February 7 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Jenni Marsh, Adam Renton and Amy Woodyatt, CNN

Updated 8:36 PM ET, Fri February 7, 2020

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10:09 p.m. ET, February 6, 2020

Cruise ship quarantined in Japan confirms 61 coronavirus cases on board

From CNN’s Yoko Wakatsuki in Japan

The Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama port on February 6, 2020. KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

A total of 61 people have been confirmed to have Wuhan coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, quarantined off the coast of Japan with 1,045 crew and 2,666 passengers on board.

Some 20 cases had been confirmed on Thursday, and an additional 41 confirmed today. The number of cases on board raise the national total of confirmed cases to 86.

Of the confirmed cases on board, at least three are US citizens, according to statements by the cruise liner. In total, the cruise has 428 American passengers.

Confirmed cases are taken off the ship and transported to local hospitals. All of those remaining on board will be quarantined for at least 14 days, officials said on Wednesday.

9:56 p.m. ET, February 6, 2020

Canada, Malaysia, and Hong Kong announce more cases of coronavirus

Visitors wearing masks on February 5, 2020 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ore Huiying/Getty Images

Canada, Malaysia and Hong Kong all reported new cases of coronavirus today.

Three new cases in Hong Kong, and two new cases in Malaysia have been confirmed as positive for the virus. However, two new reported cases in Canada are unconfirmed.

About the new cases in Canada:

The two new reported cases include one man and one woman, both in their 30s and visitors from China's Hubei province -- the epicenter of the outbreak. Their samples are being tested further now.
The cases were reported in British Columbia province. If confirmed, they would bring the national total to seven.

About the new cases in Malaysia:

The two new cases bring the national total to 14, according to state news agency Bernama.
Malaysia said it would expand its temporary travel ban from only Hubei to all provinces in China under lockdown.
Malaysia is also making arrangements to repatriate 212 embassy and consulate staff in China, and 34 citizens in Wuhan.

About the new cases in Hong Kong:

The cases are three women, bringing the total in Hong Kong to 24.
One woman is the 55-year-old wife of a previously confirmed case. She returned from Dongguan, China on January 17, and visited Tokyo, Japan with her husband from January 28 to February 1.
The other two women are aged 63 and 65, with no travel history during the incubation period.

9:37 p.m. ET, February 6, 2020

Li Wenliang, the Chinese whistleblower doctor, dies from coronavirus

Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang, who blew the whistle on the coronavirus in December 2019. Li Wenliang

Li Wenliang, the Chinese whistleblower doctor who warned the public of a potential "SARS-like" disease in December 2019, has died, according to Wuhan Central Hospital.

Li died of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan in the early hours of Friday morning local time.

"Our hospital's ophthalmologist Li Wenliang was unfortunately infected with coronavirus during his work in the fight against the coronavirus epidemic," the hospital statement read.

"He died at 2:58 am on Feb 7 after attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful."

Targeted by police: Li had raised the alarm about the virus that ultimately took his life.

In December, he posted on the Chinese messaging app WeChat that seven patients from a local seafood market had been diagnosed with a SARS-like illness and were quarantined in his hospital in Wuhan.

Soon after he posted the message in his medical school alumni group, Li was accused of rumor-mongering by the Wuhan police, and was targeted for trying to sound the alarm on the deadly virus in the early weeks of the outbreak.

Li was hospitalized on January 12 and tested positive for the coronavirus on February 1.

10:35 p.m. ET, February 6, 2020

Here's the latest on the coronavirus outbreak

The novel coronavirus outbreak that began in December in Wuhan, China, has now spread to more than 25 countries and regions. If you're just joining us, here's the latest:

Cases rise: There are 31,478 confirmed cases and 638 deaths globally, the majority of which are in mainland China. Some countries have seen a worrying surge; Japan now has 86 cases, the second-highest number for one country.
Whistleblower doctor: Li Wenliang, a Chinese whistleblower doctor, died late last night from the virus, sparking a nationwide wave of grief and anger. He had been targeted by police for trying to sound the alarm during the early weeks of the outbreak in December.
Quarantined cruises: More than 7,300 people are quarantined on two cruise ships docked in Hong Kong and Japan, after former passengers were confirmed to have the virus. A total of 61 people have been found to be infected on the ship in Japan.
Youngest patient: Two newborn babies are infected in Wuhan, according to China's state broadcaster. The youngest was diagnosed just 30 hours after being born to a mother who had been infected. Experts say it's unclear how the baby got infected, as there are various ways it became exposed to the virus.
Recoveries: Patients in the US, Vietnam, South Korea and Singapore have already been discharged from hospital.