Coronavirus updates: 65 more cases on quarantined cruise ship off Japan - NBCNews.com

• Workers in China start to return to offices and factories

• Four more patients test positive for coronavirus in England

• Deaths on mainland China rise to 908 as confirmed cases reach more than 40,000

• U.K. calls coronavirus a "serious" health threat and will detain people

• Virus uncertainty weighs on global shares

• China says 27 foreigners infected, 2 dead

• WHO will arrive in Beijing today to discuss joint coronavirus mission

• 65 more cases identified on cruise ship off Japan, including 11 Americans

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Workers in China start to return to work

People across China trickled back to work on Monday after an extended Lunar New Year holiday as the government eased restrictions imposed to counter the coronavirus.

Ten extra days had been added to the Lunar New Year holidays that had been due to finish at the end of January. But even on Monday, many workplaces remained closed and many people worked from home.

There were few commuters seen during the morning rush-hour on one of Beijing's busiest subway lines. All were wearing masks. — Reuters

Four more patients test positive in England

Four further patients in England have tested positive for novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the U.K. to eight, England’s Chief Medical Officer said.

The new cases are all known contacts of a previously confirmed U.K. case, and the virus was passed on in France, Professor Chris Whitty said in a statement. — Michelle Gooden-Jones

Deaths on mainland China climbs to 908

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The number of people killed by the novel coronavirus in China continued to rise Monday, with officials reporting a total of 908 deaths. Officials with China's National Health Commission had reported 811 deaths Sunday.

The number of confirmed cases rose to 40,171 while officials were dealing with 23,589 suspected cases.

Another 64 cases were reported in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Hundreds of cases have been reported in two dozen other countries, including in the United States, where 12 cases have been confirmed. — Eric Baculinao and Yuliya Talmazan

U.K. calls virus 'serious' health threat

Britain has declared the new coronavirus a "serious and imminent threat to public health'' and announced new measures to combat the spread of the disease.

The U.K. Department of Health and Social Care said people with the virus can now be forcibly quarantined and will not be free to leave.

It named two British hospitals as isolation facilities for those affected by the disease and designated the Chinese city of Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province where the virus is believed to have first emerged as a “infected area.” — The Associated Press

People wearing protective suits walk from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, with around 3,600 people quarantined onboard, in Yokohama, Japan, on Monday.Charluy Triballeau / AFP - Getty Images

Virus uncertainty weighs on global shares

Global shares fell as the death toll from the outbreak exceeded the SARS epidemic of two decades ago, though Chinese shares rose as authorities lifted some work and travel curbs, helping businesses to resume operations.

The dollar took a breather, trading flat against a basket of peers after gaining over one percent last week. — Reuters

China says 27 foreigners infected, 2 dead

China's Foreign Ministry said that 27 foreigners in the country have been confirmed infected with the new coronavirus as of Monday morning. Two had died.

An American died on Feb. 6 and a Japanese died on Feb. 8, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

Three of those patients have recovered and been discharged.

Twenty-two other cases are under treatment, he added. — Eric Baculiano

WHO experts travel to Beijing

China's Foreign Ministry said the WHO expert group’s advanced team will arrive in Beijing Monday to discuss specific arrangements for the China-WHO joint mission.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros said it was because of China’s "strong measures and Chinese people’s sacrifice" that cross-border spread of the epidemic has been effectively contained, the ministry spokesperson said.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also commended China for its "remarkable efforts" to contain the virus propagation, he added. — Eric Baculiano and Michelle Gooden-Jones

65 more cases on cruise ship

Testing on the Diamond Princess docked off of Yokohama, Japan, has revealed 65 more confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to that country's health officials. The cruise operator earlier put the number of new cases at 66.

The update takes the total of infections on the ship to more than 130, domestic broadcasters TBS and NHK said, citing Japanese health ministry sources.

Officials also said they could not provide a precise breakdown on nationality. The company earlier said that the new cases are from Australia (four), Canada (one), England (one), Japan (45), Philippines (three), Ukraine (one) and U.S. (11).

Diamond Princess was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.

About 3,700 people are aboard the ship. Passengers have been allowed on decks in shifts to get fresh air and encouraged to regularly take their temperature. — F. Brinley Bruton and Reuters

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