• Death toll rises to 361 as confirmed cases reach 17,205 in China
• U.S. will send more flights to bring back citizens from Hubei province
• China accuses U.S. of spreading fear over virus outbreak
• Hospital constructed in 10 days welcomes first patients in Wuhan
• Chinese markets plunge as rising coronavirus death toll fuels fears
WHO team could go to China this week
A WHO-led international team of experts could go to China as early as this week to investigate the coronavirus outbreak, as agreed between the WHO chief and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and could include U.S. experts, a WHO spokesman said on Monday.
Separately, a senior U.S. health official told Reuters in Geneva that American medical experts could take part in the WHO-led technical mission, but that talks were still underway.
China accused the United States on Monday of whipping up panic over a fast-spreading coronavirus with travel restrictions and evacuations. — Reuters
Former FDA commissioner: 'We have to assume it's already here and circulating.'
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC that "we need to change our posture" in response to the coronavirus.
He said the U.S. needs to broaden screening to prevent outbreaks and a broader epidemic in addition to ongoing efforts to prevent the introduction of the virus into the U.S. — Jason Abbruzzese
U.S. will send more flights to bring back citizens from Hubei province — Pompeo
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States will send more flights to China to bring back U.S. citizens from Hubei province, the center of the coronavirus epidemic.
“We may well end up bringing some citizens back from other countries as well. We hope also to bring some medical supplies," Pompeo said Monday while on a visit in Uzbekistan, adding that details of the flights and when they will return will be released "before too long."
Chinese health officials said Monday they have now confirmed 17,205 cases of the novel coronavirus, with the death toll climbing to 361. — Abigail Williams
China says U.S. creating, spreading panic amid virus outbreak
The U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak in China could create and spread panic, the Chinese foreign ministry said Monday.
The U.S. was the first nation to withdraw its diplomatic staff from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, and the first to impose a ban on Chinese travelers, ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
"What the U.S. has done could create and spread panic," Hua said, adding that U.S. actions were taken even though the World Health Organization (WHO) made it clear that it doesn’t recommend or even oppose travel and trade restrictions against China.
The United States began extracting U.S. citizens from Wuhan last week. The State Department also warned Americans not to travel to China amid the outbreak. — Eric Baculinao
China’s coronavirus hospital built in just 10 days opens its doors: state media
A 1,000-bed hospital built in just 10 days to handle the coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan welcomed its first patients Monday.
Built specifically to handle patients infected with the novel coronavirus, it took workers just 10 days to complete work on the Huoshenshan Hospital on the outskirts of the city. — Yuliya Talmazan
Hong Kong suspends 10 border checkpoints with mainland China
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's embattled leader, announced Monday the suspension of 10 out of the 13 border crossings with mainland China in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, stopping short of calls for the entire border to be closed.
Lam had already closed some border operations, including cross-border ferries and high-speed rail services to the mainland.
She has said that closing the entire border would be "inappropriate and impractical" as well as "discriminatory."
Meanwhile, hundreds of medical workers in Hong Kong went on strike Monday to demand the government shut the border with mainland China to prevent the virus spread and ease pressure on a stretched health sector. — Reuters
Chinese markets plunge as rising coronavirus death toll fuels fears
Chinese stock and commodity markets fell heavily Monday as investors retreated into safe-haven assets in the first trading session after an extended Lunar New Year break.
Markets plunged at the open in their first session since Jan. 23, when the outbreak of the newly identified virus had claimed only 17 lives in Wuhan.
Since then, the flu-like virus has been declared a global emergency and spread to more than two dozen other countries and regions, with the first death outside of China reported Sunday. — Reuters



