Hong Kong reported its first death from the new coronavirus on Tuesday - only the second outside mainland China - as the death toll from the outbreak rose to at least 425 and China admitted "shortcomings and difficulties" in its response to the flu-like infection.
The Hong Kong victim was a 39-year-old man who had recently travelled to Wuhan, where the virus originated, and had underlying health problems, the authorities said. It was the second death recorded outside mainland China - the first was in the Philippines on Sunday.
Meanwhile, China's National Health Commission reported 64 new deaths as of midnight on Monday - the biggest daily increase since the virus was first detected late last year. Wuhan and the surrounding province of Hubei have been effectively sealed off from the rest of the country for more than a week.
There are now 20,471 people confirmed to have the infection in mainland China.
Late on Monday, the Standing Committee of the Politburo - the country's top leadership - met in Beijing and acknowledged "shortcomings and difficulties" in China's response to the outbreak.
"This is very rare sort of language to hear," Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown said from Hong Kong, where he was reporting from the border. "This was the senior leadership of the party essentially admitting they had failed the people. They said officials who had made mistakes would be punished. And they said China would have to improve the way it responded to this sort of national emergency in the future."
Other countries have rushed to evacuate their citizens from Hubei and its capital city, Wuhan, while many have also imposed extraordinary travel restrictions on travellers to and from China.
More than 170 cases have been reported in two dozen other countries, with the United States reporting the second case of human-to-human transmission on Monday.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for greater solidarity and slammed some governments of being "well behind" in sharing data on virus cases as he has received complete case report forms for only 38 percent of the cases outside China.
Here are the latest updates:
Tuesday, February 4
WHO chief slams wealthy countries for failing to share virus data
Head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom, accused some wealthy countries of being "well behind" in sharing data on novel coronavirus cases, calling for more global solidarity to combat the virus.
Tedros said he has written to all health ministers to improve data-sharing on coronavirus cases immediately.
"Of the 176 cases reported outside China so far, WHO has received complete case report forms for only 38 percent of cases. Some high-income countries are well behind in sharing this vital data with WHO," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
WHO: 22 nations imposed travel or trade-related measures
WHO said 22 nations have officially reported trade or travel-related measures linked to a new coronavirus outbreak saying they should be short in duration, proportionate and considered regularly.
China's envoy to the UN in Geneva Chen Xu says some restrictions do not comply with WHO advice which urged countries to no overreact.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom reiterated the agency's advice not to impose travel or trade restrictions on China saying such measures can cause "fear and stigma".
Hyundai to halt S. Korea output as China virus disrupts parts supply
Hyundai Motor will suspend production in South Korea because the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the supply of parts, it said, becoming the first major carmaker to do so outside of China.
In China, global automakers have already extended factory closures in line with government guidelines. Those manufacturers include Hyundai, Tesla, Ford, PSA Peugeot Citroen , Nissan and Honda Motor.
Hong Kong Hospital Authority asks medical workers to return to work
The Hong Kong Hospital Authority (HA) has appealed to public hospital employees to return to work as it said nearly 5,000 staff were absent from duty on Tuesday.
Medical workers went on a strike to pressure the government into instigating a full border closure with mainland China.
According to Dr Deacons Yeung, HA director of cluster services, public hospitals can currently maintain only basic emergency surgery services due to the absence of staff.
France warns against travel to China
France's government has joined the United Kingdom in warning against any non-essential travel to China and suggesting that all of its citizens in China leave while the new virus is still spreading.
The Foreign Ministry issued the travel warning Tuesday based on measures taken by Chinese authorities, and on "the evolution of the epidemic".
It said France's embassy and consular services in China will continue to help French people who decide to stay in China.
WHO joins forces with Google to fight 'infodemic' about virus
The WHO's chief of global infections hazard preparedness says the UN health agency has teamed up with Google and other social media outlets to help fight an "infodemic" about a viral outbreak in China.
Dr Sylvie Briand explored the difficulties of getting facts straight about the coronavirus outbreak.
Expert warns disease appears to be 'on the rise'
A doctor who led the WHO's response to the 2002-03 SARS outbreak said it is too early to tell when the new coronavirus will peak, but that it appears the disease is still on the increase.
Dr David Heymann said the spike in China's caseload in recent days was partly attributable to the fact that Chinese officials expanded their search to include milder cases, not only people with pneumonia.
Heymann said as the new virus starts to spread beyond China, scientists will gain a much better understanding of the disease.
Royal Caribbean cancels eight China cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd cancelled eight cruises out of China through March 4 in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the company said on Tuesday.
Royal Caribbean also said it would deny boarding to people who had visited mainland China or Hong Kong over the past 15 days. It will also screen Chinese and Hong Kong passport holders and people showing flu-like symptoms.
Iraq says OPEC weighing output cut
OPEC members and their ally Russia are discussing a further cut to crude oil output at a meeting in Vienna because of China's coronavirus epidemic, Iraq's oil ministry said Tuesday.
Crude prices have tumbled since the outbreak in the world's second-biggest economy, which is a huge consumer of crude.
"Depending on the needs of the market and how it's been affected by the coronavirus, will a cut be necessary? This is being discussed as the technical reports are presented," said Iraq's oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad.
US White House's adviser: 'It's not a disaster'
The coronavirus outbreak will likely have some effect on US supply chains, but the effects will probably not be catastrophic, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said in an interview with Fox Business Network.
"It's not a catastrophe. It's not a disaster," Kudlow said, adding later: "We've been through this before and I just think the impact is minimal."
Plane brings Thais back from China's virus-hit Wuhan
A plane carrying Thais from Wuhan arrived in Thailand late on Tuesday.
The plane, which arrived at U-Tapao airport in the eastern Rayong province, was carrying 138 Thais, all of whom were healthy, public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul said ahead of the plane's arrival.
They will be quarantined for 14 days in a navy resort near the Thai navy base in Sattahip, Chonburi, east of Bangkok.
Russia sends military planes to evacuate citizens
Russia has sent military planes to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan. More than 130 Russian nationals are expected to be brought back to Russia by Tuesday.
The Russian Ambassador to China, Andrey Denisov, said Russia received written permission from Chinese authorities on Tuesday to send the planes.
Those evacuated will be held in quarantine for 14 days in Siberia's Tyumen region.
NEWS /CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
China coronavirus outbreak: All the latest updates
Global death toll reaches 427 with two reported dead outside mainland China as the number of infections passes 20,500.
04 Feb 2020 GMT+3
Hong Kong reported its first death from the new coronavirus on Tuesday - only the second outside mainland China - as the death toll from the outbreak rose to at least 425 and China admitted "shortcomings and difficulties" in its response to the flu-like infection.
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The Hong Kong victim was a 39-year-old man who had recently travelled to Wuhan, where the virus originated, and had underlying health problems, the authorities said. It was the second death recorded outside mainland China - the first was in the Philippines on Sunday.
Meanwhile, China's National Health Commission reported 64 new deaths as of midnight on Monday - the biggest daily increase since the virus was first detected late last year. Wuhan and the surrounding province of Hubei have been effectively sealed off from the rest of the country for more than a week.
There are now 20,471 people confirmed to have the infection in mainland China.
More:
Coronavirus: All you need to know about the symptoms and risks
Dispelling the myths around the new coronavirus outbreak
Coronavirus: Which countries have confirmed new cases?
Late on Monday, the Standing Committee of the Politburo - the country's top leadership - met in Beijing and acknowledged "shortcomings and difficulties" in China's response to the outbreak.
"This is very rare sort of language to hear," Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown said from Hong Kong, where he was reporting from the border. "This was the senior leadership of the party essentially admitting they had failed the people. They said officials who had made mistakes would be punished. And they said China would have to improve the way it responded to this sort of national emergency in the future."
Other countries have rushed to evacuate their citizens from Hubei and its capital city, Wuhan, while many have also imposed extraordinary travel restrictions on travellers to and from China.
More than 170 cases have been reported in two dozen other countries, with the United States reporting the second case of human-to-human transmission on Monday.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for greater solidarity and slammed some governments of being "well behind" in sharing data on virus cases as he has received complete case report forms for only 38 percent of the cases outside China.
Here are the latest updates:
Tuesday, February 4
WHO chief slams wealthy countries for failing to share virus data
Head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom, accused some wealthy countries of being "well behind" in sharing data on novel coronavirus cases, calling for more global solidarity to combat the virus.
Tedros said he has written to all health ministers to improve data-sharing on coronavirus cases immediately.
"Of the 176 cases reported outside China so far, WHO has received complete case report forms for only 38 percent of cases. Some high-income countries are well behind in sharing this vital data with WHO," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
WHO: 22 nations imposed travel or trade-related measures
WHO said 22 nations have officially reported trade or travel-related measures linked to a new coronavirus outbreak saying they should be short in duration, proportionate and considered regularly.
China's envoy to the UN in Geneva Chen Xu says some restrictions do not comply with WHO advice which urged countries to no overreact.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom reiterated the agency's advice not to impose travel or trade restrictions on China saying such measures can cause "fear and stigma".
Hyundai to halt S. Korea output as China virus disrupts parts supply
Hyundai Motor will suspend production in South Korea because the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the supply of parts, it said, becoming the first major carmaker to do so outside of China.
In China, global automakers have already extended factory closures in line with government guidelines. Those manufacturers include Hyundai, Tesla, Ford, PSA Peugeot Citroen , Nissan and Honda Motor.
Hong Kong Hospital Authority asks medical workers to return to work
The Hong Kong Hospital Authority (HA) has appealed to public hospital employees to return to work as it said nearly 5,000 staff were absent from duty on Tuesday.
Medical workers went on a strike to pressure the government into instigating a full border closure with mainland China.
According to Dr Deacons Yeung, HA director of cluster services, public hospitals can currently maintain only basic emergency surgery services due to the absence of staff.
People wear face masks as they walk through a shopping mall in Taipei, Taiwan [Chiang Ying-ying/AP]
France warns against travel to China
France's government has joined the United Kingdom in warning against any non-essential travel to China and suggesting that all of its citizens in China leave while the new virus is still spreading.
The Foreign Ministry issued the travel warning Tuesday based on measures taken by Chinese authorities, and on "the evolution of the epidemic".
It said France's embassy and consular services in China will continue to help French people who decide to stay in China.
WHO joins forces with Google to fight 'infodemic' about virus
The WHO's chief of global infections hazard preparedness says the UN health agency has teamed up with Google and other social media outlets to help fight an "infodemic" about a viral outbreak in China.
Dr Sylvie Briand explored the difficulties of getting facts straight about the coronavirus outbreak.
Expert warns disease appears to be 'on the rise'
A doctor who led the WHO's response to the 2002-03 SARS outbreak said it is too early to tell when the new coronavirus will peak, but that it appears the disease is still on the increase.
Dr David Heymann said the spike in China's caseload in recent days was partly attributable to the fact that Chinese officials expanded their search to include milder cases, not only people with pneumonia.
Heymann said as the new virus starts to spread beyond China, scientists will gain a much better understanding of the disease.
Royal Caribbean cancels eight China cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd cancelled eight cruises out of China through March 4 in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the company said on Tuesday.
Royal Caribbean also said it would deny boarding to people who had visited mainland China or Hong Kong over the past 15 days. It will also screen Chinese and Hong Kong passport holders and people showing flu-like symptoms.
Iraq says OPEC weighing output cut
OPEC members and their ally Russia are discussing a further cut to crude oil output at a meeting in Vienna because of China's coronavirus epidemic, Iraq's oil ministry said Tuesday.
Crude prices have tumbled since the outbreak in the world's second-biggest economy, which is a huge consumer of crude.
"Depending on the needs of the market and how it's been affected by the coronavirus, will a cut be necessary? This is being discussed as the technical reports are presented," said Iraq's oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad.
US White House's adviser: 'It's not a disaster'
The coronavirus outbreak will likely have some effect on US supply chains, but the effects will probably not be catastrophic, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said in an interview with Fox Business Network.
"It's not a catastrophe. It's not a disaster," Kudlow said, adding later: "We've been through this before and I just think the impact is minimal."
Plane brings Thais back from China's virus-hit Wuhan
A plane carrying Thais from Wuhan arrived in Thailand late on Tuesday.
The plane, which arrived at U-Tapao airport in the eastern Rayong province, was carrying 138 Thais, all of whom were healthy, public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul said ahead of the plane's arrival.
They will be quarantined for 14 days in a navy resort near the Thai navy base in Sattahip, Chonburi, east of Bangkok.
Russia sends military planes to evacuate citizens
Russia has sent military planes to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan. More than 130 Russian nationals are expected to be brought back to Russia by Tuesday.
The Russian Ambassador to China, Andrey Denisov, said Russia received written permission from Chinese authorities on Tuesday to send the planes.
Those evacuated will be held in quarantine for 14 days in Siberia's Tyumen region.
American Airlines suspends flights to and from Hong Kong
American Airlines Group, the largest US carrier, said it had suspended all its flights to and from Hong Kong.
A spokeswoman said the airline's suspension of its Hong Kong flights to and from Los Angeles and Dallas would continue through February 20.
Chinese racer Ma in quarantine for Mexican Formula E race
China's only Formula E driver Ma Qinghua has gone into quarantine in Mexico ahead of the country's race on February 15.
Ma's Nio 333 team said in a statement that Chinese employees who had gone home for the Chinese New Year celebrations after last month's race in Chile were well and preparing for the Mexico City round.
"In a responsible manner toward the championship and personnel involved in Formula E, Chinese driver Ma Qinghua arrived in Mexico City on the 2nd of February to ensure a 14-day quarantine period prior to the race," the team added.
Britain tells its citizens to leave China if they can
Britain told its citizens to leave China if they could after airlines suspended flights, making it increasingly difficult to get out.
In an update to its travel advice, the Foreign Office also said some staff and dependants from the British Embassy and consulates were being withdrawn from China.
Essential staff, such as those providing consular assistance, would remain.
Matches involving Chinese clubs in the Asian Champions League postponed
Matches involving Chinese clubs in the Asian Champions League have been postponed for the first three match days because of the coronavirus outbreak, the ruling body, Asian Football Confederation, said.
But the AFC also said after an emergency meeting in Kuala Lumpur that one match, Thailand's Chiangrai United v Beijing, would remain set for match day two on February 18 as the Chinese team was training in South Korea and did not quarantine measures.
The outbreak also prompted the Chinese women's handball team not to participate in a Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifying tournament next month; while Formula One teams are to discuss the fate of the April 19 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Uzbekistan evacuates 250 from China
Uzbekistan has evacuated 250 people from China and will place them in quarantine after their arrival shortly in Tashkent, the Central Asian nation's state airline said.
Uzbekistan Airways said in a statement the passengers were being accompanied by doctors and specialists with protective equipment.
Ukraine's last planned plane from China to arrive in Kyiv
The last planned Ukrainian flight from China before a ban over coronavirus is enforced was due to arrive in Kyiv shortly with about 200 passengers on board, Ukraine International Airlines said.
It said the plane, coming from the Chinese resort town of Sanya, was due to land at 2:28 pm local time (12:28 GMT).
Deputy director of Kyiv's Boryspil airport last week said Ukraine would suspend direct flights to China over coronavirus fears from February 4
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