Coronavirus live updates: South Korea reports another 161 cases, bringing total to 763

FAN Editor

A nurse working in the isolation ward communicates with a co-worker on the talkie-walkie in Jinyintan Hospital, designated for COVID-19 patients, in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province Monday, Feb. 17, 2020.

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This is a live blog. Please check back for updates.

All times below are in Beijing time.

9:24 am: South Korea cases surpass 760, fatalities rise to seven

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an additional 161 cases on Monday morning, bringing the total to 763 nationwide. Most of the new confirmed cases were reported in the city of Daegu.

An additional two people were said to have died, which brought the death toll to seven. 

8:47 am: South Korea stocks fall more than 2%

The benchmark Kospi index was down more than 2% in early trade while the Kosdaq fell 2.25%. The sudden spike in cases (see 7 am update) spooked investors as experts weigh on the economic impact the disease could have on the country.

“Economic difficulty is imminent,” Citi economists said in a Monday morning note. “Fear of the virus is spreading throughout the country, at a much faster rate than the virus itself.” Citi said it did not expect the economic fallout to be limited to certain regions and cities. “Consumption is declining as to minimize human contact, & stores & factories are shutting down for various reasons—exposure to virus; lack of supply inputs; or continuing loss.”

8:15 am: President Xi says epidemic as a crisis and ‘big test’ for China

The coronavirus outbreak is a major public health emergency that has spread rapidly and become difficult to contain, President Xi Jinping said at a meeting in Beijing on Sunday, state media Xinhua reported.

“This is both a crisis and a big test for us,” Xi said, per Xinhua’s translations of his remarks, adding that efforts are being made to cure people of the infection, reduce fatality rates, safeguard social stability, and strengthen China’s emergency medical supplies and daily necessities.

The epidemic’s impact on China’s economic and social development is temporary and generally manageable, but it will deal a relatively big blow in the short term, Xi said, according to Xinhua. The president also stressed the importance of an orderly resumption of work and production.

7:18 am: IMF chief says virus outbreak could put economic recovery at risk

The coronavirus outbreak that began in China and has since spread to more than 25 countries could put global economic recovery at risk, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement following a G-20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Saudi Arabia.

“This is a human tragedy, but it also has negative economic impact,” Georgieva said. “I reported to the G20 that even in the case of rapid containment of the virus, growth in China and the rest of the world would be impacted. Of course, we all hope for a V-shaped, rapid recovery — but given the uncertainty, it would be prudent to prepare for more adverse scenarios.”

7 am: South Korea on high alert, total cases top 600

South Korea’s government raised the COVID-19 alert to its highest level after a recent implosion of confirmed infection cases, which took the country’s tally from 31 as of Feb. 18 to 602 on Sunday. Many of the new cases were from the city of Daegu and were related to a homegrown religious group, Yonhap reported. At least five people have died from the virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By comparison, the Diamond Princess cruise that had been quarantined off the coast of Yokohama, Japan, since early February had at least 634 confirmed cases, according to the Japanese health ministry and the World Health Organization. Many countries have started evacuating their citizens from the ship and some people have tested positive after leaving the ship.

All times below are in Eastern time.

4:18 pm: Israel may quarantine 200 South Korean visitors

Israel may quarantine some 200 visitors from South Korea at a military base in a Jewish settlement on the occupied West Bank over coronavirus fears, according to Israel’s Ynet news site. Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said separately he had ordered South Korea and Japan to be added to a list of Asian countries to which travel to and from Israel was being barred.

3:48 pm: Austria halts train traffic with Italy

Austria has halted train traffic with its southern neighbor amid concern that two passengers on an in-bound train from Italy were infected with the coronavirus. Italy is grappling with the largest coronavirus outbreak outside of Asia, with more than 130 reported cases and three deaths.

1:08 pm: Four passengers test positive for coronavirus in England

Four passengers tested positive for the virus in England after being evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, according to Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty.

“Four further patients in England have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to thirteen,” the statement from the chief medical officer for England said.

Read CNBC’s coverage from the U.S. overnight: Austria halts train traffic with Italy, Turkey closes Iran border

— CNBC’s Berkeley Lovelace Jr. contributed to this report.

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