VIRUS DISEASES – CHINA

Virus may rank among worst

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Original article by Natasha Robinson
The Australian – Page: 7 : 13-Feb-20

The death toll from the coronavirus in mainland China has risen to 1,113, and more than 44,000 people across the nation have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness. Meanwhile, epidemiologists at the Imperial College London have estimated that the new virus will kill one per cent of people who contract it. In contrast, World Health Organization figures show that seasonal influenza kills about 0.13 per cent of sufferers. Professor Neil Ferguson of the Imperial College says the coronavirus may prove to be as bad as the major influenza pandemics of the 20th century

CORPORATES
IMPERIAL COLLEGE, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Westpac lifeline for virus-plagued customers

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 19 : 12-Feb-20

Westpac has revealed details of its support package for businesses that have been impacted by the coronavirus. Amongst other things, it will allow business loan repayments to be deferred for up to three months, while businesses will also be able to extend their loans for up to three months. Westpac offered similar relief to bushfire victims. Businesses across the economy have been impacted by the virus outbreak, including tourism operators and fresh food exporters.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Coronavirus disease named Covid-19

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Original article by
bbc.com – Page: Online : 12-Feb-20

The death toll from the coronavirus on mainland China has risen to 1,017, and more than 42,000 people in China have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness. In its latest response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese government has sacked two of the most senior officials at the Hubei Health Commission. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has announced that the coronavirus has been officially designated Covid-2019. WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised China’s efforts to contain the virus and expressed optimism that action to limit its spread globally will be effective.

CORPORATES
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Australia prepares to extend China travel ban due to coronavirus

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Original article by Eryk Bagshaw
The Age – Page: Online : 11-Feb-20

The federal government’s 14-day travel ban on non-citizens entering Australia from the Chinese mainland will expire on 15 February, and sources have indicated that it is likely to be extended. The move will prevent about 56 per cent of the Chinese students at Australian universities from arriving in time for the start of the academic year. Meanwhile, more than 100 Australian citizens and permanent residents are still in Hubei province, but the government has no plans for a third evacuation flight.

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New study an eye-opener on how coronavirus is spreading and how little we know

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Original article by Tom Frieden
CNN.com – Page: Online : 9-Feb-20

A study published in the medical journal ‘JAMA’ confirms that like coronaviruses in the past, the Wuhan coronavirus appears to be spreading in hospitals. The study reported that 41 per cent of the first 138 patients who were diagnosed with the latest coronavirus in one Wuhan hospital appeared to have been infected in that hospital. It reveals the need for better protection of health care workers and others who care for the sick, while more needs to be known about how widely the virus is circulating, the proportion of those infected who are seriously ill, and whether the epidemic has peaked.

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Home from Hubei, evacuees set up camp

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Original article by Paige Taylor, Robyn Ironside
The Australian – Page: 2 : 10-Feb-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 813, surpassing the 774 casualties of the SARS outbreak of 2002-03. More than 37,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness, including 15 in Australia. Meanwhile, a chartered Qantas flight has evacuated another 266 Australian citizens and permanent residents from Wuhan. They will be placed in quarantine at a former mining workers’ camp near Darwin for 14 days, as the Christmas Island facility has reached capacity.

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QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN

Campuses may lose $2bn in fees

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Original article by Tim Dodd, Heidi Han
The Australian – Page: 7 : 7-Feb-20

The federal government’s travel ban has prevented nearly 100,000 Chinese university students from arriving in Australia for the start of the academic year. S&P Global says the universities’ operating margins will be hit if the travel restrictions are not lifted in the next few weeks. The firm estimates that the travel ban could cost universities up to $2bn in fees, and notes that the broader economy will also be impacted. Some universities will offer online courses for the first several weeks of the semester.

CORPORATES
S&P GLOBAL INCORPORATED

Caution urged after euphoric stock recovery

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 26 : 7-Feb-20

Global sharemarkets have rebounded quickly from a sharp fall in response to the coronavirus, with Wall Street reaching a new high and the Australian bourse approaching its record peak. However, equity strategists have warned that the rally may not be sustained; they note that it has been driven by factors such as indications that the coronavirus’s spread may be slowing and the recent move by the People’s Bank of China to increase market liquidity.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX, PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA

Darwin next stop for China evacuees

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Original article by Amos Aikman, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 7 : 7-Feb-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 563, and more than 28,000 people have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness, including 15 in Australia. Meanwhile, the federal government is looking at using Inpex’s former workers’ camp near Darwin to quarantine people returning from China. It is part of a contingency plan in the event that the Christmas Island facility reaches capacity. Some 273 Australian citizens and permanent residents who have been evacuated from Wuhan are currently in quarantine on Christmas Island.

CORPORATES
INPEX CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

Ports beef up virus protections

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 6-Feb-20

Australia’s iron ore and coal shipments may face delays due to the coronavirus outbreak. Ports have been advised to prevent Chinese vessels from docking unless they have been at sea for at least 14 days. However, the sailing time between China and Australia’s largest ports can be as little as 10 days. The impact of the virus on exporters has been limited to date, as the outbreak has coincided with the Lunar New Year holiday period. Meanwhile, the Health Department has ordered marine pilots to wear surgical masks and gloves when they board vessels that have come from China.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH