Japan and the US have airlifted hundreds of their citizens from the virus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan as the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose again to 132.
Some 201 US citizens were airlifted to southern California where they will remain under medical observation.
However the UK government has said it will not be launching an evacuation of its citizens anytime soon. It is understood China has not granted the necessary permissions to allow for the removal of British nationals on Thursday.
Confirmed cases of the virus also rose sharply to more than 6,000 on Wednesday, overtaking the 5,327 confirmed cases of SARS during the same time period in the 2002-2003 outbreak which killed more than 750 people in 17 countries worldwide.
Meanwhile the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it would reconvene officials to decide whether the outbreak constituted an emergency of international concern.
Here are the days events as they happened...
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UK finalises plans to bring Britons back from virus-hit area
Urgent plans to bring Britons back from the Chinese province of Hubei, where the new strain of coronavirus was first identified, are being finalised by the UK government this morning.
The deadline for those stuck in the city of Wuhan and its surrounding areas to contact the British consulate passed last night at 3am UK time (11am local time).
Flights taking Britons back home could begin as early as Thursday, according to a British teacher in Wuhan city who told PA that UK citizens were being given details of forthcoming flights.
The news came after the Foreign Office updated its advice on Tuesday to warn against “all but essential travel” to mainland China, as it may become more difficult for British nationals in other provinces to leave the country.
The Department of Health and Social Care has said 97 people in the UK have been tested for the virus so far and all patients have been given the all-clear.
Additional reporting by PA
British Airways suspends all flights to mainland China
There is also some breaking news this morning as British Airways has announced it is suspending all direct flights to and from mainland China over growing concerns about the outbreak.
The airline’s website shows no direct flights to China are available for January or February.
“We apologise to customers for the inconvenience, but the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
You can find more details on the story from our reporter Chris Baynes by clicking the link below:
Australia announces plans to quarantine citizens on Christmas Island
Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison has announced that his government will help some citizens to leave China and quarantine them on Christmas Island to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“We have taken a decision this morning to prepare a plan for an operation to provide some assisted departures for isolated and vulnerable Australians in Wuhan and the Hubei province,” Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
However, the prime minister did not say how many of the 600 Australians registered in the Hubei region of China would be helped by his government.
Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean 1,500km (900 miles) from the mainland, is home to a controversial immigration detention centre.
Australia, which has five confirmed cases of coronavirus, also upgraded its travel advice on Wednesday and warned citizens to “reconsider all travel to China”.
Baroness Morgan: British Airways decision provides 'more impetus' for evacuation plans
Baroness Morgan, the culture secretary, has said BA’s decision to suspend all flights to China would give “more impetus” to the government’s bid to arrange travel home for Britons in Hubei province.
“The Foreign Office will be working with staff on the ground to identify UK nationals,” the Conservative peer told BBC Breakfast.
“We will get people home as soon as we can, as soon as we can make arrangements.”
She added: “Obviously, today's decision by British Airways provides more impetus to the government to make other plans and communicate those.”
UAE confirms first cases of coronavirus in Middle East
The United Arab Emirates has said doctors are treating a family for coronavirus, confirming the first cases in the Middle East from the outbreak.
The UAE's state-run WAM news agency made the announcement and cited the Health and Prevention Ministry, but offered no details on where the family lived nor where they were receiving treatment.
It has also not offered the number of patients being treated and only said the cases came from “members of a family arriving from the Chinese city of Wuhan.”
The UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula that includes Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is home to long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways and is a hub for global air travel.
The virus, which was first identified in Asia, has spread around the world to North America, Europe and Australasia.
Additional reporting by AP
A British national who has been living in Wuhan with his Indonesian wife and two British children has criticised the UK government’s evacuation efforts this morning.
Nick House told Sky News that he was told by an official he could take a flight home but his wife, who does not have a visa, could not.
“We would like to be out of here. The man on the other end of the phone said 'Yes, you are on the list, but unfortunately your wife probably won't be able to get on the plane because she doesn't have a visa at the moment,’” Mr House said.
“I won't leave without my wife, so essentially the government are leaving three British people here for the sake of one seat on a plane.”
Jet lands in Alaska with US citizens from China outbreak zone
A chartered plane carrying about 200 Americans from Wuhan landed in Alaska earlier this morning (at 9.30pm local time).
The plane, which is carrying diplomats from the US Consulate in Wuhan and some other US citizens, has made a refuelling stop in Alaska before it flies on to Southern California, according to the US Embassy in China.
In Anchorage, Alaska, passengers were set to go through customs and a Centers for Disease Control screening.
“Then they will put them back on the plane and then send them on to their final destination,” Jim Szczesniak, manager of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, said.
Japanese evacuation flight brings workers back from virus-hit city
The first group of Japanese evacuees from Wuhan also arrived in Tokyo this morning, with five of the 206 passengers immediately taken into hospital with a cough and fever.
The five evacuees were taken to a designated Tokyo hospital specialising in treating infectious diseases, prime minister Shinzo Abe told a parliamentary session.
It is unclear if any passengers are ill with coronavirus at this time.
“We were feeling increasingly uneasy as the situation developed so rapidly when we were still in the city,” Takeo Aoyama, an employee at Nippon Steel Corp's subsidiary in Wuhan, told reporters at Tokyo's Haneda airport while he waited for a bus to take him to a health check.
Hong Kong confirms new cases of coronavirus
Hong Kong has confirmed two more cases for coronavirus, according to AFP’s Jerome Taylor.
The two patients are reportedly a 73-year-old woman and 72-year-old man who are both residents of Wuhan.
Mr Taylor added that the couple stayed in two hotels before falling ill on 28 January and may have been infectious for six days before they went to hospital.
Indonesia’s Lion Air has joined BA by suspending flights to China over the coronavirus outbreak.
Chinese national football team quarantined in Australia
The Chinese women’s national football team has been quarantined in Australia over concerns about the spread of coronavirus, according to health officials.
Jeannette Young, Queensland state’s chief health officer, said the group of 32 people had travelled through Wuhan a week ago and would be kept in isolation in a Brisbane hotel until next Wednesday.
The group, which includes players and staff, were placed in isolation by border officials after arriving in Brisbane on a flight from Shanghai on Tuesday.
They are travelling with a team doctor and no-one has shown symptoms so far.
Virgin Atlantic has said it is continuing to operate its daily flights between Heathrow and Shanghai after a number of airlines said they were suspending travel to China.
“We continue to monitor the situation regarding coronavirus and will always follow guidance as set out by relevant authorities,” a spokesperson said.
“The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is advising against all but essential travel to mainland China, excluding Hong Kong.”
Our travel correspondent Simon Calder has some more details on the impact of the Foreign Office’s advice to avoid “all but essential travel” to China.
“The Independent's travel desk calculates from holiday patterns and flight data that there are 10,000 UK travellers in mainland China - together with a similar number who are in Hong Kong, which is unaffected by the new Foreign Office advice.
“In addition, thousands of long-stay British expatriates are in the People's Republic as students, staff of multinational companies and teachers of English.”
The estimate comes as a number of airlines have announced this morning that they are suspending flights to China over the coronavirus outbreak.
The British Airways flight 38 from Beijing and BA168 from Shanghai, which will touch down at Heathrow just after 3pm, will be the last British Airways flights from the two Chinese cities for an indefinite time.
Papua New Guinea has announced that all travellers from Asia will not be allowed into the country over fears of a coronavirus outbreak, according to the BBC’s Stephen McDonell.
The move is one of the strictest measures yet by a country to stop the spread of the virus.
Travel expert warns ‘lack of clear information’ on flight suspensions could cause distress
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, has warned that a “lack of clear information” from British Airways on its decision to suspend flights to China could cause distress to passengers.
“British Airways' decision to cancel flights to and from China is understandable following the Foreign Office travel warning,” Mr Boland said.
“These passengers will be worried that they are now stranded. BA and the Foreign Office must urgently clarify what options it can provide to customers - particularly those already in China - so they can amend their plans accordingly and get home.”
Kazakhstan suspends transport links with China over outbreak
Kazakhstan’s government has announced it will suspend all forms of travel to and from neighbouring China over concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
The government has also suspended the issuance of visas to Chinese citizens, it said in a statement.
BREAKING: British nationals who are set to be evacuated from Wuhan will be quarantined for up to 14 days after arriving back in the UK, health officials have said.
Our health correspondent Shaun Lintern has more details on the story below:
India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) has recommended “homeopathy” for the prevention of coronavirus.
“The outbreak of a mysterious new CoronaVirus is rapidly spreading,” a PIB statement said.
“The whole world is going through the fear of this Corona Virus, the Research Councils under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India have issued advisory based on the Indian traditional medicine practices Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani.”
Matt Hancock confirms Britons from Wuhan will be quarantined
Health secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed plans to place British nationals arriving from Wuhan in quarantine for two weeks.
His statement came as a government source told PA that Britons will likely be kept at a “military base”.
“We have got the facility ready for them to arrive,” the source said.
