February 10 coronavirus news

The Anthem of the Seas — the Royal Caribbean cruise ship that was delayed last week after passengers aboard the ship became ill — will take off today at 3 p.m. ET, according to Royal Caribbean. 

The ship will finally set sail after a coronavirus scare kept the ship docked this weekend. 

Royal Caribbean updated their itinerary on Monday to include Bermuda as the only port of call on the trip. 

The Government of Bermuda says arriving passengers will "apply our own protocols currently in place at all of Bermuda’s points of entry."  

"Arriving travelers will undergo a travel risk assessment by a Health Officer and could have their health monitored and movement on island restricted for up to 14 days," the Government of Bermuda says. 

The coronavirus outbreak is driving up the cost of food — and almost everything else in China — adding to the pressure on household budgets. 

China's consumer price inflation hit 5.4% in January, according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics today. Prices rose last month at their fastest rate since October 2011, when China was battling to control months of soaring inflation. 

Food, which makes up nearly a third of spending by Chinese consumers, is spiking the most:

Other items saw modest price rises by comparison: Health care was 2.3% more expensive, for example, while clothing prices rose 0.6%.

The statistics bureau acknowledged the role coronavirus played in causing prices to surge. In a statement, it attributed the increase to the outbreak and to the Lunar New Year holiday, which was observed in January this year rather than February, as it was in 2019.

Tech giants Amazon and Sony are the latest firms to pull out of Mobile World Congress, one of the world’s biggest annual business conferences amid the coronavirus spread.

“Due to the outbreak and continued concerns about novel coronavirus, Amazon will withdraw from exhibiting and participating in Mobile World Congress 2020, scheduled for Feb. 24-27 in Barcelona, Spain” Amazon said in a statement to CNN.

Sony also issued a similar statement following the outbreak.

The latest withdrawals follow Ericsson and LG electronics, who announced last week they also wouldn’t attend the event.

The event organizers said Monday that Mobile World Congress will go ahead as planned and that they would ban access to all travelers from the Hubei province.

Organizers outlined additional safety measures including temperature screening. All travelers who have been to China will also need to demonstrate proof they have been outside of China at least 14 days before the event.

Officials in China and around the world are working to contain the coronavirus outbreak, which began in December.

Here's where things stand now:

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China needs to stabilize the economy and prevent large-scale layoffs amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

During a meeting at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday, Xi said it would be important to reduce the impact caused by the coronavirus and fulfill the economic targets this year as much as possible. 

He said officials should take note that the economy has been doing well and the impact caused by the coronavirus would only be short-lived. He added the country is ready to help companies resume production and would assist those that have been heavily affected. 

He also noted that China should work on expanding online consumption. 

Kazakhstan is preparing to send two planes to repatriate Kazakh citizens in China, the press attaché for the Embassy of Kazakhstan in London Aigerim Seisembayeva confirmed to CNN.

The planes, operated by Air Astana, will depart from Kazakhstan to Beijing today and Wednesday. This is the second repatriation effort carried out by Kazakhstan, with the first taking place last Monday.

Japan’s health authorities will not test all of the passengers and crew of the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Yokohama, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said today. 

Here's why: Suga said it would be too difficult to test everyone for the virus but that “the government provides necessary information to ensure the good health and safety of the passengers and crew members on the ship as a top priority.”

Suga says authorities are testing samples of people who have fever, those over 80 and feel ill, as well as those who had close contact with infected passengers. 

There are more than 3,700 people on board the cruise ship, including 2,600 passengers.

About the ship: There are 65 newly confirmed coronavirus cases on the Diamond Princess ship docked in Yokohama, bringing the total number on board to 135. The new cases nearly doubled the total, from 70 confirmed cases on Sunday.

At least 24 Americans are infected on board the ship.

The vessel has been quarantined since Tuesday, and passengers are expected to remain under quarantine for at least 14 days.

Taiwan will ban most people traveling from Hong Kong and Macao starting tomorrow, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement on Monday.

Exceptions will be made for business travelers, “internal transfers of multinational companies” and spouses and minors of those holding residence permits. Other travelers, even those with valid entry and exit permits, including students, will be barred from entering Taiwan.

People who previously entered Taiwan from Hong Kong and Macao must undergo quarantine at home for 14 days, as per previously implemented restrictions.

South Korea bans cruise ships: Meanwhile, South Korea will temporarily suspend entry to cruise ships amid the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said during a briefing Monday.

Cruise ships docking for purposes without people getting off, such as refueling and stocking up supplies, will still be allowed.

Two cruise ships scheduled to arrive in Busan tomorrow and on Wednesday have been canceled, as well as two others scheduled to arrive later in February.

Cruise liners have emerged as a major battleground in the attempt to halt the spread of the virus — as well as a ship in Yokohama, Japan, two vessels in the US and Hong Kong had also been under quarantine, with passengers and crew tested for the virus.

Nearly two decades have passed since a coronavirus known as SARS emerged in China, killing hundreds of people and sparking panic that sent a chill through the global economy. The virus now rampaging across China could be much more damaging.

China has become an indispensable part of global business since the 2003 SARS outbreak. It's grown into the world's factory, churning out products such as the iPhone and driving demand for commodities like oil and copper. The country also boasts hundreds of millions of wealthy consumers who spend big on luxury products, tourism and cars. China's economy accounted for roughly 4% of world GDP in 2003; it now makes up 16% of global output.

SARS sickened 8,098 people and killed 774 before it was contained. The new coronavirus, which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, has already killed more than 900 people and infected over 40,000 across at least 25 countries and territories. Chinese officials have locked down Wuhan and several other cities, but the virus continues to spread.

Read the full analysis here.