South Korea urged citizens on Saturday to stay indoors as it warned of a “critical moment” in its battle against the coronavirus after recording the biggest daily jump in infections, with 594 new cases taking the tally to 2,931.
South Korea is grappling with the largest outbreak of the virus outside China, as a new death took the toll to 17, amid a record daily increase in infections since the country confirmed its first patient on January 20.
In China – the epicentre of the deadly disease – the National Health Commission reported on Saturday at least 47 new coronavirus deaths, bringing to 2,835 the number of fatalities nationwide.
There were also 427 new infections, up from 327 the previous day, pushing the confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 79,251, and more than 83,000 worldwide.
Meanwhile, the US State Department raised its alert level for Italy, warning Americans to reconsider travel due to the outbreak.
Italy has reported 650 coronavirus cases and 17 deaths, the most in Europe.
As this developed, the US states of California and Oregon reported two new cases of infection from unknown origins.
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) had warned that the spread of the virus is “getting bigger”.
Here are the latest updates:
Saturday, February 29
Here’s a quick summary of the latest developments:
South Korea has reported 594 new coronavirus cases, the most reported infections in a single day since the outbreak began. The new numbers bring the total in the country to 2,931, with 16 deaths.
Meanwhile, the United States has reported cases in California and Oregon of unknown origin, alarming health officials.
Keep following us here for today’s latest updates.
04:33 GMT Japan to create fund to subsidise parents during school closure
Japan’s government plans to create a fund to help companies pay subsidies to workers who need to take days off to look after their children while schools are closed, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday, without citing sources.
The move comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday asked local authorities to shut schools from Monday in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
This means students will be out from Monday at least until the new academic year starts in early April, prompting Japanese parents, along with teachers and businesses, to scramble to find new ways to cope.
Infections from the virus in Japan have topped 200, with five deaths – including one on Friday of a man in his 70s. That excludes more than 700 infections and five more deaths from the quarantined cruise liner Diamond Princess, docked in Yokohama.
03:42 GMT – UN chief recommends ministers, diplomats skip meeting due to coronavirus risks – letter
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recommended that ministers and diplomats skip a meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York next month due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
More than 7,000 people usually attend the annual meeting, officials said, which is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is due to be held from March 9 to 20.
However, in a letter to UN member states from the chair of the commission, Armenia’s UN Ambassador Mher Margaryan said Guterres had recommended that member states “shorten and scale down the session” and cancel dozens of side events.
02:45 GMT – Oregon reports first coronavirus case of unknown origin
The US state of Oregon has reported its first coronavirus case, which is of unknown origin.
According to the statement from Oregon health officials, the infected individual – identified as a resident of Washington County – had neither history of travel to a country where the virus was circulating, nor is believed to have had close contact with another confirmed case.
Public health officials are considering it a likely community-transmitted case, which means that the origin of the infection is unknown, the statement added.
The state of Oregon is located just north of the state of California, which reported its second infection late on Friday – also of unknown origin.
01:25 GMT – South Korea reports 594 new coronavirus cases, total hits 2,931
South Korea reported 594 new coronavirus cases, raising the country’s total infections to 2,931, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday.
00:42 GMT – China reports 427 new coronavirus cases, 47 deaths
Mainland China had 427 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Friday, the country’s National Health Commission said on Saturday, up from 327 cases a day earlier.
That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 79,251.
The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 2,835 as of the end of Friday, up by 47 from the previous day.
Of the total number of deaths, at least 45 were from Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak. Of the 45 deaths in Hubei, 37 were from the city of Wuhan.
00:10 GMT – California confirms second coronavirus case
The US state of California has confirmed a second case of coronavirus.
“Now, we have a case who did not recently travel or come in contact with anyone known to be ill,” Sara Cody, the director of public health for Santa Clara County, near San Francisco, told reporters.
She said the second patient is an adult woman who is being treated at a hospital.
23:19 GMT (Friday) – US urges citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Italy
The US on Friday warned against non-essential travel to Italy, a top destination for US tourists, over the growing coronavirus epidemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “recommends that travellers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy. There is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas,” it said in a statement.
The State Department raised its travel advice a notch for Italy to “reconsider travel”.
23:04 GMT (Friday) – US postpones summit with ASEAN leaders
The US will postpone a meeting with leaders of Southeast Asian countries it planned to host on March 14, amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, two US officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.
US President Donald Trump had invited leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian nations to meet in Las Vegas after he did not attend a summit with the group in Bangkok in November.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
19:50 GMT (Friday) – Two South Africans test positive in Japan
Two South Africans on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a state-run medical institute.
“We confirm that these citizens are currently being treated in Japan and are in good care,” said a statement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES