Russia Postpones Annual Investment forum amid Coronavirus fears

Russia has postponed the annual investment forum in the Black Sea city of Sochi scheduled to take place next week due to coronavirus concerns.

Reuters reported that The Russian Investment Forum, which is attended by a string of high-ranking officials and foreign investors, had been set to take place Feb. 12-14. The government order did not say when it will be held instead.

Russia said earlier that it could deport foreigners who tested positive for coronavirus while its military planes flew in to evacuate its citizens from the Chinese province at the epicenter of the outbreak.

Coronavirus Death Toll Rises

On the other hand Chinese health officials confirmed the number of fatalities has reached 425, with over 20,400 people infected nationwide. Hong Kong has also reported a coronavirus death, bringing the total outside mainland China to two.

China’s National Health Commission reported Tuesday that the nationwide total of coronavirus infections had reached 20,438, with 3,235 new cases confirmed.

Additionally, health officials said 2,345 of the new infections were in Hubei, bringing the total in the hard-hit province to 13,522.

Hubei’s death toll also rose to 414, with a further 64 fatalities reported in the province that has been in lockdown for weeks.

China’s nationwide death toll stands at 425 as the country’s top leadership confessed to “shortcomings and difficulties” in its response to the virus.

Meanwhile, state media said a new hospital had been constructed in Hubei in just 10 days and had already started treating patients in the epicenter of the crisis. The specialized 1,000-bed medical facility will be joined by a second hospital with 1,500 beds in a matter of days.

WHO Alarm