Coronavirus news - live: Outbreak declared international health emergency by WHO, as experts say UK risk has risen

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Coronavirus: Britons will not fly home from Wuhan on Thursday

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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Key Points

• WHO declares international emergency
• Evacuation flight from Wuhan to depart on Friday, Foreign Office says
• First confirmed UK case 'highly likely' within days
• UK 'asks China to allow relatives of British nationals to leave Wuhan'
• British Airways extends flight cancellations to end of February
• Russia closes land border with China, local media reports

[30 January 2020 22:53 · Vincent Wood]

Death toll in China rises to 212

Chinese officials have confirmed the death toll in Hubei province has risen to 204 - with 212 deaths reported nationwide.

Reports from China's state broadcaster CCTV added that 1,200 new cases had been confirmed in the last 24 hours.