Beijing, 24th January: The number of infections is now up over 600. The number of deaths attributed to the virus is 17 – reportedly all older males with pre-existing conditions. Beijing has ordered Wuhan and six other cities locked down with significant travel restrictions in place as China heads into the lunar new year holiday when hundreds of millions of people are on the move across the country.

The authorities in Beijing are clearly trying to avoid a repeat of the 2003 SARS outbreak when the country’s leadership was criticised for a lack of transparency and responsiveness. During the SARS outbreak, approximately 8,000 people were infected globally and 10% died.