Coronavirus outbreak: Couple abandons their sick child at China's airport

Amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak, a couple reportedly abandoned their child at Nanjing Lukou International Airport, China after the child apparently had a fever and wasn't allowed to board. A user of a Chinese social media site wrote that the parents deserted their son and daughter by the departure gate and boarded the flight on their own, leaving the airline workers and other passengers in shock. 

The social media user further said that the couple was causing a scene at the airport which led to the parents and airport crew arguing at the boarding gate for three hours and causing a serious delay for other passengers. However, the airport authority reportedly said that the kids were eventually allowed to board and were arranged to be seated at the front of the cabin. The virus had already claimed almost 106 lives in China with 4,515 confirmed cases. According to the National Health Commission, 976 are in serious condition.

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In a bid to take precautionary measures, China has also locked down 10 cities, including Wuhan, Huanggang, Ezhou, Zhejiang, Qianjiang, suspending all public transport to contain the deadly virus. The mayor of the city of Wuhan has reportedly urged citizens not to travel outside China and the authorities have further issued a travel advisory warning the backlash of coronavirus. 

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'Emergency in China'

In order to strengthen control over the virus outbreak, Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak, has suspended visa and passport services for Chinese citizens until January 30. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not yet classified the virus as an international emergency considering the low number of overseas cases. However, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called it 'an emergency in China'.

According to the WHO, symptoms of Coronavirus may include runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, and fever. In more severe cases, it may lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death. Experts and researchers are yet to understand the destructive potential of the new virus and have yet not found a cure for the same.

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(with inputs from agencies)