The death toll in mainland China from the coronavirus has surged to 811, the National Health Commission said on Sunday, as a Japanese and an American became the first foreigners to die of the illness in China.
The Commission reported 89 deaths nationwide up to midnight on Saturday with 81 of the fatalities in Hubei, the central province at the heart of the outbreak.
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More people have now died from coronavirus in China than did worldwide during the 2002-2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the total number of infections in the country rising to 37,198.
Two people have died from the virus outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines - and at least 25 countries have confirmed cases.
Major airlines have suspended flights to and from China and several countries have evacuated their citizens from Wuhan and the wider Hubei province in a bid to stop the spread of the infection.
Here are the latest updates:
Sunday, February 9
China to help key industries return to work 'as soon as possible'
China's cabinet said workers in key industries must be helped to return to work as soon as possible in order to resume the production of vital food and medical supplies disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
The state council's special coronavirus group ordered railways, airlines and other public transport to take a coordinated approach and minimise the risk of transmitting disease.
It also said workers should return in "batches" and not all at once in order to reduce infection risks.
Spain confirms its second coronavirus case
A British man has tested positive for coronavirus in the Spanish island of Mallorca, the second case of the the new virus to be confirmed in the country, Spain's National Centre for Microbiology said.
The patient is one of four members of a British family taken into observation in Mallorca on Friday after coming into contact with someone in France who was subsequently diagnosed with the virus.
Read more about the confirmed cases.
Final British evacuation flight from Wuhan lands in UK
Britain's final evacuation flight from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of a coronavirus outbreak, landed at a Royal Air Force base in central England.
The British government said on Saturday the plane had more than 200 people on board, including non-British nationals.
The passengers also included staff who facilitated the flight as well as medics. They will be quarantined for 14 days.
Our flight from Wuhan has landed at RAF Brize Norton. We have brought back 105 British nationals & family members, and 95 European nationals & family members. We also had a team of 13 staff and medics on board who ensured the flight could take off.
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Schools in China's Hebei to remain shut until March - state media
The northern Chinese province of Hebei will keep its schools shut until at least March 1 to control the coronavirus outbreak, the Communist Party-run People's Daily newspaper said, citing the local education bureau.
Hebei, which surrounds the capital Beijing, is one of a number of provinces and municipalities to extend the school shutdown until the end of the month, with others including Shandong, Jiangsu and Shanghai.
Hong Kong lifts quarantine on cruise ship
Hong Kong has lifted a quarantine on the World Dream cruise ship after clearing all its crew members of the new virus.
The ship, which has 1,800 mostly Hong Kong passengers and an equal number of crew members, had been placed under quarantine since it docked on Wednesday after eight mainland Chinese passengers on a voyage last month were diagnosed with the virus.
Port official Leung Yiu-hon said tests on all 1,800 crew members were completed ahead of schedule and were negative.
Malaysia expands China traveller ban
Malaysia has expanded a ban on visitors from China to include Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, after China's decision to lock down cities in the provinces to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Southeast Asian nation on January 27 imposed a temporary ban on travellers arriving from the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, and the surrounding province of Hubei.
"Travel restrictions will be enforced in accordance with the lockdown region imposed by the Chinese government," Wan Azizah said in a statement.
Shandong province to keep all schools closed until end of February
China's northern Shandong province said all schools will stay closed until the end of February, the province's education bureau said in a statement on its official website on Sunday.
The decision, which applies to all types of schools, is being implemented to guarantee students' safety, it added.
Singapore Airshow to go ahead despite coronavirus fears
Organisers scrambled on Sunday to shore up the Singapore Airshow, one of Asia's biggest aerospace exhibitions, after more than 70 exhibitors pulled out because of the coronavirus.
Few deals are expected at the biennial show, which begins on February 11 and is usually a magnet for planemakers, suppliers and arms buyers.
Organisers advised trade visitors to avoid shaking hands and to choose alternative forms of greeting such as bowing or waving. The number of public tickets available will be halved.
This week's show will still feature a rare head-to-head, superpower fighter display from the United States and China, the US flying the F-35B while the People's Liberation Army Air Force aerobatics team, Ba Yi, will put on a display with its J-10 fighters.
China health body warns against excessive use of protective suits
China's National Health Commission called for the "reasonable use" of protective suits in a statement on Sunday, cautioning against "excessive and disorderly" use of the clothing that would waste resources and could also increase infection.
The statement was issued as China faces a severe shortage of equipment, including suits, masks and goggles, to protect medical workers from infection.
Though supplies of protective clothing have improved, they are still insufficient, said the statement.
Philippines evacuates 30, including infant, from Wuhan
Thirty Filipinos returned to the Philippines on Sunday from Wuhan, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Twenty-nine adults and an infant flew on a chartered flight arranged by the foreign affairs and health departments which landed at Clark Air Base, northwest of the capital, Manila.
The returning passengers and a 10-member government team were transferred from the plane into buses that took them to the nearby Athlete's Village in New Clark City for a 14-day quarantine.
There were about 300 Filipinos in Hubei, based on the Philippine government's estimate, but it said not all wanted to be evacuated.
Singapore prime minister urges public to remain calm
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged people keep calm over the spread of the coronavirus in the city-state after the decision to raise the alert level for the infection led shoppers to rush to supermarkets and clear the shelves of essential items.
"There is no reason to panic," Lee said in a video that was shared on social media. "We are not locking down the city or confining everybody to stay at home. We have ample supplies. There is no need to stock up with instant noodles, or tinned food or toilet paper."
Singapore, which has reported 33 cases of the virus, raised its alert level on Friday to "orange", the same as during the SARS outbreak in 2003. The alert level indicates that the virus is severe and passes easily between people.
Coronavirus 'fake news' network uncovered in Hungary
Hungarian police said on Saturday they had uncovered a network of "fake news" websites that reported alleged coronavirus-related deaths in Hungary, which is so far free of reported infections from the deadly virus.
A man and woman are suspected of "operating dozens of fake news portals and linked Facebook pages" claiming that several people had been infected and died from coronavirus, said a statement on the police website.
Computer equipment was seized at several locations during raids that took place on Friday, said the statement.
A man and woman are suspected of "operating dozens of fake news portals and linked Facebook pages" claiming that several people had been infected and died from coronavirus, said a statement on the police website.
Computer equipment was seized at several locations during raids that took place on Friday, said the statement.
Singapore evacuating 174 on second flight from Wuhan
Singapore mounted a second evacuation flight from Wuhan on Sunday, bringing home 174 Singaporeans and their family members, its foreign ministry said.
The city-state evacuated 92 Singaporeans from Wuhan on January 30, some of whom have since been confirmed as infected.
The returning passengers will undergo medical screening on arrival at Singapore's Changi Airport, the foreign ministry said on Sunday. Those with fever or respiratory symptoms will be taken to designated hospitals for further examination, while the remaining passengers will be quarantined for 14 days.
The flight also took some Chinese nationals back to Wuhan, it added
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