Chinese officials say major push on to identify all coronavirus cases in Wuhan

The latest:

• World Health Organization reports 1,752 new coronavirus cases and 136 additional deaths in China, for a total of 74,280 cases and 2,006 deaths.
• Leading Communist Party official says district leaders will be responsible 'if a single new case' is found after Wednesday.
• U.S. upgrades travel advisory to China, urges Americans to avoid all travel to the country.
• China says it is expelling 3 Wall Street Journal reporters.
• State-run news agency in Iran says 2 people have died after contracting virus.

Protective suit-clad inspectors in the epicentre of China's viral outbreak went door-to-door Wednesday to find every infected person in the central city suffering most from an epidemic that is showing signs of waning as new cases fell for a second day.

Wuhan, where the new form of coronavirus emerged, is on the final day of a campaign to root out anyone with symptoms whom authorities may have missed so far.

"This must be taken seriously," said Wang Zhonglin, the city's newly minted Communist Party secretary. "If a single new case is found [after Wednesday], the district leaders will be held responsible."

His remarks were published on Hubei's provincial website, alongside the declaration, "If the masses cannot mobilize, it's impossible to fight a people's war."

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday reported 1,752 new coronavirus cases and 136 additional deaths in mainland China, for a total of 74,280 cases and 2006 deaths. 

While the overall spread of the COVID-19 illness has been slowing, the situation remains severe in Hubei province, which has Wuhan as its capital. Infections in Hubei constitute more than 80 per cent of the country's total cases and about 95 per cent of its deaths, according to data from China's National Health Commission.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said Chinese data "appears to show a decline in new cases," but any apparent trend "must be interpreted very cautiously."

Cities in Hubei with a combined population of more than 60 million have been under lockdown since the Lunar New Year holiday last month, usually the busiest time of the year for travel. Authorities put a halt to nearly all transportation and movement except for quarantine efforts, medical care and delivery of food and basic necessities. "Wartime" measures were implemented in some places where residents were prevented from leaving their apartments altogether.

The stringent measures have followed public fury over Hubei authorities' handling of the epidemic when it began in December. The risk of human-to-human transmission was downplayed, and doctors who tried to warn the public were reprimanded by police. Wuhan residents reported overcrowding in hospitals and futile attempts to seek treatment.

Many countries have also set up border screenings and airlines have cancelled flights to and from China to prevent further spread of the disease, which has been detected in around two dozen countries and caused about 1,000 confirmed cases outside mainland China.

In Hong Kong, a spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital reported the city's second death out of 62 cases. Media reported the victim was a 70-year-old man with underlying illnesses.

On Wednesday, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the virus has killed two Iranian citizens.

Japan allows some cruise ship passengers to disembark

The much-criticized quarantine of a cruise ship in Japan ends Wednesday, and officials there expect several hundred people who tested negative for the disease to disembark. The Diamond Princess's 621 virus cases were the most in any place outside of China, and medical experts have called its quarantine a failure.

South Korea evacuated six South Koreans and a Japanese family member from the ship, and they began an additional 14-day quarantine Wednesday. More than 300 American passengers were evacuated earlier and are quarantined in the United States, including at least 14 who had tested positive for the virus.

On Tuesday, the U.S. government said the more than 100 American passengers who stayed on the ship or were hospitalized in Japan would have to wait for another two weeks before they could return to the U.S.

'Critical time' for prevention and control

"Prevention and control work is at a critical time," Chinese President Xi Jinping said during a phone call Tuesday evening with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to Chinese state media.

Likewise, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told The Associated Press in an interview in Lahore, Pakistan that the viral outbreak "is not out of control, but it is a very dangerous situation." He said that "the risks are enormous and we need to be prepared worldwide for that."

Outside Hubei, other localities have imposed quarantine measures to varying degrees. Residential neighbourhoods in Beijing have placed limits on the number of people per household who can go out, and those who do must carry exit-entry cards. In Shanghai, police detained a man for 10 days for repeatedly leaving the house and taking public transportation when he was supposed to be under quarantine at home.

Despite such warnings, Beijing was showing signs of coming back to life this week, with road traffic at around a quarter of usual, up from virtually nothing a week ago. While most restaurants, stores and office buildings remained closed, others had reopened.

The country may postpone its biggest political meeting of the year, the annual congress due to start in March, to avoid having people travel to the capital while the virus is still spreading. One of the automotive industry's biggest events, China's biannual auto show, was postponed, and many sports and entertainment events have been delayed or cancelled.

U.S. upgrades travel advisory to China

The U.S. also upgraded its travel advisory for China to Level 4, telling its citizens not to travel to anywhere in the country and advising those currently in China to attempt to depart by commercial means.

"In the event that the situation further deteriorates, the ability of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate to provide assistance to U.S. nationals within China may be limited. The United States is not offering chartered evacuation flights from China," the notice said.

"We strongly urge U.S. citizens remaining in China to stay home as much as possible and limit contact with others, including large gatherings. Consider stocking up on food and other supplies to limit movement outside the home," the notice said. The U.S. previously flew out scores of its citizens on charter flights from Wuhan but does not have any further plans to do so, it said.

Canada is advising people to avoid all non-essential travel to China. The government is advising Canadians to avoid all travel to Hubei, which is the epicentre of the outbreak.

China says it is expelling 3 WSJ reporters

Also on Wednesday, China said it was expelling three Wall Street Journal reporters over the headline for an opinion column that referred to the current virus outbreak in China and called the country the 'Real Sick Man of Asia.'

In a statement Wednesday, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said the Feb. 3 op-ed by Bard College Professor Walter Russel Mead "smears the efforts of the Chinese government and people on fighting [the virus] epidemic."

Long sensitive to its portrayal in global media, China has been pushing a narrative of transparency and tight control over the current outbreak, while emphasizing the sacrifices made by its health workers and ordinary citizens.

The statement said the expulsions came after the Journal refused demands to "make an official apology and hold the persons involved accountable."

Like most foreign media, the Wall Street Journal is unavailable within China and its website and stories are blocked by online censors.

The Journal identified the three journalists as Deputy Bureau Chief Josh Chin, reporter Chao Deng — both U.S. citizens — and reporter Philip Wen, an Australian. They have been given five days to leave the country, according to Jonathan Cheng, the Journal's China bureau chief.

Last fall, Chinese authorities declined to renew the press credentials of Beijing-based Journal reporter Chun Han Wong, a Singaporean, one month after he and another Journal reporter wrote a story detailing an Australian investigation into the alleged links of Xi's cousin to high-stakes gambling, money laundering and suspected organized crime.