As 106 reported dead from a virus outbreak, countries look to evacuate citizens

China has confirmed more than 4,500 cases of a new form of coronavirus, with 106 deaths.

Nearly all of the fatalities have been in central Hubei province, but the new total includes the first death in Beijing.

The Canadian government has updated its advice for travellers to say that citizens shouldn’t go to Hubei province at all, having earlier advised that all non-essential travel should be avoided. 

The travel warning followed further reassurances from the country’s top public health official that the risk from the disease remains minimal, despite the discovery of a second presumptive case.

Samples from the wife of the man considered to be Canada’s first confirmed case of the illness have been sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for official confirmation.

Several countries including the United States, Japan, Mongolia and France are preparing evacuations of their citizens, but Canada has not yet announced such plans.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2020.

—With files from AP

The Canadian Press