According to the data from mobile big data platform IGAWorks, combined sales at three app markets – Google’s Play Store for Android devices, Apple’s App Store for iPhones, and ONE store – came to 4.29 trillion won in 2019.

NCSoft had the biggest market share with 21.5 percent, followed by Netmarble with 11.7 percent and Nexon with 5.1 percent, the data showed. (Yonhap)

The government raised the level of the four-tier infectious disease alert to the second most severe rung, after a 55-year-old Korean man, who had visited Wuhan, Hubei province, tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in the day.

The man, who showed no symptoms of infection when he was screened at an airport upon his return to Korea on Jan. 20, received treatment at a medical facility on Jan. 21 for cold symptoms. On Saturday, he developed symptoms of a high fever and aching muscles, and was put under close observation. He was diagnosed with pneumonia Sunday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Adding fuel to public health concerns, the man was confirmed to have carried out normal activities after he contracted the virus, according to the agency. An in-depth inspection following his activities is underway.

The latest case comes a day after a 54-year-old Korean resident of Wuhan, who returned to Korea on Jan. 20, tested positive, in the third confirmed case of the coronavirus here.

The man also showed no symptoms during screening for the virus at the airport and had led normal activities without being identified or monitored by health authorities.

According to his movements disclosed by the KCDC on Monday, he received treatment at a plastic surgery clinic, dined at restaurants, took a stroll along the Han River and stayed in a hotel in southern Seoul before visiting his mother in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.

Seventy-four people came into contact with the man, according to the public health agency. One of them had symptoms of infection and was placed in isolation, but tested negative. The others are under self-imposed isolation and being closely observed by health authorities.

The medical facilities and hotel he visited have all been disinfected, the KCDC said.

Two other cases — a 35-year-old Chinese woman and a Korean man — were confirmed on Jan. 20 and Friday, respectively.

Fifty-seven people had shown symptoms of the virus as of Monday afternoon. One person was awaiting test results, and the remaining 56 people have tested negative for the virus.

The Korean government has stepped up efforts to contain the spread of the virus by tightening checks on passengers entering Korea and expanding the range of people to be put under quarantine and on monitoring lists among those who visited China.

In a meeting with senior secretaries, President Moon Jae-in ordered all-out, preemptive measures — such as transparent disclosure of information to the public as well as mobilization of medical personnel from the military — to rein in the spread of the corona virus, according to Yoon Do-han, senior secretary for public communication.

He also urged close monitoring of the coronavirus’ impact on the economy. The finance minister is set to hold an emergency meeting Tuesday, according to Yoon.

The Foreign Ministry raised the travel advisory level for Wuhan and the Hubei province region to “red alert,” also second-highest in the country’s four-tier travel warning system.

The government is reportedly conducting a final review to send a chartered plane to Wuhan to evacuate an estimated 600 Koreans believed to be staying in and around Wuhan.

All of China is now classified as a “coronavirus risk area,” with travelers coming from the country required to fill out health forms upon arrival. If a person from Wuhan or nearby areas shows any signs of a fever or breathing problems, he or she will be placed under quarantine starting from Tuesday. Those who have visited other parts of China and who show symptoms of pneumonia will be put in isolation.

Public fears are mounting in Korea, with the presidential website flooded with petitions demanding a ban on the entry of all Chinese travelers. More than 480,000 people signed the petitions as of Monday afternoon.

There were 2,744 confirmed cases across China, 461 of whom are in critical condition, as of Sunday midnight, China’s National Health Commission announced, with a combined population of over 57 million people placed under full or partial lockdown.

The end of the Lunar New Year holiday in China was pushed back to Sunday from Thursday, and the reopening of schools was postponed until further notice to “reduce mass gatherings” as part of efforts to block the spread of the coronavirus.

The youngest patient is a 9-month-old girl in Beijing.

The virus is rapidly spreading outside mainland China, with Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France, Australia, the US and Canada having reported confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

The KCDC advised citizens to look after their personal hygiene — such as washing hands and wearing masks. Those showing pneumonia-like symptoms should immediately contact an emergency call center by dialing 1339, it said.

(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

Fitriani, a 25-year-old master’s student at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, said she hoped she could be evacuated to a safer region or return to Indonesia before the outbreak worsens.

“I didn’t plan on returning to Indonesia during this winter break. However, I started to think of going home when the virus reportedly infected 198 people by Jan. 21, but the city has been locked down since Jan. 23,” Fitriani told The Jakarta Post via text message on Saturday.

Fitriani is among the 93 Indonesian citizens, a majority of them students, trapped in Wuhan since the Chinese government shut down travel out of the epicenter of the viral outbreak on Thursday, according to the chairman of the Wuhan branch of the Indonesian Student Association in China (PPIT Wuhan), Nur Musyafak.

The Chinese government has halted all travel from and toward Wuhan, shut down its public transportation and told residents to stay home, AFP reported, adding that 17 other smaller cities in Hubei province prepared various measures ranging from closing public venues and restricting large gatherings to halting public transportation and asking citizens not to leave their cities.

There were around 200 Indonesian nationals in Wuhan, Nur of PPIT Wuhan said, adding that many of them had returned to Indonesia for the Lunar New Year holiday, which usually lasted until mid-February.

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi offered a different number, however, citing embassy records that say there were 428 Indonesian students in Wuhan, 1,280 in Beijing and 849 in Shanghai, while adding that, as of December, 90 percent of the Indonesian students in Wuhan and its surroundings had returned to Indonesia for Chinese New Year.

Fitriani, who lives at her university’s dormitory with five other Indonesian students, said she would not leave her dorm unless necessary. Her dorm set up thermal scanners to monitor students’ body temperatures on Jan. 22, she added.

The last time she went out was to buy groceries at a nearby traditional market that was now temporarily closed as some sellers feared the coronavirus. She said she had stocked up on food for the next week, as suggested by Chinese authorities.

“The prices of vegetables and fruits have gone up, from 5 Chinese renminbi per 500 grams to 30 renminbi per 500 grams. I had no other choice but to buy them as I need them,” Fitriani said.

Fitriani, who has been in Wuhan since September, talked about how unusually quiet the streets had been as she only spotted a few private vehicles and people wearing facial masks.

Another China University of Geosciences student in Wuhan, Rio Alfi, 35, said he initially had plans to return home to Pekanbaru, Riau, along with his wife and son before the lockdown was announced.

He said that although he had stored groceries for the coming week, he could not help but worry as prices of commodities had gone up while food stocks being sold had declined, leading people to scramble to get the commodities at a supermarket he had gone to.

“We’re waiting for what’s next because it’s been three days since the lockdown. Psychologically speaking, it’s pretty tough for us here in Wuhan. The student association and the Indonesian Embassy have coordinated and are monitoring the situation. However, there’s been no decision yet as to whether we’ll be evacuated out of Wuhan or receive assistance over supplies,” he told the Post via text message on Saturday.

Rio, who has been studying in Wuhan since 2016, said that this year’s Lunar New Year was different as fewer people were praying for their ancestors at cemeteries.

AFP reported that the Chinese army had deployed medical specialists to Wuhan on Saturday as hospitals bustled with patients, adding that authorities began building a new field hospital in Wuhan to deal with the outbreak.

The coronavirus, which bears similarities to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), killed 54 people as of Sunday morning in China and spread around the world, including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, as confirmed infections surged to 1,652 people, Channel News Asia reported.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s director for citizen protection told the Post on Friday that as Wuhan was under quarantine, the ministry through the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing was coordinating with local authorities to provide assistance needed by Indonesian nationals in the city.

Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun said the embassy was in close contact with Indonesian citizens through Chinese messaging app WeChat.

“We’re constantly in contact with them. There is a coordinator appointed in each campus’ dormitory. So far, from the information that we’ve received, their food stock still suffices,” he told the Post on Saturday.

He said the embassy had bought plane tickets for Indonesian students in Wuhan who had been traveling outside of the city prior to the lockdown so that they could return to Indonesia.

Following the lockdown, Indonesia announced a temporary suspension of all flights operated by Indonesian airlines to and from Wuhan. Authorities had activated thermal scanners at entrance points in Indonesia to detect any symptoms of the virus, such as fever.

The human chain stretched from Kasaragod in north to Kaliyikkavila in the south in Tamil Nadu.

As per the reports, a large number of people gathered for the human chain formation and after a trial at 3:30 pm, the chain formation began at 4 pm. At first, the Preamble of the Constitution was read out and then every participant took a pledge on the account of the CAA by the BJP-led Central government.

At the southernmost end, CPI-M Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai was first in the chain while at the southernmost end, another Politburo member of the party MA Baby was standing.

“Kerala has always led numerous protests and also shown to the rest of the country, what very strong protests can lead to. This show has been near total and even though the leadership of the opposition is not taking part in this, numerous of their supporters have taken part and this shows that we are all one to a wrong decision of the Centre,” Baby told media.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also standing in the chain along with his family members at Palyam in Thiruvananthapuram.

“We can really be proud that how protests can be held peacefully when the entire population unites. Today also we have seen the same being repeated in the form of a human chain. The participation has been overwhelming and the message is very clear that we do not accept CAA as this divides people based on religion. Even various countries, as well as the UN, have said that this should not happen,” he said while speaking to media.

“In Kerala, we have already made it clear that neither NPR nor NRC will happen. We cannot rest until the CAA is withdrawn,” he added.

Christian bishops, priests, nuns, Muslim clerics, film personalities, poets, writers, and numerous people from the socio-cultural fields participated in the human chain formation.

Earlier, the Kerala government had also passed a resolution in the state Assembly demanding the withdrawal of CAA and later the government also filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to declare CAA as unconstitutional.

Premier Li Keqiang presided over the meeting of the leading group of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on coping with the novel coronavirus, a pneumonia-causing virus, in Beijing. Li is head of the group.

The group was established after a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee chaired by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, on Saturday.

The Sunday meeting called for epidemic control measures to be adopted in a manner that is decisive, forceful, orderly, scientific and well thought-out.

It is important to have a keen understanding of the grave situation of epidemic control and prevention, put the safety and health of the people at a paramount position and make epidemic control a top priority right now, a statement released after the meeting read.

The meeting underscored the need for greater effort to bolster epidemic prevention and control in Hubei province and Wuhan, epicenter of the outbreak.

The country will coordinate resources nationwide and prioritize efforts to support the province and its capital with medical workers and resources such as protection suits and surgical masks, the statement said.

The supply of necessities for residents in the area must be ensured with unimpeded passage to be offered for resources distributed to the region, it added.

Provincial and municipal authorities in the area must carry out their responsibilities, accelerate the construction of special hospitals for admitting infected patients and renovate hotels as segregation zones, it said.

The meeting also called for better treatment of patients with fever and preventing secondary problems from the epidemic, with stronger support to medical workers to ensure their rotation from the frontline, their protection and to alleviate their mental and physical pressure.

It also urged heightened measures to monitor the virus, with stringent measures to segregate confirmed and suspected cases as well as their close contacts.

Authorities in areas with a large number of patients must increase the number of designated treatment hospitals, hospital beds and quarantine areas, the statement said.

More monitoring and epidemic control measures will be carried out at public venues and transport vehicles, it said.

The meeting also pointed out weaknesses in health conditions in rural areas with a large number of migrant workers returning to their homes.

Authorities must attach great importance to epidemic control and prevention in rural areas and give full play to the role of primary-level organizations and village doctors, the statement said.

To reduce population flows, the meeting decided on measures such as extending the Spring Festival holiday, which is scheduled between Jan 24 and 30, and delaying the start of the spring semester at colleges and schools.

It called for maximum effort to reduce the mortality of patients and enhance the treatment of patients. More research will be conducted on cured patients and treatment measures will be further refined, with more training set to be offered to medical workers.

The meeting urged quicker breakthroughs in research of vaccines for the virus, saying experts and researchers must work together in the process and social organizations must be encouraged to participate.

It also vowed strong accountability for those who concealed, underreported or delayed the reporting of infection cases, adding information on epidemic control and prevention will be made public in a timely manner.

China will step up cooperation with the World Health Organization as well as communication and operation with relevant countries during the epidemic control process, the statement said.

The Chinese mainland has reported 1,975 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, including 56 dead and 324 in critical condition, in all provincial-level regions except the Tibet autonomous region as of Saturday.

In a briefing at its office in Yongsan, central Seoul, the Korean Medical Association’s president Choi Dae-zip said that while the limit on entry “may not be imperative right now, at the time of speaking,” blocking the visitor flow may be “one of the most vital preventive measures against the epidemic.”

“Confirmed cases are increasing by the hundreds each day. Now is the time for a proactive, all-out action,” he said.

“Health authorities should be monitoring the outbreak situation in China by the hour and consider the possibility of an entry ban.”

This would run counter to government efforts to repatriate the 500-600 Korean citizens believed to remain in or around Wuhan.

Choi said the government should “brace for the worst case scenario,” calling for an emergency-level response akin to that applied during the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in Korea in 2015.

He said patients who are showing symptoms of infection should first call the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hotline, 1339, before visiting the hospital, in order to prevent its spread.

He also stressed strict observation of hygiene rules such as wearing of masks with filtration capabilities of KF 94 or higher at all times, and washing hands.

Earlier the same day, the KCDC said all regions of mainland China would be designated as an “area of contamination” from Tuesday.

The centers said all passengers from China would be required to identify their health conditions via a questionnaire when entering the country.

In addition, visitors from Hubei Province and the rest of China who are showing symptoms of pneumonia will be quarantined.

Choi said the government should draw up a list of everyone in Korea who had been in Wuhan or its surrounding Hubei Province and test them for infection.

Some 200 personnel from the Ministry of Defense, National Police Agency and regional governments will be deployed to help with screening at the airports, the centers said.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)

That is the current estimate and this may change when more is known about the Wuhan coronavirus, also known as the 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), says Dr Shawn Vasoo, the acting clinical director at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

There are currently four confirmed cases of the 2019-novel coronavirus in Singapore. The patients had all travelled from China where the virus is spreading fast.

With concerns growing, The Straits Times asked Dr Vasoo to explain what else is known about the virus that has so far reportedly killed more than 50 people in China.

Q: WHY DOES THE VIRUS LEAD TO PNEUMONIA AND WILL EVERYONE GET IT?

A: In some people, the virus infects the lower respiratory tract (lungs) and this results in pneumonia. Not everyone will get pneumonia but in most diagnosed cases so far, pneumonia, of varying severities, has been commonly described.

Q: HOW DO I GET CURED OF PNEUMONIA? IS PNEUMONIA THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ME IF I GET THE VIRUS?

A: As there are currently no proven specific anti-viral medications for the 2019-novel coronavirus, one overcomes the infection with our immune system, and recovers thereafter.

Not all cases of pneumonia are severe, but most patients who have fared poorly are those who have gone on to develop severe pneumonia.

Severe cases may have more concurrent chronic medical problems such as cardiovascular disease or lung disease.

Currently, an estimated 20 per cent of the people infected with the 2019-novel coronavirus will become very ill (more severe pneumonia). However, this estimate may change as we learn more about this disease.

Q: WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE WUHAN VIRUS?

A: The common symptoms include fever, cough, in more severe cases, shortness of breath, especially when there is pneumonia. Occasionally some symptoms may be absent, for example fever.

Q: HOW DO I KNOW IF THE COUGHING, FEVER AND OTHER RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS THAT I HAVE IS THE COMMON COLD, FLU, DENGUE OR THE WUHAN VIRUS?

A: It is not possible to distinguish clearly between the common cold, influenza and the 2019-novel coronavirus.

Even influenza, which is more common, can lead to severe disease and pneumonia. It also causes death.

However, unlike in Wuhan, there is currently no widespread community transmission in Singapore.

Hence, we would be concerned about a possible 2019-novel coronavirus infection only if one has travelled to China or if one has been in contact with a known case of the infection.

As for dengue, respiratory symptoms are less common and fever, rash, muscle aches and headaches are more common.

Q: WHEN SHOULD I GO TO A GENERAL PRACTITIONER (GP)?

A: You should seek medical attention if you are not feeling well in general, particularly if symptoms have not improved in two to three days. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have risk factors for the 2019-novel coronavirus as described above, so your doctor can assess you.

Q: IF I HAVE SYMPTOMS, SHOULD I GO STRAIGHT TO THE NCID OR A HOSPITAL?

A: If you have symptoms you can see your family doctor or polyclinic who will make the initial assessment.

If more urgent medical attention is needed, or if it is a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention at the nearest emergency clinic or hospital.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO NOT CATCH THE WUHAN VIRUS?

A: Avoid travelling to affected areas, in particular the Hubei province. If you are travelling to China, you should exercise caution and observe good hand hygiene (hand washing or use of hand sanitisers) and avoid crowded places.

Q: WHAT DOES WEARING A MASK DO?

A: As infection by the 2019-novel coronavirus and other common respiratory viruses are spread by respiratory droplets carrying the virus, surgical masks can prevent inhalation of these droplets.

You should wear a surgical mask if you are ill to prevent spreading whatever respiratory virus you have to others (this is most commonly influenza and the common cold viruses). This is part of being civic conscious.

Surgical masks may help prevent infection from respiratory viruses in general, if one is around sick people.

Those who are more prone to infection, such as the elderly or those with poor immune systems, would want to consider wearing them.

I would discourage the routine use of N95 masks as mask fitting is typically required for its proper use.

It is also more stuffy and uncomfortable if used for prolonged periods, and may actually be less effective than a surgical mask if used improperly.

There is no known transmission of the 2019-novel coronavirus in the community in Singapore at this point, so the routine use of a mask to prevent this particular infection is probably unnecessary.

However, If you are going to an affected area, you should strongly consider the use of a surgical face mask.

Q: IF I WERE IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS THE WUHAN VIRUS AND AM INFECTED, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR THE SYMPTOMS IN ME TO SHOW?

A: This may vary, as patients have developed symptoms as early as in two days while others may develop symptoms later, for example in 10 to 14 days. The average is estimated to be about one week.

Q: AT WHICH STAGE AM I MOST LIKELY TO INFECT OTHER PEOPLE?

A: You are most likely infectious when you have symptoms, in particular fever and cough.

Scientists from the center have successfully isolated the virus, and are working to select the proper strain for vaccine production, Xu Wenbo, head of the center’s viral disease control and prevention institute, said.

Research and development of a vaccine is complex work, which usually requires between two and three years before availability for use, he said, adding it is possible that a new vaccine may be developed within a few years in emergency conditions.

The ban is implemented from Sunday until the risks of the epidemic have been resolved, the notice said, as experts have confirmed that wild animals were the origin of the virus.

Jointly released by the State Administration for Market Regulation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the notice requires wild animal breeding farms to implement quarantine policies and forbids any selling or transporting of wild animals.

The public can report any trading of wild animals to 12315 hotlines, the notice said.

Local authorities should hold violators accountable and those who have violated relevant laws will be dealt with by public security authorities, it added.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said however that the screening of travellers especially those from China would be intensified.

“We have no plans to block travellers from there at this point in time, as China has already quarantined the entire 11-million population in Wuhan (where the new viral strain was first discovered), ” he told the media at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Town Hall’s Chinese New Year open house Saturday (Jan 25).

China has also locked down several other cities in a move to contain the outbreak.

Dr Mahathir said this in response to the Health Ministry’s announcement that three individuals from Wuhan tested positive for nCoV on Friday (Jan 24).

The three infected were relatives of a 66-year-old man from Wuhan who recently tested positive for the new viral strain in Singapore.

Asked whether Malaysia would review the free visa policy for tourists from China in view of the outbreak, Dr Mahathir only said China offered three-year multiple entry visas to Malaysians.

He also called on all parties to remain vigilant, as it was a dangerous virus.

“Wear a mask, ” he said.

Containing such an outbreak had become increasingly challenging as access to modern transportation made it possible for people to travel from one destination to another within hours, he said.

“And people at an early stage of infection do not show any symptoms, ” he said.

He said it would also be difficult to contain movement of animals in the wild, as the new virus strain was found to be of zoonotic (animal) origin.

“Containing infectious diseases has become comparatively more difficult, ” he said.

On the Chinese nationals who tested positive here, Dr Mahathir said they would remain under quarantine and observation.

He acknowledged that the outbreak would adversely affect the number of tourist arrivals during Visit Malaysia 2020, as Chinese tourists ranked highest in number.

“But the virus is quite dangerous, ” he said.