Coronavirus deaths hit 259 as isolation deepens in China

A number of countries around the world have closed their borders to those coming from China.

Countries around the world have closed their borders to arrivals from China, as officials work to control the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

The death toll for the Coronavirus has hit 259 at the time of writing (Saturday morning, 1 February). America and Australia have recently said that they would deny entry to all foreign nationals who had recently visited China, where the virus first emerged in December of 2019. This comes after a number of countries including Russia, Japan, Pakistan and Italy announced similar travel restrictions to people who had been in China recently. According to The Guardian, the Chinese government have criticised the measures, claiming that it contradicts the World Health Organization’s (WHO) appeal to avoid travel bans. "Just as the WHO recommended against travel restrictions, the US rushed in the opposite direction," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. "It's certainly not a gesture of goodwill." Meanwhile, Ireland has advised its citizens not to China while the risk of contracting the virus remains prevalent. More information on the Coronavirus can be found on the HSPC website here.