Passengers leave cruise ship - but Britons warned about disembarking What new data from China tells us about the disease Covid-19 symptoms: what to look for and how to treat it Subscribe to The Telegraph, free for 30 days British passengers on the coronavirus-hit cruise ship moored near Tokyo have criticised the "slow" response from the UK government, stating that they feel like they have been "left behind". Yesterday, some 500 passengers who tested negative were allowed to disembark, but the British Foreign Office (FCO) has urged UK nationals to stay on board until they can organise a flight home. A FCO spokesperson told the Telegraph that staying on the ship "is the best way to guarantee getting on a flight." But Britons feel like the advice has left them in limbo. Elaine Spencer, who is on board the Diamond Princess, said: "We"re still waiting for them [the FCO] to give us a flight and at the moment we feel like we"ve been left behind." More than 621 people have been infected with the virus on the liner. At least six of those infected are believed to be British. 11:48pm New cases fall again in China China"s central Hubei province had 349 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, the province"s health commission said on Thursday, down from 1,693 cases a day earlier and the lowest since January 25. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in Hubei to 62,031. The number of new confirmed cases on Wednesday was the final tally following deductions of 279 cases from 10 cities in Hubei, according to the health commission. The number of new cases reported by the commission every day is a net figure that includes such deductions. 10:31pm McLaren ban those who have recently travelled to China from entering the team"s facilities Carlos Sainz of Spain driving the (55) McLaren F1 Team MCL35 Renault on track during day one of Formula 1 Winter Testing at Circuit de Barcelona McLaren"s Carlos Sainz finished sixth in Barcelona CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES Oliver Brown, Chief Sports Feature Writer, in Barcelona writes: Amid Formula One’s escalating fears over the spread of coronavirus, McLaren have taken the dramatic step of banning anybody with a recent history of travel to China from entering their facilities. A week after the Chinese Grand Prix was postponed due to the threat from Covid-19, the team felt it necessary to act after the sport’s governing body resisted travel checks on those entering the paddock for pre-season testing in Barcelona. Frankie Mao, an F1 journalist representing Titan Media, had flown into the city from Shanghai, via Paris, only to be refused entry to the McLaren motorhome on Wednesday. The team explained that the move was part of a company-wide policy to ensure maximum protection against Covid-19. A McLaren spokesman said: “Given the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, and based on recent updates to UK government and World Health Organisation directives, the McLaren Group has issued a policy setting out restrictions and conditions we believe prudent to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our people. "Among these measures is a precaution that anyone who has travelled from China in the last 14 days is not permitted to enter a group-operated facility or building for up to 14 days.” 9:50pm Level 1 warning for travel to Hong Kong Hong Kong Passengers wear protective masks onboard a train in Hong Kong The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel advisory for people traveling to Hong Kong due to the coronavirus outbreak. Last month, the CDC issued its highest travel warning for mainland China, telling however Hong Kong was not part of that warning. 9:11pm Can your pet carry or spread coronavirus? Experts believe the coronavirus was first present in meat being sold at a market in Wuhan, allowing it to cross the species barrier and infect humans. Coronaviruses are common in animals, and most human viruses first originated in other species. As the Covid-19 virus mutated, so it could specifically infect humans, in its current form it cannot infect animals. Pets, cannot spread this particularly strain of the virus but there are other forms. 8:42pm WHO working with statisticians and mathematical modelers The World Health Organisation said it is working with an international network of statisticians & mathematical modelers to estimate key parameters of the coronavirus, such as the incubation period, case fatality ratio, serial interval. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus ✔ @DrTedros Today"s situation report on #COVID19 highlights: -@WHO is working with an international network of statisticians & mathematical modelers to estimate key epidemiologic parameters, such as the incubation period, case fatality ratio & the serial intervalhttp://bit.ly/38D3tg5 212 21:41 - 19 Feb 2020 Twitter Ads information and privacy 145 people are talking about this 8:20pm How contagious is Covid-19? According to Chinese health officials, this is how contagious the coronavirus is... The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has calculated a case fatality rate of 2.3% for the novel coronavirus. This means 2.3% of those known to be infected have died. This is higher than influenza, which is around 0.1% but far lower than SARS (9.6%) and MERS (35%). 7:45pm Here"s our live map of the outbreak so far... 7:08pm Inspectors going door to door Inspectors in protective suits have been going door to door in Wuhan in an effort to find every infected person. Today marked the final day of a campaign to root out anyone with symptoms whom authorities may have missed so far, the Associated Press reports. Wang Zhonglin, the city’s new Communist party secretary said: “This must be taken seriously." He added that if a single new case was found after today, the district’s leaders would be held responsible. His remarks were published on Hubei’s provincial website along with a declaration that “if the masses cannot mobilise, it’s impossible to fight a people’s war.” 6:42pm Coronavirus fears boost gold and palladium prices Fears that the coronavirus could be a disaster for the global economy and a drumbeat of speculation over central-bank stimulus are driving another rally in precious metals. Gold surpassed $1,600 an ounce this week and is closing in on a seven-year high. Meanwhile, palladium climbed for a sixth day in the spot market. Palladium burst above $2,800 an ounce, extending a record-breaking rally. Up and away Line chart with 1076 data points. Palladium prices have never been higher (dollars per ounce) The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Range: 2015-12-16 21:36:00 to 2020-03-05 02:24:00. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Range: 0 to 3000. View as data table. Up and away Up and away Palladium prices have never been higher (dollars perounce) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 $0 $500 $1000 $1500 $2000 $2500 $3000 SOURCE: BLOOMBERG End of interactive chart. 6:19pm Scientists announce "breakthrough" atomic map US scientists have created the first 3D atomic scale map of the part of the novel coronavirus that attaches to and infects human cells, a critical step toward developing vaccine and treatments. The team from the University of Texas at Austin and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) first studied the genetic code of the virus made publicly available by Chinese researchers, and used it to develop a stabilized sample of a key part called the spike protein. They then imaged the spike protein using cutting-edge technology known as cryogenic electron microscopy, publishing their findings in the journal Science. "The spike is really the antigen that we want to introduce into humans to prime their immune response to make antibodies against this, so that when they then see the actual virus, their immune systems are ready and loaded to attack," UT Austin scientist Jason McLellan, who led the research, told AFP. He added that he and his colleagues had already spent many years studying other members of the coronavirus family including SARS and MERS, which helped them develop the engineering methods required to keep the spike protein stable. 6:00pm One company, two ships, hundreds of cases Both of the cruise ships caught up in the coronavirus outbreak belong to parts of the same company, the New York Times reports. Carnival Corporation runs Holland America Line, whose fleet includes the Westerdam cruise ship that docked in Cambodia, and another Carnival ship, the Diamond Princess, which has been moored outside the Japanese city of Yokohama with hundreds of coronavirus cases reported onboard. The Westerdam initially said none of the passengers or crew had been infected, however an American passenger later tested positive after travelling to Malaysia. Raising concerns that authorities had not done their due diligence. It"s likely that the company will feel the financial sting in the coming months, but it"s not the first time Carnival has faced an international crisis, the NYT notes. In 2012, one of its ships, the Costa Concordia, ran aground off the coast of Italy, killing 32 people. 5:50pm Coronavirus poses risks to global economy"s "fragile" recovery, says IMF The outbreak is a stark reminder of how unforeseen events could threaten a fragile recovery, International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva has said. The International Monetary Fund warned on Wednesday that the coronavirus epidemic has already disrupted economic growth in China, and a further spread to other countries could derail a "highly fragile" projected recovery in the global economy in 2020. Writing in a blog posted on the IMF website, Ms Georgieva also urged G20 policymakers to work to reduce other uncertainties linked to trade, climate change, and inequality: "Uncertainty is becoming the new normal. While some uncertainties - like disease - are out of our control, we should not create new uncertainties where we can avoid it." Despite the outbreak, the IMF said it was sticking to its January forecast for 3.3 percent growth in the global economy this year, up from 2.9 percent in 2019. This forecast represents a downward revision of 0.1 percentage points from the forecast in October. 5:36pm Good evening, Here"s a round up of today"s events so far: Number of cases rises to more than 75,000, with 2,014 dead and more than 15,000 in recovery Health officials have confirmed that Britons returning on the Diamond Princess repatriation flight will be sent to stay at Arrowe Park, in the Wirral Further to this news, the cruise ship quarantine has since been blasted as a "major failure" and mistake" by an infectious diseases expert Two elderly people who were diagnosed with coronavirus in Iran earlier today have since succumbed to the disease Egypt"s patient, and thus the first known case on the African continent, is reportedly now in recovery Disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak has led to a drop in China"s carbon emissions by least 100 million metric tonnes over the past two weeks – good news for the environment Russia has banned Chinese nationals from entering the country amid coronavirus fears Meanwhile North Korean officials deny claims that the virus has breached its boarders And China has revoked the press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters over a "racist" article For more of the latest updates, be sure to keep following our live blog. 5:25pm Latest figures News of the two most recent coronavirus deaths comes from Iran, where officials initially confirmed the cases (an elderly Iranian citizens) earlier today. As of Wednesday afternoon, 2,014 have died of the disease. So far more than 75,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide and more than 15,000 people are thought to be in recovery, including Egypt"s one and only case. 5:15pm China and Hong Kong travel advice: what to do if your holiday is affected China remains the epicentre of the coronavirus, but is it safe to travel? And should you cancel your trip to Hong Kong? Our travel news editor Hugh Morris has the answers to all your questions here. 5:03pm Experts condemn coronavirus conspiracy theories Experts have condemned the rumours and misinformation circulating on social media over the origins of the coronavirus, with some crackpot theories suggesting it came from a Chinese lab. Writing in medical journal the Lancet, the group of experts, which includes Sir Jeremy Farrar and Josie Golding of biomedical research charity the Wellcome Trust, praise their Chinese counterparts" dedication and hard work. They add: We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that Covid-19 does not have a natural origin. Scientists from multiple countries have published and analysed genomes of the causative agent ... and they overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife as have so many other emerging pathogens. Conspiracy theories do nothing but create fear, rumours, and prejudice that jeopardise our global collaboration in the fight against this virus. We support the call from the Director-General of WHO to promote scientific evidence and unity over misinformation and conjecture. We want you, the science and health professionals of China, to know that we stand with you in your fight against this virus. 4:54pm Iran says two citizens with coronavirus have died Two people who were diagnosed with coronavirus in Iran have succumbed to the disease, state-run Islamic Republic News Agency has reported. The IRNA said the two victims were elderly Iranian citizens. IRNA quoted Alireza Vahabzadeh, a health ministry official, who said both victims were located in Qom, about 86 miles (140km) south of the capital Tehran. Officials had confirmed the cases earlier on Wednesday 4:45pm Drones, slides and remote-control cars People in China are turning to interesting methods to avoid human-to-human contact amid the coronavirus outbreak. One woman called Chen Tao used a remote control car to buy steamed buns in a shop while under lockdown in eastern China. The video, filmed in the city of Jinan in Shandong Province, shows Tao"s remote-controlled car being driven to collect several steamed buns from a nearby shop. Elsewhere another shop owners has fashioned a makeshift slides to deliver food and others are even resorting to drones.