HONG KONG/BEIJING — The coronavirus outbreak claimed its first life in Hong Kong on Tuesday, compounding the international financial centre’s problems after anti-government protests, and Macau, the world’s biggest gambling playground, urged casinos to shut their doors. It was the second death from the new coronavirus outside mainland China and brought the toll from the fast-spreading outbreak to 427. Thousands of medical workers in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous region of China, held a second day of strikes to press for complete closure of borders with the mainland after three checkpoints were left open. Total infections in mainland China rose to 20,438, and nearly 200 cases have been reported across roughly two dozen countries, Hong Kong and Macau. Hong Kong has confirmed 17 cases.

Source: National Post February 04, 2020 21:09 UTC