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Coronavirus

Coronavirus catch-up: Latest news on the outbreak of the disease

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
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By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 13, 2020, 1:06 PM ET

Days ago, it seemed the number of coronavirus cases was starting to slow down. That changed overnight with new numbers from China and news of the 15th confirmed U.S. case of the disease.

It’s hard to keep up with the virus’s spread and impact on both businesses and nations as the outbreak spreads. Here’s the latest information.

CDC confirms 15th U.S. coronavirus case

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed another coronavirus infection in the U.S.. The patient is one of several Americans evacuated last week from Wuhan on a government-chartered flight. That flight landed on Feb. 7 and all passengers were put under a 14-day quarantine. The patient has been isolated and is receiving medical care.

“There will likely be additional cases in the coming days and weeks, including among other people recently returned from Wuhan,” the CDC said in a statement. “While 195 people were discharged from quarantine on Tuesday, more than 600 people who returned on chartered flights from Wuhan remain under federal quarantine and are being closely monitored to contain the spread of the virus.”

China confirms roughly 15,000 new coronavirus cases

Officials in the Chinese province of Hubei, where the outbreak originated, reported a massive spike in cases overnight. The number of infected in that region jumped 45% to nearly 50,000, with authorities saying a new group of patients had been diagnosed by a different method. The number of those infected globally now tops 60,000, according to the World Health Organization.

In total, Hubei added 14,840 new cases on Thursday, of which 13,332 are from the new category of clinical diagnosis using CT scans. The death toll in the province rose by 242, of which 135 cases are from the new method of diagnosis, it said.

Read: Why coronavirus cases in one Chinese province surged 45% overnight

Carnival ship rejected by 5 ports finally docks

After being barred from several ports for almost two weeks, a Carnival cruise liner carrying 2,257 passengers has finally found a welcoming home. The Westerdam arrived in Cambodia’s Sihanoukville port early Thursday, and local officials have boarded the vessel. Passengers will be allowed to go home.

Celebrating onboard the #Westerdam tonight. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/QqYCEZPKnH

— Christina Kerby (@ChristinaKerby) February 12, 2020

Controversy is erupting, however, over another cruise liner that was allowed to dock in Phuket, Thailand.

Read: Carnival ship rejected by 5 ports has finally made it into one. Now a new cruise controversy is brewing

Markets dip as coronavirus spreads

U.S. stocks are lower as more companies issue warnings about the coronavirus’s potential impact on earnings. Nestle was the latest company to send up a cautionary flag, winding back a big sales target, citing China uncertainty.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—Can you catch it twice? Answers to 5 pressing coronavirus questions
—Why China is still so susceptible to disease outbreaks
—Bernard Arnault was briefly the world’s richest man. Then coronavirus struck
—Will summer kill the coronavirus?
—My boss wants me to travel during the coronavirus. Do I have to go?

Subscribe to Fortune’s Brainstorm Health newsletter for daily updates on biopharma and health care.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

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