The coronavirus that emerged in central China at the end of last year has now killed nearly 1,800 people and spread around the world.
The latest figures from China show there are more than 70,000 people infected in the country.
Outside mainland China, there have been about 780 infections reported in nearly 30 locations.
Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan have each reported one fatality, while France on Saturday announced the first death outside Asia, an elderly Chinese tourist.
As of Monday, 17 February, 70,548 people had been infected across China, the majority in and around Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, where the outbreak was first reported.
Most of the 1,770 who have died in mainland China were in that region, but officials have confirmed multiple deaths elsewhere, including the capital Beijing.
The fatalities include a US citizen.
Quarantined and Confirmed Cases According to Countries
Cruise ship Diamond Princess quarantined off Japan: 355, plus a quarantine officer. (Some American citizens have left for the United States, where they are expected to undergo a further 14-day quarantine.)
- Singapore: 75
- Japan: 59, including death of one infected woman
- Hong Kong: 57, including one death
- Thailand: 34
- South Korea: 30
- Malaysia: 22
- Taiwan: 20, including one death
- Vietnam: 16
- Australia: 15
- Macau: 10
- India: 3
- Philippines: 3, including one death
- Nepal: 1
- Sri Lanka: 1
- Cambodia: 1
- United States: 15
- Canada: 8
- Germany: 16
- France: 12, including one death
- Britain: 9
- Italy: 3
- Russia: 2
- Spain: 2
- Finland: 1
- Sweden: 1
- Belgium: 1
- United Arab Emirates: 9
- Egypt: 1
What’s the Situation in India?
- 17 People Returning From Foreign Travel Quarantined in Delhi
17 people, out of a large number of passengers who had arrived in Delhi from China and other coronavirus-affected countries before the screening at the airport began around mid-January, have been found symptomatic for the infection and hospitalised, officials said.
Delhi health department officials have traced many of such passengers. According to data shared by the Delhi health department, till February 13, over 5,700 such passengers were approached after being informed by the Delhi airport authorities.
"As many as 4,707 passengers were found asymptomatic and advised for home isolation (self-quarantined). Seventeen patients were found symptomatic and hospitalised," a senior official of the Delhi health department said.
The number of passengers, who remain untraced stands at 817, the official said, quoting the data collated by the health department.
The number of passengers pending surveillance stands at 68, according to the data.
Passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore are being screened for possible exposure to the respiratory virus at 21 identified airports in the country, including Delhi airport, from January 17.
In Delhi, of the 4,705 passengers found asymptomatic, a maximum of 1,249 of those were residents of West Delhi district, while 1,073 people lived in Central Delhi.
The Delhi government has already set up a centralised control room at DGHS (HQ) and such centres also in the 11 districts.
"Anyone, who gets flu-like symptoms should immediately contact the nearest control room," the official said.
The death toll in China's novel coronavirus epidemic has climbed to 1,523 with 143 new fatalities reported mostly from the worst-affected Hubei province while the confirmed cases jumped to over 66,000, health officials said on Saturday.
- India Had 3 Confirmed Cases in Kerala, One Makes Full Recovery
India has so far reported three confirmed cases of the virus, all in Kerala. One of the three medical students, who had tested positive for novel coronavirus infection and were treated at a hospital in Kerala, has been discharged after recovery, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had said on Thursday.
About the other two, he said subsequent tests indicated a significant reduction in "viral load".
The health ministry has asked people to refrain from travelling to China in view of the coronavirus outbreak and said travellers on return could be quarantined.
- Three Indians Test Positive on Japanese Cruise
In an earlier article FIT reported that a third Indian crew member has been confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise quarantined in Japan.
The cruise ship had 3,711 people on board and arrived at the Japanese coast early last week. It was quarantined after a passenger, who de-boarded last month in Hong Kong, was found to be the carrier of the novel virus on the ship
All the infected people have been taken to hospitals for adequate treatment, including further quarantine, in accordance with the Japanese health protocol, the embassy said.
The third Indian has been hospitalised for treatment, the Indian embassy in Tokya has said.
The ship carries 138 Indians, out of which two had tested positive on Thursday, 13 February. Their condition is stable and improving. Authorities have confirmed 218 passengers to be infected with the potentially fatal disease that has led to over 1500 deaths in China.
An Indian Embassy official told PTI,
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Indian embassy is in constant touch with the crew and passengers, and rendering all necessary support and assistance.
Those on the ship have been asked to wear masks and allowed limited access to the open decks as they are advised to remain in the cabins most of the times to contain the spread of the virus, according to media reports.
(With Inputs from PTI)
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