Nearly 12,000 cases reported worldwide
Death toll from outbreak rises by 46; Communist Party of China meets to discuss crisis, decides to extend holidays to stop the virus from spreading
province, reports said, with medical workers forced treat the virus without adequate protection.
HOLIDAYS EXTENDED
A meeting of the leading group of the CPC’S central committee on the coronavirus prevention and control agreed that Hubei would extend the holidays to an “appropriate extent”. The meeting was chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, who also heads the group.
CHINA SPEAKS TO INDIA
China has urged India to respond to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak rationally and without exaggerating tension, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Saturday. Foreign minister Wang Yi spoke to external affairs minister
S Jaishankar about the outbreak in a recent phone call.
PHILIPPINE CARRIERS CANCEL FLIGHTS
MANILA: Three Philippine airlines on Saturday cancelled flights to China, joining many others around the world that have done the same, after health officials confirmed the Philippines’ first case of coronavirus. A 38-year-old Chinese woman tested positive for the virus on Thursday.
NEPAL AND RUSSIA TO EVACUATE CITIZENS
KATHMANDU/MOSCOW: Nepal government has initiated the process to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, and is planning to send a chartered aeroplane as soon as possible. The Russian military will evacuate Russian citizens from regions that have been most affected by the outbreak on Monday and Tuesday.
HONG KONG MEDICAL WORKERS TO STRIKE
HONG KONG: Thousands of Hong Kong medical workers voted on Saturday to strike as they urge the government to close its border with the mainland to contain the coronavirus epidemic.
The financial hub has 13 confirmed cases of the disease as of Saturday. The HAEA will meet with city’s hospital authority representatives on Sunday to negotiate.