The World Health Organization has warned against a global over-reaction to the new coronavirus epidemic following panic-buying, event cancellations and concerns about cruise ship travel, as China’s official death toll neared 1,900 on Tuesday. The cruise ship industry has come into focus as hundreds of people became infected aboard a vessel off Japan. Cruise concernsMore than 450 people have tested positive for the virus aboard the quarantined Diamond Prince cruise ship off Yokohama in Japan. ‘Less deadly’ than SARSThe official death toll in China hit 1,868 Tuesday after another 98 people died, most in Hubei. Outside Hubei this epidemic is affecting a very, very tiny, tiny proportion of people,” said Michael Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies programme.

Source: Manila Times February 18, 2020 04:31 UTC