This is a live blog. Please check back for updates.
All times below are in Beijing time.
4:45 pm: Chinese health official reportedly claims coronavirus is ‘preventable and treatable’
The coronavirus outbreak that has infected more than 70,000 people and caused 1,770 deaths in China is both “preventable and treatable,” according to an official from the country’s National Health Commission.
Guo Yanhong, a hospital administration official at China’s National Health Commission, delivered the remarks at a daily press conference, Reuters reported on Monday.
His comments come shortly after the commission reported 105 additional deaths and 2,048 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Feb. 16.
That brings the country’s overall total to 70,548 confirmed cases, and 1,770 deaths, according to authorities. (See 8:50 a.m. update).
4:10 pm: US confirms 14 cases of coronavirus from passengers on board Diamond Princess cruise ship
The U.S. facilitated the voluntary repatriation of over 300 U.S. citizens and their immediate family members who had been passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, the State Department said in a statement on Monday.
During the evacuation process and once the passengers had disembarked the ship, which is currently quarantined in Japan’s port of Yokohama, U.S. officials said they received notice that 14 passengers had tested positive for coronavirus.
After consultation with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the State Department made the decision to allow these 14 individuals, “who were in isolation, separated from other passengers and continued to be asymptomatic, to remain on the aircraft to complete the evacuation process.”
The flights, which departed Japan at approximately 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, landed in the U.S. Monday morning. All passengers will now remain under quarantine for 14 days.
“Passengers that develop symptoms in flight and those with positive test results will remain isolated on the flights and will be transported to an appropriate location for continued isolation and care,” the statement said.
US passengers embark in a plane at the Haneda Airport, in Tokyo on February 17, 2020 after disembarking in Yokohama from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where people are quarantined on board due to fears of the new COVID-19 coronavirus.
KAZUHIRO NOGI | AFP via Getty Images
4:00 pm: China to consider a plan for delaying key economic meeting
The standing committee for China’s top legislative body will meet next Monday, Feb. 24, and consider a draft proposal for postponing the third session of the 13th National People’s Congress, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The congressional meeting, expected to begin March 5, is a key annual event in Beijing at which China releases its economic targets for the year, including GDP.
Since a new pneumonia-likevirus began spreading in the last several weeks, Chinese authorities have discouraged locals from traveling and gathering together. The Beijing municipal government announced Friday that any new visitors to the city must quarantine themselves for 14 days after arrival. — Evelyn Cheng.
2:50 pm: Australia to evacuate more than 200 citizens from Diamond Princess cruise ship
1:35 pm: Malaysia bars entry of MS Westerdam cruise passengers after American tests positive for virus
12:50 pm: 78% of companies face labor crunch due to shutdown, Amcham survey finds
Nearly half the companies polled by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai report their global operations have suffered from the shutdown in China, a survey of 109 manufacturers in Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing and the Greater Yangtze River Delta region has found.
78% of those companies say they don’t have sufficient manpower for full production, while 30% said logistical challenges will be their biggest concern, according to the survey, which was released on Monday.
11:30 am: Passengers of cruise ship docked in Cambodia to be tracked after one tests positive
Excited passengers disembark from the MS Westerdam. The cruise ship arrived in Cambodia on February 14, 2020 after being stranded for two weeks.
Paula Bronstein | Getty Images
All passengers who have already disembarked from a cruise ship docked in Cambodia are now being tracked, after an American passenger tested positive, according to a Reuters report.
Holland America Line said it is working with governments and health authorities to track the other 1,454 passengers, who had been given the go-ahead to travel by Cambodian authorities after health checks were done. Many have left the country as of Sunday, the report said. The ship has 802 crew.
The MS Westerdam had spent almost two weeks at sea after being rejected by five countries on fears that its passengers could be infected, before being accepted by Cambodia.
10:35 am: More support to boost businesses hit by outbreak
China’s central bank cut rates on its medium-term loans on Monday, in a bid to support businesses which are reeling from the disruption to activity.
That followed several moves in the past few weeks to support businesses. On Friday, China said it will tolerate more bad loans, and also said it has supplied more than $76.9 billion in credit.
10:00 am: More food companies offer ‘contactless’ delivery in China
McDonald’s, Starbucks and other fast food companies in China are increasing their “contactless” delivery and pickup services as the outbreak continues, according to a Reuters report.
Customers can opt to order online, and their orders will be placed in a location for pickup — without human contact, according to the report.
8:50 am: China reports 105 additional deaths
China’s National Health Commission reported there were 105 additional deaths and 2,048 new confirmed cases as of Feb. 16.
That brings the country’s overall total to 70,548 confirmed cases, and 1,770 deaths, according to authorities.
8:10 am: Singapore downgrades GDP due to virus, likely to spend big in annual budget
7:30 am: Hubei reports 100 more deaths and 1,933 new cases
China’s Hubei province said it has confirmed 1,933 new coronavirus cases and 100 more deaths as of Feb. 16. It said that the virus has infected 58,182 people in the province and killed 1,696 people in the region alone.
Hubei is the center of the outbreak and where the majority of cases and deaths are located. —Wang
Chinese customers wear protective masks as they line up single file to buy dumplings at a popular local shop on February 16, 2020 in Beijing, China.
Kevin Frayer | Getty Images
All times below are in Eastern time.
11:30 am: American citizens begin evacuating quarantined cruise ship in Japan
American passengers quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan began evacuating on Sunday. Officials said they would be taken on a charter flight to one of two U.S. military air bases, where they will undergo a 14-day quarantine.
Passengers will be screened for symptoms prior to boarding. Americans that decide to not return on the charter flight will be unable to travel to the U.S. until March 4, according to the American Embassy in Tokyo.
Japanese officials said the quarantine aboard the ship should end on Feb. 19. There were 355 cases of the virus confirmed as of Sunday, with roughly 3,700 total passengers and crew on board. —Newburger
10:50 am: China pharmaceutical company to sell Favipiravir drug as potential virus treatment
Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical, one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in China, has received approval to start selling Favipiravir as a potential treatment for the virus, according to a company filing. The company must still continue clinical trials of the antiviral drug, which is being developed by Toyama Chemical of Japan, after it hits the market. —Newburger
6:21 am: Taiwan confirms death of man with no known history of travel to China
Taiwan said a man in his 60s with a history of hepatitis B and diabetes has died of the virus. It’s the first death on the island. The man died Saturday after nearly two weeks in a hospital, but does not have a known history of traveling to China.
Health officials are investigating how he became infected. Taiwan has 20 confirmed cases of the virus. —Newburger
Read CNBC’s coverage from the U.S. overnight: U.S. begins evacuating quarantined cruise ship in Japan
— CNBC’s Yen Nee Lee and Emma Newburger contributed to this report.
