Coronavirus latest: China’s imported cases rise as Italy reports deadliest day

The National Health Commission said six of the cases had been reported in the capital Beijing, with five of the patients travelling from Italy and the sixth from the US. A further case was confirmed in the northwestern province of Gansu, among a group of people under observation after arriving from Iran. There was also one imported case in Shanghai and another in Shandong province in eastern China.

Of the remaining 14 new infections reported by the commission, all but one were in Wuhan, the central Chinese city in Hubei province where the new coronavirus emerged in December. The commission said 22 more people – all in Hubei province – had died, bringing the national death toll from Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, to 3,158. China has now reported a total of 80,778 cases.

Italy’s deadliest day

Locked-down Italy on Tuesday recorded its deadliest day of the novel coronavirus outbreak, with its toll rising by 168 to 631 dead, and 10,149 people now infected in just over two weeks.

A slew of airlines halted flights to Italy for the next few weeks and neighbouring countries clamped down on their borders with the worst-hit country outside China. A number of European countries announced school closures and bans on mass public events.

Infections also continued to rise in the US, with a jump of 224 new cases, as of Tuesday, bringing its total to 696.

Hubei prepares for gradual return to normal

Plans were announced in Hubei province on Wednesday for a gradual return to normal, after nearly two months in lockdown. A notice issued by the local government stipulated that most businesses in the provincial capital Wuhan would not resume work before March 20.

However, ports, state construction projects and finance industries can gradually return to work in the province’s high risk regions, the notice said.