AFP :
Singapore and Mongolia slapped sweeping bans on arrivals from China on Friday and the United States told its citizens to avoid the country after a global health emergency was declared over a viral epidemic that has killed 213 people.
Nearly 10,000 people have been infected in China by the new coronavirus and new cases were found abroad, with more than 20 countries now affected by the disease.
With countries around the world growing increasingly concerned, the World Health Organization, which was criticised for initially downplaying the virus threat, declared the outbreak a global health emergency on Thursday.
The US State Department raised its warning alert to the highest level, telling Americans “do not travel” to China and urged those already there to leave.
Singapore and Mongolia went a step further.
Citing a likely “sharper rise” in the spread of the virus, Singapore’s government barred arrivals and transit passengers from mainland China.
Mongolia’s measure applies a ban to Chinese nationals and foreigners coming from the neighbouring country by plane, train or road from Saturday until March 2. Mongolians will be barred from going to China over the same period.
The vast, landlocked country had previously only banned cars from crossing the border.
Japan, meanwhile, joined Britain, Germany and other countries that have recommended that their citizens avoid China.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the greatest concern was the potential for the virus “to spread to countries with weaker health systems”.
“We must all act together now to limit further spread,” Tedros said.
The WHO has declared a global health emergency five times since the practice began in 2007 —
for swine flu, polio, Zika and twice for Ebola. It allows the UN health body to issue recommendations that the international community is expected to follow.
Tedros said travel and trade restrictions involving China were unnecessary. But authorities, businesses and worried people around the world were taking matters into their own hands. Many major airlines this week suspended or reduced flights to China.
Russia sealed its remote far-eastern frontier.
Impoverished Papua New Guinea went so far as to bar all visitors from “Asian ports”. Some countries banned entry for travellers from Wuhan, the city in central Hubei province where the virus first surfaced.
Italy and Israel on Thursday barred all flight connections with China. The Italian government declared a state of emergency on Friday to fast-track efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
China on Friday said it sent charter planes to Thailand and Malaysia to bring Hubei residents back to Wuhan, citing the “practical difficulties” that they have encountered overseas.
In a sign of growing global anxiety, more than 6,000 tourists were temporarily confined aboard their cruise ship at an Italian port after two Chinese passengers fell ill.
Singapore and Mongolia slapped sweeping bans on arrivals from China on Friday and the United States told its citizens to avoid the country after a global health emergency was declared over a viral epidemic that has killed 213 people.
Nearly 10,000 people have been infected in China by the new coronavirus and new cases were found abroad, with more than 20 countries now affected by the disease.
With countries around the world growing increasingly concerned, the World Health Organization, which was criticised for initially downplaying the virus threat, declared the outbreak a global health emergency on Thursday.
The US State Department raised its warning alert to the highest level, telling Americans “do not travel” to China and urged those already there to leave.
Singapore and Mongolia went a step further.
Citing a likely “sharper rise” in the spread of the virus, Singapore’s government barred arrivals and transit passengers from mainland China.
Mongolia’s measure applies a ban to Chinese nationals and foreigners coming from the neighbouring country by plane, train or road from Saturday until March 2. Mongolians will be barred from going to China over the same period.
The vast, landlocked country had previously only banned cars from crossing the border.
Japan, meanwhile, joined Britain, Germany and other countries that have recommended that their citizens avoid China.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the greatest concern was the potential for the virus “to spread to countries with weaker health systems”.
“We must all act together now to limit further spread,” Tedros said.
The WHO has declared a global health emergency five times since the practice began in 2007 —
for swine flu, polio, Zika and twice for Ebola. It allows the UN health body to issue recommendations that the international community is expected to follow.
Tedros said travel and trade restrictions involving China were unnecessary. But authorities, businesses and worried people around the world were taking matters into their own hands. Many major airlines this week suspended or reduced flights to China.
Russia sealed its remote far-eastern frontier.
Impoverished Papua New Guinea went so far as to bar all visitors from “Asian ports”. Some countries banned entry for travellers from Wuhan, the city in central Hubei province where the virus first surfaced.
Italy and Israel on Thursday barred all flight connections with China. The Italian government declared a state of emergency on Friday to fast-track efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
China on Friday said it sent charter planes to Thailand and Malaysia to bring Hubei residents back to Wuhan, citing the “practical difficulties” that they have encountered overseas.
In a sign of growing global anxiety, more than 6,000 tourists were temporarily confined aboard their cruise ship at an Italian port after two Chinese passengers fell ill.
