BFF-50 Beijing reports capital’s first death from coronavirus

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CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS-BEIJING

Beijing reports capital’s first death from coronavirus

BEIJING, Jan 27, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Beijing authorities on Monday reported
the Chinese capital’s first death from a new deadly virus that has rapidly
spread across the country, killing more than 80 people and causing global
alarm.

The victim was a 50-year-old man who had visited the central city of
Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, on January 8 and developed a fever
after returning to Beijing seven days later, the city’s health commission
said.

He went to a hospital on January 21 and died on Monday of respiratory
failure, the commission said.

A total of 80 of more than 2,700 cases have been recorded in the Chinese
capital of 20 million people.

The authorities have enacted sweeping travel restrictions across the
country in a desperate bid to stop the virus from spreading further.

Transport bans have been enacted in Wuhan and other cities in central
Hubei province, effectively corralling some 56 million people.

Beijing has halted long-distance bus service to and from the city.

BSS/AFP/FI/ 2225 hrs