1,383 die from coronavirus; cases rise to 63,946 as Valentine’s Day suffers; Nigerians in China free

At least 63,946 have been infected by the Coronavirus with 1,383 deaths as at 12 noon on Friday. 1,700 medical staff have been infected as the Chinese government announced new welfare schemes and special allowances for them.
There is no new word on the 60 Nigerians in Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease. The last word from the Nigerian Embassy in China at the turn of the week was that no Nigerian was infected.
Japan insists it will not cancel the Summer Olympics, hoping that as the summer heat comes, the virus would be wiped off, according to foreign media reports.
Sadly, in China, six medical staff have died taking care of victims of the disease, while the oldest victim of the disease, a 96 years old woman, has been treated and discharged.
The Washington Post says that
China again reported a big jump in coronavirus cases on Friday after changing its methodology for diagnosing and counting infections, denting hopes that the deadly outbreak could be petering out.
With another 5,000 reported Friday, the number of cases in mainland China has now surged past 63,000, and the economic fallout is mounting. The latest casualties are flower sellers in the country, some of whom have seen their sales fall up to 95 percent on Valentine’s Day.
More places in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, are enacting “wartime” measures, such as sealing off residential complexes and only allowing essential vehicles on the roads.
Authorities in Yunmeng county, where the new steps kicked in on Friday morning, said that anyone attempting to breach the lockdown “at compounds, buildings or road connections” would be detained.
Here are the latest developments:
● More cities in Hubei province are putting in place “wartime” measures, barring citizens from leaving their homes and threatening penalties for anyone who breaches the orders.
● Singapore’s leader warned of a possible recession as the virus and travel curbs slam the regional economy.
● Japan has said that 10 people evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship are in serious condition, as the cruise industry braces for serious losses over coronavirus fears.
● China’s National Health Commission said more than 1,700 medical workers have been infected with coronavirus, six of whom have died, citing the latest available figures as of Feb. 11.
Additional reports by Washington Post