Coronavirus wrap: Toll crosses 1,000; 'public enemy number 1', says WHO

The death toll from the novel coronavirus in China jumped to 811 on Saturday, with the number of confirmed cases rising to 34,646. Catch LIVE update

3:11 AM

How the coronavirus outbreak could kill steel's fragile recovery

As steel production in China in 2019 was up by an impressive, but so­mewhat unexpected 8.3 per cent to 996.3 million tonnes (mt), the country’s share of the world output of 1.87 billion tonnes (bt) rose to 53.9 per cent from 50.9 per cent in 2018. In aluminium and copper too, the world’s second largest economy has a predominantly big share of global production and consumption. What is more, with the country being ag­gressively engaged in infrastructure bui­lding and construction ac­tivities with stimulus often provided by Beijing, most of its metal production is consumed locally. Read more.

3:10 AM

Coronavirus crisis credit negative for Asia-Pacific port operators: Moody's

The outbreak of coronavirus in China is credit-negative for Asia-Pacific’s (APAC’s) port operators, given that it has disrupted domestic and global supply chains and has lowered discretionary consumer spending. This will lead to reduced throughput growth of APAC’s ports in 2020. Read more.

3:08 AM

Beijing's dangerous groupthink epidemic

The eruption of anger on China’s so­cial media platforms after the death late last week of Li Wenliang, a doctor in Wuhan who raised the alarm about the outbreak of a mysterious pneumonia-like virus witnessed at the city’s hospitals several weeks before the local and national government declared an emergency on January 22, has been so unrestrained that it appeared as if Communist censors have gone on strike. Read more.

3:06 AM

'Sick' pharma PSU offers to step in to reduce China drug dependence

The coronavirus outbreak has exposed India’s vulnerability when it comes to sourcing crucial raw materials for medicines from China, which meets about 70 per cent of the country's bulk drugs, or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), requirement. Read more.

11:24 PM

Vaccine for new coronavirus could be ready in 18 months: WHO

The first vaccine targeting China's coronavirus could be available in 18 months, "so we have to do everything today using available weapons", World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva on Tuesday.
 

He said the virus had been named COVID-19, explaining that it was important to avoid stigma and that other names could be inaccurate.

11:20 PM

Coronavirus emergency is 'public enemy number 1': WHO

China's coronavirus outbreak poses a "very grave threat for the rest of the world" and should be viewed as "Public Enemy Number 1", the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
 

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to step up measures to detect and contain the virus, especially in at least 30 countries with weaker health systems, where it could "create havoc".

11:19 PM

Cisco, Facebook, Sprint pull out of Barcelona meet over coronavirus fears

Cisco Systems Inc, Sprint Corp and Facebook Inc on Tuesday became the latest US technology companies to pull out of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona due to the coronavirus outbreak.
 

A number of companies ranging from Japan's NTT Docomo and Sony Corp to US chipmakers Intel Corp and Nvidia have already dropped out of the four-day international telecoms conference that draws in more than 100,000 visitors.

11:14 PM

Three under observation in Maharashtra; 25,782 screened

Three patients are under observation in hosptials in Maharashtra for the novel coronavirus and nearly 25,800 passengers have been screened at the airport in Mumbai since January 18 for possible exposure to the infection, state health officials said on Tuesday.
 

Of these patients, who showed symptoms similar to the coronavirus (2019-nCoV), two are in Pune-based Naidu Hospital, while one is in Mumbai's civic-run Kasturba Hospital, they said.
 

No confirmed case of the viral infection, which originated in China, has been found in the state so far.

11:13 PM

Maharashtra woman appeals for rescue from Wuhan in China

A woman from Satara district of Maharashtra stranded in Wuhan in China due to the novel coronavirus outbreak there has appealed to the Centre through social media to airlift her and several compatriots facing a similar situation.
 

Ashini Avinash Patil, in a video being circulated on social media, claimed she was stuck in Wuhan, one of the worst-hit cities in China, along with 70-80 other Indians.

11:11 PM

Smartphone industry feels impact of supply disruption due to coronavirus outbreak in China

The Indian smartphone industry, which relies heavily on China for components and sub-assemblies, has started feeling the impact of supply disruptions in certain product categories due to the coronavirus outbreak, market watchers said on Tuesday.
 

The industry is keeping a close watch to see if shuttered factories in China reopen in the coming days and supplies resume sometime this week.
 

"Yes, the industry is already feeling the impact and some products and models have been impacted. It is still early to draw any conclusion as select factories are slated to resume production in a phased manner," India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo told PTI.

11:10 PM

First new coronavirus case found among evacuees from China to US

The first confirmed case of novel coronavirus has been found among hundreds of people who were evacuated from China to military bases around the United States, it was reported Monday.
 

The adult and three other evacuees had been in hospital isolation after showing symptoms of the virus but on Sunday, federal health officials said they had tested negative and they were sent back to the base, where they joined more than 200 people who are under a 14-day quarantine.

11:08 PM

Novel coronavirus named 'Covid-19': UN health agency

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday said "Covid-19" would be the new official name for the deadly coronavirus that was first identified in China on December 31.
 

"We now have a name for the disease and it's Covid-19," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, explaining that "co" stood for "corona", "vi" for "virus" and "d" for "disease".

8:49 PM

Cruise ship Diamond Princess expected to remain in quarantine until at least February 19

People on board the ship on Tuesday tweeted that medicines were being delivered to passengers, and that the ship's captain had announced the vessel would head out to sea overnight to produce fresh water and other operations.
 

Japan has evacuated hundreds of its citizens from Wuhan since the outbreak began. They have been asked to self-quarantine, with most staying in government-appointed hotels for a period of 14 days.
 

Evacuees from the first flight, which landed January 29, are expected to be released from self-quarantine this week after undergoing an additional test for the virus, officials said.

 

8:47 PM

Cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama

So far, 135 people on board the Diamond Princess have tested positive for the virus since it arrived off Japan on Monday. Authorities on Tuesday were removing from the ship the most recently diagnosed 65 crew and passengers.
 

The ship was carrying 3,711 people when it arrived off Japan on the evening of February 3, and was officially placed into quarantine two days later. Only those diagnosed with the virus or suffering other serious health conditions have been allowed off the boat, which is expected to remain in quarantine until at least February 19.

8:41 PM

Two Japanese citizens evacuated from Wuhan diagnosed with coronavirus

Two Japanese citizens evacuated from the epicentre of a novel coronavirus outbreak have been diagnosed with the infection after initially testing negative, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

8:35 PM

Coronavirus : Arunachal strengthens surveillance

The Arunachal Pradesh government has strengthened surveillance in all districts of the state in the wake of the outbreak of novel coronavirus in neighbouring China, a government official said here on Tuesday.
 

A 24x7 state control room has been set up at the state surveillance unit (SSU) here, state surveillance officer L Jampa informed.

8:26 PM

UN meeting ponders fast-track drugs, vaccines for coronavirus

The World Health Organisation convened outside experts Tuesday to fast-track promising tests, drugs and vaccines to help slow the outbreak of a new virus that emerged in China that has killed more than 1,000 people and spread to two dozen other countries.
 

The new coronavirus was only identified late last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan and there are no licensed drugs or vaccines.

6:27 PM

Coronavirus outbreak could disrupt supply chains in mid-term: Ind-Ra

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) on Tuesday said coronavirus outbreak could disrupt supply chains and impact credits in the medium term.
 

The ratings agency, however, said supply chains of Indian companies are unlikely to be materially affected in the near term if the outbreak remains contained in Hubei province.
 

On the other hand, if it spreads over the next three to four months, sectors like pharmaceuticals, textiles and automobiles could face supply disruptions for critical raw materials, Ind-Ra said in a statement.

6:18 PM

WHO warns of 'very grave' global coronavirus threat

The head of the World Health Organisation on Tuesday warned the novel coronavirus was a "very grave threat" for the world as he opened a conference to combat the epidemic.
 

"With 99% of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva.

5:54 PM

Coronovirus outbreak unlikely to impact Indian port operators: Moody's

Coronavirus outbreak in China is expected to have a minimal impact on the Indian ports it rates due to low China-related throughput they handle, ratings agency Moody's Investors Service said on Tuesday.
 

The agency, however, said the outbreak is a "credit negative" for port operators in Asia Pacific.

5:41 PM

China defends Pakistan, Nepal's decision to not to evacuate their nationals from coronavirus-hit Wuhan

China on Tuesday defended Pakistan and Nepal governments' decision to not to evacuate their citizens from the coronavirus-hit Wuhan city despite their desperate pleas, saying it has taken "effective measures" to respond to the concerns of the stranded foreign nationals.
 

Hundreds of Pakistani and Nepali students are still held up in Wuhan and some of them have said that they feel abandoned by their governments which were “sacrificing” them in order to keep their relationships with China strong.

5:31 PM

Vivo, Intel, Amdocs pull out of Mobile World Congress 2020

Chinese handset company Vivo, chipset maker Intel and some other global brands on Tuesday announced to have pulled out of international telecom sector event Mobile World Congress 2020 due to novel coronavirus outbreak.

 

"Vivo has been closely monitoring the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP) outbreak and continuously evaluating planned activities. The health and safety of our employees and the public are our top priority. Based on the present situation, we have decided to withdraw from our debut at MWC 2020 and other related events later this month in Barcelona, Spain," Vivo said in a statement.

5:28 PM

Sensex snaps 2-day slide as global markets regain footing despite coronavirus overhang

Markets snapped their two-session slide to close with smart gains on Tuesday, mirroring optimism in the global markets as investors wagered on limited economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
 

Led by gains in index heavyweights RIL, ICICI Bank and HDFC, the 30-share BSE Sensex settled 236.52 points, or 0.58 per cent, higher at 41,216.14.
 

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 76.40 points, or 0.64 per cent, to 12,107.90.

5:09 PM

Thailand yields to virus fears, bars docking of cruise ship

Thai health authorities have barred a cruise ship from docking that has already been turned away by the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan out of concern over a new virus, although no cases have been confirmed on board.

 

The chief of the Department of Disease Control, Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, said Tuesday that the Public Health Ministry had rejected a request from the crew of the MS Westerdam to dock at Laem Chabang in eastern Thailand.

 

He said the ministry will further consider how to deal with the ship's situation. It began its cruise on Jan 16 in Singapore. Shipowner Holland America Line says there are no known cases of the virus on board.

 

4:52 PM

Nepal prepares to evacuate its citizens from virus-hit Wuhan city in China

Nepal is preparing to bring back its 180 nationals struck in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus that has killed over 1,000 people, officials said here.

 

The disease emerged in December in a market in central China's Wuhan city that sold wild animals, and spread rapidly.

 

Outside China, there have been more than 350 infections reported in almost 30 places with two deaths, one in the Philippines and the other in Hong Kong.

 

Nepal government is preparing to bring back Nepalese nationals currently residing in Wuhan city of China through a chartered flight of Nepal Airlines in a few days, official sources said.

4:37 PM

As coronavirus fails to ease, interest in 'force majeure'

With the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Hubei province, China, showing no signs of abating any time soon, some companies that buy and sell goods in the Chinese market are taking interest in the legal defense of "force majeure."

 

The death toll in China from the epidemic continues to climb and now stands above 1,000, more than the SARS epidemic two decades ago, with more than 42,000 confirmed cases in China and 319 cases in 24 other countries.

 

Force majeure refers to unexpected external circumstances that prevent a party to a contract from meeting their obligations.

4:10 PM

China tightens movement restrictions in locked-down

China tightened restrictions at the locked-down epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday, forbidding feverish people in Wuhan from visiting hospitals outside of their home districts.

 

The measure comes a day after authorities sealed off residential compounds in the central city, where the deadly novel coronavirus is believed to have originated in a market selling wild animals.

 

Wuhan has been under effective quarantine since January 23 when the government suspended transport links out of the city in a bid to contain the virus, which has so far killed 1,016 people and infected more than 42,600 across China.

4:10 PM

Smartphone industry feels impact of supply disruption due to coronavirus outbreak in China

The Indian smartphone industry, which relies heavily on China for components and sub-assemblies, has started feeling the impact of supply disruptions in certain products category due to the coronavirus outbreak, market watchers said on Tuesday.

 

The industry is keeping a close watch to see if shuttered factories in China reopen in the coming days and supplies resume sometime this week.

 

"Yes, the industry is already feeling the impact and some products and models have been impacted. It is still early to draw any conclusion as select factories are slated to resume production in a phased manner," India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo told PTI.

3:47 PM

Chinese expert says coronavirus may peak soon as death toll surges past 1,000

China's coronavirus outbreak may peak soon, a prominent Chinese expert said on Tuesday, as the death toll soared past 1,000 and worry grew about the true extent of economic disruption to the world's second-largest economy.

 

Companies struggled to get back to work after an extended Lunar New Year holiday, while hundreds of Chinese firms said they would need loans running into billions of dollars to stay afloat. Layoffs also began, despite assurances by President Xi Jinping that widespread sackings would be avoided.

 

The government's top medical adviser on the outbreak, Zhong Nanshan, held out hope that the epidemic may peak in February and then plateau before easing.

3:46 PM

Coronavirus emergency "holds a very grave threat" for world: WHO

China's coronavirus outbreak poses a "very grave threat for the rest of the world", the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday in an appeal for sharing virus samples and speeding up research into drugs and vaccines.

 

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was addressing the start of a two-day meeting aimed at accelerating research into drugs, diagnostics and vaccines into the flu-like virus amid growing concerns about its ability to spread.

 

To date China has reported 42,708 confirmed cases, including 1,017 deaths, Tedros said.

 

"With 99% of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world," he told more than 400 researchers and national authorities, including some taking part by video conference from mainland China and Taiwan.