March 6 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, James Griffiths, Adam Renton, Fernando Alfonso III, Mike Hayes and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 8:19 p.m. ET, March 6, 2020
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5:26 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

Fourteen US tourists quarantined in West Bank hotel at center of an outbreak

From CNN's Abeer Salman in Beit Jala

A police officer stands guard outside a quarantined hotel in Bethlehem, West Bank on Friday.
A police officer stands guard outside a quarantined hotel in Bethlehem, West Bank on Friday. Credit: Wisam Hashlamoun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Fourteen US tourists have been quarantined in a hotel in the West Bank town of Beit Jala, next to Bethlehem, Palestinian officials told CNN.

The tour group had been staying at the Angel Hotel, which is at the center of a coronavirus outbreak after seven workers there tested positive on Thursday. 

The outbreak has been linked to a Greek tour group that stayed at the hotel last week, one of whose number tested positive for the virus when they returned home.

The manager of the Angel Hotel, Mariana Al-Arja -- who is also under quarantine -- told CNN that the American tourists are in good spirits and have expressed their understanding of the situation, but have requested a US doctor visit the hotel to check up on them. 

Al-Arja added that the Americans have not yet been seen by a local doctor, nor tested for the virus.

5:14 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

Indonesian police seize 60,000 stockpiled face masks

From CNN’s Isaac Yee in Hong Kong

An Indonesian police officer stands next to seized boxes of face masks prior to a press conference at the North Jakarta police headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.
An Indonesian police officer stands next to seized boxes of face masks prior to a press conference at the North Jakarta police headquarters in Jakarta on Friday. Credit: Bagus Saragih/AFP/Getty Images

Police in Indonesia seized over 60,000 masks and apprehended two people suspected of stockpiling the goods yesterday, in two separate raids in Jakarta.

Officers have carried out several raids in the past few days on individuals who have “attempted to gain financial benefits” during the coronavirus outbreak, reported Indonesia’s state news agency Antara.

Yesterday, Indonesia’s security minister Mohammad Mahfud told journalists police would enforce “criminal law against those engaged in panic buying,” and that “the government classifies rush for and hoarding goods for the sake of profit-making into an act of economic subversion."
5:09 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

All new virus cases in Hubei province were from Wuhan

From CNN’s Shanshan Wang in Beijing and Taylor Barnes in Atlanta

All 126 new confirmed cases in Hubei province announced Friday were from the city of Wuhan, according to the Health Commission of Hubei Province. 

Seventeen new cases were announced outside the province on Friday by China’s National Health Commission.

4:48 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

Thousands are stuck in limbo on a cruise ship off California as they wait for coronavirus test results

From CNN's Faith Karimi and Dan Simon

In this photo provided by Michele Smith, passengers look on as a National Guard helicopter hovers above the Grand Princess cruise ship off the California coast on Thursday.
In this photo provided by Michele Smith, passengers look on as a National Guard helicopter hovers above the Grand Princess cruise ship off the California coast on Thursday.

Thousands of passengers and crew stuck aboard a cruise ship off the California coast will discover their fate later today, when officials get results from dozens of coronavirus tests.

The California Air National Guard dropped off test kits by helicopter yesterday after learning that the first person to die of the virus in the state previously traveled on the Grand Princess cruise liner.

Medical officials collected samples for testing from 45 people aboard after some showed symptoms, which were flown to a lab in Richmond, the cruise line said.

The ship must remain at sea as it awaits test results, which are expected today, said Mary Ellen Carroll of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

There are more than 3,500 people aboard the Grand Princess -- 2,422 guests and 1,111 crew members, Princess Cruises said. They represent 54 nationalities.

The Grand Princess had gone on a trip from San Francisco to Mexico last month -- the California man who died was on this trip. Then the ship went on a 15-day trip from San Francisco to Hawaii, and was scheduled to return Saturday.

Read the full story here

4:42 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

Thailand reports one more coronavirus case, bringing national total to 48

A worker disinfects a train in effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, at Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday.
A worker disinfects a train in effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, at Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday. Credit: Sakchai Lalit/AP

Thailand has reported one new confirmed coronavirus case, bringing the country's total to 48.

The new patient is a 43-year-old British man. He is a corporate adviser who traveled from London on February 28, and transited through Hong Kong before arriving in Bangkok.

He was admitted to the hospital on February 29, and was found to have fever and mucus in his throat. After testing positive for the virus, he was transferred to the Central Chest Institute of Thailand.

4:19 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

India urges citizens to avoid mass gatherings, just days before Holi festivities

From CNN's Vedika Sud in New Delhi and Akanksha Sharma in Hong Kong

Hindu devotees smeared in colored powder carry the images of Lord Shiva, left, and Goddess Parvati from the Kashi Vishwanath temple during Holi, the spring festival of colours, in Varanasi on March 5.
Hindu devotees smeared in colored powder carry the images of Lord Shiva, left, and Goddess Parvati from the Kashi Vishwanath temple during Holi, the spring festival of colours, in Varanasi on March 5. Stringer/AFP via Getty Images

Indian authorities have advised all states to avoid mass gatherings until the coronavrius' spread is contained, the Ministry of Health said in a tweet today.

The tweet carried a memorandum from the ministry recommending individual state governments "take necessary action" to guide event organizers on precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.

This comes right before a big festival: Holi is a major Hindu festival that falls on March 10 this year.

Earlier this week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would not attend any Holi events this year in an effort to avoid public gatherings. And yesterday, the country's president also announced cancellations of traditional Holi gatherings at the presidential palace.

The Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the president's official residence, will also close for the public from Saturday to avoid any large gatherings.

4:05 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

South Korea confirms 309 more coronavirus cases, raising national total to 6,593

From CNN's Hyoungjoo Choi in Seoul

South Korea reported 309 more confirmed cases of the coronavirus today, bringing the national total to 6,593, according to the country’s Central Disaster Relief Headquarters.

As of today, around 70% of all cases nationwide are related to community spread, and over 60% of all cases are linked with a branch of the Shincheonji religious group in the southern city of Daegu.

3:58 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

South Korea expresses "strong regret" over Japan’s travel restrictions

From CNN’s Yoonjung Seo and Hyoungjoo Choi in Seoul

Airport employees set up an advanced thermal imaging camera to screen passengers at Narita airport in Tokyo on January 23.
Airport employees set up an advanced thermal imaging camera to screen passengers at Narita airport in Tokyo on January 23. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry expressed “strong regret” today over travel restrictions Japan imposed yesterday.

South Korea says it made repeated requests for Japan to review the situation before taking action, and had hoped Tokyo would have “sufficiently” consulted Seoul before making the decision. 

South Korea raised the idea that an ulterior motive was behind Japan’s decision as it says its efforts to contain the coronavirus have been recognized by the international community.

South Korea’s National Security Council also held a meeting Friday to consider taking corresponding measures against Japan and called into question Japan’s efforts to contain the virus, saying Tokyo had taken “unclear and passive measures.”

The measures in place: Under the new travel restrictions, travelers from South Korea and China will be quarantined for two weeks upon arrival in Japan.

Incoming arrivals from those two countries will be asked to stay in designated places and to refrain from using public transportation.

3:44 a.m. ET, March 6, 2020

Taiwan confirms two more coronavirus cases, raising total to 44

From CNN’s Isaac Yee in Hong Kong

Taiwan has confirmed two more coronavirus cases, bringing the island's total to 44.

One of the cases was "imported" -- a Taiwanese resident who returned from the Philippines on March 3, said Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control.

The other case is a Taiwanese resident with no recent travel history, but who was in close contact with another infected patient.