Coronavirus news - live: Outbreak declared international health emergency by WHO, as experts say UK risk has risen
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the “unprecedented” outbreak of coronavirus an international public health emergency, as officials bid to prevent infections in countries with weak healthcare systems. Shortly afterwards, the UK’s four chief medical officers upgraded the risk level in Britain from low to moderate.
The WHO praised China‘s response to the outbreak which began in the city of Wuhan, and said that “we’re all in this together”. Director-general Tedros Adhanom said governments must work together “in a spirit of solidarity” to control the spread of the new pathogen.
Almost 8,000 cases have been recorded, including some 212 deaths. There are about 100 cases in countries outside China, and eight cases of human-to-human transmission in four countries. The announcement came as the UK prepared to bring its nationals back from Wuhan; they will be held in isolation for two weeks at a facility on Merseyside.
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The UK's top medical officers have raised the risk level of coronavirus infections in Britain from low to moderate.
They said: "In light of the increasing number of cases in China and using existing and widely tested models, the four UK chief medical officers consider it prudent for our governments to escalate planning and preparation in case of a more widespread outbreak.
"For that reason, we are advising an increase of the UK risk level from low to moderate. This does not mean we think the risk to individuals in the UK has changed at this stage, but that government should plan for all eventualities.
"As we have previously said, it is likely there will be individual cases and we are confident in the ability of the NHS and HSC in Northern Ireland to manage these in a way that protects the public and provides high quality care."
Moroccan airline joins others in suspending China flights
Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc (RAM) temporarily suspended its direct flights to China due to the coronavirus outbreak, state news agency MAP said on Thursday.
RAM has launched on January 16 a direct link with three flights weekly between its Casablanca hub to Beijing.
Others to suspend flights include British Airways, Lufthansa and Ethiopian Airlines.
US allows embassy workers to leave China
The US State Department has allowed the departure of non-emergency employees at its embassy in Beijing and consulates in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang.
A spokesperson for the government department said it made the decision "out of an abundance of caution" given transportation and healthcare disruptions related to coronavirus.
The announcement came immediately after the WHO’s declaration of an international public health emergency – which in the past has offered diplomatic cover to governments which had previously been unwilling to rock the boat by making certain moves in a situation on the cusp of crisis.
Wuhan evacuees to be housed in former student accommodation - reports
The flight from the epicentre of the outbreak in Wuhan, which will have military medics on board alongside 150 British nationals and 50 others, will land at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
Passengers will then be taken to an NHS facility on the Wirral for a quarantine period of 14 days. The Liverpool Echo reported they would be taken to a former student accommodation block in the grounds of Arrowe Park Hospital.
Janelle Holmes, chief executive of Wirral University Hospital, sent a message to staff on Thursday evening, saying: "Around 100 British citizens will be travelling to the UK from China tomorrow.
"We will be welcoming and housing them in the accommodation block at Arrowe Park Hospital.
"Before arrival they will be screened for symptoms. If anyone becomes unwell after arrival they will be treated following appropriate protocols."
WHO Chief - this is not a vote of no confidence in China
In his comments the chief of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was keen to make clear he had no criticism of the Chinese handling of the outbreak.
"Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China," he said.
"Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems".
Mr Ghebreyesus visited the country and met with Xi Jinping before the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern was made.
Coronavirus confirmed in Italy - PM
The first case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said in a statement.
He added that Rome had blocked all air traffic between the two nations in a bid to stem the spread of the disease.
UK national in Wuhan complains of poor planning by British officials
Chris Hill, a British citizen who lives in Wuhan with his wife and four-year-old daughter, has said he chose not to use the upcoming repatriation flight after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) could not confirm his daughter - a Chinese national - would be allowed onboard.
"I told them immediately, I said 'Oh OK so you cannot confirm in any way that they could travel with me', and they said 'We're trying our best but we can't guarantee anything,' so I said 'No, I'm not going'.
"With the current situation and the way the FCO is handling the diplomatic side of things, I'm just losing faith."
He added: "I actually got an email from the FCO about the flight as well, they said that you have to be at the meeting point by 11pm but I received the email at seven minutes to 11.
"I live about 45 minutes away from the airport and Wuhan has a complete traffic ban.
"There's no cars, there's no taxis, anything, and the FCO say, 'Oh we'll pick you up from Wuhan Tianhe airport but you have to make your own way there'. That gives me a very bad taste in my mouth.
"It's just bad planning."
Germany confirms fifth case
Germany has confirmed a fifth case of the virus in the state of Bavaria.
The nation was one of four listed by the WHO to have experienced a person to person spread of the disease.
The circumstances around the latest confirmed infection are unclear.
Trump says he believes virus is under control
President Donald Trump has said the United States was working very closely with China on the coronavirus outbreak and he believed it was under control.
"We're working very closely with (China) and with a lot of other people and a lot of other countries" on combating the outbreak, Trump said in a speech at an auto parts manufacturer in Warren, Michigan.
"We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment," he said.
His comments came shortly after the disease was declared a publich health emergency of international significance by the World Health Organisation.
US evacuee placed under quarantine after attempting to flee base
One of 195 Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, to a US air base in California to begin 72 hours of voluntary observation for signs of coronavirus infection was placed under mandatory quarantine after trying to leave the facility, public health officials have said.
The individual, whose identity was not disclosed, was presented the quarantine order on Wednesday night, hours after arriving at March Air Reserve Base near Los Angeles on a government-chartered flight from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, officials from the Riverside County Public Health Department said.
An agency spokeswoman added the individual has complied with the order, which requires remaining on the base for the entire 14-day incubation period of the virus, and that no base personnel were exposed to the evacuee in question.
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