Russia to close 2,700-mile border with China as coronavirus death toll hits 170

Russia has decided to close the 2,700-mile border with China in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Fox News has reported.

This news comes as the death toll from the epidemic rises to 170, with a further 7,711 confirmed cases, as per the BBC. There have now been cases in an additional 15 countries, and this morning, the first diagnosis in the Philippines was made public by the World Health Organisation - a 34-year-old Chinese man.

Last week, people around the world were in awe at China's attempt to build a 1,000-bed hospital in just days to treat the virus: 

Russia's decision to close the border was announced by President Vladimir Putin, with the plans were approved and signed by Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin earlier today. Action will be taken with immediate effect.

According to the Moscow Times, Mishustin told his cabinet: "We'll inform everyone today about the border-closure measures in the Far East region and other activities taken by the Russian government [on coronavirus prevention]."

The publication also reports that the Foreign Ministry said the country would also temporarily stop issuing electronic visas to Chinese nationals

The SARS-like virus has symptoms that include a runny nose, headache, sore throat and a general feeling of being unwell, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

This medic broke down in tears because of the stress of the epidemic: 

As per the Telegraph, the coronavirus is spread through droplets from coughs and sneezes and direct skin contact with infected persons.

If you have experienced any of the symptoms above and have been in contact with a person who has visited a high-risk area, or visited one yourself, you are advised to seek medical help immediately.

Chinese doctors are pictured below disinfecting themselves before treating patients with the coronavirus:

Credit: 3179

The World Health Organisation is now meeting again today to decide if the virus poses a global health emergency.

"In the last few days the progress of the virus, especially in some countries, especially human-to-human transmission, worries us," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday at a news conference in Geneva