SINGAPORE (Feb 4): The novel coronavirus, which was first reported from China's Wuhan has showed no signs of slowing.
Hong Kong reported a death from the coronavirus, confirming the second fatality outside mainland China, where the number of cases has topped 20,000.
A 39-year-old male who was infected with the novel coronavirus died Tuesday morning at Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong. The fatality marks the first in Hong Kong, and the second death outside of mainland China. A 44-year-old Chinese male from Wuhan died in the Philippines on Feb 1.
The number of confirmed cases in Singapore has risen to 24, including its first cases of local coronavirus transmission. Four out of six new cases reported on Tuesday had not travelled to China.
The spike comes despite the government on Jan 31 banning entry to all Chinese visitors and foreigners with a recent history of travel to China.
The coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc on investor confidence.
Businesses are expected to be roiled as the move to suspend visas to mainland Chinese passport holders effectively shuts out the island’s largest group of visitors.
In Singapore, the benchmark Straits Times Index closed 1.19% down at 3,116.31 on Monday. The STI has dropped 163.78 points, or 4.99%, since Jan 20.
