Live Reporting
- Loo roll, pasta, rice and hand soap - these are just a few of the many items that have been wiped off shelves amid a panic-buying frenzy.But is there actually any reason for people to worry? Find out here.
- Medical supplies such as masks, gloves, googles, gowns and hand hygiene products are to be sent to North Korea, a spokesman from Médecins Sans Frontières told news site NK News.MSF was granted an exemption from international sanctions, enabling it to send the equipment.The supplies have now arrived in Beijing and will eventually make their way across the border to China, though it's not clear how long this might take.North Korea says there are no virus cases in the country, though experts have cast doubt on this.
- It's not a comprehensive list, but here are some things you might want to take note of:
- A celebrated Australian composer, Brett Dean, has been diagnosed with coronavirus, his agency has confirmed.The renowned violist and conductor is being treated in a hospital in Adelaide, South Australia.The 58-year-old had been due to lead the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at a concert on Saturday, but has now withdrawn from the Adelaide Festival event.Mr Dean, who had returned from Taiwan on Tuesday, had experienced symptoms “similar to pneumonia” in recent days, said festival director Rob Brookman.He had only been in contact with three other people, who are now in self-quarantine.“He was feeling unwell so he never made it into rehearsal with the symphony orchestra, so he's not been in touch with the orchestra,” Mr Brookman told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- South Korea's presidential office has not held back after Japan announced a two-week quarantine for South Korean visitors."While our country is sternly dealing with Covid-19 under its scientific and transparent quarantine system that is highly evaluated by the rest of the world, Japan is losing its faith from the international community because of its ambiguous and passive quarantine efforts," Cheong Wa Dae said.Earlier in the day, Seoul's foreign ministry expressed "extreme regret" over Japan's decision, and threatened reciprocal action.Japan has recently been criticised for its handling of the outbreak - and not just by South Korea.Most of this criticism concerns the Diamond Princess cruise ship which was docked in Japan last month.Some critics said that by attempting a quarantine on the ship, Japanese officials essentially turned the boat into a floating incubator.Six people who'd been on the ship later died.
- As some parts of Australia face a toilet roll shortage caused by panic buying, it seems the product has become precious cargo...
- The Philippines has confirmed two more virus cases - a man that had travelled to Japan, and another man who has no travel history to any affected country.But it's still too early to say whether the latest case shows that local transmission is taking place.
- An Australian family who accidentally ordered 48 boxes instead of 48 rolls of toilet paper have found themselves saddled with 2,304 rolls, according to an ABC report.They were charged A$3,264 instead of $68 - something that somehow went unnoticed until the order showed up on their doorstep.They say it's enough to last them 12 years - and it couldn't come at a better time.The coronavirus has now sent Australia into a toilet paper buying frenzy with shelves running empty.The family's making the most of the opportunity and are now selling their excess toilet paper to help raise money for their daughter's school.
- Read our earlier report on the loo roll bubble here
- South Korea has criticised Japan's decision to quarantine South Korean visitors for two weeks, calling it "unreasonable and excessive".Japan defended the move, saying it was the result of a "comprehensive review".But it now seems South Korea might engage in tit-for-tat, with its National Security Council saying it would "explore countermeasures based on principles of reciprocity", reported Reuters.The two nations share a complicated history - going back way beyond the virus.The dispute is rooted in disagreements over whether Japan has made appropriate reparations for its former occupation of the Korean peninsula.
- A helicopter crew has dropped virus testing kits to a cruise ship that's being kept off the coast of California.The ship is not allowed to dock in San Francisco. A previous passenger on an earlier journey died after disembarking - and some people who travelled with him on the earlier voyage are still on board.Around 3,500 people are on board and at least 35 have flu-like symptoms.
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- The Chinese province of Hubei - excluding the capital of Wuhan - reported no new cases of the virus over 24 hours.This is the first time the province has reported no new infections - as attention in the country has turned to potential infections arriving from overseas.Wuhan - the city where the virus first emerged - reported 126 new cases on Thursday.But a Chinese government expert says the number of new infections in Wuhan may drop to zero by the end of this month - though it's not clear how accurate this statement might be.There are currently over 80,000 coronavirus cases in China.
- A man in New Zealand who has tested positive for the virus had earlier attended a rock concert - which was packed full with thousands of people.The man in his 30s, who is the partner of a woman who was confirmed to have the virus, attended the Tool concert at Spark Arena in Auckland on 28 Feb.The country's director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the man was in the general admission standing area, encouraging those who had been in the same area to "be aware of symptoms".
- Australian airline Qantas on Friday said it would cut more flights as a result of dropping demand.The cuts include routes to Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka, Hong Kong and Auckland.The airline sad that "further changes are expected".With the virus spreading rapidly in Asia, Europe and the US, international tourist bookings to Australia plunged by 56% over the last month, according to the country's tourism minister Simon Birmingham.Australia itself has 60 confirmed cases.
- The patient is a 76-year-old man from the US, who travelled to Bhutan as a tourist, said the Prime Minister's Office of Bhutan in a statement on Facebook.He left Washington DC on 18 February and together with his partner toured India from 21 February to 1 March - before heading to Bhutan on 2 March.He did not show any signs of fever upon arriving in Bhutan, but days later was found to have a fever, sore throat, cough and shortness of breath.The US man, who suffers from chronic hyptertension, has now been isolated and is on oxygen support.Bhutan is now working to trace all those who might have come into contact with him.
- The US has admitted that they don't have enough coronavirus test kits, as the number of cases in the country continues to grow.Vice-President Mike Pence said they would not be able to meet the target of delivering one million test kits this week. He added the kits would be available by the end of next week.It comes as US President Trump admitted that the virus "might have an impact" on the economy, but added that everything was "going to work out".Twelve people in the US have died from the virus - all but one of the victims were from the US state of Washington.
- Australia has announced its first school closure after a 16-year-old student tested positive for the virus.Prime Minister Scott Morrison also warned that the public bill for treating patients could be more than A$1 billion ($661 million).Australia has recorded 60 cases of the new virus, while two elderly people have died.
- Passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of San Francisco remain stuck onboard.The national coast guard has flown coronavirus test kits onto the ship by helicopter. There are around 35 people with flu-like symptoms on board and until they have all tested negative, no one will be allowed to disembark."I can't get over how the news is sensationalizing our ship," one passenger told news agency AFP."There were two cases on the previous cruise and they act like everybody on board has the plague."
- Hello and welcome to today's rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.Here's a quick glance at some of the major developments that have unfolded over the past few hours:
- More coronavirus cases in China have been brought in from other virus-hit countries. Of the country's 17 new cases outside Hubei on Thursday - 16 were imported in
- Australia has now ordered its first school closure, after a 16-year-old student tested positive
- South Korea have confirmed 518 more cases, bringing the total number of cases to 6,284. Some 43 people have died
- Saudi Arabia has re-opened two of the most holy religious sites in Islam - they were previously closed for cleaning
- Thousands of passengers on a cruise ship still remain quarantined off the coast of the US state of San Francisco. Helicopters have dropped in testing kits
- The UK has reported its first death - a woman in her 70s with underlying health problems
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