Diplomats evacuated as virus crisis deepens

The new virus accelerated its spread in China with 56 deaths so far, and the US consulate in Wuhan will be evacuated.

A suspected coronavirus case arrives at Wuhan’s Red Cross Hospital on Saturday night. At least 56 people have died in the outbreak. Picture: AFP

The coronavirus has accelerated its spread in China with 56 deaths so far, and the US consulate in the epicentre of the outbreak, the central city of Wuhan, announced on Sunday it would evacuate its personnel and some private citizens aboard a charter flight.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called the outbreak a grave situation, and the government stepped up efforts to restrict travel and public gatherings while rushing medical staff and supplies to Wuhan, which remains in lockdown.

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The latest figures reported on Sunday morning cover the previous 24 hours and mark an increase of 15 deaths and 688 cases for a total of 1975 infections. The government also reported five cases in Hong Kong, two in Macau and three in Taiwan. Small numbers of cases have been found in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, the US, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France and Australia. Canada discovered its first case, a man is his 50s who ­recently flew from Wuhan to Guangzhou, China, and then on to Toronto.

A notice from the US embassy in Beijing said there would be limited capacity to transport US citizens on the Tuesday flight from Wuhan that will proceed directly to San Francisco. French carmaker PSA Group said it would evacuate its staff from Wuhan, quarantine them and then bring them to France. The foreign ministry said it was working on “eventual options” to evacuate French citizens from Wuhan “who want to leave”.

British citizens caught inside the Hubei Province shutdown have expressed frustration at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, claiming the British government had provided little assistance and poor advice amid the escalating crisis.

China’s health minister Ma Xiaowei said as positive cases emerged in Australia, Thailand, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and France: “The transmissibility shows signs of increasing and the walking source of infection has made it difficult to control and present the disease”.

Mr Xiaowei added: “We are not clear about the risk of its mutation and how it spreads. Since this is a new coronavirus there might be some changes in the coming days and weeks, and the danger it poses to people of different ages is also changing.”

Several hundred British people are believed to be in Wuhan - a city of 11 million - and surrounding cities of the province which have been ordered shut by the Chinese government.

However unlike the US and France, which is trying to organise a bus for its citizens, British citizens say they have received no help.

The FCO’s advice on Saturday had been upgraded to leave if able, but Britons say the government knew that the area had been effectively quarantined with no rail, bus or road travel allowed.

The FCO advice warned “against all travel to Hubei Province. If you are in this area and able to leave, you should do so. This is due to the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.”

China has tried to contain the spread of the virus by banning travel in 14 cities and on Sunday the government announced a strict ban on selling wild animals.

British teacher Joe Armitt, 30, told the Telegraph: “It seems like the French and the American embassies are going to great lengths to ensure their citizens have a safe repatriation plan.

“For the Brits, we’ve seen no real attempt form the British Embassy or Foreign Office to reach out and offer us support.”

As of Sunday evening no one had tested positive to the virus in Britain despite scores of sick people being tested.

Also on Sunday, Hong Kong’s Disneyland and Ocean Park said they were closing.

Chinese travel agencies have been told to halt all group tours, and concern is growing over the potential impact of millions of people travelling back to the cities after the Lunar New Year holiday ends on Thursday.

A medical staff member in full protective wear among patients and visitors at the Red Cross Hospital in Wuhan on Friday. Picture: AFP

In the heart of the outbreak where 11 million residents are ­already in lockdown, Wuhan banned most vehicle use, including private cars, in downtown areas starting on Sunday. The city will assign 6000 taxis to neighbourhoods to help people get around if they need to.

Wuhan plans to build a second makeshift hospital with about 1000 beds to handle the growing number of patients. The city has said another hospital was expected to be completed on February 3.

Medical workers in Wuhan have been among those infected and it was reported a 62-year-old doctor had died of the virus on Saturday morning.

Xinhua said medical supplies were being rushed to the city, ­including 14,000 protective suits, 110,000 pairs of gloves and masks and goggles. The National Health Commission was bringing in medical teams to help handle the outbreak, a day after videos circulating online showed throngs of frantic people in masks lined up for examinations and complaints that family members had been turned away from hospitals that were at capacity. The Chinese military dispatched 450 medics, some with experience in past outbreaks, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola, who arrived in Wuhan on Friday.

China cut off trains, planes and other links to Wuhan on Wednesday, as well as public transport within the city, and has steadily expanded a lockdown to 16 surrounding cities with a combined population of more than 50 million. Around China, authorities cancelled a host of Lunar New Year events and closed tourist destinations and cinemas. Temple fairs were suspended, Beijing’s Forbidden City and Shanghai Disneyland closed and people cancelled restaurant reservations ahead of the holiday, normally a time of family reunions, sightseeing trips and other festivities in the country of 1.4 billion people.

In Beijing and other cities, most people wore medical masks on buses and the subway or to public places like grocery stores, where workers dispensed hand sanitiser to customers. Some parts of the country had checkpoints for temperature readings and made masks mandatory.

In Hong Kong, one of the biggest days in the city’s horse racing will be like a ghost meeting today.

Last year’s Chinese New Year meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse attracted 105,000 patrons, but today fewer than 8000 fans will watch horses go round.

Hong Kong Jockey Club has opted not to cancel the meeting, but only those with corporate bookings, as well as staff, jockeys, trainers and other connections will be able to attend. And they will all be screened for symptoms of the virus and advised to wear masks.

The club said in a statement that the potential impact on betting markets had convinced it to go ahead with the meeting.

“We are particularly aware that Chinese New Year Raceday is a very important part of community life during the Chinese New Year holidays, providing racing and betting entertainment to around one million racing fans.

“The cancellation of the Chinese New Year Raceday would therefore not only impact those who choose to visit the racecourses but all those who stay at home or elsewhere to enjoy the races on TV or via other platforms.

“… the club has decided that Chinese New Year Raceday should go ahead, but with a reduced attendance and with measures in place to strengthen hygiene protection.

“On the day, apart from essential parties such as horse owners, trainers, jockeys, club officials and stewards etc, only those customers who already have a prior reservation at racecourse restaurants will be admitted.

“According to medical experts, the level of health risk is not higher than visiting restaurants in shopping malls. All customers will receive temperature screening before entry and will be advised to wear medical masks.”

The club said the protocols would remain in place for future meetings while the crisis was ongoing..