Saudi Arabia cut travel to Islam’s pilgrimage sites, South Korea toughened penalties for those breaking quarantines, Japan closed schools, and airports across Latin America looked for signs of sick passengers on Feb. 27 as the coronavirus stirred fears across of the globe.
“Viruses don’t know borders and they don’t stop at them,” said Roberto Speranza, the health minister in Italy, where northern towns were on army-guarded lockdowns and supermarket shelves were bare.
As growing parts of Europe and the Middle East saw infections and a first case was found in South America, air routes were halted and border control toughened. But for an illness transmitted so easily, leaders puzzled over how to keep the virus from proliferating seemed willing to try anything to keep their people and economies safe.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for schools across the country to close for weeks, a decision that affects 12.8 million students.
“The most important thing is to prevent infections,” said Norinobu Sawada, vice principal of the Koizumi primary school, “so there aren’t many other options.”
In South Korea, the hardest-hit country outside of China, four Busan markets known for colorful silks and a dizzying array of other wares were shuttered while the country’s military sent hundreds of its doctors and soldiers to aid in treatment and quarantines.
Peru put specialists on round-the-clock shifts at its biggest airport, Argentina took the temperature of some new arrivals, and El Salvador added bans for travelers from Italy and South Korea.
In Iran, the front line of Mideast infections, officials loosened rules barring the import of many foreign-made items to allow in sanitizers, face masks, and other necessities, and removed overhead handles on Tehran’s subways to eliminate another source of germs.
Mecca, which able-bodied Muslims are called to visit at least once in their lives, and the mosque in Medina were cut off to potentially millions of pilgrims, with Saudi Arabia making the extraordinary decision to stop the spread of the virus.
With the monarchy offering no firm date for the lifting of restrictions, it posed the possibility of affecting those planning to make their hajj, a ritual beginning at the end of July this year.
“We ask God Almighty to spare all humanity from all harm,” the country said in announcing the decision.
Disease has been a constant concern surrounding the hajj, with cholera outbreaks in the 19th century killing tens of thousands making the trip. More recently, another coronavirus that caused Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, prompted increased public health measures, but no outbreak resulted.
COVID-19’s westward creep—including a case in California in the United States that doesn’t appear linked to overseas travel—has some countries warning their people to obey measures intended to keep a single case from blossoming into a cluster that could paralyze a community.
A man originally from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the global outbreak, who contracted the virus was charged alongside his wife in Singapore for allegedly lying about their whereabouts as officials tried to stem further infections.
In Colombia, which has yet to report any cases, officials reminded residents they could be jailed for up to eight years if they violate containment measures. And in South Korea, the National Assembly passed a law strengthening the punishment for those violating self-isolation, more than tripling the fine and adding the possibility of a year in prison.
“It came later than it should have,” said Lee Hae-shik, spokesman for South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, calling for further non-partisan cooperation to address the outbreak.
Countries’ efforts to contain the virus have sparked diplomatic scuffles. South Korea fought prohibitions keeping its citizens out of 40 countries, calling them excessive and unnecessary. China warned Russia to stop discriminatory measures against its people, including monitoring on public transit. Iran used the crisis to rail against the United States, which it accused of “a conspiracy” that was sowing fear.
Tens of thousands around the world have been sickened. An additional 505 cases were reported in South Korea, where the military called off joint drills planned with U.S. troops. Iran’s caseload surged by more than 100 cases.
Australia Starts Emergency Plan
Australia’s government on Feb. 27 initiated an emergency response plan, warning its citizens to prepare for a coronavirus “pandemic” as the deadly virus continues to spread around the globe.“We believe the risk of a global pandemic is very much upon us and as a result, as a government, we need to take the steps necessary to prepare,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
Australia has 23 confirmed cases of coronavirus—15 of these cases are reported to have recovered. Eight more Australians were infected while aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Morrison also announced Feb. 27 the country has extended its travel ban to March 7, forbidding foreign nationals from entering the country from mainland China for an additional week to protect Australians.
The emergency response plan covers a number of factors, including further quarantine measures, tighter controls at airports and ports, and keeping schools informed as to how they should respond to any widespread outbreak.
The government is currently at the “Initial action stage”—the first of three stages outlined in its emergency response plan, which was released Feb. 18. The initial stage will focus on activities such as minimizing transmission, preparing and supporting health system needs, and border measures.
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