Key Points:
- Confirmed cases 88 308
- Deaths 3001
- France bans all indoor events over 5 000
- Geneva Motor Show Cancelled
- Houston energy conference canceled
- Delta temporarily suspends flights to Milan
- England reports 12 new coronavirus cases
France bans large indoors gatherings in bid to curb virus
Measures announced after an emergency cabinet meeting also include the cancellation of the Paris half-marathon which was to be held on Sunday.
In the worst-hit area, north of Paris, all public gatherings have been banned.
The total number of cases of the new coronavirus in France rose to 100 on Saturday. Two patients have died.
Geneva Motor Show canceled after coronavirus causes government to ban large events
The 2020 Geneva Motor Show is canceled after the Swiss government banned gatherings of 1,000 people or more on Friday due to concerns over the coronavirus. The ban is effective immediately and runs at least until March 15th. The 90th edition of GIMS was scheduled to start next week.
We regret this situation, but the health of all participants is our and our exhibitors’ top priority. This is a case of force majeure and a tremendous loss for the manufacturers who have invested massively in their presence in Geneva. However, we are convinced that they will understand this decision,” said motor show chairman Maurice Turrettini in a statement. Tickets already purchased for the event will be refunded.
CERAWeek energy conference in Houston canceled due to virus
The annual Ceraweek energy conference, which brings together oil ministers and industry executives, has been canceled. The conference was set to start on March 9 in Houston, Texas, with delegates from over 80 countries expected to attend.
IHS Markit, the London-based consultancy that hosts the event, cited increased concerns over the virus outbreak, including the World Health Organization raising the threat level on Friday; the U.S. government canceling a summit meeting in Las Vegas; and the increasing number of companies that are halting employee travel over virus concerns. — Newburger
What other developments have there been?
- South Korea, which has the highest number of cases outside China, mobilised the army on Saturday. Soldiers have been disinfecting large parts of Daegu, the south-eastern city that has been at the centre of the country’s coronavirus outbreak. The South Korean army has been spraying disinfectant in public areas
- In Italy, Europe’s worst-affected country with 650 cases and 17 deaths, five Serie A football games have been postponed. The games were going to be played behind closed doors, but the league decided to call them off on Saturday
- Iran on Saturday said the total number of infections there had reached 593 and 43 patients had died
- Qatar reported its first case, after a 36-year-old Qatari woman who was evacuated to the country from Iran tested positive for the virus, according to state media
- Ecuador also confirmed its first case of the virus
- Three more patients from England tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of UK cases to 23.
- Officials in the US states of California, Oregon and Washington State reported three cases where patients had no known connection to a badly hit country. The announcements raising concerns the virus could be spreading within the community.
- Factory activity in China fell to a record low in February as manufacturers closed their operations to contain the spread of the disease. Nasa said an economic slowdown following the outbreak was “at least partly” linked to significant decreases in nitrogen dioxide over the country
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