By Helen Regan, Adam Renton, Angela Dewan, Mike Hayes, Meg Wagner and Amir Vera, CNN
Your coronavirus questions, answered
The novel coronavirus, a cousin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, has symptoms that include a runny nose, cough, sore throat, possibly a headache and maybe a fever, which can last for a couple of days.
For those with a weakened immune system, the elderly and the very young, there's a chance the virus could cause a lower, and much more serious, respiratory tract illness like a pneumonia or bronchitis.
Analysis from CNN's James Griffiths
A new book published this week by China's Central Propaganda Department recounts how Beijing won the "people's war" against the novel coronavirus. With editions in more than six languages, it's clearly aimed at a global audience.
But while the claim that China has won the battle against the virus is debatable, even on the face of it, the lessons from China's own experiences aren't particularly applicable to other countries.
More than 780 million people across China were placed on effective lockdown at the height of the outbreak, while the government's giant security state swung into action, with intense, artificial-intelligence-powered surveillance used to track potential virus carriers across the country.
Beyond this, China also mobilized thousands of health care workers to tackle the outbreak in Wuhan, and constructed several hospitals dedicated to fighting the virus in a matter of days.
Not only do many countries lack the resources or technology to follow suit, they do not have the legal framework for doing so. This is for good reasons -- privacy protections, human rights safeguards -- but also means that other governments do not have the capabilities to rein in the virus that, if you take Beijing's propagandists at their word, were vital for the victory in China.
Even less draconian solutions, such as additional border checks, restrictions on travel, and calls for self-isolation or voluntary quarantine may be more difficult to pull off outside of China.
The Chinese authorities have complete control of the country's media and a massive censorship apparatus, allowing them to set the narrative and encourage compliance and a sense of the country pulling together. They also don't have to deal with opposition politicians criticizing their policies or seeking to score points.
Already in the US, the virus is becoming politicized, with both President Donald Trump and Fox News blaming Democrats and the media for overhyping dangers in a supposed desire to hurt his popularity.
China's response to the virus may have been successful, but like many things that happen in a country that unique, it will be difficult to copy overseas, for both good reasons and bad.
The coronavirus outbreak is changing the way China's restaurants handle takeout.
Customers are being met with temperature checks and even takeout only at popular eateries around China due to the outbreak.
For deliveries, orders are coming with little cards that include the name and temperature of the persons who made the food and delivered it.
Watch CNN New Day's report on the new normal for eating during the outbreak:
From CNN’s David McKenzie in Johannesburg and Radina Gigova in Atlanta
The first confirmed novel coronavirus case in Nigeria is an Italian citizen who traveled to Lagos, Nigeria’s Health Ministry said in a statement.
The individual works in Nigeria and had returned from Milan to Lagos on February 25, the ministry said.
The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos,” the ministry said.
Nigeria, Africa's largest country by population, is home to more than 200 million people.
Nigerian health officials have started working to identify everyone the patient came into contact with since they arrived in the country and have urged citizens not to panic.
“Citizens must not abuse social media and indulge in spreading misinformation that causes fear and panic,” the statement said.
Nigeria’s government has been strengthening measures “to ensure an outbreak in Nigeria is controlled and contained quickly,” according to the statement.
The country's first coronavirus case is also the first confirmed case of the virus in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Rock band ‘Green Day’ announced they are postponing their upcoming shows in Asia due to the coronavirus.
The following message was posted on their verified social media accounts:
From CNN’s Mary Ilyushina in Moscow
Belarus has recorded its first case of novel coronavirus in the country, identifying the patient as a student from Iran, the Belarus Ministry of Health said today in a statement on its official website.
“During a laboratory test on February 27, the virus was detected in an Iranian citizen who arrived on a flight from Baku on February 22,” the statement says. "The patient and those who were in contact with him are quarantined in Minsk, the young man’s condition is satisfactory.”
The health ministry added that it began testing all travelers coming from South Korea, Iran, and Italy on February 20.
Your coronavirus questions, answered
Household disinfectants are thought to be effective against the novel coronavirus. Cleaning products like Lysol and Clorox list the human coronavirus as one of the 99.9% of bacteria it can kill.
However, it's important to note that human coronaviruses are different than the novel coronavirus we are seeing now. This is a new virus and there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments that specifically target it.
Lysol's products have been proven effective in protecting against the other human coronaviruses -- so they're thought to be effective against the novel coronavirus, too, said Saskia Popescu, a senior infection prevention epidemiologist in Phoenix, Arizona.
From CNN’s Richard Roth
A United Nations sanctions committee has given approval for Doctors without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), to provide North Korea with diagnostic equipment to prevent any outbreak of the coronavirus.
It is not clear when the equipment will get to North Korea.
The UN’s North Korea sanctions committee on Thursday quickly approved the shipment of goggles, thermometers, and stethoscopes into North Korea, along with kits to detect if sick people there have the virus, the leader of the committee, German UN Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, told reporters Thursday.
“The committee immediately had given permission to export the equipment. The problem is that right now North Korea has closed the border. Around the table the appeal was made for North Korea to allow this equipment in so that the population can be better protected,” he said.
From CNN’s Will Ripley in Hakone, Japan
A plan is in the works to evacuate quarantined foreign diplomats from Pyongyang, North Korea, a source inside the country tells CNN.
The source agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, given the extreme sensitivity of the current situation.
Closing operations: The German Embassy, French Cooperation Office, and Swiss Development Cooperation will close Pyongyang operations completely, the source says.
Other countries with diplomatic missions in North Korea plan to scale down operations, according to the source.
“I would expect around 60 people to be on the flight,” the source says.
Evacuations from North Korea: The date of the evacuation flight has not been confirmed, but the source says it will likely fly from Pyongyang to Vladivostok, Russia.
Kept in isolation: CNN previously reported foreign diplomats have been kept in complete isolation since early February, amid concerns about the potential spread of novel coronavirus inside North Korea. Diplomatic staff are not allowed to leave their compounds. All flights in and out of the country have been suspended.
North Korean authorities have yet to respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Diplomats in North Korea: The exact number of foreign diplomats stationed inside North Korea is unknown, but is estimated to be just a few hundred.
The country previously announced that all foreigners would be quarantined for 30 days, after quickly closing its borders at the onset of the coronavirus outbreak.
No reported cases: North Korea has not confirmed a single case of the virus inside the country, but global health experts have warned the country is highly susceptible to an outbreak given its close proximity to China and limited medical capabilities.
CNN’s Richard Roth reports a UN sanctions committee has given approval for diagnostic equipment to enter North Korea to prevent any outbreak of the coronavirus.
