February 27 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Ben Westcott, Eliza Mackintosh, Fernando Alfonso III, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 2:36 p.m. ET, February 28, 2020
24 Posts
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1:03 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

Beijing places 14-day quarantine on international arrivals from virus-hit countries

From CNN's Shanshan Wang in Beijing and Isaac Yee in Hong Kong

Two men walk through a nearly empty terminal at Daxing international airport in Beijing on Friday, February 14.
Two men walk through a nearly empty terminal at Daxing international airport in Beijing on Friday, February 14. Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images

As the number of deaths and infections in China continues to drop, authorities are now looking to prevent new outbreaks.

Health officials in Beijing have announced that they will be tightening health restrictions on international arrivals.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Beijing Health Commission spokesman Gao Xiaojun said that travelers arriving in the Chinese capital from countries with "severe epidemic situations" will have to undergo 14 days in self-quarantine in accordance with Beijing's epidemic and prevention control regulation.

Gao did not name the specific countries these new measures apply to.

Mainland China has confirmed 78,497 cases of the novel coronavirus along with 2,744 deaths.

Milestone crossed: World Health Organization (WHO) officials said yesterday that for the first time, the number of daily cases of the virus reported outside China had exceeded the number of those reported within the country where the outbreak began.

No new confirmed cases of the virus were recorded in Beijing yesterday, according to official Chinese figures, as reported by the WHO.

11:48 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

Mike Pence will lead a coronavirus task force meeting on Thursday

Vice President Mike Pence at the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
Vice President Mike Pence at the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

US Vice President Mike Pence will lead a coronavirus task force meeting on Thursday afternoon local time at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump placed Pence in charge of the US government response to the coronavirus, amid growing criticism of the White House's handling of the outbreak.

The appointment of Pence came after the White House denied it was considering appointing a czar to oversee the administration's response outbreak.

Trump said Pence would not be a "czar," but stressed the vice president will be coordinating the efforts.

"Mike will be working with the professionals, doctors and everybody else that is working. The team is brilliant. I spent a lot of time with the team the last couple weeks," said Trump. "But they are brilliant and we're doing really well and Mike is going to be in charge and Mike will report back to me. But he has a certain talent for this."
11:48 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

US CDC is considering expanding airport health screenings for the coronavirus

From CNN's Elizabeth Cohen and John Bonifield

Japanese airline crew at Los Angeles International Airport on February 12.
Japanese airline crew at Los Angeles International Airport on February 12. Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images

There are "ongoing" conversations at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about expanding airport health screenings for coronavirus, according to an agency spokesperson.

Right now, the US is only doing health screenings for passengers arriving from China. Those screenings involve a temperature check and observations for symptoms.

But new outbreaks in other parts of the world are raising alarm.

Spike in cases globally: When the screenings started on January 17, there were 45 reported cases of the new coronavirus in China. Japan currently has about three times that number of cases, Italy has about 10 times as many, and South Korea has more than 30 times as many.

"We're not changing our posture at the moment [but] every day we re-evaluate what we're doing and making sure that we're adjusting what we're doing to make sure we're hitting the right notes," the CDC spokesperson said.

At a news conference Wednesday night, President Donald Trump said there could be travel restrictions placed on passengers from other countries, such as South Korea and Italy.

"At a right time we might do that. Right now it's not the right time. But at a right time," Trump said.

What the checks do: In the US, temperature and symptom checks haven't caught a single coronavirus case.

However, another part of the screenings has worked better: At least two passengers read the information cards handed out during the screenings and sought medical care when they developed symptoms listed on the cards.

Read the full story here.

12:25 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

Fiji bans travelers from Italy, Iran and parts of South Korea

From CNN's Isaac Yee in Hong Kong

Fiji is imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals who have been to Italy, Iran, and South Korea's Daegu City and Cheongdo county within the past 14 days.

The new ban will help reduce the risk of an outbreak in Fiji following an increase in global cases, Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said yesterday.

The ban will go into effect tomorrow, and all international air travelers will have their temperature checked upon arrival starting March 2.

No cases: Fiji has reported no confirmed or suspected cases of the novel coronavirus.

1:57 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

More new cases outside China than inside, says WHO

From CNN's James Griffiths

A health worker screens the temperature of a passenger arriving at Krakow International Airport on Wednesday in Krakow, Poland.
A health worker screens the temperature of a passenger arriving at Krakow International Airport on Wednesday in Krakow, Poland. Credit: Omar Marques/Getty Images

The novel coronavirus outbreak appears to have entered a new stage, with new clusters around the world raising fears of a pandemic.

World Health Organization (WHO) officials said yesterday that for the first time, the number of daily cases reported outside China had exceeded the number of those reported within the country where the outbreak began.

Coronavirus cases have now been reported in every continent but Antarctica.

The shift in focus from China to the rest of the world was further highlighted Wednesday, with the announcement that all passengers arriving in Beijing would be subject to a 14-day quarantine if they have recently traveled in affected countries.

The US: In Washington, President Donald Trump announced a new team dedicated to tackling the virus, led by Vice President Mike Pence.

Europe: European officials are working overtime to stop a continent-wide outbreak, as the situation in Italy continues to worsen. At least 400 cases have been reported in Italy, and sporting and social events across northern Italy have been canceled.

At least 18 cases of the virus have been confirmed in both Germany and France, while two French patients have died from the disease.

South Korea: In Asia, the worst outbreak beyond mainland China is in South Korea, where at least 1,595 cases have been reported, including 13 deaths.

That outbreak appears to have begun in the southern city of Daegu, where around 700 of the cases have been reported, but it has since spread throughout the country, bringing with it travel restrictions and emergency measures.

Middle East: Around 140 cases of the virus have been confirmed in Iran, and 19 deaths. Multiple neighboring countries have cut off travel to Iran, while Qatar has ordered the evacuation of citizens from the country, along with Kuwaitis who wish to leave Iran.

Read the full story here.

7:55 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

Saudi Arabia says measures to prevent the coronavirus impacts Muslim religious rituals

From CNN’s Mohammed Tawfeeq in Atlanta

A general view of the Prophet Mohammed Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Medina on November 12, 2009.
A general view of the Prophet Mohammed Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Medina on November 12, 2009. Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

Following the coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia announced today that it was implementing preventative measures that would affect religious rituals and practices.

The country is suspending “entry to the Kingdom for the purpose of Umrah and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily."

Tourists coming from countries where coronavirus spread "is a danger" will also be denied entry, said the statement.

These measures are temporary, and are being implemented "to prevent the arrival of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) to the Kingdom," said the statement.

7:56 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

Pakistan closes schools after reporting first coronavirus cases

Pakistan is closing all schools today and tomorrow in the southeast province of Sindh as a precaution against the coronavirus, announced the Sindh provincial government today.

Schools have also closed in the Balochistan province, which borders Iran, and will stay shut until March 15.

This comes after the country confirmed its first two coronavirus cases yesterday, both people who have traveled to Iran recently.

8:31 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

Olympic torch relay will go ahead — but could be scaled down over virus fears

From CNN’s Yoko Wakatsuki in Tokyo

People walk near the Olympics rings in Odaiba, Tokyo on February 22.
People walk near the Olympics rings in Odaiba, Tokyo on February 22. The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images

There are no plans to cancel the Olympic torch relay, which will see the iconic torch carried across Japan to the final destination of Tokyo, where the 2020 Games will be held, said the CEO of the organizing committee.

The torch relay will begin March 26.

Toshiro Muto, the committee CEO, said the committee was working on how to host the event without increasing the risk of coronavirus infection, and was looking into suggestions of scaling down events and reducing the number of spectators for the relay.

The organizing committee held a rehearsal for the relay on February 20.

Preparations for the Olympic Games are also continuing as planned, despite rumors that they may be cancelled, organizers told CNN yesterday.

Japan's Olympic Museum, which has been constructed next to the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, has been closed until March 16 following the government issuing new guidance to prevent the spread of the virus. 

12:56 a.m. ET, February 27, 2020

American in Daegu: The streets are emptier and "everybody is wearing face masks"

From CNN's Ivan Watson, Tom Booth and Sophie Jeong

Life in Daegu, the city at the heart of South Korea's outbreak, is mostly normal -- but people aren't taking any chances, said Racheal Downey, an American teacher living there.

The streets are a little emptier than normal, and everybody is wearing face masks, said Downey. "Everyone’s for the most part taking the self-quarantine advice seriously."

She's taking precautions too -- she wore gloves today when going outside to the bank.

“I’m more concerned about the kids’ safety more than anything," she added. "If my employer decides to extend the closure of the school, then I will be okay with that decision as long as the kids remain safe.���

“It will blow over. Life will go back to normal sooner or later. It’s just I’d prefer sooner than later.”

Discrimination in the US: Downey also mentioned the reports of racial discrimination and harassment that have emerged in the United States, targeting people of East Asian or Chinese descent as fears of the coronavirus rise.

“I really hope that this does not negatively affect immigrants and Asian Americans who are living back in the States. I hope that they don’t see any signs of discrimination back home because of this," she said.