Morning brief: Wuhan coronavirus update for Feb 1, 2020

As of 5am, Feb 1, 2020:

CHINA: There are 9,798 confirmed cases of infection in China. The death count of the virus has risen to 213 people—42 more than yesterday—and no deaths have yet been reported outside of mainland China. Macao has reported no new cases, maintaining its count at seven cases of the Wuhan coronavirus, while Hong Kong’s reported two more cases, bringing its case number up to 12. On Friday (Jan 31), China chartered two flights to bring stranded travellers from the Hubei province back home. The flights will be headed for Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported another three cases of the Wuhan coronavirus in Singapore on Friday (Jan 31), bringing the total number of infected persons in the country to 16. Case 14 is a 31-year-old Chinese man with a Singapore work pass who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on Jan 26. He is currently in the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Before admission, the man stayed at his place in Jurong East Street 13. Case 15 is a 47-year-old Singaporean woman, one of the 92 citizens evacuated from Wuhan (along with her family) on Thursday (Jan 30). She is also warded in an isolation room at NCID. Case 16 is a 38-year-old Chinese man who arrived in Singapore on Jan 22 on a flight from Wuhan. He is in an isolation room at the Singapore General Hospital. MOH said that all three new cases are in stable condition. On Friday (Jan 31), Singapore declared travel restrictions for and suspended visas of all Chinese visitors.

ASEAN: On Friday (Jan 31), Thailand confirmed five additional cases of coronavirus, bringing the country total to 19. Singapore reported three new cases to reach a new total of 16. Malaysia has eight cases, Vietnam has five cases, and the Philippines and Cambodia both have 1 confirmed case each.

ASIA: India, currently with one confirmed case of the virus, announced that it would be evacuating 400 of its citizens on a “special” flight with Air India on Friday (Jan 31) from Wuhan. In South Korea, the 200 citizens who were flown home from Wuhan were met with a mix of welcome signs and protests that they would spread the coronavirus in the country. Japan’s case count has increased to 17, Taiwan has 10 cases, the United Arab Emirates has four cases, Nepal has one case and Sri Lanka has one case. Israel’s Ministry of Health is requiring all passengers returning to the country from mainland China to self-quarantine for 14 days to minimise the chances of transmission.

EUROPE: The United Kingdom reported its first two cases of the Wuhan coronavirus on Friday (Jan 31). The patients, who are members of the same family, were brought by the National Health Service to the High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) treatment centre in Newcastle, northeast England. Russia has announced its first two Wuhan coronavirus cases—Chinese citizens. The country will begin evacuating around 600 citizens from Wuhan and Hubei. On Friday (Jan 31), Sweden’s Public Health Authority confirmed its first case of the  coronavirus, a woman in Jönköping county who had visited the Wuhan area of China. A day after confirming its first two confirmed cases of the virus, Italy has declared a state of emergency throughout the nation and has also suspended flights to and from China.

NORTH AMERICA: The United States has reported seven cases of the coronavirus so far. The country’s top infectious disease doctor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says a study published Thursday night (Jan 30) shows people can spread the Wuhan coronavirus even before symptoms begin to show. Delta Airlines in the US will temporarily suspend all flights from the US to China from February 6 through April 30, due to concerns relating to the virus. On Friday (Jan 31), Canada evacuated a group of diplomatic staff along with their family members from mainland China. Those at higher risk, like the elderly, those with existing medical conditions or those with mental health concerns were flown out of China on Thursday (Jan 30).

AUSTRALIA: At least nine cases so far have been reported in Australia. The Australian Government is making arrangements to help isolated and vulnerable Australian citizens leave Wuhan and is setting up a quarantine facility on Christmas Island where patients will be quarantined for 14 days.

AFRICA: As of yet, no confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus have been reported in the region. On Friday (Jan 31), African Airlines, Kenya’s national carrier, suspended all flights to and from China, to mitigate the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.

/TISG