ANKARA, Turkey – The death toll from a strong earthquake that rocked eastern Turkey climbed to 22 Saturday, with more than 1,000 people injured, officials said.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, speaking at a televised news conference near the epicenter of the quake, said 39 people had been rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings, including a woman recovered 14 hours after the main tremor.
Rescue workers were continuing to search for people buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Elazig province and neighboring Malatya, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said earlier.
Emergency workers and security forces distributed tents, beds and blankets as overnight temperatures dropped below freezing in the affected areas. Mosques, schools, sports halls and student dormitories were opened for hundreds who left their homes after the quake.
Rescue workers try to reach people under a collapsed building following a strong earthquake in Elazig in the eastern Turkey, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. The earthquake rocked eastern Turkey on Friday, causing some buildings to collapse and killing scores of people, Turkish officials said. (IHA via AP)
“The earthquake was very severe, we desperately ran out (of our home),” Emre Gocer told the state-run Anadolu news agency as he sheltered with his family at a sports hall in the town of Sivrice in Elazig. “We don’t have a safe place to stay right now.”
The quake hit Friday at 8:55 p.m. local time (1755 GMT) at a depth of 6.7 kilometers (around 4 miles) near Sivrice, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD, said. Various earthquake monitoring centers gave magnitudes ranging from 6.5 to 6.8.
AFAD said it was followed by 228 aftershocks, the strongest with magnitudes 5.4 and 5.1.
At least five buildings in Sivrice and 25 in Malatya province were destroyed, said Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum. Hundreds of other structures were damaged and made unsafe.
Soylu said 18 people were killed in Elazig and four in Malatya. Some 1,030 people were hurt. Speaking at the same news conference, Koca said 34 people remain in intensive care.
Television footage showed emergency workers removing two people from the wreckage of a collapsed building in the town of Gezin. Another person was saved in the city of Elazig, the provincial capital, and two more from a house in Doganyol, Malatya.
A prison in Adiyaman, 110 kilometers (70 miles) southwest of the epicenter, was evacuated after being damaged in the quake.
AFAD said 28 rescue teams had been working around the clock. More than 2,600 personnel from 39 of Turkey’s 81 provinces were sent to the disaster site.
“Our biggest hope is that the death toll does not rise,” Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop said.
Rescuers work on a collapsed building after a strong earthquake struck in Elazig in the eastern Turkey, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. The earthquake rocked eastern Turkey on Friday, causing some buildings to collapse and killing scores of people, Turkish officials said. (IHA via AP)
Communication companies announced free telephone and internet services for residents in the quake-hit region, while Turkish Airlines announced extra flights.
Soylu said emergency work was proceeding under the threat of aftershocks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter overnight that all measures were being taken to "ensure that the earthquake that occurred in Elazig and was felt in many provinces is overcome with the least amount of loss."
Neighboring Greece, which is at odds with Turkey over maritime boundaries and gas exploitation rights, offered to send rescue crews should they be needed.
Elazig is some 565 kilometers (350 miles) east of the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Turkey sits on top of two major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent. Two strong earthquakes struck northwest Turkey in 1999, killing around 18,000 people.
A magnitude 6 earthquake killed 51 people in Elazig in 2010.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Saturday her government is raising its response level to the highest level – emergency – and closing schools for two weeks, as authorities rush to contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The outbreak, which started in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, has left 41 people dead in China. The country's National Health Commission says 1,287 people are infected.
Wuhan has been locked down for days, with public transportation halted and flights and trains out of the city suspended. Lockdowns now embrace more than a dozen cities across China, affecting more than 50 million people, The Associated Press reports.
Despite efforts to prevent the outbreak from spreading, cases have cropped up overseas. The U.S. confirmed a second case of coronavirus on Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 60 people in 22 states are being monitored for possible infection.
Authorities believe the virus, which causes flu-like symptoms, moved into the human population from an infected animal at a market in Wuhan. Chinese health officials and the World Health Organization confirmed this week that the virus has been transmitted person-to-person, but it remains unclear how easy it is to contract from another infected individual.
People wear masks after visiting Wong Tai Sin temple on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Rat in Hong Kong on January 25, 2020, as a preventative measure.
DALE DE LA REY/AFP via Getty Images
Chinese President Xi Jinping has held a special government meeting on the Lunar New Year public holiday to warn that the spread of a deadly new virus is "accelerating".
The country is facing a "grave situation" Mr Xi told senior officials, according to state television.
The coronavirus has killed at least 41 people and infected almost 1,300 since its discovery in the city of Wuhan.
Travel restrictions have already hit several affected cities.
And from Sunday, private vehicles will be banned from the central districts of Wuhan, the source of the outbreak.
A second emergency hospital is to be built there within weeks to handle 1,300 new patients, and will be finished in half a month, state newspaper the People's Daily said. It is the second such rapid construction project: work on another 1,000-bed hospital has already begun.
Specialist military medical teams have also been flown into Hubei province, where Wuhan is located.
The urgency reflects concern both within China and elsewhere about the spread of the virus which first appeared in December.
Lunar New Year celebrations for the year of the rat, which began on Saturday, have been cancelled in many Chinese cities.
Across mainland China, travellers are having their temperatures checked for signs of fever, and train stations have been shut in several cities.
In Hong Kong, the highest level of emergency has been declared and school holidays extended.
Several other nations are each dealing with a handful of cases, with patients being treated in isolation.
What is the coronavirus, and what does it do?
A coronavirus is a family of viruses which include the common cold.
But this virus has never been seen before, so it's been called 2019-nCov, for "novel coronavirus".
New viruses can become common in humans after jumping across the species barrier from animals.
The Sars [Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome] outbreak of 2003 started in bats and transferred to the civet cat which passed it on to humans.
This new virus also causes severe acute respiratory infection.
Symptoms seem to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough and then, after a week, lead to shortness of breath and some patients needing hospital treatment.
Based on early information, it is believed that only a quarter of infected cases are "severe", and the dead are mostly - though not exclusively - older people, some of whom have pre-existing conditions.
What's happening at the source?
The city of Wuhan is effectively on lockdown, with heavy restrictions on travel in and out, and public transport options from buses to planes cancelled.
It is a major population centre with up to 11 million inhabitants - comparable in size to London.
Pharmacies in the city have begun to run out of supplies and hospitals have been filled with nervous members of the public.
But even for those free of infection, there has been an impact on daily life, as officials have urged people to avoid crowds and gatherings.
"The whole transport system has been shut down," Kathleen Bell, who is is originally from the UK and works in Wuhan, told the BBC. "From midnight tonight private cars are not allowed on the road. And taxis aren't running."
"You have queues of people lining up to be seen, some may not have the virus, and some may, and they're all in the same space," she said.
Major Western brands such as McDonald's and Starbucks have closed in the city and in others nearby.
"The streets are pretty much empty," said Mustafa Siddiqui, a businessman in Wuhan. "No-one's going outside."
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"There's no real panic. There is calm. There is nothing really happening."
The surrounding Hubei province is also deeply affected, with nearly a dozen cities enduring some sort of travel restriction.
Where has it spread?
There are now nearly 1,300 confirmed cases all across China, though most concentrated in those closest to Hubei.
But it has also spread abroad - in isolated cases affecting small numbers of patients.
On Saturday, Australia confirmed its first four cases - first in Melbourne, and then three more in Sydney.
It has also spread to Europe, with three cases confirmed in France. The UK is investigating a number of suspected cases, with officials trying to trace around 2,000 people who have recently flown to the UK from Hubei province.
The cases largely involve people who had recently travelled from the affected region in China.
China's neighbours in the Asia region are on high alert, however, with cases reported in Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea and Nepal.
There are also cases in the United States.
The World Health Organization has not classed the virus as an "international emergency", partly because of the low number of overseas cases.
What is the impact on new year celebrations?
The Lunar New Year is one of the most important dates in the calendar in China, where millions of people travel home - something that is a problem for preventing the spread of a virus.
Authorities have shut major tourist sites including the Forbidden City in Beijing and a section of the Great Wall, and cancelled major public events in other parts of the country, including:
Traditional temple fairs in Beijing
An international carnival in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's annual football tournament
All public Lunar New Year celebrations in Macau
Shanghai's Disney Resort is temporarily closing.
In the capital, Beijing, and also in Shanghai, officials have asked residents who return from affected areas to stay at home for 14 days to prevent the spread of the virus, local media report.
China has stepped up its response to a new coronavirus outbreak that has killed 41 people and infected at least 1,287 in the mainland, ordering nationwide measures to detect the virus at transport terminals.
Beijing has also expanded travel restrictions, affecting the movement of 56 million people in more than a dozen cities, amid fears that the transmission rate will accelerate as hundreds of millions of Chinese travel for the Lunar New Year.
More:
Health authorities around the world are taking action to prevent a global pandemic as the virus continues to spread, with cases reported in Australia, France, the United States and seven Asia countries besides China.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged that the respiratory illness, which has been traced to the city of Wuhan, is an emergency in China but WHO said it is too early to declare it a global health emergency.
Here are the latest updates:
Saturday, January 25
EU to hold meeting on Monday to discuss outbreak
European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides has called a meeting of European Union state health representatives on Monday to discuss response options to the spread of the new coronavirus.
"We stand ready to act and step up our response if needed," she tweeted, adding that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is "in the process of updating its risk assessment."
We are following the developing situation of the #coronavirus very closely and have called for a meeting of the #EU Health Security Committee on Monday to discuss response options and preparedness needs of EU Member States.
French officials are planning to evacuate French citizens from Wuhan to travel by bus to Changsha, a city in neighbouring Hunan province, according to the South China Morning Post.
"The consulate general, in collaboration with local authorities, plans to set up a bus service to allow French nationals ... and their Chinese and foreign spouses and children to travel from Wuhan to Changsha," said an email seen by the newspaper.
The email, sent by the French consulate, also asked anyone who received it to pass the notice on to other French nationals. It was not clear who received the email or when the planned evacuation would take place.
Beijing to halt all inter-province shuttle buses from January 26
China's capital city, Beijing, will stop all inter-province shuttle buses from January 26 in an attempt to curb the coronavirus outbreak, local media reported.
The reports did not say when bus services will be resumed.
Analysis: HK declares 'emergency' but what does it mean?
Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown, reporting from Hong Kong, breaks down the significance of Chief Executive Carrie Lam's announcement that the outbreak of the new coronavirus is now an "emergency" for Hong Kong.
Some KFC, Pizza Hut stores in Wuhan close
Yum China Holdings Inc has said it has temporarily closed some of its KFC and Pizza Hut branches in Wuhan in response to the outbreak.
"We will continue to evaluate the need for additional actions and preventive health measures," Yum China said in an emailed statement.
US to evacuate all citizens from Wuhan: WSJ
The United States is arranging a charter flight on Sunday to bring its citizens and diplomats back from Wuhan, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The plane, with about 230 people, will carry diplomats from the US consulate as well as US citizens and their families, the newspaper reported, citing a person familiar with the operation.
Washington was given approval for the operation from China's Foreign Ministry and other government agencies following negotiations in recent days, the paper said, adding that the US also plans to temporarily close its Wuhan consulate.
Chinese president holds Politburo meeting
China's President Xi Jinping has held a politburo meeting on measures to fight the outbreak of coronavirus, state television reported.
The Central Politburo of the Communist Party of China is a group of 25 people who oversee the party.
Xi reportedly described the outbreak as a 'grave situation' [File: Jason Lee/Reuters]
The TV report said Xi told the meeting that China was facing a "grave situation" where the coronavirus is "accelerating its spread".
The report said resources and experts will be concentrated at designated hospitals for treatment of severe cases, with no treatment delayed due to cost, and supplies of materials to Hubei and Wuhan to be guaranteed.
Daily life in Wuhan at a standstill: Resident
Matt McCoy, a US citizen resident in Wuhan has told Al Jazeera that daily life in the city has come to a halt.
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"Everybody only goes outside to go to the market to get their food then they go back inside. Everybody wears a mask, everybody stays clean and everybody's watching everything. The streets are empty," he said.
"There's not a sense of panic, there's just a sense of unease and everybody wants to see this through," McCoy said.
Window of opportunity for containment closing: Expert
One of Hong Kong's leading microbiologists has said the window of opportunity for containing the new coronavirus is closing.
The scientist - who was at the forefront of efforts to contain the 2003 SARS outbreak - told Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown in Hong Kong that the virus has an attack rate of 83 percent and urged everyone going out in public in the semi-autonomous territory to wear a face mask.
"He says the next few days are going to be absolutely crucial. He says the window of opportunity to try and contain this is getting smaller and smaller," Brown relayed.
Doubts over effectiveness of Hong Kong measures
Hong Kong has introduced a raft of measures to combat the spread of the new coronavirus but doubts are being raised over their efficacy.
Under the measures, announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam earlier on Saturday, all visitors coming from mainland China will be required to complete public health declarations.
"People providing false information will be fined up to $650," Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown, reporting from Hong Kong said.
"Of course, for this to work, it's going to have to rely on the honesty of people filling in those forms to really state where they've been in China, especially if they've been in Wuhan".
Muted mood in Beijing over Lunar New Year
Metro carriages are being disinfected every hour in the Chinese capital in an attempt to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The Forbidden City is one of many tourist attractions now closed to prevent the spread of the disease [Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters]
Cinemas and tourist attractions including the Forbidden City and a section of the Great Wall have been closed.
Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler, reporting from Beijing, said that parks - usually packed with people celebrating the Lunar New Year - were nearly empty amid concerns over transmission.
Hubei province to ensure medium-to-long term materials reserves: Local paper
Hubei province will ensure supplies of emergency materials and medium-to-long terms reserves, a government-backed newspaper reported, citing a provincial party leader.
Wuhan to build second designated hospital: State media
Wuhan city will build a second dedicated hospital to treat patients of the new coronavirus, the People's Daily reported.
Construction of the hospital, designed to have 1,300 beds, is scheduled to be completed in half a month.
Work has begun on the first dedicated hospital and is due to be finished by February 3.
Hong Kong declares outbreak an 'emergency'
Hong Kong's leader has declared the outbreak as an "emergency" - the city's highest warning tier - as authorities ramped up measures aimed at reducing the risk of further infections spreading.
Carrie Lam made the announcement at a press conference, adding that all official celebrations of the Lunar New Year would be cancelled.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam raised the warning to its highest tier [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]
Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown, reporting from Hong Kong, said four task forces were being set up in the semi-autonomous territory to work to contain the crisis and that all visitors from mainland China would have to sign health declaration forms.
"A lot of people are saying this is what she [Lam] should have done several weeks ago when the scale of this crisis started to become apparent," Brown said, adding that the New Year holidays would be extended until February 17.
China's Sanya city closes all tourist sites
China's Sanya city in the southern island province of Hainan has closed all tourist sites in the city to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the city government said.
Sanya is one of the favourite tourist destinations during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, which lasts until January 30.
Earlier on Saturday, Hainan capital Haikou city said it would start a 14-day centralised medical observation for tourists from Hubei province.
Australia confirms three more cases
Australia has confirmed three more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total in the country to four.
New South Wales State Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told a press conference that three men who had recently returned to Sydney from China has tested positive for the virus and were in isolation in local hospitals.
Earlier on Saturday, a man in Melbourne was confirmed as Australia's first case. He is also being treated in isolation.
Find the full list of countries with confirmed cases here.
Wuhan city to ban non-essential vehicles in centre
The government of Wuhan city said it would ban non-essential vehicles in the centre from January 26 to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, China's largest newspaper, the People's Daily, said.
Medical supplies dwindling in Wuhan: Provincial official
The new coronavirus outbreak remains severe and medical supplies are very tight in Wuhan city, an official from Hubei province said.
The official appealed for more medical supplies, such as masks and protective suits, from both domestic and overseas providers.
As of January 24, Hubei has received public donations of more than 1.2 million masks and 30 million yuan ($4.35m), the official said.
On Friday, a video purportedly filmed in Wuhan's Red Cross Hospital appeared to show dead bodies covered with sheets lying in a corridor as health professionals attempted to treat large numbers of people lining the corridor.
Japan confirms third case
Japan has confirmed a third case of infection by the new coronavirus, the health ministry said.
The latest case was confirmed in a woman in her 30s who lives in Wuhan. She arrived in Japan on January 18, the ministry said.
Find the full list of countries with confirmed cases here.
Qatar begins screening passengers at major airport
All travellers coming from China will be screened for the new coronavirus at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, a statement from the country's health ministry said.
Thermal scanning and a makeshift clinic have been set up at the major transport hub, which almost three million people pass through each month, along with information boards.
More than three million passengers pass through Doha's Hamad International Airport each month
A message posted on the airport's website assured passengers that Qatari health authorities are "in close contact" with the WHO and following guidelines.
China orders nationwide detection measures on flights, trains, buses
China has ordered nationwide measures to identify and immediately isolate suspected cases of the new coronavirus on trains, aeroplanes and buses.
Inspection stations will be set up and passengers with suspected pneumonia must be "immediately transported" to a medical centre, the National Health Commission said in a statement.
The isolation of suspected cases must be followed by disinfection of the train, plane or bus.
The measures apply across all transportation routes as well as customs and border inspections, said the order, which applies across all provinces and regions.
What we know so far about the new coronavirus
China locks down more cities, restricting movement of 56 million people
Five more Chinese cities have announced travel restrictions to help contain the spread of the new coronavirus, limiting the movement of 56 million people.
The rules include closing public transport links and access to highways in cities, authorities said.
More than a dozen cities have introduced restrictions, including cancelling Lunar New Year events and closing public spaces.
Doctor at hospital in China's Hubei province dies from coronavirus - state media
A doctor at a hospital in China's Hubei province has died from the virus, China Global Television Network reported in a social media post.
Liang Wudong, a doctor at Hubei Xinhua Hospital who had been at the front line of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan city, died from the virus aged 62, it said.
It is unclear if his death is counted as among the 41 confirmed fatalities as of Saturday.
Malaysia confirms three cases of coronavirus infection
Malaysia's health ministry has announced that three people have been infected with the new coronavirus.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the three individuals infected were Chinese nationals and related to a 66-year-old man that was confirmed by Singapore health authorities to have tested positive for the virus.
Malaysian health officers were deployed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Tuesday, as authorities increased measure against coronavirus [Mohd Rasfan/AFP]
The infected individuals were a 65-year-old woman, who is the wife of the man detected with the virus in Singapore, and their two grandsons, aged 11 and two, Dzulkefly said.
The three have been admitted to Sungai Buloh hospital in Kuala Lumpur for treatment and were considered to be in stable conditions.
Find the full list of countries with confirmed cases here.
China deploys 450 military medical staff to Wuhan
China has deployed 450 military medical staff to Wuhan, according to state media.
The medics who arrived on military aircraft late on Friday, include doctors with experience combating SARS or Ebola and will be dispatched to hospitals that are reportedly short on beds due to a crush of infected patients and worried locals.
Starbucks shuts shops, suspends delivery in China's Hubei
Starbucks has closed all shops and suspended delivery services in China's Hubei province for the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.
Starbucks said on Saturday that the move was prompted by "health concerns" for its customers and employees, according to a post on China's social media site Weibo.
Shanghai shuts down all cinemas during Lunar New Year: report
Shanghai has shut down all cinemas during the Lunar New Year holidays, which last until January 30, the Liberation Daily said on its online channel.
The viral outbreak has already prompted seven Chinese films that were set to premiere during the country's Lunar New Year holiday to postpone screenings, forgoing what is usually the best week of the year at the Chinese box office.
Australia's first coronavirus case confirmed in Victoria
Australian authorities on have confirmed the country's first case of a new virus as thousands of people worldwide are treated for the deadly infection.
In a news conference in Melbourne, Victoria's state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said a Chinese man aged in his 50s who last week returned from Chin had contracted the newly identified coronavirus.
Find the full list of countries with confirmed cases here.
China's city of Haikou to start centralised observation for all tourists from Hubei
The Chinese government announced on Saturday that the southern city of Haikou will begin a 14-day centralised medical observation for all tourists from Hubei province, the centre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The government said that the order will start at noon, local time, on Saturday, January 25.
Earlier on Saturday, Beijing has announced that the death toll from the outbreak has reached 41, with confirmed cases increasing to 1,287.
It comes as the Chinese central government announced on Saturday it would send more than 1,200 health workers — as well as 135 People's Liberation Army medical personnel -- to the cityin an unprecedented effort to contain the spread of the virus.
Forty-one people have now been killed by the Wuhan coronavirus, with 1,288 confirmed cases. China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that 237 patients are in critical condition.
The outbreak in China has cast a pall over Lunar New Year celebrations -- the country's most important holiday -- with festivities canceled in Beijing, Hong Kong and other major cities.
There are also concerns about the global spread of thevirus as more countries, including Australia, Nepal and Malaysia, reported their first cases. They are among 13 places outside mainland China where the virus has been confirmed.
In Wuhan, ground zero for the virus, four healthcare workers -- including doctors -- have told CNN of the difficulties facing medical crews on the ground. They have asked to remain anonymous to avoid repercussions.
Through telephone conversations with CNN and posts on Chinese social media, they told of low hospital resources. In private groups online, those identified as hospital staff are coordinating with members of the public to import protective equipment as they treat an increasing number of infected patients.
"In terms of resources, the whole of Wuhan is lacking," one Wuhan-based healthcare worker told CNN by phone. This person said they were looking for more protective clothing, protective goggles and masks.
"It's really like we're going into battle stripped to the waist," one healthcare worker added, using a Chinese idiom that equates to "going into battle without armor".
One hospital staff member claims healthcare workers have resorted to wearing diapers to work so as to avoid having to remove their HAZMAT suits, which they say are in short supply. A doctor on her Chinese social media Weibo page described similar accounts at another Wuhan hospital.
"My family members are definitely worried about me, but I still have to work," another doctor told. But she said that she is hopeful they will ultimately get the gear they need. "Our bosses, our hospital suppliers will definitely find a way to get these stocks to us," she added.
It's not clear if these accounts are anecdotal or whether there are widespread shortages across Wuhan.
Chinese state media has also shared posts from multiple Wuhan hospitals in which they ask for public donations of medical supplies. They report that one hospital staff member said the current supplies "are only able to sustain three or four days".
The Wuhan Health Commission has requisitioned over 10,000 beds from 24 hospitals to be used in the treatment of confirmed and suspected cases.
On Friday, Wuhan officials acknowledged that local hospitals were struggling to accommodate people seeking medical attention and said measures were being put into place to alleviate the situation.
State media also reported that the city aims to build a 25,000 square meter (269,100 square foot) new facility within a week, increasing hospital capacity by 1,000 beds, and that several medical centers in Hubei province are asking for medical gear donations.
Locking down the virus over Lunar New Year
More than 57 million people across 15 Chinese cities are under partial lockdown, with authorities imposing indefinite restrictions on public transport and travel.
All motor vehicles will be banned in Wuhan's city center starting Sunday to control the flow of people, according to the Wuhan Command Center, the taskforce set up to combat the virus. Only vehicles with special permits, free shuttles and government vehicles will be allowed to circulate.
The virus, which was first discovered in Wuhan in December, has spread to every province in China, except the remote autonomous region of Tibet.
Among those infected is a 2-year-old girl in the southern region of Guangxi, the local health authority said. She is believed to be the youngest patient infected.
The week-long Lunar New Year holiday, which began Saturday, has led to concerns that the outbreak could quickly accelerate, as hundreds of millions of people travel across the country to visit friends and relatives.
Lunar New Year is to China what the Christmas-New Year holiday period is to the United States -- except China's 1.4 billion population is more than four times that of the US.
In many cities, festivities have been called off. Authorities in Beijing have canceled all large-scale Lunar New Year celebrations, including traditional fairs and celebrations around temples.
Shanghai Disneyland has temporarily closed its doors. Seven blockbuster movies that were set to hit theaters this weekend have been canceled or postponed.
Major New Year's celebrations have also been canceled in the special administrative regions of Macao, which has reported two coronavirus cases, and Hong Kong, which has five.
Businesses are also taking measures to protect staff and the public.
On Saturday, coffee giant Starbucks said it has closed all 90 of its Hubei stores indefinitely. The closures will continue throughout the Spring Festival, which runs until the end of January.
"All Starbucks stores and special star delivery in Hubei will be temporarily closed. Hubei employees are asked to rest at home, minimize going out, take care to protect themselves and their families. All store employees who were scheduled to work during the closing period will be paid as usual," a statement from the company said.
A global concern
On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) moved to declare the coronavirus an emergency within China -- but refrained from classifying the outbreak as an epidemic of international concern.
Mounting evidence suggests the virus is spreading outside mainland China, however, with 13 countries and territories reporting confirmed cases, including the United States and France.
On Saturday, Australia confirmed that three men who traveled from China to Sydney had tested positive, health authorities in the city said. The country has now confirmed a total of four cases.
Nepal also confirmed its first case, a spokesman for the country's Health Ministry told CNN. The patient is a 31-year-old Nepali man studying for his PhD in Wuhan, spokesman Mahendra Kumar Shrestha said. The student flew to Nepal earlier this month and was admitted to a hospital in Kathmandu on January 13 with fever and respiratory problems.
"The patient is being monitored. The people in close contact with him since he came to Nepal are also being identified and tested," Shrestha said.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced on Saturday that the Hong Kong Disease contingency plan has been upgraded from "serious" to "emergency" level. Schools in the Chinese territory will be suspended until February 17.
On Thursday, David Heymann, the chairman of a WHO committee gathering data on the outbreak, said the virus spreads more easily from person to person than previously thought. "We are now seeing second and third generation spread," Heymann said.
Coronaviruses are transmitted by animals and people, and the Wuhan strain has been linked to a market in the city that was selling seafood and live animals, including wild species.
Third generation means that someone who became infected after handling animals at the market spreads the virus to someone else, who then spreads it to a third person. The announcement marks a development in the progress of the spread of the virus.
Heymann said there is no evidence at this point that the virus is airborne and could be spread across a room, as happens with the flu or measles.
CNN's Pauline Lockwood, Angus Watson, Chermaine Lee, Junko Ogura, Steven Jiang, Sugam Pokharel, Julia Hollingsworth and Joshua Berlinger contributed reporting.
