China coronavirus: North Korea bans tourists as Asia braces for Lunar New Year rush

As Asia reacts to the virus’ spread, Australia warns anyone showing symptoms can be forced to go to hospital, while Singapore hospitals are on ‘outbreak response mode’

Hong Kong has reported its first case, a tourist from Wuhan who came to the city via train. His family, who reported no symptoms, have flown to Manila

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Passengers from Guangzhou, China line up for immigration processing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:13pm, 22 Jan 2020Updated: 2:44pm, 17 Feb 2020

North Korea’s decision to ban all foreign visitors as a precaution against China’s coronavirus outbreak will hit its economy hard as tourists from the mainland account for 85 per cent of its 100,000 tourists each year, analysts say.

Tourist earnings contribute US$45 million to Pyongyang’s economy, which has limited sources of foreign exchange due to sanctions over its nuclear programme.

“This is bad news for North Korea but I suspect the greater concern is the public health risk,” said Daniel Pinkston, who lectures in international relations at Alabama’s Troy University. “[The outbreak of] a disease would have a greater impact on its society and pose a greater challenge for it than the lost tourism revenue.”

The new coronavirus has killed nine people and infected 471 on the mainland, while four cases have been reported in Thailand. Macau, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the United States have reported one case each.

Hong Kong reported its first confirmed case of the coronavirus on Wednesday, after a tourist from Wuhan came to the city via high-speed rail from Shenzhen was detected to have a high fever at the border.

Health Minister Sophia Chan said the patient came to Hong Kong with four family members, who spent Tuesday night at a hotel in the Tsim Sha Tsui tourist district flying to Manila earlier on Wednesday. His family did not have any symptoms.

Given how fast the virus is spreading, medical professionals said quarantine was the best approach to contain it.

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