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Xinhua News Agency/PA Images
China

Wuhan mayor expecting thousands more cases of coronavirus to be confirmed

The US consulate also announced it will evacuate personnel on a charter flight back to the US.

THE MAYOR OF Wuhan said he expected a thousand more confirmed cases of people infected with the coronavirus, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Zhou Xianwang said “it was possible to add about 1,000 cases” based on the number of patients in hospital being tested or undergoing observation in the city. 

The number of confirmed cases of infections nationally was 1,975 as of latest figures today.

The coronavirus has accelerated its spread in China with 56 deaths counted so far. 

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, the epicentre of the outbreak, which remains on lockdown.

Meanwhile, Protesters in Hong Kong threw petrol bombs  at an empty public housing complex that had been earmarked to become a temporary quarantine zone, police said, as the city battles an outbreak of the SARS-like novel coronavirus.

The US consulate in Wuhan announced today that it will evacuate its personnel and some private citizens aboard a charter flight.

Cases have also been found in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, the US, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France, Australia and Canada.

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 go directly to San Francisco.

Meanwhile, protesters in Hong Kong threw petrol bombs at an empty public housing complex which had been earmarked to become a temporary quarantine zone, police said, as the city battles an outbreak of he virus.

“These destructive acts have posed a grave threat to the safety of people at scene,” police said in a statement. 

Witnesses saw fierce flames coming from the entrance of two apartment blocks before firefighters got the blaze under control.

- © AFP 2020

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