A train attendant gesturing to medical staff leaving for Wuhan in Nanchang, China’s central Jiangxi province on Feb. 13, 2020.
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All times below are in U.S. Eastern Standard Time.
Chinese officials on Saturday reported 2,641 new coronavirus cases and 143 additional deaths in the last 24 hours.
10:30 am: WHO calls on global leaders to ‘stop stigma and hate’ surrounding virus
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged global leaders on Saturday to stop stigma and hate amid the virus outbreak. His comments follow reports that people of Asian descent have faced discrimination amid fears of the virus.
“It’s easy to blame, it’s easy to politicize, it’s harder to tackle a problem together and find solutions together,” Ghebreyesus said during an address at the Munich Security Conference. “We will all learn lessons from this outbreak, but now is not the time for reclamations or politicization.”
7:12 am: China announces policies to support businesses impacted by virus
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) released a notice on Saturday that encouraged banks to strengthen loans to the manufacturing sector at better rates, and give better financial services for businesses producing protective gear to combat the virus.
5:00 am: First coronavirus death confirmed in Europe
An 80-year-old Chinese tourist died of the virus in France, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said on Saturday. The man was from the Chinese province of Hubei, the center of the outbreak, and arrived in France on Jan. 16. He was hospitalized since Jan. 25.
The man’s daughter also has the virus and was also hospitalized in Paris, but will be discharged soon, the health minister said.
It’s the first death that’s been confirmed in Europe and the fourth from the virus outside of mainland China. France has 11 confirmed cases of the virus.
