The Chinese government has accused United States of triggering panic and fear while responding to deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The reaction follows the decision of Americans to declare a public health emergency and not allowing foreign nationals who have been to China in the past 2 weeks to cross the borders of States. 17,000 confirmed cases have been recorded in China as some 361 got engulfed by the deadliest virus since it broke out. Over 150 confirmed cases have been registered outside China and across different regions of the world with first offshore death coming in Philippines.
The virus that starts with a fever and dry cough quickly converts into severe acute respiratory infection to bring death and damage to its victim. A virologist involved in the examining of virus on Monday posited that the pneumonia linked with the Coronavirus had likely sourced by bats.
Measures taken by United States
The U.S. on Jan 23, 2020 called for the evacuation of non-emergency US personnel and their family members from Wuhan, the center-point of the outbreak. Just a week after, American government allowed for the voluntary evacuation of and non-emergency American expatriates, on duty government personnel’s and their relatives to leave the country.
The UN watchdog for global health watch, WHO: World Health Organization after reviewed its decision to declare global health emergency over the virus that spilled across Chinese borders.
Following the development America announced the departure of all US personnel family members under the age of 21 in China. US citizens that resided in Hubei at the time of the outbreak will serve a 14 days quarantine upon their return to America.
Measures taken by other Countries
Hong Kong announced it was suspending 10 out of 13 border crossing s with mainland China with an immediate effect from midnight local time (16:00 GMT).
Various nations have imposed varying preventative measures to stem the outbreak.
US, Australia and Singapore are in no mood to entertain any foreign visitors who have recently completed a visit to China.
New Zealand and Israel are also denying foreigners who have recently been on a trip to Mainland China.
Japan and South Korea have shut the doors for foreigners who have recently been to Hubei Province to which Wuhan is a city.
Indonesians, Italy, Egypt, United Kingdom and Finland have called of flight operations to mainland China.
Mongolian and Russia have chosen to partially close the border with China.
Chinese Reaction
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in a news briefing on Monday said the American actions could cause fear and would not do any good for the assistance. She further added that United States was the first nation to slap a travel ban on Chinese travelers and the first to declare a partial evacuation of its embassy staff from her country.
“It is precisely developed countries like the US with strong epidemic prevention capabilities that have taken the lead in imposing excessive restrictions contrary to WHO recommendations,” Ms. Hua added, according to a Reuters report.
World Health Organization
World Health Organization have not weighed in on for the travel restrictions and has warned that putting a ban on the legal travel could prove as a catalyst to the spread, if travelers enter the countries illegally.
“Travel restrictions can cause more harm than good by hindering info-sharing, medical supply chains and harming economies,” said last week Dr. Tedros Adhanom who presently heads WHO.
United Nations watchdog for health has instead called for introducing screening at border crossings upon departure and arrival. The WHO head on Monday praised Chinese efforts to prevent and cure the disease that has spilled over Chinese borders. He emphasized on the collective response from all the countries to curb the Coronavirus globally.
Over 75,000 people have caught the virus in the City of Wuhan according to official estimates however, University of Hong Kong suggests that the total number of cases could be far higher that the official calculations.
