The Coronavirus Is Now a “Pre-Existing Condition” As Far As Travel Insurers Are Concerned

Blood sample with respiratory coronavirus positive

Now that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has officially issued warnings about travel to China due to the coronavirus, the availability of travel insurance to that area has diminished. While travel to other countries has not been affected as of now, until the virus is cured and contained, things could continue to ratchet down.… Continue reading The Coronavirus Is Now a “Pre-Existing Condition” As Far As Travel Insurers Are Concerned

CDC Warns of “Severe” Disruption to Daily Life in U.S. as Coronavirus Spreads

The phrase Corona virus on a banner with blurred Chinese flag on the background.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning Americans to prepare for an outbreak of the coronavirus that’s rocked China and hammered the global economy — saying it’s not a question of “if” but “when” the virus will come to the United States. The warning came as new coronavirus cases spread far beyond… Continue reading CDC Warns of “Severe” Disruption to Daily Life in U.S. as Coronavirus Spreads

Research: Coronavirus Could Infect Two-Thirds of the Globe

A businesswoman on the street in Tokyo, wearing a protective face-mask.

As the number of coronavirus cases jumps dramatically in China, a top infectious-disease scientist warns that things could get far worse: Two-thirds of the world’s population could catch it. So says Ira Longini, an adviser to the World Health Organization who tracked studies of the virus’s transmissibility in China. His estimate implies that there could… Continue reading Research: Coronavirus Could Infect Two-Thirds of the Globe

WHO Declares Health Emergency as Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads

A businesswoman on the street in Tokyo, wearing a protective face-mask.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global public health emergency over the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus on Thursday, citing the potential of the virus to spread to countries not prepared to deal with the contagion. Declaring the public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised multiple times… Continue reading WHO Declares Health Emergency as Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads

Coronavirus Triggers Damage Control from Governments, Companies

teenagers student wearing mouth mask against smog in city

Government officials and corporate executives around the world are scrambling to limit the damage from the fast-spreading coronavirus as Russia tightened its border with China and the U.S. announced plans for a second evacuation of the Chinese city at the center of the epidemic. In response to the virus, companies including Tesla Inc. and IKEA… Continue reading Coronavirus Triggers Damage Control from Governments, Companies

Many Global Firms, Excluded from Epidemic Insurance, Face Heavy Coronavirus Costs

A businesswoman on the street in Tokyo, wearing a protective face-mask.

Many global companies from hotels and airlines to industrial houses are expected to have to foot the bill for disruptions caused by a new coronavirus in China, with epidemics usually excluded from insurance cover, experts said. With 132 deaths in China and new cases being reported around the world, companies are set to face billions… Continue reading Many Global Firms, Excluded from Epidemic Insurance, Face Heavy Coronavirus Costs

China’s Industrial Core at Standstill as Cities Extend Shutdown in the Wake of Coronavirus

US and UK go after Chinese-backed hackers

The coronavirus outbreak in China is hitting the country’s manufacturing nerve centers, as measures including an unusual decision to extend the Lunar New Year holiday lengthen plant shutdowns in industrial centers. The Chinese government said Monday that the weeklong holiday would be extended by three days to Feb. 2 to curb the spread of the… Continue reading China’s Industrial Core at Standstill as Cities Extend Shutdown in the Wake of Coronavirus