The head of China’s National Health Commission said that people carrying the virus but not showing symptoms could still infect others and warned that the “epidemic is now entering a more serious and complex period.”Measures taken: Hong Kong barred residents from the center of the outbreak and closed major tourist attractions. China banned the wildlife trade nationwide, deployed hundreds of medical workers and assigned dozens of hospitals to focus on treating the virus alone. Scope: Cases have been confirmed in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, France, Australia and the U.S.Perspective from Beijing: The Chinese government has stepped up its response to the Wuhan crisis, but the effort has been plagued by bureaucracy and a lack of transparency.

Source: New York Times January 26, 2020 21:22 UTC