SINGAPORE (Feb 7): As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread unabated, the resulting uncertainties and potential economic impact sent stock markets worldwide tumbling, before they recouped some lost ground.
Concerns over the viral outbreak ratcheted higher after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency of international concern on Jan 30. While most of the confirmed cases are still from within China, the number of countries affected is rising, including, worryingly, the first few cases of human-to-human transmission.
The Chinese government has implemented aggressive measures to contain the outbreak, including a lockdown in affected cities and extended closures for many factories and offices beyond the traditional Lunar New Year break to Feb 10, at least.
