COVID-19 Updates (24/2):
The total number of infected is now standing at 79744 where the number of deaths is now at 2629. 77345 confirmed cases and 2593 deaths are from mainland China.
This morning Wuhan announced non-Wuhan individuals were allowed to leave the city if they show no symptoms. However in the afternoon Chinese authorities clarified the measure was not agreed by higher officials, thus invalidating the earlier announcement.
The HKSAR government is arranging chartered planes to pick up Hong Kong citizens stranded in Hubei province. The first plane is picking up citizens in Wuhan.
Number of confirmed cases rose to 833 in South Korea; there was an increase of 231 in a single day. 8 deaths were reported.
The HKSAR government issued red travel alert to South Korea. From 25 Feb 6am onwards, non-Hong Kong residents from South Korea are banned from entry, residents returning from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province are required to quarantine for 14 days.
(Throwback: Carrie Lam said fully closing borders with mainland China was discriminating Chinese on 31 Jan 2020, no travel alert was issued to China)
2 more individuals who had been to Fook Wai Ching She Buddhist temple in North Point were confirmed infected by COVID-19.
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital confirmed that an infected patient requested to live in a single room for 4 times, 40 medical staff were required to receive quick test.
The epidemic is spreading in the Middle East region, confirmed cases are found in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon.
Total infected case in Italy rose to 219, 6 deaths were reported. The ongoing 2020 Venice Carnival was cancelled.
In Italy, 10 years storage of face masks was sold out in 10 days.
South Korea reported 70 more COVID-19 cases, bringing total to 833
More Diamond Princess Passengers confirmed infected by the coronavirus after returning to their home countries, including the United Kingdom, Israel and Hong Kong.
2 Japanese men were infected by the novel coronavirus after travelling to Indonesia in mid-February, however there was no confirmed cases in the country yet.
Experts expect warm weather in upcoming summer can stall the epidemic, however the most important point is to stop the infection chain in the society.
61 cases were confirmed and 12 cases were reported in Iran, leading Iran to be the country with second most deaths outside China.
Pakistan and Turkey closed borders with Iran over outbreak in Iran.
WHO said no longer used ‘pandemic’ category and it was “too early” to speak of a pandemic, but virus still emergency
WHO expert team stated the infected number increase by day in Wuhan has been halted, however the situation is still complicated.
Source: Now news, RTHK, Apple Daily, The Guardian, NHK, Reuters, Commercial Radio Hong Kong, World Meter, Ming Pao
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