The virus continues to spread: the quorum has risen to 361, China's capital market has crashed

The state's National Health Commission announced that 2,829 people had been infected with the Corona virus in the past day, and more than 17,000 people had been diagnosed with it. At the same time, indices in the Chinese capital market plunged by about 9%. In Vietnam, three new infections were diagnosed and Japan promised to protect civilians from the virus

Corona virus spread - latest updates

• The death toll from the virus rose to 361, more than 17 infected
• Stock market indices in China have plummeted as trade returns
• Vietnam: Three more people have been infected with the virus

The National Health Commission in China announced Monday night that 2,829 people have been infected with the Corona virus over the past day, and the total number of patients now reaches 17,205. In that, the death toll from the deadly virus reaches 361 people, after authorities reported 56 people killed by the virus on Sunday in the Hubei district, the focus of the outbreak.

Following the continued outbreak of the virus, a crackdown on the capital market in China occurred overnight and the indices plunged by about 9%. The plunge came after investors withdrew from their investments on the first day of trading after a long hiatus over the New Year holiday.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has confirmed that three new cases of the virus have been diagnosed, thus increasing the number of patients in the country to nine in total. On Saturday, Vietnam declared an emergency because of the epidemic and said it would halt all flights from and to China.

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Fight the spread. Hong Kong citizens covered in face masks due to corona virus (Photo: AP)

Hong Kong citizens covered in face masks due to Corona virus, February 1, 2020 (Photo: AP)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said tonight that his country would not hesitate to use necessary measures to protect its citizens from the outbreak of the Corona virus originating in China. Abe, speaking to Parliament, added that Japan had already begun developing test kits for rapid diagnosis of the virus.

The first death from the virus outside China was recorded in the Philippines yesterday. According to the World Health Organization, the victim is a 44-year-old man from Wuhan city, the focus of the virus outbreak in China, which has developed symptoms of pneumonia. His partner - a 38-year-old woman, also from Wahan - has contracted the virus, and is now the only person in the country to carry the corona virus.

Documentation: The hospital that China established at the site of the virus outbreak within 10 days

Citizens with face masks in Taiwan (Photo: AP)

Citizens with face masks in Taiwan for fear of the corona virus spread. January 31, 2020. (Photo: AP)

The number of infections bypassed that recorded during the outbreak of SARS in China in 2002-2003. Of the patients, 135 were diagnosed in 25 countries, including 19 in Thailand, 17 in Japan, eight in the United States, seven in Germany, three in France, two in the UK, two in Russia, and first cases were also found in Sweden and Spain.

China is facing increasing isolation as more countries declare travel bans, airlines suspend flights and governments evict their citizens. On Thursday, the World Health Organization declared an international emergency, but made it clear that restricting trade and travel is not necessary.

Deri at Ben Gurion Airport, yesterday (Photo: TPS)

Interior Minister Deri and Minister of Health Litzman toured MDA and the Population and Immigration Authority at Ben Gurion Airport, February 2, 2020 (Photo: Ehud Amitun, TPS)

Last night, Dai Yuming, China's ambassador to the country, said his country "opened the gates to Jewish refugees during the dark days of the Holocaust and World War II," and since the Israeli foreign ministry ordered the closing of gates to Chinese tourists, he asked that "Israel leave the door open to Chinese." The ambassador then apologized for the comparison he made: "There was no intention of comparing the dark days of the Holocaust to the current situation."

Before the ambassador's remarks, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman held a joint tour of the Ben Gurion Airport, and visited the Population and Migration Authority's positions in the field to closely examine the preparations for closing the crossings to people staying in China due to the outbreak of the Corona virus. Litzman will prevent the entry of people who have been in China for the past two weeks and those who are not citizens or residents of Israel.