Factbox: Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyond
(Reuters) - China reported a dramatic drop in coronavirus infections on Thursday although scientists warned it may spread even more easily than previously believed.
* China's central Hubei province had 349 new confirmed caseson Wednesday, down from 1,693 a day earlier and lowest sinceJan. 25. The death toll rose by 108, down from 132 the previousday, bringing to total in China to over 2,100 deaths and 74,000cases. * The new figures include subtracting 279 cases in theprovince that were not confirmed. No explanation was given.Excluding the deductions, the new cases on Wednesday stood at628, still a large drop. * Hundreds of passengers disembarked a cruise ship in Japanon Wednesday after being held on board in quarantine for morethan two weeks. * Two elderly passengers from the quarantined DiamondPrincess ship had died of the disease. * Japanese authorities said 79 new cases have beendiscovered on board, bringing the total to at least 620, wellover half of the known cases outside mainland China. * More than 100 Hong Kong residents who were quarantined onthe cruise landed on Thursday morning in the Asian financialhub, where they will face a further 14 days of quarantine. * South Korea reported a spike in infections, with 23 newcases linked to a church congregation, up from 14 on Wednesday,in what health officials called a "super-spreading event". * The epidemic that has already disrupted economic growth inChina and spread to other countries, could derail a "highlyfragile" projected recovery in the global economy in 2020, theInternational Monetary Fund warned. * The Chinese manufacturing engine that powers much of theworld economy is struggling to restart after an extended LunarNew Year break, hindered by travel and quarantine restrictions. * China cut the benchmark lending rate as was widelyexpected, as the authorities move to lower financing costs forbusinesses in a virus-hit economy. * Federal Reserve policymakers acknowledged new risks causedby the virus outbreak but were cautiously optimistic about theirability to hold interest rates steady this year, minutes of thecentral bank's last policy meeting showed. * Financial leaders of the world's 20 largest economies(G20) expect a modest pickup of global growth this year andnext, but see the epidemic as a risk. * China will not send any officials to the G20 meeting offinance ministers and central bank governors in Riyadh to beheld on Feb. 22, 23. * Japan, which is set to host the 2020 Summer Olympics inJuly, saw its foreign visitor numbers fall for the fourth monthin January, with sharper falls expected. * China's finance ministry said it would tackle any misuseof special funds meant to pay for the fight against the virus. * Foreign pilots at some Chinese airlines have returned totheir home countries and are considering other jobs after beingplaced on unpaid leave as demand falls because of thecoronavirus. * Mongolia will keep all its schools shut until March 30 toprevent the coronavirus from spreading in the country. * Thailand's cabinet will vote this month on more measuresto prop-up its economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus. * Italy, the euro zone's third largest economy, said it mayhave to cut its 2020 growth forecast if the coronavirussignificantly impacts it. * ExxonMobil, Azerbaijan's SOCAR and Royal Dutch Shelljoined a growing list of oil companies that pulled out ofLondon's International Petroleum Week, one of the world'sbiggest oil industry gatherings. * Asian stocks edged up on Thursday, supported by a fall incoronavirus cases and expectations of more Chinese stimulus
(Compiled by Amy Caren Daniel and Sarah Morland; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Arun Koyyur)
