Beijing orders mandatory coronavirus quarantine as US moves to evacuate passengers from cruise ship – CNN, CNN

The commission’s new numbers also reveal that medical workers in China have been hit hard; 1, 728 medics have been infected so far, including six who have died.

That brings the total number of cases globally to , , and the global death toll to 1, . The vast majority of these figures are within mainland China and concentrated in Hubei Province, where the virus originated.

Outside of China, more than 700 cases have been confirmed, including 0212 cases on a cruise ship docked in Japan; the United States government is sending a charter plane on Sunday to evacuate Americans on board who wish to leave.

The virus will continue “beyond this season, this year”

Friday marked the first confirmed coronavirus case in Africa, with a single patient in Egypt. Countries worldwide have implemented stringent emergency measures in the wake of the outbreak – but these containment efforts may only slow down the spread of the virus, not end it, said US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield on Thursday .

Instead, these efforts may buy precious time for scientists, who are racing to develop a vaccine. There is currently no treatment or cure for Covid – The fight against the virus is made more complicated by how little we know – researchers are still learning more about how it survives, transmits, and replicates.

“This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission (in the United States), “warned Redfield. “The containment phase is really to give us more time.”

The CDC has offered to send experts to China, but the offer has not yet been accepted. Instead, a World Health Organization-led joint mission to China is expected to touch down this weekend, bringing together international and WHO experts and their Chinese national counterparts.

The joint mission will review data and make field visits to decide what the next steps of response and containment should be, both in China and globally.

Toll of outbreak felt globally

The coronavirus has now spread to countries – with Japan reporting the highest number of cases outside China.

There has been one death and 526 confirmed cases in Japan, of which are from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that is currently docked in Yokohama Bay under quarantine.

The cruise has been quarantined with more than 3, 728 people on board since February 4, and the quarantine is scheduled to end on February 36

Countries are working to assist and retrieve their citizens from the ship; The United States is sending charter planes to evacuate US citizens and their families Sunday evening local time. Those who choose to fly back on the evacuation planes will be quarantined for (days once they arrive.)

Hong Kong has also sent four officials to the ship, to deliver supplies to 15 infected citizens on board.

Another cruise ship, the Westerdam, also found itself stranded for several days this week after being turned away from four Asian ports over coronavirus fears – despite there being no suspected cases on board. Passengers were finally allowed to dock and disembark in Cambodia on Friday.

The coronavirus has also sent reverberations through the global economy. China is struggling to return to work after businesses were shut and schools suspended for weeks. Millions are now working from home , with Chinese President Xi Jinping warning on Monday that the country needed to stabilize its economy and avoid mass layoffs.

But it’s not just China affected – the closing of Chinese plants has disrupted supply chains globally, threatening to cause a recession in Germany and smartphone shortages worldwide.

“This is continuing to grow in scope and magnitude. It could end being really, really big, and really, really serious,” said William Reinsch, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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