Medical workers write names on each other's protective suits for recognition in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)
Chinese health authorities announced Saturday that 1,287 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), including 237 in critical conditions, had been reported in the country by the end of Friday.
BEIJING, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The latest on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV): (all times local)
1:20 pm, Jan. 25 Ramping up quarantine measures on public transport
A staff member checks a passenger's body temperature at Wangjiadun metro station in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, 9 a.m. Jan. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
China has ramped up quarantine measures on public transport by demanding the immediate isolation and transfer to the nearest observation stations of coronavirus infected patients on board.
The order was issued in a circular by a multi-department task-force headed by the National Health Commission to fight the virus outbreak.
Public transport operators should "immediately take isolation, ventilation and sterilization measures on public transport" when either confirmed or suspected cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus are found onboard trains, buses, ships and planes, the circular said.
The nearest observation stations must be immediately notified, it added.
People who have close contact with the people suspected or confirmed of having the virus should also subject themselves to epidemic surveys and necessary medical examinations by health authorities, according to the circular.
Local governments have been asked to set up observation stations at bus stations, ports and flight terminals for coronavirus quarantine and not to turn away any patients, confirmed or suspected.
Temperature monitoring for all passengers should also be stepped up at these transport hubs, especially for travelers from Wuhan, the hardest-hit city of the outbreak, it said. Suspected or confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus pneumonia should be dissuaded from boarding.
Chinese health authorities announced Saturday that 1,287 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, including 237 in critical condition, had been reported in the country by the end of Friday. The pneumonia situation had resulted in 41 deaths. Enditem
10:28 am, Jan. 25 SARS, Ebola-experienced military medics sent to Wuhan
A team of 150 medical staff from the Army Medical University in Chongqing ready to fly to Wuhan to help fight against pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, Jan. 24, 2020. (Xinhua)
WUHAN, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- China has sent 450 military medical staff, including professionals who have experience in the fight against SARS or Ebola, to the novel coronavirus hardest-hit city of Wuhan.
The medics, in three teams sent by medical universities of the army, navy and air force of the People's Liberation Army, arrived in Wuhan by military aircraft on Friday night.
The teams, composed of experts in respiratory health, infectious diseases, hospital infection control and intensive care unit, will be dispatched to the Wuhan hospitals with large numbers of novel coronavirus-related pneumonia patients, according to the military authorities.
08:29 am, Jan. 25 1,287 confirmed cases of new coronavirus pneumonia, 41 deaths reported
Medical staff work in the ICU of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)
Chinese health authorities announced Saturday that 1,287 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), including 237 in critical conditions, had been reported in the country by the end of Friday.
The pneumonia situation had resulted in 41 deaths, including 39 in central China's Hubei Province, one in north China's Hebei Province and one in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, according to the National Health Commission.
A total of 1,965 suspected cases had also been reported.
Thirty-eight people who recovered had been discharged from hospitals.
During the 24 hours of Friday, 444 new confirmed cases and 1,118 new suspected cases were reported while 16 people died of the disease.
The outbreak spread to Qinghai Province, bringing the number of affected provincial-level regions to 30, according to the commission.
A total of 15,197 close contacts have been traced, the commission said, adding that among them, 13,967 are under medical observation while 1,230 others have been discharged.
In addition, ten confirmed cases had been reported in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan, with five in Hong Kong, two in Macao and three in Taiwan.
Overseas, confirmed cases were reported in Thailand (4 including 2 cured), Japan (2 including 1 cured), the Republic of Korea (2), the United States (2), Vietnam (2), Singapore (3), Nepal (1) and France (2). ■
