That's all from me today, but in case you missed it here are the main points from today:
82,550 have tested positive for the disease worldwide, 2,810 have died
Pope Francis has fallen 'sick' one day after meeting an Ash Wednesday audience
15 people have tested positive in the UK as the government warns schools could close if the virus becomes a pandemic
Worry as new case in California may have no obvious links to other cases or virus hotspots
Italy death toll climbed to 17
Japan has closed all schools until April. Meanwhile, a woman working as a tour bus guide in Japan has tested positive for the coronavirus a second time
Saudi Arabia bans pilgrimages to Mecca in a bid to curb the coronavirus spread
A 23-year-old female athlete among Iranian coronavirus deaths, 26 have died in total while Iran's vice president for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar has tested positive
Analysis shows FTSE 100 plunged £152bn over last four days
Don't forget to check back in tomorrow
05:48 PM
Latest figures
Global case count reaches 82,550 with 2,810 dead.
Coronavirus live map
05:45 PM
Italy death toll climbs to 17
Three more people are reported to have died from the coronavirus in northern Italy, Reuters reports.
05:44 PM
Mike Bloomberg attacks Donald Trump for leaving the US unprepared for coronavirus
Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire candidate to be the Democratic presidential nominee, has produced a new campaign advert attacking Donald Trump for leaving the US unprepared for coronavirus thanks to his budget cuts at the Centers for Disease Control.
Mr Bloomberg has spent $410 million (£318m) on television advertising so far, more than Hillary Clinton and Mr Trump spent on television ads during their entire 2016 presidential campaigns, primary and general elections combined.
His latest ad was announced on Wednesday, shortly after Mr Trump delivered a televised White House statement pushing back against criticism that his administration wasn’t doing enough to meet the coronavirus threat.
Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, has targeted Trump with his latest advert, 'Pandemic' - LOGAN CYRUS / AFP
05:37 PM
50 Britons allowed to leave quarantined Tenerife hotel
Around 50 Britons at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace Hotel in Tenerife will be able to leave, the Press Association reports.
They are among 168 Britons currently being held on the site after at least four guests were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Those who can leave are understood to have arrived on Monday, after the guests who were diagnosed had already left.
Overall, 130 guests from 11 countries have been told they can leave by Spanish authorities.
A statement from the Foreign Office said:
"We are urgently seeking clarification from the Canary Island authorities following their announcement that 130 tourists of different nationalities will be granted permission to leave the Costa Adeje Palace Hotel.
"We continue to offer support to all British nationals at the hotel."
05:36 PM
Mexico says cruise ship can dock amid virus fears
A cruise ship turned away from Jamaica and the Cayman Islands after a crew member tested positive for flu will be allowed to dock in Mexico as long as "health standards" are met, the country's president said Thursday.
The cruise ship Meraviglia, which has been anchored off Cozumel island in the Caribbean since Wednesday, "is being allowed to dock," President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters today.
"We cannot act inhumanely. Imagine the desperation," he said, referring to the 6,000 people aboard.
Operator MSC lashed out at authorities for refusing to allow it to dock at its previous destinations for "acting out of fears" over the coronavirus, after it declared a crew member was being treated for seasonal flu.
Carlos Joaquin, governor of Quintana Roo state which includes Cozumel, said the passengers and crew would be examined by doctors "who will verify the health issues on board."
"If there is a risk to health there will be no authorization for landing," he added.
Earlier Joaquin said the vessel had been refused permission to dock after it arrived late Wednesday.
MSC said it had received clearance and was waiting to enter once "unfavorable weather conditions" improved.
A handful of people wearing masks took part in a protest at the dock on Wednesday, one man shouting: "We don't want the virus in Cozumel."
The Cayman Islands and Jamaica had previously refused to allow the ship to dock over the coronavirus fears.
The cruise firm said it was "extremely disappointed" that Jamaican authorities delayed a decision to give the ship clearance despite having been provided with medical records.
It said Grand Cayman authorities had also turned the Meraviglia away "without even reviewing the ship's medical records."
"In both instances, the ship was effectively turned away simply based on fears," MSC said.
"No other cases of type A influenza have been reported on board MSC Meraviglia. Moreover, no cases of COVID-19 virus have been reported on board MSC Meraviglia or any other ship in MSC Cruises' fleet."
05:34 PM
'IMF and World Bank ready to fight virus outbreak'
The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are ready to provide countries in need with immediate emergency funding to fight the coronavirus outbreak, a spokesman said on Thursday.
While they have yet to receive a request for aid, the institutions "have now developed contingency plans. We have various financial instruments that could be used," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said at a press conference.
As the epidemic has spread beyond China, shuttering production and closing schools in Japan, economists are increasingly worried about a slowdown in the global economy.
"We have various financial instruments that could be used to support countries with balance of payment problems that arise from epidemics or natural disasters," Rice said, noting that the lenders rapidly deployed funds during the Ebola epidemic.
He singled out China, saying the IMF remains "very supportive" of the country where the coronavirus outbreak started with efforts to tackle its spread.
05:32 PM
Why a shortage of critical care beds could be deadly
There remains considerable uncertainty over the case fatality rate of coronavirus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) calculates it stands at three percent in Wuhan and falls to just 0.7 per cent in other Chinese provinces.
But the lethality of a virus, like it's infection rate, is rarely fixed. In Wuhan, the rate is much higher partly because they ran out of doctors and hospital beds.
We’ve looked at the availability of critical care beds in the UK and unfortunately we have far fewer of them than many comparable countries.
Check out the charts here to see how we compare as a nation and how the number of critical care beds varies across the UK.
05:31 PM
Potential $22 billion cost to global tourism
The deadly coronavirus epidemic will cost world tourism at least $22 billion owing to a drop in spending by Chinese tourists, the head of the World Travel and Tourism Council said on Thursday.
Gloria Guevara told El Mundo daily:
"It is too soon to know but the WTTC has made a preliminary calculation in collaboration with (research firm) Oxford Economics which estimates that the crisis will cost the sector at least $22 billion,"
"This calculation is based on the experience of previous crises, such as SARS or H1N1, and is based on losses deriving from Chinese tourists who have not been travelling in recent weeks."
The loss figure, which equates to about 20.2 billion euros, is the most optimistic scenario envisaged by the study which was published on February 11 by Oxford Economics, taking the hypothesis of a 7.0 percent drop in overseas trips by Chinese nationals.
But the losses could more than double, reaching as much as $49 billion if the crisis lasts as long as the SARS outbreak, which erupted in November 2002 and was brought under control in July 2003.
The economies most likely to suffer would be those most dependent on Chinese tourism, such as Hong Kong and Macau, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines, researchers found.
On Wednesday, the WTO urged countries to avoid taking health measures that would cause "unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade" saying travel restrictions needed to be proportionate to ensure they did not have "negative repercussions on the tourism sector".
05:26 PM
Switzerland reports six cases
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Switzerland has risen to six.
A woman around the age of the 30 is being treated in Zurich after testing positive, while in Aargau, a 26-year-old man is being treated in isolated care, authorities said in two separate statements. Both had travelled to northern Italy the one week before.
The Swiss health authority earlier on Thursday said one person in Geneva and a couple in the southeastern Alpine canton of Grisons had tested positive for the virus, following a first case confirmed near the border to Italy on Tuesday.
"All three patients are isolated in the hospital. Their condition is good," the Federal Office of Public Health said.
05:17 PM
FTSE 100 plunged £152bn over last four days
Our business reporter LaToya Harding has taken a break from the business live blog to round up today's market news for you:
Well, we've come to the end of a brutal day of trade for stocks in Europe (in what has been terrible week for equities so far) as traders fear a pandemic.
London's benchmark closed with losses of 3.49pc to 6,796.40 - its lowest point since January 2019 - while the wider FTSE 250 ended more than 4pc lower at 19,783.45 amid mounting concerns over the spreading coronavirus outbreak.
The FTSE 100, which lost £62bn today, has lost more than £152bn in the last four days. In the eurozone, the Paris CAC 40 and the Frankfurt DAX both shed more than 3pc.
David Madden of CMC Markets said: "The fear factor is ramping up and in turn, we are seeing traders drop stocks at an increasing pace. Dealers are rushing for the exit as the chatter about the global economy being hurt because of the coronavirus has risen."
05:07 PM
Malaysia confirms new case
Malaysia has confirmed another coronavirus case – a 53-year-old Malaysian woman who recently travelled to Japan.
The latest case brings Malaysia's total number of COVID-19 cases to 23.
The patient had returned from Japan on Feb 23 and exhibited symptoms of the coronavirus the next day, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.
She is being treated at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, he added.
05:00 PM
More than 100 guests cleared to leave quarantined Tenerife hotel
None of the remaining 700-plus guests at a hotel in Spain's Canary Islands on lockdown over the coronavirus have shown any symptoms of the virus and 130 of them have been cleared to leave, a spokesman for the regional government said on Thursday.
In televised comments he said:
"All these tourists, clients, guests present no symptoms ... and a decision has been made that frees the hotel from the presence of 130 people.
"At the same time, there is the possibility that the remaining ones ... could be leaving the hotel as soon as a similar situation is verified."
The guests and staff in Tenerife's H10 Costa Adeje Palace Hotel have spent three days in isolation after the coronavirus was detected there in four Italian tourists.
Spain's total number of active coronavirus cases rose to 15 on Thursday from 11, with the bulk of them linked to Italy, hit by the worst outbreak of the disease yet seen in Europe, with 528 cases and 14 deaths. The four infected people in the hotel were all Italians.
04:52 PM
EU braces for economic impact of coronavirus
The European Union is bracing for the economic hit from the new coronavirus epidemic, but it is still too early to estimate the magnitude, the bloc's commissioner for the internal market said Thursday.
Tourism is already feeling the pinch because "our Chinese friends haven't been coming to Europe for two months," Thierry Breton told a news conference after a Brussels meeting of EU economy ministers.
The commissioner also said supply chains reliant on China, including for the auto, medical, electronic, wood and toy industries, were also being affected.
If the disruptions continue, the EU stands ready to deploy economic support measures for virus-hit sectors after another ministerial meeting next month, Breton said.
Right now, however, "it's too early to say" what those measures would entail, but EU ministers are currently "analysing the situation."
He added: "It's too early to measure the precise impact" from the coronavirus on Europe's economy.
04:45 PM
The dos and don'ts of coronavirus self-isolation
With the government backing a policy of self-isolation to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, Ben Gartside explains how to do it successfully here.
04:37 PM
Downing Street defends handling of quarantined Tenerife hotel
Downing Street has defended the response to the situation at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in Tenerife, the Press Association reports.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said:
"The Foreign Office has been in contact with more than 100 British nationals who are staying in the hotel.
"They are providing them with support, they are also in regular contact with local authorities and tour companies to share information.
"The quarantine is being managed by the Spanish authorities. We understand that those guests who have been assessed by medical staff and who are not showing symptoms are free to move around within the hotel."
Pressed on whether there would be an evacuation flight for Britons, the spokesman said:
"We base all our decisions on medical and scientific advice and everything is kept under review."
04:28 PM
What are the rules for businesses and staff on ‘self-isolation’?
Sophie Smith has everything you need to know about your workers’ rights and pay entitlement if you’re told to self-isolate here.
04:21 PM
Russia suspends most flights to Iran
Russia will suspend some flights to and from Iran from Friday, except those operated by its national carrier Aeroflot and Iranian airline Mahan Air, the Russian Ministry of Transport said on Thursday.
The move is part of wider measures that Russia is taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Russia also declared that it would suspend some flights to and from South Korea and would also stop issuing visas to Iranian citizens for regular and transit travel
04:12 PM
UK schools could shut for two months
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said that there could be a "social cost" if the virus intensifies and leads to the reduction of mass gatherings and school closures for more than two months.
He said:
"One of the things that's really clear with this virus, much more so than flu, is that anything we do we're going to have to do for quite a long period of time, probably more than two months.
"The implications of that are non-trivial, so we need to think that through carefully.
"This is something we face as really quite a serious problem for society potentially if this goes out of control. It may not but if it does globally then we may have to face that."
England's chief medical officer also added that while the coronavirus presents "some challenges", he does not think the world is facing anything on the level of the deadly Spanish flu in 1918.
Speaking to health professionals at the Nuffield Trust Summit in Windsor, Professor Chris Whitty said:
"Occasionally things come along which, no matter how good your strategic aim is, will knock you off course for a while.
"We are not heading into a H1N1 1918 flu pandemic situation, but the coronavirus does present some challenges for us. It definitely will for a period. How big remains to be seen."
The H1N1 influenza pandemic in 1918 is estimated to have killed at least 50 million people worldwide.
04:10 PM
WATCH: Pope Francis taken ill as coronavirus sweeps Italy
04:01 PM
Coronavirus will impact global economic growth, IMF says
The fast-spreading coronavirus will clearly have an impact on global economic growth and the International Monetary Fund is likely to downgrade its growth forecast as result, a spokesman for the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday.
"Clearly the virus is going to have an impact on growth," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a regular briefing.
He gave no specific details.
He said he expected a decision soon on the impact of the coronavirus for the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in April, noting that a range of options were under consideration. Reuters reported Wednesday that officials were considering scaling back the meetings or holding them by teleconference.
03:31 PM
WATCH: How to protect yourself from Coronavirus
03:22 PM
Third Lebanon case declared
Lebanon confirmed the country's third case of coronavirus on Thursday, after a man arriving from Iran on 24 February tested positive, the health ministry said, according to news agency NNA.
The patient was taken from his home by the Lebanese Red Cross and into quarantine at a Beirut hospital after early symptoms appeared, the ministry statement said. His condition appeared to be stable, it said.
The previous two cases in Lebanon had been tied to an earlier flight from Iran that arrived last week carrying 150 passengers.
03:12 PM
Pope Francis 'sick' one day after meeting masked Ash Wednesday audience
Pope Francis is sick and skipped a planned Mass in Rome, officials said, just a day after he was seen touching masked well-wishers in the city.
The Vatican said the 83-year-old pontiff had a "slight indisposition" and would proceed with the rest of his planned work on Thursday.
Pope Francis Leads The General Audience - ABACA
But Francis "preferred to stay near Santa Marta," the Vatican hotel where he lives.
There was no word from the Vatican about the nature of his illness, but the pope was seen coughing and blowing his nose during the Ash Wednesday Mass.
23-year-old female athlete among Iranian coronavirus deaths
Elham Sheykhi, a 23-year-old professional futsal player, is among 26 people whose deaths have been linked to coronavirus in Iran, David G Rose reports from Beirut.
She was hospitalised ten days ago and died from coronavirus on Wednesday, Iranian news agency Rokna reported.
Her name is Elham Sheykhi. This young Iran’s female futsal player is the latest victim of #CoronaVirus in Iran. She was only 23 years old. Meanwhile, Iran's officials are trying to cover up Corona deaths by lying and underreporting them.
Sheikhi had played for Iran’s women’s national futsal team. Futsal is a version of five-a-side football played indoors on a hard court.
02:44 PM
Coronavirus symptoms
Want to know more about Covid-19, including what to look for, who to contact and how to treat it?
Check out our expert advice from the brilliant Telegraph Global Health team here.
Wuhan evacuees arrive in Malaysia, Sepang - MUZAFFAR KASIM/HANDOUT HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX
02:26 PM
Caught in the crossfire
A British company called "Corona Holidays" has been caught up in the coronavirus outbreak alarm, despite having no direct connection to any of the virus hotspots.
A spokesperson told our travel writer Greg Dickinson that members of the public have started to call them asking for general travel advice:
"We’re a small independent travel company that has been running as Corona Holidays for over 20 years, and over the last few days we have noticed an increase in members of the public calling us asking for general travel advice – especially from people who have booked directly with hotels and are not sure whether they should travel.
"While we can't offer expert advice about the virus, we are happy to direct these queries to official sites wherever we can.
"We are specialists in Canary Islands and Balearic Island holidays and those contacting us are tending to be reasonable about the issue being experienced on the island of Tenerife, and are booking to travel later in the year. Those wanting to travel over the next few months are travelling to the neighbouring islands or switching to the Balearics.”
02:20 PM
'This is not a time for fear'
"Once again, this is not a time for fear," said Dr Tedros at the WHO's daily coronavirus briefing "This is a time for taking action now to prevent coronavirus infections and save lives now"
The World Health Organization's director general then went on to say:
"Fear and panic doesn’t help.
"People can have concerns and rightly so. People can be worried and rightly so.
"The most important thing is to calm down and do the right things to fight this very dangerous coronavirus"
02:11 PM
Iran government official tests positive
A state-owned newspaper in Iran has said the country’s vice president for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar has been infected with the coronavirus.
Ms Ebtekar attended a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday and was seen in official photos sitting just a few yards from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
02:06 PM
'We are at a decisive point'
At the World Health Organization's daily press briefing director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that "we are at a decisive point."
It comes as the number of new Covid-19 cases reported across the world exceeded the number of new cases in China for the second time in two consecutive days.
Dr Tedros urged countries to act now, saying:
"My message to each of these countries is: this is your window of opportunity.
If you act aggressively now, you can contain this coronavirus.
You can prevent people getting sick.
You can save lives"
02:03 PM
How coronavirus is impacting the global luxury market
Alongside the devastating human cost, reports suggest global brands are set to take a major hit, Eilidh Hargreaves writes.
Read more about how the luxury market is feeling the effects the global health epidemic here.
01:57 PM
Saudi travel ban a surprise, says chief of British Hajjis
Rashid Mogradia, Chief Executive of the Council of British Hajjis UK, said the decision by Saudi Arabia to suspend pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina had come as a surprise and could potentially affect thousands of British Muslims with imminent plans to visit the country.
Several passengers with Umrah visas had arrived at British airports or checked in for flights to Saudi Arabia today, only to be told they could not board the plane, he said:
"Over 125,000 British Muslims go on Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages every year and there will be at least a few thousand affected by this suspension.
"We are hearing that most airlines are now offering to refund the cost of already booked tickets, but we are hoping they will continue to show compassion after this decision which has come as a surprise, but is understandable given the health concerns.
"We advise anyone who has already booked to go for Umrah to contact their tour operator and check the travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. We are working closely with the relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure pilgrims get the necessary support."
David Rose reports from Beirut
01:51 PM
Latest figures
Worldwide case count stands at more than 82,000 with 2,808 thought to have died.
Coronavirus live map
01:47 PM
Singapore shows how to stop coronavirus without bringing the world to a halt
With coronavirus on the edge of becoming a global pandemic, thoughts in Britain are turning to how to manage a major outbreak. Could it mean lockdowns, quarantines and cancelled events?
Canadian officials have confirmed the husband of a woman who has coronavirus has now also tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from the Ontario Ministry of Health.
“The man, in his 60s, is currently in self-isolation,” a news release said.
This brings the country’s total to 13 confirmed cases.
01:43 PM
The darkly beautiful origins of quarantine
It is never a procedure that looks or sounds good.
Quarantine, when it appears on our screens and in our newspapers - as it has done recently, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, and the subsequent barriers placed around the troubled city of Wuhan - is a process fraught with alarming images and noises.
Sirens. Flashing lights. Ambulances. Face masks. Tape cordons. And the creeping fear that goes with all of it.
So it seems remarkable to think that the history of this most extreme of measures is pinned to some of the planet's most photogenic places.
Our travel correspondent Chris Leadbeater takes a look at the now-popular travel destination where quarantine may have first began here.
Quarantine may have originated as a public-health policy in Dubrovnik - Mark Bauer
01:39 PM
Is it safe to visit Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the rest of south-east Asia?
As cases of coronavirus in south-east Asia continue to rise, travellers are beginning to ask: is it safe to visit Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of south-east Asia?
Eastern Europe-focused airline Wizz Air has suspended some flights between March 11 and April 2 due to a fall in demand spurred by the coronavirus outbreak, it said in a statement.
The group said it is not suspending routes, but that low demand for some flights to areas including European epicentre Italy had forced it to make cancellations.
Wizz Air said it would warn passengers at least 15 days in advanced and offer full refunds among other options.
Coronavirus raises serious questions about the future of big-state control in the West
Pandemics could powerfully shape 21st-century politics, Benedict Spence argues.
Human history is shaped by "acts of God" — the Black Death, for all it killed swathes of Medieval Europe’s population, is credited with ending serfdom and increasing wealth through decimating the labour force, whilst the Arab Spring is said to have been at least partly triggered by droughts that played havoc with food prices.
It stands to reason, then, that the coronavirus outbreak will have knock-on effects as well, certainly economically. But what is more curious is how this virus, the first real pandemic of the 21st century, will shape our politics.
Microsoft has announced that it will miss some of its revenue projections for the coming summer due to the effect of the coronavirus on its Chinese supply chain, becoming the latest US tech firm to be rocked by the deadly epidemic.
Shares in the Seattle-based company fell by as much as 2.5pc in after-hours trading following its announcement that its personal computer division, which includes Surface tablets and Windows licences sold to PC makers, would not meet its targets.
That division accounted for about 35pc of Microsoft's revenue in the spring of 2019, suggesting the damage to its bottom line this time may be significant.
It comes one week after Apple, Microsoft's longtime rival in the personal computer market, said that it would miss is company-wide revenue predictions because the virus had frozen its Chinese factories and suppressed consumer demand in the country.
Our US technology reporter Lauren Dodds has more here.
01:25 PM
'We don't feel safe'
A man from Derbyshire, who travelled to the H10 Hotel in Tenerife for four nights told the PA news agency that "none of the Brits staying here feel safe".
The 60-year-old, who was due to travel back to the UK with his partner on Tuesday but is now being held in quarantine, said:
"We have been told to stay in our rooms but the hotel has no way of enforcing it. We have a WhatsApp group for all of the Brits and we don't feel safe. We think this is going to end up worse than that ship [the Diamond Princess].
"I don't think confusion would be the right word to describe it - they are just not able to enforce quarantine conditions.
People are able to walk around the buildings and some are even going in the pool. People are walking about and interacting with each other and not wearing masks. They served a buffet-style dinner last night, and people were milling about without masks, touching utensils - the virus is bound to spread.
"It's totally crazy. No one seems to be helping, and the consulate aren't helping us - why can't they bring us home? We are in a quarantine that is not being followed and it is not safe.
01:17 PM
Death toll rises to 26 in Iran
The number of patients infected with coronavirus in Iran has risen to 245, with 26 deaths, according to Kianoush Jahanpour, a spokesman of the Iranian Health Ministry.
01:11 PM
Coronavirus travel advice: our consumer champion explains your rights
As coronavirus continues to spread around the world it is a worrying and confusing time for holidaymakers.
But fear not because the Money team are on hand to answer your questions and tackle any injustices you come up against.
Check out Katie Morley and Marianna Hunt's rolling Q&A here.
01:08 PM
There's a Mumsnet coronavirus 'prepper' in us all...
Sign up to The Take newsletter below
At one time, 'prepping' for the end of the world was synonymous with tin-foil hats and underground bunkers.
Yet from stockpiling in case of a no-deal Brexit to drawing up an itinerary for a coronavirus self-isolation: it seems we're all preppers now. That's according to Naomi Southwell in The Take newsletter this week.
Read this week's newsletter, which features Mumsnet coronavirus 'preppers', below:
The Take newsletter (REFERRAL) article
01:06 PM
Corona maker struck by coronavirus outbreak
AB InBev, the world's largest brewer and maker of Corona and Stella Artois, said first-quarter profits would fall by a tenth after coronavirus hit beer sales during Chinese New Year.
The company said the virus had led to a significant decline in demand in China - both at bars and drinking at home.
Commuters wearing masks walk across a pedestrian crosswalk in Tokyo, Japan
Commuters wearing masks walk across a pedestrian crosswalk Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Tokyo - Jae C. Hong / AP
McDonalds workers wear protective suits as they prepare to deliver food to residents in Wuhan, China
McDonalds workers wear protective suits as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus as they prepare to deliver food to residents in Wuhan, in China - STR / AFP
Honour guards wearing protective face masks patrol outside National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Honour guards wearing protective face masks patrol outside National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Vincent Thian / AP
12:52 PM
Good afternoon
Here's a round up of today's events so far:
Case count hits 82,446 worldwide with 2,808 dead
A further two people have tested positive for the virus in the UK, 15 have tested positive in total
Two more people have died from coronavirus in Italy, bringing the country's total to 14
Three people are now infected with the virus in Greece
While Switzerland and Israel confirm three new cases
A sixth case has been reported in Iraq this morning
The death toll in Iran has risen to 22, with 141 confirmed cases
Estonia and Denmark confirmed its first case
Japan has closed all schools until April. Meanwhile, a woman working as a tour bus guide in Japan has tested positive for the coronavirus a second time
Saudi Arabia bans pilgrimages to Mecca in a bid to curb the coronavirus spread
There's concern over the latest US case, the American doesn't appear to have travelled abroad or been exposed to another patient
For all the latest updates, keep following our live blog.
12:44 PM
Greece reports two new cases
Greece has reported two new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to three.
The health ministry said one of the cases concerned a relative of a 38-year-old woman in the northern town of Thessaloniki, the first confirmed case reported in Greece.
12:35 PM
Switzerland confirms three new cases
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Switzerland has risen to four, the country's health authority said.
In the western canton of Geneva one person was tested positive for the virus while it was also confirmed in a couple in the southeastern Alpine canton of Grisons, it added.
"All three patients are isolated in the hospital. Their condition is good," the Federal Office of Public Health said.
12:27 PM
Israel confirms third coronavirus case
Israel's health ministry said a man who returned from travel in Italy has tested positive for coronavirus, taking the country's total to three.
12:21 PM
What to do...
Public Health England has released official government guidance for a number of sectors that may be hit by the coronavirus outbreak:
NHS staff have been asked to shave their beards to allow masks to fit more securely in a bid to limit the spread of coronavirus, the Press Association reports.
Bosses at Southampton University NHS Trust sent a mass email to tackle a "known problem" with ill-fitting masks on hairy faces.
Medical director Derek Sandeman attached an image with 36 different kinds of facial hair showing if they are acceptable or not based on whether they fit inside a mask.
The guide was originally circulated by US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - US Centers for Disease Control / PA
Small, pencil-type moustaches such as the "Zorro" and "Painter's Brush" are allowed, but fuller growths including "mutton chops" and the "chin curtain" are out, according to the image.
However, staff with beards for religious or cultural reasons are exempt.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, stubble and beards "make it impossible to get a good seal of the mask to the face".
11:55 AM
BREAKING: Two more die in Italy
Two more people have died from coronavirus in Italy, bringing the country's total to 14.
The agency chief, Angelo Borrelli, had earlier told reporters that officials were still seeking confirmation that coronavirus was responsible for the latest two deaths.
In a daily mid-day bulletin, Angelo Borrelli also said that the number of positive cases in Italy has risen to 528.
11:52 AM
China's wildlife trade ban is far from perfect, experts warn
The permanent ban on China’s live wildlife trade is a ‘major first step’, but the new reforms do not go far enough, experts warn.
Professor Diana Bell, an expert in emerging zoonotic diseases from the University of East Anglia, has raised concerns that China's new measures may be inefficient as wild animal trade for medicinal purposes, fur farms and pet farms may still be allowed.
Prof Diana Bell said:
“This is a major first step in terms of efforts to prevent future spill-over of new viruses from animals to humans.
“However it seems that wild animal trade for medicinal purposes, scientific research or displays may still be allowed under permits.
“It is crucial that other countries involved in the wildlife trade chain such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR immediately follow suit – because their markets and restaurants provide the same suite of live wild animals, not only fuelled by demand from China but also for domestic consumption."
Chinese customs officials inspect scales of pangolins they seized on a ship in Shenzhen, China - China Stringer Network / REUTERS
11:41 AM
North Korea imposes draconian measures to keep coronavirus at bay
Foreign ambassadors and diplomats to North Korea are facing a “morally crushing” situation after being confined to their compounds under strict quarantine rules to keep the coronavirus at bay, Russia’s envoy to Pyongyang has revealed.
In an interview with the TASS news agency, Alexander Matsegora, revealed that normally strict curbs on everyday life had been tightened further, leaving even small pleasures like the gym, swimming pool or church attendance off limits.
“They may seem like trifles, but everyday life is made of them,” he said.
Our Asia correspondent Nicola Smith has more on the situation here.
11:30 AM
How coronavirus could affect sporting events in 2020
From football and Formula 1, badminton to baseball, as the coronavirus spreads events are being cancelled around the world – our sports reporters have the latest from each sport here.
People wearing protective face masks are seen in front of the Giant Olympic rings at the waterfront area at Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo - REUTERS
11:20 AM
We're answering your questions
If you're worried about how coronavirus might affect your current and future travel plans, send your questions to yourstory@telegraph.co.uk and we'll answer them in an up-coming video.
Masked commuters seen inside MTR station in Central district, Hong Kong - SOPA Images / SIPA USA
11:10 AM
Italy scrambles to find "Patient Zero"
Prosecutors have opened an inquiry into operations at the hospital in Codogno, the centre of Italy's outbreak, Andrea Vogt reports.
It comes after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte questioned whether proper protocols were followed when Italy's super spreader "Mattia" also known as "Patient One" was admitted and released, going on to infect his pregnant wife, doctors, staff and patients at the hospital, as well as a number of friends and fellow athletes.
Authorities are now scrambling to find out who was the "Patient Zero" who passed the virus onto Patient One.
Italy's health minister told parliament early this morning that authorities have now confirmed a link between the two hotspot clusters in Lombardy and Veneto, making it even more important to find out where exactly the virus began.
In other news, Lombardy governor Attilo Fontana announced late Wednesday on Facebook that he would begin a 14-day period of self isolation after a co worker tested positive for the virus.
11:00 AM
Japan closes all schools until April
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has ordered all schools to close from until the end of March to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The move comes after the government came under international criticism for its handling of the quarantine on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship earlier this month.
Commenting on the decision on Thursday, the PM said he was “putting a priority on children’s health and safety” and trying to pre-empt a widespread outbreak that could result “from gatherings of many children and teachers for a long time on a daily basis.”
Japan has reported 186 confirmed cases, including four deaths. There have also been more than 700 cases and four deaths from a cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan.
10:51 AM
Germany launches coronavirus tracking operation
Authorities in Germany have launched an intensive operation to track down everyone who has been in contact with those tested positive for coronavirus, our Berlin correspondent Justin Huggler reports.
More than 300 people who attended the same carnival celebrations as an infected couple from Heinsberg in western Germany are being contacted and asked to contact the authorities. Their family members and anyone who has been in contact with them is being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Sixty-five children who attend a kindergarten where the infected wife is a teacher have already been tested for the virus.
A similar operation is underway to trace anyone who has been in contact with a doctor who tested positive in Monchengladbach. The 47-year-old infected husband from Heinsberg is in critical condition. His case has been complicated by a previously undiagnosed existing health condition. His wife is also in hospital but her case is not as severe.
Ten people are currently sick with the virus in Germany, out of a total of 21 who have tested positive.
10:41 AM
Trouble for Trump
Trump faces his 'Chernobyl moment' after slashing pandemic defences to the bone, writes Ambrose Evans-Pritchard.
"Three weeks ago there was much talk of a Chernobyl moment for China’s Communist Party, discredited by totalitarian attempts to suppress news of the spreading coronavirus in Wuhan.
But fast-moving events can play wicked tricks, especially on a White House allergic to scientific facts.
COVID-19 is more likely to be the Chernobyl moment for Donald Trump."
Global stock markets have fallen this week as the coronavirus virus outbreak reached Europe and continued to put the brakes on factory output and international trade.
But the picture is not entirely bleak for investors. Some stocks have defied the slowdown and could continue to benefit as the virus spreads further.
So where could investors put their money? Marianna Hunt has all the answers here.
10:24 AM
Derbyshire GP practice closes after confirmed case
Buxton Medical Practice in Derbyshire have urged people not to go to the practice on Thursday due to a confirmed case of coronavirus, the Press Association reports.
In a message to prospective patients, a spokesman said:
"We have a confirmed case of the coronavirus.
"We are liaising with Public Health England and the CCG to ensure all appropriate actions are taken.
"Please do not come to the practice."
10:22 AM
Japanese woman tests positive twice
A woman working as a tour bus guide in Japan tested positive for the coronavirus a second time after an apparent recovery, the first in the country to do so as the infection continues to spread globally.
The Osaka resident, in her forties, first tested positive in late January after leading a tour that included visitors from China’s Wuhan, the outbreak epicentre. She was discharged from the hospital after recovering on February 1, prefectural authorities said in a statement.
On Wednesday, however, she tested positive again after developing a sore throat and chest pains about a week ago.
Sophia Yan and Julian Ryall have more details here.
10:12 AM
WATCH: President Trump says US is 'very ready'
President Donald Trump has said the US is ready for an outbreak of coronavirus, but added that he does not think the spread of the disease is inevitable.
The President defended his decision to close the US border to people coming in from infected areas and said he attributes that decision to the reason so few are infected in the US.
Ahead of a possible outbreak, the President appointed Vice Secretary Mike Pence to head the response.
10:02 AM
Saudi Arabia bans pilgrimages to Mecca
Saudi Arabia has banned travel to the holiest sites in Islam in an unprecedented move to stop the spread of coronavirus, after a spate of cases across the Middle East.
The extraordinary decision bans foreigners from visiting the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure that the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims pray towards every day.
The ban also affects travel to the Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, and prevents tourists from countries affected by coronavirus from entering the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has so far reported no cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus but has expressed alarm over its spread in neighbouring countries, with many cases linked to travel to Iran.
The country is no doubt wary given its last run in with a coronavirus: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV), first emerged in the region in 2012 and has since caused 882 deaths, among 2,519 laboratory-confirmed cases.
It said the suspensions were temporary but provided no indication of when they will be lifted, raising fears that the ban could affect the annual hajj pilgrimage when millions of Muslims from across the world are set to travel to Mecca.
Although the Hajj pilgrimage has been linked to outbreaks of diseases such as malaria and cholera in the past, the ban on foreigners visiting Mecca and Medina is unprecedented in modern times.
David G Rose reports from Beirut
09:51 AM
Cases rise to six in Iraq
A sixth case has been reported in Iraq this morning.
The country's health ministry identified the patient as a young Iraqi man in Baghdad who had travelled from Iran.
09:42 AM
Confessions of a coronavirus prepper
Angela Buttolph with her well stocked storecupboard - John Nguyen/JNVisuals
One giant pack of loo roll, 15 bags of rice, 17 packets of beans and chickpeas... Just a few of the items on Angela Buttolph's coronavirus stockpile shopping list. Read more about her prep here.
09:25 AM
How the coronavirus spread around the world
We have updated our world map on how the disease has gathered momentum:
Coronavirus live spread map - animated
09:15 AM
'Confirmed case' in Derbyshire forces school closure
A school in Derbyshire has closed after a message to guardians said a parent had contracted coronavirus.
Burbage Primary School in Buxton sent a message home to parents on Wednesday to say the school gates would remain closed for a deep clean.
The message was seen by the local paper, the Buxton Advertiser, and read: "Due to a confirmed case of coronavirus amongst our parent population, Burbage Primary School will be closed as a precautionary measure to enable a deep clean to be completed. A further update will be provided.”
The case was not immediately confirmed by the Department for Health.
09:07 AM
Two further cases confirmed in England
Two further patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of UK cases to 15, the Department of Health said.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) February 27, 2020
08:54 AM
Coronavirus comparable to Sars, Liam Fox says
Dr Liam Fox, the former secretary of state for international trade, told the Today programme that the integration of supply chains among the world's richest countries had contributed to the coronavirus outbreak.
He is currently writing a book on the consequences that lead to global pandemics, and compared the current situation with the Sars pandemic at the turn of the century.
In 2002, Mr Fox said, China represented 4 per cent of the global economy - today it represents 17 per cent. As a result of that, the supply chains in and out of China have highlighted the "systemic problem in the global trading environment", he said.
More and more wealthy countries pushing for non-tariff trade borders and agreements have exacerbated the situation, Mr Fox told Today.
08:49 AM
Should schools close?
In the event that wider measures are needed in the UK, Prof Ferguson said:
What we would like to do in this country is to try to reduce the peak of the epidemic, reduce demand on the healthcare system, but not just push the whole thing into the autumn when the health system will again be under the usual seasonal strain.
We know that certain things make a difference. For instance advising people to minimise social contact, perhaps, for a limited period... closing schools. These things may well have an effect but they also have a societal consequence and I think policy has to balance those two.
If we end up with a large-scale community outbreak epidemic in the UK, there will be enormous pressures on the health system so there may be a need to adopt measures which blunt the peak of the epidemic and those may well be disruptive.
08:37 AM
Does containment work?
Talking about containment measures, and whether they can be successful, Prof Ferguson says:
It implies chasing cases and isolating them won't be successful, however what we do see in China, Hong Kong, Singapore for example is that if you adopt large-scale community measures to reduce contact then you can suppress transmission, maybe not completely, but you can have a big effect.
The downsides are twofold:
Those measures have enormous economic cost
You can buy yourself time but by overeacting you just push the epidemic you would have had into the future.
08:31 AM
"There is a much larger epidemic ongoing"
Asked about the real numbers in Italy, Prof Ferguson replied: "Definitely thousands."
He went on:
The great majority of cases for this virus are quite mild and are not being detected. That's why, when we see a cluster like this, a large cluster over a large area in Italy, it implies it is a much larger epidemic ongoing underneath the detected cases.
08:26 AM
Are the numbers in Italy to be believed?
Professor Neil Ferguson, from the faculty of medicine at Imperial College London, is a government advisor on the committee for new and emerging respiratory virus threats. He has been speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Asked whether the numbers in Italy - 450 cases and 12 deaths - were to be believed, he said:
I think there are major challenges in trying to assess the scale of an outbreak when they discover a cluster of cases like this. What's been clear is that there has been transmission in Italy ongoing that has not been detected in Italy for at least three weeks, probably a month, and behind each one of those deaths probably lies about a thousand cases.
We know only about one in a 100 people die from this virus, plus those people infected three weeks ago... the epidemic has probably got ten times larger since they were infected.
08:00 AM
Will you need a sick note to cancel a trip?
Our reporters Katie Morley, Sam Meadows and Marianna Hunt have been looking into the response of insurers to this crisis.
They write: Holidaymakers trying to cancel trips to countries with coronavirus outbreaks could be denied refunds because insurers are demanding sick notes from doctors.
A Daily Telegraph survey of 11 UK major insurers found at least seven would consider refunding trips for elderly and sick customers travelling to any country where coronavirus is present, but only if a sick note was provided by a doctor.
But Dr Richard Vautrey, GP committee chair, at the British Medical Association, urged doctors not to respond to insurers' requests for a sick note, saying it was "completely inappropriate" to ask customers to approach family doctors.
Sick notes will not be required for holidaymakers with trips booked to areas where the Foreign Office has advised people not to go. Read the full story here.
07:47 AM
Chinese city to ban eating of dogs and cats
The Reuters news agency is reporting today that the southern Chinese technology hub of Shenzhen is moving to outlaw the consumption of dogs and cats as the country clamps down on the wildlife trade that scientists suspect led to the coronavirus outbreak.
The proposed regulations from the city government list nine meats that are permitted for consumption, including pork, chicken, beef and rabbit, as well as fish and seafood.
"Banning the consumption of wild animals is a common practice in developed countries and is a universal requirement of modern civilization," the notice said.
Scientists suspect that the new virus passed to humans from animals. Some of the earliest infections were found in people who had exposure to a wildlife market in Hubei's provincial capital Wuhan, where bats, snakes, civets and other animals were sold.
The document recognised dogs and cats' status as pets and would ban their consumption. Snakes, turtles and frogs were excluded from the approved list, despite being popular dishes in China's south.
Got any burning questions about travelling during the coronavirus outbreak? Well good news. Our Head of Travel, Claire Irvin, is taking to the airwaves today to answer your questions. She will be on BBC Radio London at 8.05am, and then 5live at 8.35am and can help with concerns such as where is safe to travel to and what to do about insurance. Give her a call!
07:33 AM
Iran death toll rises
The death toll in Iran has risen to 22, according to the state news agency Irna. The country now has a total of 141 confirmed cases. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Health Ministry has reported a total of 43 confirmed cases this morning.
06:25 AM
Estonia confirms first case
Estonia has confirmed its first coronavirus case in a man who returned from Iran, Russian news agencies TASS and Interfax reported on Thursday, citing Estonian health authorities.
"We are talking about a permanent resident of Estonia who is not a citizen of Estonia," Interfax reported, citing Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik.
"According to my information, he is a citizen of Iran," Interfax cited Kiik as telling Estonian TV.
06:18 AM
Cruise ship crew disembarking
Hundreds of crew members aboard a coronavirus-riddled cruise ship in Japan began disembarking - AFP
Crew members from a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship off Japan began leaving the vessel on Thursday for a new quarantine on-shore after passengers left the boat, the government said.
"Today, 240 crew members are leaving the ship and this disembarking operation will continue for a couple of days," a health ministry official told AFP.
Those leaving the boat will be placed in medical observation for 14 days at government-designated dormitories before being allowed to leave Japan, they said.
Hundreds of crew members of the Diamond Princess remained on the vessels to continue operations while Japanese officials placed thousands of passengers in a quarantine after the ship arrived at a port near Tokyo on February 3.
05:50 AM
Denmark confirms first case
Denmark has confirmed its first coronavirus infection in a man who returned from a ski holiday in northern Italy.
"The man who came back from a skiing trip with his wife and son on February 24 has been suffering since then from a cough and a temperature," Denmark's public health agency said in a statement on Thursday.
"The man tested positive, but the results of his wife and son are negative," it said.
The man is relatively well and has returned to his home, where he remains in isolation with his family, it added.
05:47 AM
Australia announces emergency plan
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced emergency measures to deal with the outbreak of the coronavirus amid expectations a global pandemic will soon be declared.
"The advice we have received today is ... there is every indication that the world will soon enter a pandemic phase of the coronavirus," he said.
The rapid spread of the virus outside of China prompted his government to elevate Australia's response.
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the activation of Australia's emergency plan would see the federal government work with local states to ensure hospitals are ready for a surge in patients.
Mr Morrison said the country's national security committee agreed extend a travel ban on foreigners arriving from mainland China by at least another week.
Australia has 23 cases of coronavirus, although there has been no community transmission of the virus.
05:13 AM
Chinese patients offered rewards
A volunteer carrying disinfection equipment rides a bicycle along a street in Wuhan - AFP
A city in China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the global coronavirus epidemic, will pay residents as much as 10,000 yuan ($1,425.96) if they proactively report symptoms of the illness and it is confirmed after testing.
Qianjiang, a city of around one million people located about 150 km (90 miles) from the stricken provincial capital of Wuhan, has reported a total of 197 cases so far and is stepping up efforts to ensure its infected people are confined and treated.
It is the latest of a number of regions to offer cash rewards to encourage members of the public to volunteer for medical checks.
Hubei has reported over 65,000 cases and more than 2,600 deaths from the epidemic. Worldwide, the death toll is about 2,800 and about 80,000 have been infected.
04:58 AM
Taiwan halts pilgrimage
Taiwan on Thursday raised its epidemic response level to the highest as it readied a $2 billion package to cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on its export-reliant economy, and postponed a major religious event scheduled for next month.
Premier Su Tseng-chang announced the decision in a cabinet meeting, citing sporadic cases of community transmission on the island, which has seen 32 cases of the coronavirus and one death.
It came two days after Taiwan's parliament approved a T$60 billion ($2 billion) package to soften the impact from the virus on its economy, which includes loans for small businesses, subsidies for hard-hit tour agencies and even vouchers to spend on food in Taiwan's famous night markets.
The island also postponed an annual pilgrimage of the sea goddess Mazu in which more than one million people were expected to join a 340km (211 miles) trip in the island's largest religious procession.
04:34 AM
Saudi Arabia suspends foreigners' entry
Saudi Arabia has suspended foreigners' entry for the Umrah pilgrimage and tourism from countries where the new coronavirus has spread.
The kingdom, which hosts the two holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina, welcomes millions of Muslim visitors throughout the year with a peak for the haj pilgrimage. It introduced a new tourism visa last October for 49 countries.
The ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement that the suspensions were temporary but provided no timeframe for their expiry. It was unclear if the haj pilgrimage, which is scheduled to begin in late July, would be impacted.
Entry is also suspended for visits to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.
Saudi Arabia has had no cases of the coronavirus but it has been spreading in some neighbouring countries.
04:16 AM
China investigates release of infected inmate
China has sent an investigation team to Wuhan after reports that a prison released an infected inmate who then travelled to Beijing.
A team led by the Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court and Ministry of Public Security will look into the incident, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China said in a news release on Thursday.
Media reports said an infected inmate was released from a Wuhan women's prison after completing her sentence. Family members then drove her to Beijing.
The woman is now in quarantine along with three family members, health authorities in Beijing said on Wednesday. She was one of more than 300 inmates in the prison to be infected.
03:48 AM
Pyongyang Marathon cancelled
People wear masks as they ride on a public bus in Pyongyang, North Korea - AP
North Korea’s 2020 Pyongyang Marathon has been cancelled over coronavirus fears .
The race was due to take place on April 11 but after the outbreak occurred North Korea closed its borders, cutting itself off from the outside world.
Diplomats and analysts say the move is its best method of self-protection given the weakness of its health infrastructure.
Arrivals are subject to 30 days' isolation and it has stepped up its efforts internally, with the Korean Central News Agency describing an intensifying "anti-virus campaign", including door-to-door health check-ups and loudspeaker vans instructing citizens on hygiene practices.
Diplomats in Pyongyang have been unable even to walk around the city in what the Russian ambassador described as a "morally crushing" situation.
The embassy had been "left without diplomatic mail... we did not manage to get medicines and supplies for our first-aid post", Alexander Matsegora told Russia's TASS news agency.
03:35 AM
Japanese woman tests positive twice
Passersby wearing masks are seen on the street at Susukino district in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan - Reuters
A woman working as a tour-bus guide in Japan tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time, Osaka's prefectural government said on Wednesday, the first person in the country to do so amid growing concerns about the spread of the infection.
The second positive test comes as the number of confirmed cases in Japan rose to 186 on Thursday from about 170 the day before. The 186 cases reported by Japan's health ministry are separate from 704 reported from an outbreak on a cruise liner that was quarantined off Tokyo earlier this month.
The woman, a resident of Osaka in western Japan, tested positive on Wednesday after developing a sore throat and chest pains. She first tested positive in late January and was discharged from the hospital after recovering on Feb. 1, according to the statement.
02:59 AM
Infected Iranian travels to Shanghai
Passengers wearing protective face masks arrive at the Hongqiao railway station in Shanghai - AFP
Shanghai is trying to identify anyone who came into contact with a coronavirus patient who arrived in the city from Iran, the local government said on Thursday.
The patient, who has not been identified, was diagnosed in Zhongwei, a city in the northwestern region of Ningxia, some 2,000 km (1,240 miles) away, on Wednesday.
The Shanghai government said it was investigating the matter further and would ensure that all the places the patient visited were disinfected.
Authorities in Zhongwei said the patient arrived in Shanghai last Thursday after flying from Iran via Moscow. The patient, who was wearing a mask throughout the journey, then travelled to Zhongwei via the city of Lanzhou by train.
Shanghai has reported 337 confirmed cases and three deaths as of Wednesday.
02:27 AM
South Korea, US cancel military drills
US Army's Col. Lee Peters and South Korea's Col. Kim Jun-rak, brief about the their postponed joint militaries drills
The South Korean and US militaries have postponed their annual joint drills out of concerns over a virus outbreak.
Thursday's announcement came after South Korea reported 21 cases of a new coronavirus in its military and the US military reported one case among its 28,500 troops in South Korea.
The announcement was jointly made by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the US military in South Korea.
Kim Jun-rak, a spokesman at the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the allies will put off their drills in the first half of this year until further notice.
South Korea said on Thursday it had more than 1,500 cases of the virus, the second-most behind China.
02:07 AM
Concern over latest case in US
Donald Trump assured Americans that they face little risk from the coronavirus outbreak - Bloomberg
An American who doesn't appear to have travelled abroad or been exposed to another patient has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
The news came shortly after President Donald Trump delivered his speech declaring that a widespread outbreak of the virus in the US isn't inevitable.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the worrisome development: Another person in the US is infected - someone in California who doesn't appear to have travelled abroad or been exposed to another patient. If the CDC confirms that, it would be a first in this country and a sign that efforts to contain the virus' spread haven't been enough.
"It's possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19," the CDC said in a statement.
The newest case brings the total number infected in the US to 60, most of them evacuated from outbreak zones.
01:31 AM
Flight attendant on LA route tests positive
Workers spray disinfectant as a precaution against the virus at Korean Air's Incheon Operation Center in South Korea - Yonhap
A Korean Air flight attendant who has tested positive for coronavirus had worked on flights between Seoul and Los Angeles, local media reported.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that the crew member had been on a Korean Air KE958 flight from Israel to Incheon on Feb. 15-16. The passengers included a South Korea tour group from which 31 coronavirus cases were seen to have originated.
But it has yet to release details of other routes and flights flown by the employee.
Yonhap News Agency and other media said she worked on flights KE017 and KE012 on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 to and from Los Angeles.
Some 30 crew members who were on the same flights with her have self-quarantined for 14 days, media reports said.
However he said he was prepared to boost funding to tackle the spread of the virus funds to "whatever's appropriate", following criticism of current funding levels from Congress.
Mr Trump added that China's president Xi Jinping was "working very, very hard" to contain the spread of the virus.
Speaking from the White House, Mr Trump rattled off a list of countries, including the UK, that John Hopkins University had rated as very well prepared to deal with the virus.
Mr Trump also announced that he had tasked his vice president, Mike Pence, with handling the US response to the coronavirus.
President Donald Trump moves to let Vice President Mike Pence speak during a news conference - AP
12:38 AM
UK told: Keep offices and schools open
Employers are being told not to close offices and schools asked to stay open as the Government attempts to stem rising panic over the ongoing spread of coronavirus.
On Wednesday night, ministers warned "over-reaction" could cost Britain dear, with more than 35 schools closing or sending pupils home and office closures affecting hundreds of workers.
The warning came as increasing numbers of Britons scrambled to cancel holidays abroad, with major events postponed as outbreaks spread across Europe and more new cases were declared outside China than in it.
Wednesday brought growing concern that an epidemic could spread across Germany, France and Spain as cases continued to soar in Italy.
Italy has reported 374 cases of the virus – up from just three in less than a week – and the country is linked to infections in Greece, Croatia, Austria, North Macedonia and Algeria as well as a hotel in Tenerife in which 1,000 holidaymakers are in lockdown.
Erik ten Hag has told Marcus Rashford he must take his share of the blame for Manchester United’s struggles despite offering the striker his full backing in the face of “months of abuse”.
Dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi has been given a death sentence for his involvement in the widespread protests that swept Iran in 2022, according to his lawyer.
