8,000 Californians Under 'Self-Imposed' Quarantine, S Korea Locks Down City Of 2.5 Million

8,000 Californians Under "Self-Imposed Quarantine", South Korea Locks Down City Of 2.5 Million People: Virus Updates

Summary: 

• Stocks slide as CDC releases new US case numbers
• The number of cases worldwide topping 80,000.
• Italy reports 7th death, 200+ confirmed cases
• Spain reports 3rd case
• WHO says outbreak not yet a 'pandemic'
• WH reportedly considering expulsion of Chinese journalists in retaliation for WSJ reporters
• US consulate in Milan temporarily halts visas
• California has 8,000 under 'self-imposed quarantine'
• CDC warns Americans against travel to South Korea
• Italian finance minister suspends tax payments in virus-hit areas
• First cases reported in Oman, Bahrain
• WHO kowtows to China in statement
• Wuhan issues order to loosen lockdown, then U-turns
• NHC says outbreak is fading, though situation remains "grim"
• 2 new cases confirmed in Canada
• China approves crackdown on wildlife trade after WHO says virus likely came from bats
• Iranian lawmaker says more than 50 deaths in Qom; officials say 12
• Hong Kong bars South Koreans
• South Korean cases rise 60 to 893, Daegu city locked down.
  
  
  And, as the virus spreads, South Korea is about to go 'full China' on its people as Yonhap reports  the cities of Daegu and Gyeongbuk, where the virus is spreading rapidly, have been designated as special disease management areas for infectious diseases.
  Simply put, this means that, as Democratic Party spokesman Hong Ik-pyo explained, "A blockade is being considered by the government, and we are considering using some administrative power in areas such as movement."

  Locals have called this a strategy to "enforce the maximum containment policy" - in other words, full lockdown of a city of 2.5 million people (the 4th largest in the country).

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  Update (1845ET): The CDC has outmaneuvered the State Department and issued a travel warning on South Korea.

  • CDC WARNS AMERICANS ON TRAVEL TO SOUTH KOREA

  This just hours after President Trump tweeted that it's time to buy stocks because the crisis is under control.

  * * *

  Update (1825ET): As we mentioned earlier, the state of California has thousands of individuals under a 'self-imposed quarantine'. But what, exactly, does this mean?
  As the SF Chronicle points out, this figure is up from 6,700 last week.
  The Press Democrat reports that all of the people under self-imposed quarantine recently visited China, but have no other connection to a sick individual, and have shown no other signs of the virus.
  These people returned to the US either on or after Feb. 2 as countries started tightening borders.
  While making a case for full-on quarantine might be difficult, Italy and SK have identified cases where the chain of infection is murky. Some haven't traveled abroad. Some visited hot zones weeks ago and are just beginning to show symptoms.
  
  
  It's certainly something to think about consider that, as we reported earlier, the CDC only has only tested about 400 individuals.
  * * *
  Update (1745ET): Here's more news while we wait for the new China and South Korea numbers to hit.
  In the latest virus-related update out of Europe, Spain just reported its third case, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.
  According the report, the individual is a "traveler" from Italy.
  • SPAIN REPORTS 3RD CASE OF COVID-19 TRAVELER FROM ITALY - EL PAIS NEWS
  In other virus news, two companies, UAL withdrew its 2020 forecasts on Monday night, citing a "~100%" decline in near-term demand from China. Mastercard also forecast lower revenue growth, citing the virus impact.
  * * *
  Update (1450ET): We spotted an interesting tidbit at the bottom of a recent update to the Monday's NYT coronavirus liveblog:

  The new virus presents Europe with perhaps its greatest challenge since the 2015 migration crisis. It could test the principle of open borders within much of Europe and the vaunted but strained European public health systems.

  Could the outbreak present an opening for Matteo Salvini as he struggles to displace the Five Star-PD coalition and become prime minister?
  In a country as badly in need of revenue as Italy, it would take a true disaster to suspend tax collection. Alas, it looks like that has finally happened, as Italy's finance minister suspended tax payments in regions hard-hit by the virus.
  
  
  Update (1425ET): Following the CDC confirming 18 new cases in the US, including two that were non-Diamond Princess related, Canadian public health officials have just confirmed that two individuals have tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of infected in the US's northern neighbor to 11, the Washington Post reports.