Despite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reported public appearances in recent days, the coronavirus outbreak in China continues to worry world leaders.
Xi had been conspicuously absent from state media coverage of efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Now, he’s reportedly toured government facilities and hospitals in Beijing. He’s made no public remarks but has been depicted as central to directing the response to the outbreak.
The outbreak has affected more than 43,000 people in Asia. Many more cases are suspected but not confirmed.
The United Kingdom has declared the coronavirus an imminent threat to public health. Its health department announced a series of measures designed to combat the possible spread of the disease. So far, eight cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Britain.
The Japanese health ministry announced last week that the number of coronavirus cases on the Diamond Princess, a quarantined cruise ship docked in Yokohama, has risen to 135. The 14-day quarantine is set to expire on Feb. 19, but officials say that it could be extended.
What’s the state of the infection’s spread? And how effective are current efforts to fight it?
Copyright 2020 WAMU 88.5
