A plane carrying American passengers who were quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan over coronavirus fears has landed at an air force base in California, with 14 evacuees testing positive for the deadly disease.
The evacuation cut short their 14-day quarantine on board the Diamond Princess and the evacuees will now need to go through another two weeks of isolation.
Meanwhile, health authorities are scrambling to track hundreds of passengers who disembarked from another cruise ship, the Westerdam, in Cambodia last week after an American woman tested positive for the virus.
Follow the latest updates
Plane carrying quarantined cruise ship passengers from Japan lands in US
One of two planes carrying American cruise ship passengers from Japan has landed at an air force base in California.
The evacuation cuts short a 14-day quarantine on board the Diamond Princess and the evacuees will need to spend another two weeks in isolation.
The State Department later announced 14 of the evacuees had the virus but were allowed to board the flight because they did not have symptoms.
They were being isolated separately from other passengers on the flight, the US State and Health and Human Services said in a joint statement.
Authorities scrambling to track Cambodia cruise passengers after woman tests positive for coronavirus
Health authorities are scrambling to track hundreds of passengers who disembarked from a cruise ship in Cambodia last week after an American woman tested positive for coronavirus.
The new case raises further concerns about the virus, as the woman from the Westerdam cruise ship had passed the presumed incubation period of 14 days.
Holland America Line, which is owned by cruise giant Carnival Corp, said it is working with governments and health experts to track passengers.
"Guests who have already returned home will be contacted by their local health department and be provided further information," the company said in a statement.
Nearly 200 passengers from the Westerdam have returned to their home countries after travelling through Malaysia and Thailand, authorities said, though none of them displayed any symptoms.
Some 1,455 passengers and 802 crew first embarked on the cruise. It spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by Japan, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines and Thailand even though the ship said there were no coronavirus cases aboard.
Japan's emperor cancels birthday event due to coronavirus concerns
A birthday event for Japan's emperor has been cancelled over fears the public gathering could contribute to the spread of coronavirus.
The event was due to be held on Sunday to mark the emperor's 60th birthday.
Nearly 100 more virus infections confirmed on quarantined cruise ship
Another 99 people have tested positive for coronavirus on a cruise ship quarantined off Yokohama, Japan, the country's Health Ministry said.
The 14-day quarantine for those on the ship was due to end Wednesday.
The ship has the largest number of Covid-19 cases outside of China.
Clarks store closes as employee tested for virus
A Clarks shoe store in Nantwich, Cheshire, has closed while employee an employee is tested for coronavirus.
A spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Clarks is currently taking advice from Public Health England regarding an individual at our Nantwich store.
"The employee in question has been tested for Coronavirus, and is now in self-quarantine following advice from Public Health England as we await their test results."
Death toll reaches 1,770
China has reported 105 new deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the total to 1,770.
Some 2,048 new cases were confirmed across mainland China on Sunday.
The total accumulated number of reported cases is 70,548, of which 10,844 people have been treated and released from hospital.
Hong Kong gang steals 50 packs of toilet paper
Robbers armed with knives stole 50 packs of toilet paper rolls from a supermarket delivery man in Hong Kong, police have said.
Concerns over the coronavirus have led people to stockpile toilet paper, cleaning products and basic foodstuffs as supermarket shelves were emptied.
Police caught two of the three gang members and recovered all of the toilet paper, worth around HK$1,700 (£168). They were still hunting a third thief.
Robbers armed with knives stole 50 packs of toilet paper rolls from a supermarket delivery man in Hong Kong, police have said.
Concerns over the coronavirus have led people to stockpile toilet paper, cleaning products and basic foodstuffs as supermarket shelves were emptied.
Police caught two of the three gang members and recovered all of the toilet paper, worth around HK$1,700 (£168). They were still hunting a third thief.
Russian woman on board cruise ship test positive for disease
A Russian woman who was on the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Yokohama, Japan, has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Russian Embassy to Japan has said.
The woman will be taken to a hospital and treated, the embassy said on Facebook.
She is thought to be the first Russian national to contract the virus. Two previous cases found in Russia were Chinese nationals.
Heathrow hotel closed and guests removed after health officials designate it a coronavirus quarantine centre
A hotel near Heathrow airport has been closed to the public and designated as a potential coronavirus quarantine centre as health officials prepare for more cases in the UK
Downing Street contacts Britons on quarantined cruise ship about repatriation flight
Officials were contacting Britons on the Diamond Princess cruise ship about the possibility of a repatriation flight, Downing Street has said.
Officials were contacting Britons on the Diamond Princess cruise ship about the possibility of a repatriation flight, Downing Street has said.
A spokesperson for Number 10 said: "We sympathise with all those caught up in this extremely difficult situation.
"The Foreign Office is in contact with all British people on the Diamond Princess, including to establish interest in a possible repatriation flight.
"We are urgently considering all options to guarantee the health and safety of those on board."
There are believed to be 74 Britons on board, including 22 crew members.
Virgin Atlantic 'in discussions' with government about flying back stranded Britons
Virgin Atlantic was "in discussions" with the government over whether it could help more than 70 Britons stranded on a cruise ship quarantined off Japan, Sir Richard Brandon has said.
Sir Richard responded to an appeal from David and Sally Abel, who have been trapped in their cabin on the Diamond Princess for days.
Virgin Atlantic was "in discussions" with the government over whether it could help more than 70 Britons stranded on a cruise ship quarantined off Japan, Sir Richard Brandon has said.
Sir Richard responded to an appeal from David and Sally Abel, who have been trapped in their cabin on the Diamond Princess for days.
Sir Richard tweeted: "VirginAtlantic does not fly to Japan, but we are in discussions with the UK government and seeing if there is anything we can do to help."
Britons on cruise ship upset at seeing US passengers allowed to leave
One of the Britons on the Diamond Princess has said seeing American passengers being allowed to leave the ship had "got to her".
In a video post, Sally Abel said: "I have to say, I realise why, but they put up a YouTube film of them going down the stairs, walking outside, being greeted by the American people outside there."
"That did get to me a bit."
"That did get to me a bit."
Stranded Britons criticise government's lack of action
Alan Steele, who tested positive for the virus earlier this month, and his wife, Wendy, who tested negative, have criticised Japan's handling of the outbreak and the British government's lack of action.
Mr Steele, who said he has now been given the all-clear, said on Facebook on Sunday: "Getting the impression Japan have screwed up this quarentine [sic] and want to reset the clock. just remember we are ppl not objects and we have rights."
He said confining people to their cabins was starting to take a toll on passengers' mental health and it was time for the Boris Johnson to "get the Brits back".
The University of Sussex has said its student who was being checked for coronavirus has tested negative.
A spokesman said: "Recently a student on our campus was tested and has been informed they do not have coronavirus.
A spokesman said: "Recently a student on our campus was tested and has been informed they do not have coronavirus.
"The University is operating as usual and we continue to follow all the advice and guidance from Public Health England."
China may postpone annual congress
China has said it may postpone its annual congress its biggest political meeting of the year, in March, as the military dispatched hundreds more medical workers and extra supplies to the city hit hardest by the two-month-old virus outbreak.
The standing committee for the National People's Congress said it believes it is necessary to postpone the gathering to give top priority to people's lives, safety and health, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
One-third of the 3,000 delegates are provincial and municipal-level cadres with important leadership roles working on the front line of the battle against the epidemic, it noted.
The standing committee said it would meet on 24 February to further deliberate on a postponement. The meeting is due to start on 5 March.
China has said it may postpone its annual congress its biggest political meeting of the year, in March, as the military dispatched hundreds more medical workers and extra supplies to the city hit hardest by the two-month-old virus outbreak.
The standing committee for the National People's Congress said it believes it is necessary to postpone the gathering to give top priority to people's lives, safety and health, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
One-third of the 3,000 delegates are provincial and municipal-level cadres with important leadership roles working on the front line of the battle against the epidemic, it noted.
The standing committee said it would meet on 24 February to further deliberate on a postponement. The meeting is due to start on 5 March.
Half of China's population living under travel restrictions
Nearly half of China's population is living under some form of travel restrictions amid the coronavirus outbreak, a CNN analysis has found.
Travel restrictions have been enforced in several provinces across China, encompassing over 780 million people.
Russian woman who escaped quarantine ordered to return
A Russian court has ordered a woman who staged an elaborate escape from quarantine to return to the facility as a precaution.
Alla Ilyina was isolated at St Petersburg's Botkin Hospital for Infectious Diseases after she reported having a sore throat following a trip last month to China.
Ms Ilyina described on Instagram how she had short-circuited an electronic lock on her door in order to escape and that she had not been allowed to leave despite doctors giving her a clean bill of health.
The escape prompted St Petersburg's chief sanitary doctor to sue her for breaking quarantine rules and jeopardising public health.
"Ilyina is subject to forced hospitalization," St. Petersburg's Petrogradsky District Court said, adding that her hearing had taken place in a courtroom with a germicidal lamp.
Her lawyer, Vitaly Cherkasov, said she would appeal the verdict.
Legal scholar arrested after criticising China's handling of coronavirus outbreak
A Chinese legal scholar who called on Xi Jinping, the country's president, to resign and criticising his handling of the coronavirus outbreak has been arrested.
Xu Zhiyong was detained on Saturday night while staying at the home of another activist.
Patrick Poon, Amnesty International's China researcher, said: “The detention of Xu Zhiyong shows that the Chinese government’s battle against the coronavirus has in no way diverted it from its ongoing general campaign to crush all dissenting voices, and its ruthless assault on freedom of expression.
“Xu has been in the authorities’ sights ever since he attended a meeting of human rights activists in Xiamen in December, and he has since criticised President Xi’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.
“He now joins the several others who have been targeted for investigation by the authorities for attending the Xiamen meeting, and who currently languish in detention under constant risk of torture or other ill-treatment.
“Xu Zhiyong and his fellow detainees have committed no crime. They have been targeted merely for their peaceful activism, and the Chinese authorities must immediately and unconditionally release them.”
Latest coronavirus figures
Here are the latest numbers after more than 71,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus globally.
— Mainland China: 1,770 deaths among 70,548 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei
— Hong Kong: 58 cases, 1 death
— Macao: 10
— Japan: 519 cases, including 454 from a cruise ship docked in Yokohama, 1 death
— Singapore: 77 cases
— Thailand: 35
— South Korea: 30
— Malaysia: 22
— Taiwan: 22 cases, 1 death
— Vietnam: 16 cases
— Germany: 16
— United States: 15 cases; separately, 1 U.S. citizen died in China
— Australia: 14 cases
— France: 12 cases, 1 death
— United Kingdom: 9 cases
— United Arab Emirates: 9
— Canada: 8
— Philippines: 3 cases, 1 death
— India: 3 cases
— Italy: 3
— Russia: 2
— Spain: 2
— Belgium: 1
— Nepal: 1
— Sri Lanka: 1
— Sweden: 1
— Cambodia: 1
— Finland: 1
— Egypt: 1
Here are the latest numbers after more than 71,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus globally.
— Mainland China: 1,770 deaths among 70,548 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei
— Hong Kong: 58 cases, 1 death
— Macao: 10
— Japan: 519 cases, including 454 from a cruise ship docked in Yokohama, 1 death
— Singapore: 77 cases
— Thailand: 35
— South Korea: 30
— Malaysia: 22
— Taiwan: 22 cases, 1 death
— Vietnam: 16 cases
— Germany: 16
— United States: 15 cases; separately, 1 U.S. citizen died in China
— Australia: 14 cases
— France: 12 cases, 1 death
— United Kingdom: 9 cases
— United Arab Emirates: 9
— Canada: 8
— Philippines: 3 cases, 1 death
— India: 3 cases
— Italy: 3
— Russia: 2
— Spain: 2
— Belgium: 1
— Nepal: 1
— Sri Lanka: 1
— Sweden: 1
— Cambodia: 1
— Finland: 1
— Egypt: 1
An annual International Exhibition of Inventions held in Geneva has been postponed by six months due to the coronavirus epidemic, its organisers have said
Half of its exhibitors come from Asia, it added, with a third from China and another third from Hong Kong
"...The exhibition management has chosen to be wise and decided to postpone the largest event of its kind in the world until September," it said in a statement, citing difficulties for inventors planning their trips.
