarantine at the Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas.
Two more evacuees tested positive while under quarantine at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, California. 
Many other countries — including Japan, South Korea, Australia, France, and the UK — have also evacuated citizens and employees from China.

US health officials do not recommend face masks for the general public.
Travelers arrive to LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal wearing medical masks for protection against the novel coronavirus outbreak on February 2, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images
For healthy people, hand-washing and avoiding close contact with sick patients is a better way to prevent infection.
"Wearing masks, except in the situation of a healthcare provider, has never been shown to be a very effective way to protect yourself from infectious diseases," Eric Toner, a scientist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Business Insider.
Stocking up on face masks can also reduce the supply for medical workers that need them. 
At a hearing on Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the US needed 300 million N95 masks — which filter out most airborne particles from the surrounding air — to protect healthcare workers during an outbreak. At present, it only has 30 million, he said.

The World Health Organization said on Monday that the virus has "pandemic potential."
The World Health Organization assembly in Geneva in May 2008. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images
The WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a global public-health emergency on January 30. For now, the organization doesn't recommend limiting the movement of travel or trade.
The global-health emergency declaration has been used five times since it was created in 2005.
"They only do this for extraordinary illnesses that are of international concern," Hyzler said. "Suddenly the world is alerted to a much greater extent and they'll start pouring a lot more assistance and aid to airports, to transport hubs, and do their best to control this outbreak."

The WHO said the virus isn't yet a pandemic.
"For the moment, we are not witnessing the uncontained global spread of this virus, and we are not witnessing larger-scale severe disease or death," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. "Does this virus have pandemic potential? Absolutely, it has. Are we there yet? From our assessment, not yet."
The first case of the coronavirus was reported in Wuhan in December. The central Chinese city has a population of 11 million.

The virus' pneumonia-like symptoms include fever and difficulty breathing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person is at risk if they:
· Experience fever, coughing, or shortness of breath within 14 days of traveling to China
· Have come into close contact with someone who has shown these symptoms and recently traveled to China
Chinese health officials say the incubation period for the virus ranges from one to 14 days, during which time carriers might be infectious. 

The true number of infected people is probably still higher than the official total.
Medical workers near the Jinyintan hospital in Wuhan, which housed patients with the coronavirus, on January 10. Reuters
Academics from Imperial College London suggested in early February that only about one in 19 people infected with the virus in China were receiving a diagnosis at that time.

China has also changed the way cases are counted multiple times.
Medical workers wait together before taking over a large temporary hospital built in an exhibition center in Wuhan on February 5. Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images
On February 13, the Hubei province's health commission added 14,800 people to its list of cases and reported 242 additional deaths — an enormous single-day jump. The commission said the spike was due to a change in the way cases were counted: The newer numbers included clinical diagnoses made via CT scans of patients' lungs in addition to lab-test results.
On February 20, however, the commission went back to only counting lab-confirmed cases. Some cases that had been confirmed via CT scans tested negative for the virus, so they were subtracted from the total.
China's National Health Commission also removed 108 deaths from the fatality count on February 14, since it said those deaths had been double-counted.

More than 3,000 healthcare workers have been infected.
Li Wenliang wears a respirator mask on February 3. He died on February 7. LI WENLIANG/GAN EN FUND via REUTERS
Research published earlier this month found that nearly a third of hospitalized patients studied at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were healthcare workers. 

On February 7, Li Wenliang, a doctor in Wuhan who was censored after sounding the alarm about the coronavirus, died from the disease. The 34-year-old doctor alerted a group of alumni from his medical school about a worrisome pneumonia-like illness in December. But Li was silenced by the police in Wuhan and forced to sign a letter saying he was "making false comments."
He later caught the coronavirus and died. In total, at least eight healthcare workers have died from COVID-19. Neurosurgeon Liu Zhiming, a director at the Wuchang hospital in Wuhan, also died of the coronavirus, as did Peng Yinhua, a 29-year-old doctor who postponed his wedding to help treat patients.
A female tour guide in Japan tested positive for the virus a second time on Wednesday — evidence that people could get the coronavirus multiple times.
A woman wearing mask uses a hand disinfectant as measures at a shopping mall on February 11, 2020, in Tokyo, Japan. David Mareuil/Anadolu Agency / Getty
The patient — as a woman in her 40s living in Osaka, Japan — first tested positive for the virus on January 29. She was discharged from the hospital on February 1 and declared virus-free on February 6.
Nearly two weeks later, she developed throat and chest pains. She tested positive again on February 26. China has also reported cases of people getting reinfected. 
Few children have gotten sick, but Chinese authorities reported that a baby received a diagnosis just 30 hours after being born.

A child at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines, on February 3. Ezra Acayan/Getty Images
Other one-off cases of the virus in children include a 9-month-old girl in Beijing, a child in Germany whose father had the virus as well, and a child in Shenzhen who was infected but displayed no symptoms.
But the virus seems to affect mostly adults. A study published in late January speculated that "children might be less likely to become infected or, if infected, may show milder symptoms" than adults. 
Disease experts say it's good that the virus hasn't spread much among kids because children are less likely to wash their hands and cover their mouths — behaviors that can spread germs.

South Korea's total cases have surpassed 3,000.
Workers sanitize a street in front of a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony where a woman known as "Patient 31" attended a service in Daegu. Reuters
South Korea has confirmed 3,150 infections and 16 deaths as of Saturday.
The nation saw a spike in coronavirus cases after a 61-year-old woman transmitted the virus to other members of a fringe religious group, the controversial Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
The woman infected 43 other church members during an event at The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. Worshippers there are forbidden to wear face masks, the New York Times reported. Many of the people who have since gotten sick are either church members or had contact with a church member. 
On February 23, South Korean president Moon Jae-in said the country faced "a grave turning point" in its efforts to contain the outbreak. 
Iran has reported 593 infections and 43 deaths — the highest number of coronavirus deaths outside China.
Iranian women wear protective masks to prevent contracting coronavirus as they walk in the street in Tehran. Reuters
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani signed an order Thursday that closed all universities for one week and banned public gatherings like weddings, concerts, and sports games through March. The ban on public gatherings will lift in time for the Persian New Year on March 20. 
Some senior Iranian officials have contracted the virus, including Iran's deputy health minister, the vice president for women and family affairs, and the chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy commission.

Iran's parliament is set to close until further notice, the BBC reported on Friday.
Some Middle Eastern countries — including Turkey, Pakistan, Armenia, Iraq, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan — have restricted travel to and from Iran. 

Japan has closed all elementary, junior high, and high schools until early April.
A boy wearing a mask walks on a road in the Shibuya district on February 2, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty

The nation has seen 241 infections and five deaths. 
Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday that the next two weeks will be "an extremely critical period" to prevent the virus from spreading among children.

A senior member of the International Olympic Committee said the future of the Tokyo Games could be in jeopardy.
IOC member Dick Pound told the Associated Press that the games were more likely to be canceled than postponed or relocated. The final decision will likely come in May. For now, he added, athletes should continue training.
"As far as we all know, you're going to be in Tokyo," Pound said. "All indications are at this stage that it will be business as usual. So keep focused on your sport and be sure that the IOC is not going to send you into a pandemic situation."
Italy banned public events in 11 towns, closed public buildings, and restricted transport in the country's northern region. Its case total has reached 1,128, and 29 people have died.
A couple wearing face masks is seen in the subway in Duomo underground station in Milan, as Italy is hit by the coronavirus outbreak, February 25, 2020. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
"We are asking basically that everyone who has come from areas stricken by the epidemic to remain under a mandatory house stay," Italy's health minister, Roberto Speranza, said in a press conference on February 22.
Israel recently barred entry to non-Israelis traveling from Italy after a man who returned from Milan tested positive for the virus. 

Switzerland, which has 18 infections so far, has banned all public and private events with more than 1,000 attendees until March 15.
"The Federal Council is aware that this measure will have a significant impact on public life in Switzerland," the Swiss government said in a Friday statement. "However, the move is expected to provide effective protection to people in Switzerland and to public health. It should prevent or delay the spread of the disease in Switzerland, thus reducing its momentum."

The Trump administration has imposed a travel ban on foreign nationals who have been in China within the past 14 days.
President Donald Trump with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on May 11, 2018. Reuters
The ban went into effect February 2, with exceptions made for immediate family members of American citizens and permanent residents.
US citizens returning home who have been in China's Hubei province — where Wuhan is located — within the past 14 days may be quarantined for up to two weeks. 
The CDC has issued a travel warning to avoid travel to China.
Some experts think the coronavirus jumped from animals to people at a seafood market in Wuhan. But a recent study suggested the virus could have originated outside the market in late November or early December.
The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, which was sealed off after being identified as the likely origin point of the new coronavirus. Photo by Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images

Since most of the early patients had links to one market where live animals were sold, scientists pinpointed it as the likely origin point of the virus.
But a group of Chinese scientists recently published a study suggesting that the virus could have started somewhere else. Though the first 41 cases were reported on December 31, the scientists determined that the virus could have started spreading from person to person as early as late November. The seafood market in Wuhan, they wrote, may have "boosted" the circulation of the virus.
Researchers think the new coronavirus originated in bats, then jumped to an intermediary species — most likely pangolins, pigs, or civets — that passed it to people.
A man holds a pangolin at a wild-animal rescue center in Cuc Phuong, outside Hanoi, Vietnam, on September 12, 2016. Kham/Reuters
Researchers at the South China Agricultural University have suggested that the endangered pangolin may have been the intermediary species between bats and people.
An earlier paper in the Journal of Medical Virology suggested that the virus might have jumped from bats to snakes to humans, since the protein codes favored by the Wuhan virus closely resembled the protein codes in snakes. But that's unlikely — Cui Jie, a virologist who helped identified SARS-related viruses in bats in 2017, said the strain from Wuhan was clearly a "mammalian virus."

SARS also originated in bats. It jumped to humans from civet cats a Chinese market that sold live animals. SARS killed 774 people from November 2002 to July 2003.
A doctor checking equipment at a SARS screening room at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in 2003. AHMAD YUSNI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD YUSNI/AFP via Getty Images
COVID-19 is more contagious but less deadly than SARS. The two belong to the same coronavirus family.
The total number of cases and deaths have far surpassed those of the SARS outbreak.
Chinese officials have warned that the virus can mutate.
Passengers walk by as a quarantine officer monitored a thermography during a quarantine inspection at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, on January 22. Associated Press
A study of a Chinese family in the southern province of Guangdong found that the virus mutated several times as it spread from one family member to the next. 
But Michael Farzan, a biologist at Scripps Research, told STAT that the mutation rate for the virus is "much, much lower" than that of the flu.
"That lowers the chance that the virus will evolve in some catastrophic way to, say, become significantly more lethal," Farzan said.

In late January, officials quarantined Wuhan and nearby cities by shutting down all transportation. They remain locked down.
Health officials in hazmat suits check body temperatures of passengers arriving from Wuhan on January 22 at the airport in Beijing. Emily Wang/AP
All of the city's public transportation — including buses, metros, and ferries — was halted on January 23. Trains and airplanes coming into and out of the city were also shut down, and roadblocks were installed to keep taxis and private cars from exiting.
Wuhan's 11 million residents were told not to leave the city, barring special circumstances.
China has imposed travel restrictions on the rest of the Hubei province as well. Huanggang, a city of about 7.5 million people, placed its urban core under lockdown on January 23, closing subway and train stations as well as theaters and internet cafés. Additional cities followed suit with their own travel restrictions.

A CNN analysis found that more than 780 million people in China — more than half the population — are under some sort of travel restriction.
Wuhan officials said on Monday that they would ease quarantine restrictions, but reversed that decision just hours later.
The closed Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan after a lockdown was imposed. Associated Press
The easing of travel restrictions would have allowed some people to leave Wuhan if they were deemed healthy, though they would still have been quarantined at their destinations.
But hours after that announcement, a new statement declared it "invalid" because it was made without proper authorization.
Tourist attractions throughout China, including Shanghai Disneyland, remain closed.
The park closed January 25. The Badaling section of the Great Wall is temporarily closed as well.
New hospitals have already been built in Wuhan. Construction on two of them took just 10 days.

A nearly finished hospital in Wuhan. AP
Construction on the first hospital, the Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, started January 23. The facility — which includes 1,000 beds — welcomed its first patients on February 3. By its tenth day of operation, the building was running at about full capacity, according to official figures reviewed by Business Insider.
The second hospital, the Leishenshan Hospital, is slightly larger: 1,600 beds. The site's construction started January 27, and the building was completed February 6. Eleven days after it opened, the building was at half capacity.
China has also turned an exhibition hall, gymnasium, and sports stadium into emergency medical sites.
Doctors in Wuhan have reported that there aren't enough resources to treat the large number of patients.
Medical staff members at the Zhongnan hospital in Wuhan. STR/AFP via Getty Images
China has less than two physicians for every 10,000 residents, according to data from the WHO.
In Wuhan, patients have faced hours-long lines to receive medical care, the BBC reported. According to Reuters, some people with symptoms of the virus were denied full-time admission to local hospitals in Wuhan because there were no beds available.
The ban on transportation in Wuhan has also forced people to travel by foot to hospitals, The New York Times reported.
Test kits were reportedly reserved for patients with the most severe symptoms.
Guards at the Hankou Railway Station on January 22 in Wuhan. Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images)

The New York Times reported that doctors in Wuhan were running short on test kits earlier this month. After a person has been tested, it takes one to two days for the results to come back. Combined, these factors create a lag time between when people are infected and when cases are confirmed via blood tests.
To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, all travelers should wash their hands frequently with soap and water, making sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds, the CDC says.
Travelers arrive on a flight from China at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Reuters
Travelers should also avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Wearing a mask is unlikely to be your best defense, however. 
"There's little harm in it," Eric Toner, a scientist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Business Insider. "But wearing masks, except in the situation of a healthcare provider, has never been shown to be a very effective way to protect yourself from infectious diseases."

Airports around the world have implemented screening protocols.
Public-health officials run thermal scans on passengers arriving from Wuhan at Suvarnabumi Airport on January 8 in Bangkok. Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images
Twenty US airports — including New York's John F. Kennedy, Los Angeles International Airport, and Chicago's O'Hare — are screening passengers for the virus. Airports in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea are also screening people.
The Chinese government has barred citizens from booking overseas tours, flights, and hotel stays.
Health officers screen arriving passengers from China with thermal scanners at Singapore Changi Airport on January 22. ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
The virus has weakened the tourism industry and disrupted supply chains in China, threatening to slow global economic growth to the lowest point since the financial crisis.
President Trump holds news conference on the coronavirus outbreak at the White House. Reuters
Bank of America predicted on Thursday that global GDP growth would slow to 2.8% for 2020. That would be the first reading under 3% since the financial crisis, and the lowest reading since 2009.
Bank of America economist Aditya Bhave wrote in a note on Thursday that growth momentum was already weak before the outbreak, but added that the virus would likely have "large spillover effects" on the global economy.
There are no vaccines to prevent humans from contracting the virus, but drugmakers are racing to develop one.

Medical staff members carry a patient into the Jinyintan hospital, where patients infected by a coronavirus were being treated, in Wuhan on January 18. STR/AFP via Getty Images
Six drug companies — Johnson & Johnson, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Moderna, and Gilead Sciences — have announced plans to research and develop treatments for the new coronavirus.
Some are developing vaccines from scratch, while others are testing existing drugs. Moderna appears to be leading the race so far: The company said on Monday that it had sent a vaccine candidate to US health officials.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Health's infectious-disease center, said he hopes to start testing vaccine candidates in people by mid-April.
On Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary declined to promise that a coronavirus vaccine would be affordable for all Americans. A day later, he backtracked, saying that any vaccine developed in conjunction with the US government would need to be financially accessible to the public. 

Rosie Perper and Aylin Woodward contributed to this report.

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