Wuhan Lockdown Intensifies While First Coronavirus Case Reported In ‘Unprepared’ Africa
by Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge.com
Fri, 02/14/2020
Summary:
First case reported in Africa after the Egyptian Health Ministry confirms non-Egyptian patient who recently traveled to China
China says 1,716 medical workers have been infected
WHO demands to know more about sick doctors, insists group of 12 virus experts will reach Beijing over the weekend
Singapore reports largest daily jump in cases amid increased human-to-human transmission
Egypt confirms first case; virus now present in 29 countries/territories
Hong Kong reports 3 new cases
New quarantine measures take effect in Wuhan
President Xi touts new “biosecurity law”
Hong Kong Disney land offers space for quarantine
Chinese company says blood plasma of recovered patients useful in combating the virus
US mulling new travel restrictions
Japan reports 4 new cases; one patient recently returned from Hawaii.
CDC Director: Virus is “Coming” to the US.
Update (1415ET): The Egyptian Health Ministry has announced the first coronavirus case in Egypt – the first confirmed patient on the African continent, according to the Financial Times. According to the ministry, the case was discovered through its electronic registration program to track people who have visited countries with reported infections.
The person in question is not Egyptian and is asymptomatic, but tested positive for the virus. They have been placed in isolation in a local hospital, according to the ministry.
As we reported earlier in the week, Africa – which has seen an influx of Chinese nationals in recent years (and a ton of half-Chinese babies born to single mothers) is woefully unprepared for the coronavirus.
“We’re definitely not prepared. If we had a couple of cases, it would spread very quickly,” physiotherapist Fundi Sinkala said.
“We’re doing the best we can with what resources we have.” -AP
Of note, around 1 million Chinese now live in Africa.
* * *
Update (1330ET): As we mentioned earlier during our introduction to Ying Yong, the President Xi protege and former Shanghai mayor who is now running Hubei Province for the Communist Party, the new seven more draconian quarantine measures that he’s imposing on Wuhan are taking effect.
The city reportedly announced Friday afternoon (NYC time) that the new measures had taken effect. According to BBG, residents of the city of more than 11 million where the outbreak began must now stay in their homes, except to receive treatment or provide a sanctioned government service.
Get ready for more scenes like this:
Nurse denied entry to her own home after work as the guard thinks she carries more #virus as she is a nurse. One of the many scenes in #China during #CoronavirusOutbreak.
護士下班回不了家，把門的說護士渾身上下都是病毒，更不能讓她進去。#COVID2019 #Coronavirus #武汉肺炎 #新冠肺炎 pic.twitter.com/SCUBCdYATG— 曾錚 Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferatntd) February 14, 2020
So much for getting China ‘back to work’.
* * *
Update (1200ET): Bloomberg just reported that Egypt has confirmed its first coronavirus case.
EGYPT CONFIRMS FIRST CORONAVIRUS CASE, HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS AFFECTED PERSON IS A FOREIGNER – STATE TV
That’s the 29th country or territory to report at least one case of the coronavirus. It’s not yet clear where the patient might’ve been infected.
* * *
