-
Deaths on mainland China rise to 908 as confirmed cases reach more than 40,000
-
U.K. calls coronavirus a “serious” health threat and will detain people
-
Virus uncertainty weighs on global shares
-
China says 27 foreigners infected, 2 dead
-
WHO will arrive in Beijing today to discuss joint coronavirus mission
-
66 more cases identified on cruise ship off Japan, including 11 Americans
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and updates on the coronavirus outbreak
Number of deaths on mainland China climbs to 908
The number of people killed by the novel coronavirus in China continued to rise Monday, with officials reporting a total of 908 deaths. Officials with China’s National Health Commission had reported 811 deaths Sunday.
The number of confirmed cases rose to 40,171 while officials were dealing with 23,589 suspected cases.
Another 64 cases were reported in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Hundreds of cases have been reported in two dozen other countries, including in the United States, where 12 cases have been confirmed. — Eric Baculinao and Yuliya Talmazan
U.K. calls virus ‘serious’ health threat
Britain has declared the new coronavirus a “serious and imminent threat to public health” and announced new measures to combat the spread of the disease.
The U.K. Department of Health and Social Care said people with the virus can now be forcibly quarantined and will not be free to leave.
It named two British hospitals as isolation facilities for those affected by the disease and designated the Chinese city of Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province where the virus is believed to have first emerged as a “infected area.” — The Associated Press
Let our news meet your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings.
Virus uncertainty weighs on global shares
Global shares fell as the death toll from the outbreak exceeded the SARS epidemic of two decades ago, though Chinese shares rose as authorities lifted some work and travel curbs, helping businesses to resume operations.
The dollar took a breather, trading flat against a basket of peers after gaining over one percent last week. — Reuters
China says 27 foreigners infected, 2 dead
China’s Foreign Ministry said that 27 foreigners in the country have been confirmed infected with the new coronavirus as of Monday morning. Two had died.
An American died on Feb. 6 and a Japanese died on Feb. 8, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing in Beijing.
Three of those patients have recovered and been discharged.
Twenty-two other cases are under treatment, he added. — Eric Baculiano
WHO experts travel to Beijing
China’s Foreign Ministry said the WHO expert group’s advanced team will arrive in Beijing Monday to discuss specific arrangements for the China-WHO joint mission.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros said it was because of China’s “strong measures and Chinese people’s sacrifice” that cross-border spread of the epidemic has been effectively contained, the ministry spokesperson said.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also commended China for its “remarkable efforts” to contain the virus propagation, he added. — Eric Baculiano and Michelle Gooden-Jones
66 more cases on cruise ship, including 11 Americans
Testing on the Diamond Princess docked off of Yokohama, Japan, has revealed 66 more confirmed cases of coronavirus, the cruise operator said on Monday.
The update takes the total of infections on the ship to more than 130, domestic broadcasters TBS and NHK said, citing Japanese health ministry sources.
The new cases are from Australia (four), Canada (one), England (one), Japan (45), Philippines (three), Ukraine (one) and U.S. (11), the company said in a statement.
Diamond Princess was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.
About 3,700 people are aboard the ship. Passengers have been allowed on decks in shifts to get fresh air and encouraged to regularly take their temperature. — F. Brinley Bruton and Reuters