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COVID-19: World Must Prepare for Pandemic, WHO
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the world should be preparing for a potential pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus.
In a statement read out at the WHO press conference in Geneva on Monday Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "We must focus on containment whilst doing everything we can to prepare for a potential pandemic.
The WHO does not consider it to be a pandemic yet as "We are not witnessing the uncontained global spread of the virus," said Dr Ghebreyesus.
"Does this virus have pandemic potential?, absolutely it has, are we there yet? from our assessment, not yet," he added.
China Bans Illegal Wildlife Trade
China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), on Monday approved a draft decision on thoroughly banning illegal wildlife trade and eliminating the bad habits of eating wild animals to safeguard people's lives and health.
The aim is to make clear the complete ban on the consumption of wild animals in a timely manner, crack down on the illegal trade in wild animals, and provide a strong legislative guarantee for winning the battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak and protecting people's lives and health before the relevant laws are amended.
Global Stock Markets Plunge
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 1,031.61 points lower, or 3.56%, at 27,960.80. The S&P 500 slid 3.35% to 3,225.89 while the Nasdaq Composite closed 3.71% lower at 9,221.28.
Japans Nikkei 225 plunged 3.97% in early trade as it returned from a holiday, following a selloff in U.S. stocks overnight. The Topix index also declined 3.92%. Shares in Australia also fell sharply, with the S&P/ASX 200 dropping 1.75%, after declining 2% earlier.
Finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies warned during a meeting in Saudi Arabia over the weekend that the coronavirus outbreak could pose a greater threat to the global economy than earlier expected,
1st Case in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman
Afghanistan confirms the first case of coronavirus in the Western province of Herat.
In Bahrain, one Bahraini national who traveled back from Iran is confirmed as infected.
While Kuwait, reported 3 cases of novel coronavirus among people who have traveled to Iran, the three cases were among the 700 people evacuated from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad last week according to state news agency Kuna.
Iraq on Monday confirmed its first novel coronavirus case in an elderly Iranian national living in the southern city of Najaf.
Oman reported its first two cases of coronavirus, and halted flights to and from Iran with immediate effect, the two infected citizens who had returned from Iran are in a stable condition and subject to quarantine at home.
Iran 12 Deaths
Twelve people have died and 61 have been infected with the coronavirus in Iran, Tehrans health ministry said.
Meanwhile more than 10,000 drug addicts have been quarantined in treatment centers in Tehran province to guard against the coronavirus, state-run IRNA news agency reported, citing a local official.
South Korea Update
South Korea confirmed 60 more new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on Tuesday, bringing the total in the country to 893 Seoul also decided to test all followers of the Shincheonji sect for the virus after the religious group agreed to provide a complete list of its members, Yonhap reported.
South Korea has so far reported a total of eight deaths from the novel coronavirus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said on Monday that American travelers should avoid all nonessential travel to South Korea, adding that "older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease."
The start of K-league football season was postponed over virus outbreak.
A frequent visitor to a U.S. airbase in South Korea tested positive for the coronavirus, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday. It is the first time a USFK-related individual has tested positive for the disease, USFK said in a statement.
Japan reports 4th death, Diamond Princess cruise ship
Japan on Tuesday reported a fourth death related to the Diamond Princess cruise ship, of a Japanese passenger aged 80, according to NHK.
3,387 Medics Infected
Since the beginning of the epidemic, 3,387 medics in China have contracted COVID-19. More than 90 percent of them came from Hubei Province. The main reason for these infections is the lack of protective supplies in the beginning
Seventh Deaths in Italy
A seventh person has died in the COVID-19 outbreak in northern Italy, that was the third reported death in a single day in Italy as the number of confirmed cases surged to nearly 232, making Italy the hardest virus-hit country in Europe. Earliertwo elderly men in northern Lombardy died.
ANSA said the seventh victim was an 80-year-old man who had been taken to the hospital last week after suffering a heart attack. Doctors believe he caught the virus there from another patient.
Re-infection Possibility, Very Slim
The possibility for recovered patients to be re-infected with the COVID-19 is very slim: Zhong Nanshan, top Chinese epidemiologist
No Significant Mutation
Coronavirus has not significantly mutated. The animal host has not been confirmed, a bat or a pangolin could be the host: Liang Wannian, Chinese expert of WHO-China Mission on COVID-19
Possibility of Contracting The virus from Patients is 1-5%
1-5% of close contacts with coronavirus patients were later confirmed to be infected as survey showed: WHO-China Mission on COVID-19 study
380 Foreigners Quarantined in N. Korea
North Korea has quarantined nearly 380 foreigners across the country, and the Pyongyang Marathon scheduled in April is canceled amid the COVID-19 outbreak, although no case of infection has been reported in North Korea as of yet: reports
China Issues Travel Warning for U.S. Over Coronavirus Stigma
Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued an advisory on Monday, asking Chinese tourists not to travel to the US for safety reasons. The ministry cited the US' unfair treatment to Chinese tourists, due to its overreaction to the epidemic and the US domestic security situation.
Seafood can spread novel coronavirus?
Rumors said seafood can spread novel coronavirus, since the virus originated in a seafood market in Wuhan.
However, the fact is novel coronavirus has no connection with seafood, and seafood won't transmit the virus, according to Huang Jianrong, deputy director in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University.
People can eat seafood and go to seafood markets, but should avoid contact with wild animals.
Pudong Reduces Enterprises Rents
Pudong New Area of Shanghai will reduce over 1bn yuan in rent for enterprise tenants amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The policy will cover about 8,000 enterprises. Some centrally administered SOEs, private & #foreign firms said they would cut rents to help SMEs: Shanghai official
Wuhan Exemption Announcement, Ineffective
Wuhan retracted lockdown exemption announcement, saying it was released before final approval of the epidemic control command office
Earlier Monday, Wuhan city made a decision to allow city residents not infected with the virus to exit for urgent operations in other cities.
COVID-19 Medics' Children Given Recruitment Priority
Priority is given to children of COVID-19 medical staff in the recruitment process for more than 3,000 jobs in China's top 500 enterprises, following an initiative put forward by the Business Federation of Hubei Province.
Six Provinces Lower Emergency Response Level
Southern Guangdong Province and north China's Shanxi Province adjusted their provincial response level from level one to level two, while the provinces of Liaoning, Guizhou, Yunnan and Gansu lowered their response level to level three.
570 Million Masks Produced Last 20 Days
Chinas face masks production capacity reached 110.3%, and a total of 570 million face masks were produced during the past 20 days: Cong Liang, an official with National Development and Reform Commission
White House May Seek $2.5bn for Coronavirus Response
The Trump administration has proposed a $2.5 billion plan to help fight the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement from the Office of Management and Budget.
Qingdao Special Shuttle Service for Foreign Visitors
Starting from Monday, Qingdao has arranged designated vehicles to shuttle all foreign visitors arriving in the city, to their homes, except those requiring quarantine or observation. Designated hotels will be arranged for visitors on short-term trips or business travels
6% of Chinese Firms face Bankruptcy
About 60% of Chinese firms face operational difficulties due to the novel coronavirus. 6% of them face bankruptcy and 20% see a temporary suspension. Just 5% see no obvious impact from COVID-19: survey
Slovakia Prime Minister COVID-19 Infection, Rumor
"He was overwrought for preparing for the election," Consul general of Slovakia in Shanghai refutes reports that claimed Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini is infected with the COVID-19: reports.
Confirmed in Cases in Hubei Keep on Declining
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