Coronavirus crisis: WHO confirms new cases have declined

WHO says coronavirus may have peaked as new cases decline but it could still go ‘in any direction.’

The number of new cases of the coronavirus in China has dropped for a second straight day, raising hopes the outbreak may have peaked.

The World Health Organisaiton has confirmed CoVid-19 has stabilised but the world still needed to act with “extreme caution” over the virus.

This outbreak could still go in any direction,” warned WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Despite the optimistic news, the world’s biggest mobile technology fair in Spain was cancelled over virus fears, while the Chinese Grand Prix was postponed.

The Formula One race in Shanghai in April became the latest event cancelled because of the virus. Nokia, Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom became the latest companies to pull out of the Mobile World Conference in Spain that usually draws 5,000 to 6,000 Chinese visitors.

Australia’s sandstone universities are also “unfortunately” preparing for Scott Morrison to extend a ban on foreign nationals coming from China, as banks predict the coronavirus crisis could wipe $6bn off Australia’s GDP and result in a quarter of negative growth.

Over 45,000 people worldwide have been confirmed with the virus which has killed more than 1,100.

In Japan, 39 new cases were confirmed on a cruise ship quarantined at Yokohama, bringing the total to 174 on the Diamond Princess.

China’s National Health Commission said there were 2,015 new cases on Tuesday, the second straight daily decline and down from nearly 3,900 a week ago. Commission spokesman Mi Feng said the situation is still grim but “we have seen some positive changes.”

“I’m going to be optimistic that is a sign that their aggressive actions have been effective, but I really do think it’s too soon to say that for sure, not having hands on the data ourselves,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

All but one of the deaths recorded so far have been in China, as have more than 99% of all reported infections in the world. The country has put an unprecedented 60 million people in a near quarantine.

Beijing’s claim the virus may have peaked is at risk of being overshadowed by news a citizen journalist reporting on the epidemic in Wuhan has disappeared, the second to vanish in recent days amid tightening controls on information in China.

Fang Bin, a seller of traditional Chinese clothing, documented overcrowded hospitals and a health system under strain in daily posts, but stopped posting videos or responding to calls and messages on Sunday, activists said. His phone was turned off Wednesday.

The last video Mr Fang posted was of a piece of paper reading, “All citizens resist, hand power back to the people.”

Another citizen journalist, Chen Qiushi, vanished on Friday.

AP