The new coronavirus, formally called the 2019-nCoV, was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization on Thursday. The U.S. has now advised against all travel to China, while the U.K. has raised the risk level from low, to moderate. Big number: More than 9,800 people are confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus while there are 15,000 suspected cases, according to Chinese health officials. Key background: The coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan in December and after a initially slow response the Chinese government has rolled out extraordinary measures including quarantining cities and regions homes to tens of millions of people. Further reading: WHO Declares Coronavirus A Global Health Emergency, Praises China’s ‘Extraordinary Measures’ (Lisette Voytko)

Source: Forbes January 31, 2020 13:30 UTC