Coronavirus: China confirms Boao Forum postponed

Annual gathering of government and business leaders put off to help contain epidemic

22 new deaths in China, and 40 new infections with all but 4 occurring in Wuhan, as nearby airports are told to prepare to resume flights

Reading Time:8 minutes

Chinese respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan said he expected the outbreak to continue to spread internationally for months yet. Photo: Xinhua

Kinling Lo,Gigi Choy,Dewey Sim,Linda LewandJevans Nyabiage

Published: 9:50am, 9 Mar 2020Updated: 9:23am, 10 Mar 2020

China has recorded 40 new coronavirus cases – its lowest daily increase – with all coming in the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, except four imported cases in Gansu province in the country’s northwest, the National Health Commission said on Monday morning.

It was the lowest number recorded since mainland China started reporting daily figures on January 20, and the second day in a row that all non-imported cases were in Wuhan.

There were 22 new deaths, with one in the southern Guangdong province and the rest in Hubei province in central China, of which Wuhan is the capital. That took the country’s death toll to 3,119, with a total of 80,735 confirmed cases.

The four imported cases recorded in Gansu involved people on flights from Iran to Lanzhou, the province’s capital. These took the total number of imported cases recorded in China to 67.

Boao Forum postponed

China has confirmed it will postpone its annual Boao Forum for Asia as the country tries to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Chinese media reported on Monday.

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