International News
See other International News Articles
Title: Coronavirus 'will infect 350,000 people in Wuhan': Scientists make alarming prediction ahead of Chinese New Year as China locks down FOURTEEN cities, part of the Great Wall and Disneyland Shanghai – and even McDonald's shuts up shop
Source:
Mail
URL Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ ... help-prevent-spread-virus.html
Published: Jan 24, 2020
Author: Sam Blanchard
Post Date: 2020-01-24 08:59:36 by IbJensen
Keywords: None
Views: 4890
Comments: 23
The Wuhan coronavirus has infected more than 800 people and killed 26 around the world so far this month •Experts predict the true number of cases is in the thousands, with many only becoming mildly ill •Major cities and towns in China are cancelling public transport and closing roads to try and stop the spread •Hospitals in Wuhan, the outbreak's centre, have been 'overwhelmed' this week, experts said •The government has ordered the six-day construction of a new hospital in Wuhan to deal with the virus •Report shared with MailOnline suggests 250,000 people – up to 350,000 – will have caught virus by February In the US, one man in Washington State is being monitored after being confirmed to have the disease and other suspected cases are being tested in California and Texas. Across the Atlantic, British authorities have tested 14 people but no cases have been confirmed yet. Chinese New Year is due to be celebrated tomorrow, which normally means millions of people travel around the country and the world to visit family. But major festivities all over the country have been cancelled, including those at Beijing's Forbidden City, a major tourist destination, and fairs and carnivals in Beijing and Hong Kong. In a further sign of how seriously the outbreak is being taken, McDonald's has ordered the closure of branches in five cities in the Hubei province, where the outbreak started and has proved most deadly, and clothing store Uni Qlo has shut seven stores in Wuhan city. Officially, the Wuhan coronavirus has infected more than 800 people and killed 26 around the world so far this month, but experts predict the true number of cases is in the thousands. Yet the World Health Organization last night decided not to declare the outbreak a global emergency - despite governments around the world being on high alert and screening passengers from China at airports. 'We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and... announce the reopening date upon confirmation.' A section of the Great Wall known as the Badaling section – one of the most visited parts – has been closed to tourists, Al Jazeera reports. The following measures have been taken to control the disease's spread in and around China: •Beijing's Forbidden Palace, which hosts the Palace Museum, will be closed to visitors from tomorrow, Saturday •The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, has been closed •A four-day carnival planned in Hong Kong, from January 25 to 28, has been cancelled by the state tourism board •Hong Kong's Lunar New Year World Cup football tournament has been called off •All public Lunar New Year events in Macau, home to more than half-a-million people, have been cancelled A report shared with MailOnline after being produced yesterday by researchers from Lancaster University in England, the University of Florida and the University of Glasgow, estimated that only five per cent of all the coronavirus cases are being diagnosed. Dr Jonathan Read, a biostatistics researcher at Lancaster, wrote with colleagues: 'If no change in control or transmission happens, then we expect further outbreaks to occur in other Chinese cities, and that infections will continue to be exported to international destinations at an increasing rate. 'In 14 days’ time (4 February 2020), our model predicts the number of infected people in Wuhan to be greater than 250 thousand (prediction prediction interval, 164,602 to 351,396). 'We predict the cities with the largest outbreaks elsewhere in China to be Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Chengdu. We also predict that by 4 Feb 2020, the countries or special administrative regions at greatest risk of importing infections through air travel are Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.' Businesses around China – the world's biggest nation and home to more than one billion people, a seventh of the world's population – are already having to take drastic measures. Seven movies which were set to premiere over this weekend have cancelled their screenings. And shops have started to close their branches – international clothing store Uni Qlo has shut down 17 stores in Wuhan city, where the outbreak began and is most dangerous. Wuhan has now been in lockdown for two days, with residents told not to leave and forced to wear face masks. There is no public transport, major roads have been closed and the airport has been shut down. Reports from the city described it as a 'ghost town' as streets were deserted at a time when millions would normally be preparing to celebrate. And at least nine other areas have started to put similar measures in place. Huanggang, close to Wuhan, is home to more than seven million people and yesterday announced it would shut down its public transport. Movement of people is also reportedly being restricted in Tiananmen, Ezhou, Zhijiang, Dangyang, Qianjiang, Chibi, Xiantao, Lichuan, Jingmen, Xianning, Yichang and Enshi. All these places are in the Hubei province, which is the epicenter of the outbreak – Wuhan is the capital. Hubei has a total population of almost 60million people – slightly more than England. Hubei has by far recorded the most cases – 549 out of the total, according to China Daily – and all but one of the 26 people who have died died in that province. (Many more photos and info at website)
Poster Comment: The Democrat-Communists would admit infected Chinese into the USA and spread them throughout the country like they have the Muslims. They can vote until they're dead, as well as the rest of us.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 7.
#7. To: IbJensen (#0)
#9. To: Tooconservative, Deckaerd (#7)
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Replies to Comment # 7. 
End Trace Mode for Comment # 7.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]