Singapore reports two more cases of coronavirus, taking tally to three

Singapore has confirmed two more cases of the recent outbreak of deadly coronavirus, according to its health ministry on January 24. It was just after a day the island nation identified its first case of the infection that originated from China. The health ministry said that it expected more imported cases due to the huge influx of people travelling from China. The deadly virus has killed 25 people and infected more than 800 people. In a bid to take precautionary measures, China has locked down five cities on January 24, including Wuhan, suspending all public transport to contain the deadly virus that has infected more than  830 people and left 25 others dead, as per reports. It also cancelled the celebrations of Lunar New Year recently.

READ: China: Almost 20 Million People Quarantined, Transport Suspended

Authorities suspend public transport

Chinese authorities announced the suspension of public transport in five cities - Huanggang, Ezhou, Zhijiang, Qianjiang and Wuhan in Hubei province on Thursday evening, according to the official media reports. The decision has been made after the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee meeting on the night of January 22. WHO’s Director-General, in a statement, said that there was an ‘excellent discussion’ during the committee meeting and was ‘very impressed’ by the detail and depth of China’s presentation. The decision over declaring it a public health emergency has not been made. The Director-General said that he will decide after appropriate consideration of all the evidence. China placed its city, Wuhan, the centre of coronavirus epidemic under effective quarantine on January 23 with trains and flights suspended, subways halted and large events called off as doctors with their full-body protective gear treat the patients.

READ: China Seals 5 Cities In A Bid To Prevent Coronavirus Spread

China cancels Lunar New Year celebrations

It is a drastic step taken by the government to prevent the contagious disease that has killed 25, affected hundreds and reached other countries. The authorities in Wuhan, a major transport hub with seafood market suspended public buses and subways and ordered that the residents should not leave the city of 11 million people "without any proper reasons". The decision was taken amid hundreds of people are travelling across China for the Lunar New Year holiday, that starts on Friday. The city's tourism and culture department cancelled all group tours until February 8, as per the reports. The mayor of the city of Wuhan in China has reportedly urged citizens not to travel outside China during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday that witnesses the largest annual migration of the citizens.

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