TOKYO: Since a new type of coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, China, last December, the number of people infected worldwide has soared to the tens of thousands, and the death toll now in the thousands.
The virus is spreading across Asia – including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia – and also to countries in Europe and North America.
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It remains to be seen how lethal this new virus ultimately will be. At the moment, it is certainly less severe than the 2002 to 2003 SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic, caused by a different coronavirus.
The new bug has killed more people, but SARS was deadlier, killing almost 10 per cent of the 8,096 people worldwide known to have been infected.
Nonetheless, on Jan 23, Chinese President Xi Jinpings government announced a lockdown of Wuhan, a city of 11 million people. Since then, the number of Chinese cities under quarantine has risen, and more may follow.
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HANDICAPPING THE CHINESE ECONOMY
The quarantines and other compulsory measures aimed at containing the disease are severely handicapping the Chinese economy, with knock-on effects elsewhere in Asia. Wuhan, for example, is the capital of Hubei Province, one of Chinas industrial centers.
Leading Japanese carmakers Honda and Nissan have factories there, as do several of their European rivals. Producers of car parts, electronic components, and industrial equipment also have important manufacturing facilities in the region.
Many of these factories have had to halt production, because their employees have been unable to return after the Chinese New Year holiday.
SHOCKS TO ASIAN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS
These shutdowns constitute a major shock to global companies supply chains across Asia. Based on the value of its exports to mainland China and Hong Kong relative to GDP, Vietnam, Malaysia, and South Korea number among those worst hit.
File photo of a port in Taipei. (Photo: AFP)
Regional employers face a further supply shock because many Chinese working in Japan or other Asian countries will not or cannot return from China.
Furthermore, the coronavirus outbreak will disrupt exports of Chinese products to Japan, in particular processed food and clothing. All these factors will cause supply shortages and thus dampen economic growth among Chinas trade partners.
The coronavirus also will cause a large demand shock, not least because Chinese travellers have been a great boon to many countries tourism sectors.
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READ: Commentary: Tourism in Asia takes a beating after coronavirus outbreak
Chinese tourist numbers are now falling sharply as China bars its citizens from group tours abroad, and many countries refuse or restrict the entry of Chinese.
Judging by the size of Chinese visitors expenditures relative to GDP, popular destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore will take the hardest hit. Japan will be especially concerned should the outbreak persist, because the Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to start in Tokyo on Jul 24.
But even if the virus is a long way from reaching its peak, China can mitigate the negative aggregate-demand shock with stimulus measures such as the one announced by the Peoples Bank of China on Feb 2. Other governments and central banks in the region can take similar steps if necessary.
Companies can substitute disrupted supply chains with alternative sources of inputs, and consumption may shift further online. Some of these changes may turn out to be permanent.
HOW QUICKLY CAN SITUATION BE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL?
Although it is not clear how quickly an effective coronavirus vaccine can be developed, the duration of the current crisis will depend on two main factors.
Scientists around the world are racing to develop a vaccine for the new coronavirus that emerged in China late last year. (Photo: AFP/STR)
The first is whether and when the Chinese authorities can bring the situation under control. With the death toll still mounting, it is hard to tell, but if the government quarantines more cities, then the economic downturn will certainly steepen.
The second question is whether other countries can contain the viruss spread. Some Japanese medical experts say that a substantial numbRead More – Source
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