iscoverIn Focus
January
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On 31 December 2019, Chinese authorities treated a small number of citizens for a mysterious illness in Wuhan. Fast forward to 23 March 2020, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an outright ban on all international flights leaving the country. This is the story of how coronavirus took our industry, and the world, by surprise in 2020.
31 December
China confirms it’s treating dozens of cases of a mysterious illness in Wuhan. However, authorities stress there is no evidence that humans can spread it. Officials reassure the public that they are actively monitoring the situation to ensure it doesn’t develop into something more severe.
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11 January
Chinese media report the first known death from an illness caused by the virus. The man, 61, was thought to be a regular customer at a market in Wuhan but had underlying health problems – most notably abdominal tumours and chronic liver disease.
20 January
The first cases of the disease outside mainland China are confirmed in Japan, South Korea and Thailand, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) situation report.
21 January
A 30-year-old man from Washington state who recently visited Wuhan becomes the first US citizen to have a confirmed case of the virus.
23 January
In a dramatic change of tact, Chinese authorities shut down Wuhan, cancelling flights leaving the city and trains, buses, subways and ferries within the province. By now, 17 people have died, and more than 570 have been infected globally.
30 January
The WHO declares what they term “a public health emergency of international concern”. China now pledges publicly to work with the organisation to halt its spread.
31 January
President Donald Trump suspends entry into the US by any foreign nationals who have been in China for 14 days, excluding US residents. At this point, the death toll reaches 213 with 9,300 infections globally.
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