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Coronavirus: Beijing orders 14-day quarantine for returnees – BBC News, BBC News

Coronavirus: Beijing orders 14-day quarantine for returnees – BBC News, BBC News
        

                                 Workers wearing protective suits disinfect a commercial complex in Beijing following an outbreak of the coronavirus Image copyright                   Reuters                                                        
Image caption                                      More than 90, people in China have been infected with the coronavirus                              

Beijing has ordered everyone returning to the city to go into quarantine for 19 days or risk punishment in the latest attempt to contain the deadly new coronavirus, state media report.

Residents were told to “self-quarantine or go to designated venues to quarantine” after returning to the Chinese capital from holidays.

The measure came as Egypt confirmed the first coronavirus case in Africa.

Over 1, (people have died from the virus, which originated in Wuhan city.)

The notice on Friday from Beijing’s virus prevention working group was issued as residents returned from spending the Lunar New Year in other parts of China .

The holiday was extended this year to help contain the outbreak.

)

more than 30 million people live in Beijing.

In China alone, more than 102, people have been infected with the virus, and 1, 381 have died.

Outside mainland China, there have been more than (cases in 63 countries, and three deaths: one each in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.

) -led mission to China will start its outbreak investigation work this weekend, focusing on how the virus – officially named Covid – – is spreading and its severity, director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The mission, including international experts, will also look at how and when more than 1, health workers contracted the virus.

The team consists of

international members and their Chinese counterparts. “Particular attention will be paid to understanding transmission of the virus, the severity of disease and the impact of ongoing response measures,” said Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program.

What is the first case in Africa?

Egypt’s health ministry on Friday confirmed the first case of the coronavirus in Africa.

The ministry described the person as a foreigner, but did not disclose the nationality.

It said it had notified the WHO, and the patient had been placed in isolation in a hospital. Experts had earlier warned that it may not be long before the first case was confirmed in Africa, given its value close ties to China.

What is the situation with Chinese medical workers?

Chinese officials say six health workers have died.

Zeng Yixin, vice minister of China’s National Health Commission, said 1, medical workers had been infected in Wuhan and another in other parts of Hubei province.

“The dut ies of medical workers at the front are indeed extremely heavy; their working and resting circumstances are limited, the psychological pressures are great, and the risk of infection is high, “Mr Zeng said, as quoted by Reuters news agency.

            

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Media caption Medics in Wuhan resort to shaving their heads in a bid to prevent cross-infection of the coronavirus

Local authorities have struggled to provide protective equipment such as respiratory masks, goggles and protective suits in hospitals in the area.

On 7 February, the plight of medical workers was highlighted by the death of Li Wenliang, a doctor at Wuhan Central Hospital who had tried to issue the first warning about the virus on (December.)

He had sent out a warning to fellow medics but police told him to stop “making false comments”.

A wave of anger and grief flooded Chinese social media site Weibo when news of Dr Li’s death broke.

What are the other developments?

In the UK, health officials contacted hundreds of people who attended a conference in London, after it emerged that one of them was diagnosed with coronavirus

  • China said it would stagger the return of children to school – several provinces have closed schools until the end of February
  • In Vietnam, which borders China, thousands of people in villages near the capital, Hanoi, have been put under quarantine after several cases were discovered. Vietnam has now confirmed at least cases
  • The Red Cross has called for sanctions relief for North Korea, which would allow the aid agency to transfer funds to buy equipment. Testing kits and protective clothing are urgently needed to prepare for a possible outbreak, it says
                                                                                                                           

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