Health officials in China say a coronavirus has killed 15 more people in the province of Hubei, where the outbreak first started.
There are currently 1,287 confirmed cases in China, 41 of whom have died.
It comes as China is begins celebrations of the Lunar New Year, one of the most important dates in its calendar.
Many events have been cancelled and a new hospital is being built in the city of Wuhan.
The virus has now spread to Europe, with three cases confirmed in France.
The first case was in Bordeaux, while the other two were in the Paris area, the French health minister said on Friday night.
Chinese media outlets said the new 1,000-bed hospital could be ready within six days. A total of 35 diggers and 10 bulldozers are currently working on the site.
This photo was taken at the construction site on Friday
The project will "solve the shortage of existing medical resources" and would be "built fast [and] not cost much... because it will be prefabricated buildings", the Changjiang Daily said.
Pharmacies in Wuhan have begun to run out of supplies and hospitals have been filled with nervous members of the public.
Symptoms seem to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough and then, after a week, leads to shortness of breath and some patients needing hospital treatment.
Around one-in-four cases are thought to be severe.
What restrictions are in place in Hubei?
Travel restrictions vary from city to city. Wuhan is effectively on lockdown: all bus, metro and ferry services have been suspended, and all outbound planes and trains cancelled. Residents have been advised not to leave, and roadblocks have been reported. Ezhou, a smaller city in Hubei, shut its railway station. The city of Enshi has suspended all bus services.And the rest of China?
City officials in the capital, Beijing, and Shanghai 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.- Have you been affected? Get in touch: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
- 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
What's the global situation?
French Health Minister Agnès Buzyn said one of the French cases, a 48-year-old man of Chinese origin who had been visiting Wuhan, had been hospitalised in Bordeaux. Little was known about the second case, in hospital in Paris, except that the patient had been travelling in China. It was likely other cases would occur in Europe, Ms Buzyn added. She confirmed a third case, in Paris, later on Friday evening. Earlier on Friday a case was confirmed in Chicago, the second in the US. Singapore confirmed its third case, known to be the son of another patient, also on Friday. Nepal recorded its first case on the same day. Thailand has five cases confirmed; Japan, Vietnam and South Korea two each; and one in Taiwan. Other nations are investigating suspected cases, including the UK, US, and Canada. The World Health Organization has not classed the virus as an "international emergency", partly because of the low number of overseas cases. "It may yet become one," said the WHO's director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Minerals Commission, Solidaridad unveils forum to tackle child labour in mining sector
3 mins -
Election 2024: Engagement with security services productive – NDC
5 mins -
‘Let’s work together to improve sanitation, promote health outcome’ – Sector Minister urges
6 mins -
Ellembelle MP cuts sod for six-unit classroom block at Nkroful Agric SHS
9 mins -
‘I’ll beat the hell out of you if you misbehave on December 7’ – Achiase Commanding Officer
12 mins -
AFPNC leads the charge on World Prematurity Day 2024
17 mins -
Court remands unemployed man over theft of ECG property
24 mins -
Election security rests solely with the police – Central Regional Police Command
26 mins -
NCCE engages political youth activists at Kumbungu on tolerance
26 mins -
‘In Mahama’s era students lacked chalk, but are now receiving tablets’ – Bawumia
36 mins -
Project commissioning not a ploy to attract votes – Oppong Nkrumah
37 mins -
CBG records GH¢1bn revenue in Q3
40 mins -
Mahama vows to create an agro-processing zone in Afram Plains
54 mins -
Political parties should plan for losses, not just wins – IGP advises
56 mins -
524 Diasporan Africans granted Ghanaian citizenship in ceremony
57 mins