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Coronavirus live updates: cruise ship cases rise to 61 as China mourns whistleblower doctor – latest news Coronavirus live updates: cruise ship cases rise to 61 as China mourns whistleblower doctor – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Li Wenliang’s death in Wuhan comes as Hong Kong prepares to impose quarantine on mainland travellers. Follow live updatesLi Wenliang’s death in Wuhan comes as Hong Kong prepares to impose quarantine on mainland travellers. Follow live updates
We have been reporting about death in Wuhan of Li Wenliang, the doctor who had tried to raise the alarm about the danger of the virus in December.
The 34-year-old became a household name in China, known to hundreds of millions of people as the face and conscience of the spiralling crisis. (You can read our full story about him here.)
Li’s initial efforts to raise the alarm about the virus were met by the security forces accusing him of “making false comments”. He signed a statement agreeing not to discuss the disease further.
The news of his death was muddled by state media, who initially reporting it, then rowed back on their confirmation, only to finally confirm that he died in hospital after having contracted the virus.
It’s prompted an outpouring of grief and anger on Chinese social media .
Toyota has extended the closure of its 12 factories in China by a week.Toyota has extended the closure of its 12 factories in China by a week.
The Japanese carmaker had planned to reopen its car and component-making plants this weekend but will now keep them shuttered until 16 February “after considering various factors, including guidelines from local and region governments, parts supply, and logistics”.The Japanese carmaker had planned to reopen its car and component-making plants this weekend but will now keep them shuttered until 16 February “after considering various factors, including guidelines from local and region governments, parts supply, and logistics”.
At the same press briefing, the officials said they had confidence in the economic system and that the impact on the economy from the outbreak would be “temporary. It will be limited and will not affect the fundamentals, and the economy is sound and stable”. Officials at the Beijing press conference said they had confidence in the economic system and that the impact on the economy from the outbreak would be “temporary. It will be limited and will not affect the fundamentals, and the economy is sound and stable”.
They added:They added:
Officials also said that the rise in the Chinese stock market since its reopening on Monday proves that it is becoming more mature. The benchmark Shanghai Composite is index lost 8% on Monday but is now off by 4.5% on the week so has regained some ground.Officials also said that the rise in the Chinese stock market since its reopening on Monday proves that it is becoming more mature. The benchmark Shanghai Composite is index lost 8% on Monday but is now off by 4.5% on the week so has regained some ground.
Just doubling back on that press conference we have just heard from the Australian PM, Scott Morrison. He has told Australians to get out of China by commercial means if possible and that he cannot guarantee assisted flights out will continue in the future.Just doubling back on that press conference we have just heard from the Australian PM, Scott Morrison. He has told Australians to get out of China by commercial means if possible and that he cannot guarantee assisted flights out will continue in the future.
“Australians and immediate family members – if you are there, then there are still commercial flights coming out of China, mainland China to Australia and I strongly suggest you avail yourself of those. The government cannot guarantee that similar types of assisted flights would be able to be put on in the future either into the mainland or Wuhan,” Morrison said.
On Wednesday, the British government told its citizens “if you are in China and are able to leave, you should do so”. On Thursday, Canada followed suit, telling its citizens who did not have to be in China, that they should get out on commercial flights if possible: “If your presence in China isn’t essential, you should consider leaving by commercial means,” the advice said.On Wednesday, the British government told its citizens “if you are in China and are able to leave, you should do so”. On Thursday, Canada followed suit, telling its citizens who did not have to be in China, that they should get out on commercial flights if possible: “If your presence in China isn’t essential, you should consider leaving by commercial means,” the advice said.
China’s finance ministry has created a special fund of billions of yuan to target lending for companies involved in the manufacture of key medical supplies such as safety goggles, face masks and disinfectant, officials have said at a media conference in Beijing.China’s finance ministry has created a special fund of billions of yuan to target lending for companies involved in the manufacture of key medical supplies such as safety goggles, face masks and disinfectant, officials have said at a media conference in Beijing.
A list of companies will be drawn up by the government and banks will be expected to hand over cash to them to enable them to keep production flowing.A list of companies will be drawn up by the government and banks will be expected to hand over cash to them to enable them to keep production flowing.
Morrison is asked if he would consider stopping cruise ships coming to Australia, given the infections on the cruise ship that has docked in Japan?Morrison is asked if he would consider stopping cruise ships coming to Australia, given the infections on the cruise ship that has docked in Japan?
“No. That is not under advice at the moment. No-one has recommended that. But those Australians who are on board that vessel (stuck in Yokohama) and a number of additional cases have been confirmed amongst the Australians on that vessel, which is up in Japan and they are getting consular support. They have been transferred to medical facilities in Japan as the other two were and there are quite a number of other Australians on board this ship that are in quarantine on the vessel.”“No. That is not under advice at the moment. No-one has recommended that. But those Australians who are on board that vessel (stuck in Yokohama) and a number of additional cases have been confirmed amongst the Australians on that vessel, which is up in Japan and they are getting consular support. They have been transferred to medical facilities in Japan as the other two were and there are quite a number of other Australians on board this ship that are in quarantine on the vessel.”
We are hearing a news conference from the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, on plans for a second evacuation flight from Wuhan.We are hearing a news conference from the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, on plans for a second evacuation flight from Wuhan.
He confirms that the government is looking at a second quarantine facility in Australia’s Northern Territory. The first evacuees were taken to Christmas Island, a former detention centre for refugees and asylum seekers.He confirms that the government is looking at a second quarantine facility in Australia’s Northern Territory. The first evacuees were taken to Christmas Island, a former detention centre for refugees and asylum seekers.
The site being considered isa a mining camp facility in the NT’s capital city, Darwin.The site being considered isa a mining camp facility in the NT’s capital city, Darwin.
Morrison also has a message for Australians who are still in mainland China – that they should get out on commercial flights if possible:Morrison also has a message for Australians who are still in mainland China – that they should get out on commercial flights if possible:
“Australians and immediate family members – if you are there, then there are still commercial flights coming out of China, mainland China to Australia and I strongly suggest you avail yourself of those. The government cannot guarantee that similar types of assisted flights would be able to be put on in the future either into the mainland or Wuhan.”“Australians and immediate family members – if you are there, then there are still commercial flights coming out of China, mainland China to Australia and I strongly suggest you avail yourself of those. The government cannot guarantee that similar types of assisted flights would be able to be put on in the future either into the mainland or Wuhan.”
We reported yesterday that clinical trials had begun in China for the drug Remdesivir on coronavirus patients. State media says the first person to receive treatment was a 68-year-old man with serious symptoms in Wuhan’s Jinyintan hospital. More than 750 patients will take part in the trial.We reported yesterday that clinical trials had begun in China for the drug Remdesivir on coronavirus patients. State media says the first person to receive treatment was a 68-year-old man with serious symptoms in Wuhan’s Jinyintan hospital. More than 750 patients will take part in the trial.
The Chinese city of Xiaogan, around 70km north-west of Wuhan in Hubei province, has become only the second city in China (after Wuhan) to record more than 2,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.The Chinese city of Xiaogan, around 70km north-west of Wuhan in Hubei province, has become only the second city in China (after Wuhan) to record more than 2,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Chinese state media is reporting Beijing’s financial support during the virus outbreak.Chinese state media is reporting Beijing’s financial support during the virus outbreak.
Hong Kong has cancelled a major a major cultural and business event for the city, amid the virus outbreak.
The annual Art Basel Hong Kong, which drew more than 80,000 people last year, had been scheduled to take place on 19-21 March.
It’s the latest in a range of cultural, academic and sporting events canceled or postponed in China, Hong Kong and elsewhere because of the outbreak.
Hong Kong has reported 22 cases of the virus and has ordered a 14-day quarantine for all travellers entering the city from mainland China from Saturday.
On Thursday Hong Kongers faced long queues at some shops as shelves emptied amid concerns over the virus. You can see the South China Morning Post’s front page below.
The US State Department said on Thursday that two planes have left Wuhan, China, en route to the United States amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The State Department statement did not say how many evacuees were on the flights or where in the United States they were headed.
Taiwan and China are embroiled in a new spat over the fate of Taiwanese stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Reuters reports, after Taiwan said one of its citizens sent back on the first flight was infected with coronavirus.
Only one flight from China has so far evacuated 247 of the estimated 500 Taiwanese in Wuhan. Beijing has permitted countries from the United States to Japan to send often several flights to Wuhan to collect their nationals. But Taiwan and China have been unable to agree on further flights to take out the Taiwanese.
Taiwan’s China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said the first flight back, on Monday, had one passenger confirmed to be affected and three others who had fevers. All the passengers are now in quarantine in Taiwan.
The presence of the sick passenger “created a tear in virus prevention”, the council said in a statement on Friday.
“This also caused an overlap infection risk for the people on the same flight, and if there are even more infected people caused by this then the serious consequences don’t bear thinking about.”
China should be prioritising the elderly, the young and other vulnerable groups amongst the Taiwanese and those only on short-term visits to Wuhan to send back first, but China ignored this request when it returned the first batch, it added.
China has said Taiwan should not be putting up obstacles to evacuate the Taiwanese, and further planned evacuation flights this week had been put off due to Taipei blocking them.
“Some people in Taiwan had been bad-mouthing arrangements for the homecoming of Taiwan compatriots, which has fully exposed the vile nature of their ignoring of the Taiwan compatriots’ interests,” China’s Taiwan affairs office said late on Thursday.
Taiwan should stop its “political games” and let the flights resume, it added.
Taiwan and China are already at loggerheads over the handling of the virus outbreak, especially over Taiwan’s exclusion from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Taiwan has 16 cases of the virus.
Here are the nationalities of the newly diagnosed passengers onboard the Diamond Princess: 21 from Japan, eight from the US, five from Australia, five from Canada, one from Argentina and one from Britain.
Japanese health officials said that none of the newly diagnosed patients was displaying severe symptoms of the virus.
Johns Hopkins University has put those updated figures from China into its virus tracker.
Let’s have a look at those figures from China’s National Health Commission in a little more detail.
The vast number of new cases are in Hubei again. Of 3,143 new cases announced, 2,447 were from Hubei province
Of the 73 new deaths, 69 were in Hubei
But perhaps the more interesting figures are the suspected cases and their location.
On Friday the NHC said there are 4,833 new suspected cases and, of that, 2,622, or 54% of those new cases, are in Hubei province – the centre of the infection.
The commission has given this comparison figure each day since last Saturday (previously it was just a national suspected cases figure). Here’s what they showed:
Friday: 4,833 suspected cases; 2,622 or 54% in Hubei
Thursday: 5,328 suspected cases; 3,230 or 60% in Hubei
Wednesday: 3,971 suspected cases; 1957 or 49% in Hubei
Tuesday: 5,072 suspected cases; 3,182 or 63% in Hubei
Monday: 5,173 suspected cases; 3,260 or 70% in Hubei
Sunday: 4,562 suspected cases; 2,606 or 57% in Hubei
Another 41 people quarantined aboard a cruise liner off the coast of Japan have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected passengers to 61.
The dramatic jump in fresh cases follows 10 positive diagnoses among Diamond Princess passengers on Wednesday, and a further 10 on Thursday.
The new cases were among 171 remaining test results. The results of all 273 tests have now been confirmed.
About 3,700 passengers and crew are aboard the ship, but tests were conducted only on people who displayed symptoms or had been in close contact with a Hong Kong man who tested positive after leaving the ship at the end of last month.
Twenty-one of the 41 patients are Japanese, the health minister, Katsunobu Kato, told reporters on Friday. The nationalities of the remaining passengers were not immediately available.
The age range of the newly diagnosed patients suggests that older passengers are particularly vulnerable.
The new cases include three people in their 20s to 40s, three in their 50s, eight in their 60s, 21 in their 70s and six in their 80s, Kato said.
The health ministry said the patients would be transferred to hospitals in Tokyo and several other prefectures, according to public broadcaster NHK.
Australia’s ABC TV is talking to their reporter on the scene where the Diamond Princess is docked. He says some people onboard the ship have been let out of their rooms for short times, but there are others who he believes are still confined to their room.s
Another 41 passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise liner moored in the Japanese port of Yokohama have been diagnosed with coronavirus. This brings the total on the ship to 61. By my calculations also raises Japan’s number of confirmed infections to 86.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, with me, Alison Rourke.
The Chinese Health Commission has just released its latest figures for deaths and infections. The headline figures are 636 deaths and more than 31,000 confirmed infections. I’ll bring you some analysis of the figures shortly, but the other key points so far are:
Japanese media reports another 41 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed on the stricken cruise ship in Yokohama, bringing the total to 61
The doctor who tried to raise the alarm about the virus in its early days, has died after becoming infected
President Xi has declared a “people’s war” on the virus and warned of its global impact on business
Singapore has said it will evacuate its citizens from Wuhan
New cases have been reported in Germany, Italy and Britain
You can stay up-to-date on all of our coronavirus outbreak coverage here, including our latest comment pieces:
Small US businesses are falling victim to the coronavirus too
China’s response to coronavirus exposes a dangerous obsession with secrecy