Coronavirus in the UAE: four-member family infected

UAE confirmed a four-member Chinese family that flew in from Wuhan city as the first case of the new coronavirus in the country.

The Chinese family reportedly flew into the UAE on January 16, and manifested the symptoms of the virus on January 23.

The Ministry assured the public about the general health situation, emphasising that “it is not a cause for concern.”

MoHAP confirmed that it has taken “all the necessary precautions in accordance with the scientific recommendations, conditions and standards approved by the World Health Organisation” in coordination with relevant authorities.

Earlier this week, the UAE had issued a travel advisory, urging its citizens to avoid travelling to China as the virus continued to spread.

Read: UAE issues travel advisory for China

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has claimed 170 lives.

Total infections have soared past 7,700 in China, superseding the country’s official number from the 2003 SARS epidemic.

McDonald’s Corp. and Starbucks Corp. closed thousands of stores combined in the country.

Airlines across the globe suspended more flights to China as governments clamped down on travel to help stop the spread of the deadly virus.

British Airways halted daily routes to Beijing and Shanghai from London’s Heathrow airport, after UK officials advised against non-essential travel.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said it would cut capacity to China by 50 per cent or more starting Thursday.

Other European and North American airlines adjusted their schedules as well:

• Delta Air Lines Inc.: Cutting service to China in half to 21 flights a week, from February 6 through April 30
• Deutsche Lufthansa AG: Suspending service to China until February 9
• American Airlines Group Inc.: Suspending flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai and Beijing from February 9 through March 27
• United Airlines Holdings Inc.: Reducing service to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
• Air France-KLM’s Dutch unit: Suspending direct flights to Chengdu and Hangzhou as of Thursday, reducing number of weekly flights to Shanghai to seven from 11 times a week; Suspending direct flights to Xiamen as of January 30
• Air Canada: Suspending flights to Beijing and Shanghai from January 30 until February 29
• IAG’s Iberia: Suspending flights to Shanghai from Friday through February

Wuhan’s airport handles about 25 million passengers a year.

With inputs from Bloomberg