China faces isolation as toll hits 259 US imposes curbs on foreigners who have been to Beijing, Apple closes stores

People wearing face masks walk past buildings lit up with slogans of encouragement in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province (AP)

Reuters, 2.02.20, Shanghai: China faced mounting isolation from international travel curbs and flight suspensions on Saturday as the death toll from a spreading coronavirus outbreak rose to 259.

The epidemic has led to mass evacuations of foreign citizens and risks exacerbating a slowdown in growth in the world’s second-largest economy. Russia said its aerospace defence forces — part of the armed forces — would begin flying its citizens out on Saturday.

Inside China, Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, was under a virtual quarantine, with roads sealed off and public transport shut down. Elsewhere, local authorities placed growing restrictions on travel and business.

China’s National Health Commission said there were 2,102 new confirmed infections in China on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791. Around two dozen other countries have reported another 137 cases. The death toll rose by 46 to 259.

The Chinese data would suggest it is less deadly than the 2002-03 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 800 people of the some 8,000 it infected, although such numbers can evolve rapidly.

In Beijing, counters were set up at the entrances of housing estates, where volunteers wearing red arm bands and masks noted down details of residents coming back from their hometowns after the Lunar New Year holiday.

“As long as I am properly protected and don’t go to crowded places, I don’t feel scared at all about my hometown or Beijing,” said a 58-year-old migrant worker surnamed Sun. Others were more worried.

“There will be a huge number of people returning to the city. I think it will put Beijing at risk of more infections,” said Zhang Chunlei, 45, another returning migrant worker.

In Hubei, the provincial government extended the holiday break to February 13 in a bid to contain the outbreak, the Hubei Daily reported.

The WHO has said global trade and travel restrictions are not needed. But Singapore and the US announced measures on Friday to ban foreign nationals who have recently been in China from entering their territories. ReutersChina faced mounting isolation from international travel curbs and flight suspensions on Saturday as the death toll from a spreading coronavirus outbreak rose to 259.

The epidemic has led to mass evacuations of foreign citizens and risks exacerbating a slowdown in growth in the world’s second-largest economy. Russia said its aerospace defence forces — part of the armed forces — would begin flying its citizens out on Saturday.

Inside China, Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, was under a virtual quarantine, with roads sealed off and public transport shut down. Elsewhere, local authorities placed growing restrictions on travel and business.

China’s National Health Commission said there were 2,102 new confirmed infections in China on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791. Around two dozen other countries have reported another 137 cases. The death toll rose by 46 to 259.

The Chinese data would suggest it is less deadly than the 2002-03 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 800 people of the some 8,000 it infected, although such numbers can evolve rapidly.

In Beijing, counters were set up at the entrances of housing estates, where volunteers wearing red arm bands and masks noted down details of residents coming back from their hometowns after the Lunar New Year holiday.

“As long as I am properly protected and don’t go to crowded places, I don’t feel scared at all about my hometown or Beijing,” said a 58-year-old migrant worker surnamed Sun. Others were more worried.

“There will be a huge number of people returning to the city. I think it will put Beijing at risk of more infections,” said Zhang Chunlei, 45, another returning migrant worker.

In Hubei, the provincial government extended the holiday break to February 13 in a bid to contain the outbreak, the Hubei Daily reported.

The WHO has said global trade and travel restrictions are not needed. But Singapore and the US announced measures on Friday to ban foreign nationals who have recently been in China from entering their territories. ReutersChina faced mounting isolation from international travel curbs and flight suspensions on Saturday as the death toll from a spreading coronavirus outbreak rose to 259.

The epidemic has led to mass evacuations of foreign citizens and risks exacerbating a slowdown in growth in the world’s second-largest economy. Russia said its aerospace defence forces — part of the armed forces — would begin flying its citizens out on Saturday.

Inside China, Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, was under a virtual quarantine, with roads sealed off and public transport shut down. Elsewhere, local authorities placed growing restrictions on travel and business.

China’s National Health Commission said there were 2,102 new confirmed infections in China on Friday, bringing the total to 11,791. Around two dozen other countries have reported another 137 cases. The death toll rose by 46 to 259.

The Chinese data would suggest it is less deadly than the 2002-03 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 800 people of the some 8,000 it infected, although such numbers can evolve rapidly.

In Beijing, counters were set up at the entrances of housing estates, where volunteers wearing red arm bands and masks noted down details of residents coming back from their hometowns after the Lunar New Year holiday.

“As long as I am properly protected and don’t go to crowded places, I don’t feel scared at all about my hometown or Beijing,” said a 58-year-old migrant worker surnamed Sun. Others were more worried.

“There will be a huge number of people returning to the city. I think it will put Beijing at risk of more infections,” said Zhang Chunlei, 45, another returning migrant worker.

In Hubei, the provincial government extended the holiday break to February 13 in a bid to contain the outbreak, the Hubei Daily reported.

The WHO has said global trade and travel restrictions are not needed. But Singapore and the US announced measures on Friday to ban foreign nationals who have recently been in China from entering their territories. 

Reuters Beijing: Six Indians are stranded in Wuhan after they were stopped from boarding the first special Air India flight to India because of high fever, officials said on Saturday.

The first flight left early on Saturday with 324 Indians, mostly students from Wuhan. Officials here said six Indians could not board the flight as they were stopped by the Chinese immigration officials after they were tested for high temperature. 

They may have to undergo tests to determine whether they have symptoms of the coronavirus. 

Ahead of the evacuation, the Indian embassy had informed the Indians that they will be tested before the flight and undergo 14 day quarantine after reaching India. PTI.