China Adopts 'Cultural Revolution-Style' Social Controls To Crush Outbreak As Death Toll Nears 2,000

 

Summary:

 

Taiwan reports 1st coronavirus death

Hubei reports 1,933 new cases, 100 deaths

Hubei health officials report 1,933 new cases, 100 new deaths

Taiwan taxi driver who died from virus carried passengers from mainland, Hong Kong, Macau

Singapore reports 3 more cases

Total cases aboard 'Diamond Princess' climbs to 355 as US prepares to evacuate citizens

Indonesia says 6 passengers from Westerdam cruise ship tested negative

There are now at least 68,500 cases worldwide, and at least 1,665 deaths from the Covid-19 virus

Japan found 70 more cases aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship

Second African confirms suspected coronavirus case

Hubei province, the outbreak's epicenter, reported fewer new infections for the second day

Bill Gates warns "10 million deaths" possible in Africa

China's facemask shortage likely won't be over anytime soon

WHO says Beijing's actions bought the world time, but "we don't know how much time"

 

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Update (1750ET): Health officials from Hubei Province have released the latest round of figures from Sunday. They announced 1,933 new confirmed cases and 100 new deaths for Feb. 16.

 

The new figures bring the totals for the province to 58,182 cases, and 1696 deaths in the province. These data bring total cases around the globe north of 71,000, while the death toll rapidly approaches 2,000.

 

As the Communist Party tries to get the country back to work, 760 million people are now under quarantine.

 

In the latest NYT story chronicling the situation on the ground in the areas worst-hit by the virus, the paper notes that the virus response has revived a type of Cultural Revolution-era social controls - relying on everyday citizens to spy and inform on their neighbors, and report anybody not in compliance with government guidelines.

 

China has flooded cities and villages with battalions of neighborhood busybodies, uniformed volunteers and Communist Party representatives to carry out one of the biggest social control campaigns in history.

 

The goal: to keep hundreds of millions of people away from everyone but their closest kin.

 

The nation is battling the coronavirus outbreak with a grass-roots mobilization reminiscent of Mao-style mass crusades not seen in China in decades, essentially entrusting front line epidemic prevention to a supercharged version of a neighborhood watch.

 

Venture outside without your facemask at your own risk.

 

• • *

 

Update (1600ET): The US has reportedly chartered 2 Boeing 747s to evacuated hundreds of desperate and terrified passengers aboard the 'Diamond Princess' cruise ship under quarantine in Yokohama. The ships have just landed in Tokyo, according to CNN.

 

As the Americans scrambled to prepare for takeoff, Japanese health officials confirmed another 70 cases of coronavirus among the ship's passengers and crew. The number of confirmed cases has climbed to 355.

 

"Can’t get off here fast enough," Sarah Arana, 52, a medical social worker from Paso Robles, Calif., told the NYT.

 

Passengers have been told that there will be no room for carry-on luggage, so all baggage needed to fit under the seat.

 

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