The coronavirus is also having a strong economic impact in China. Therefore, many companies are deciding to stop working or close many of their stores temporarily just on the day that the Chinese government has issued in a statement that “the virus is expanding . ” The latest figures speak of 132 people killed due to the coronavirus.

Air transport companies such as British Airways have decided to stop flying to China while others have returned the amount of the ticket in full in cases where their customers have decided to cancel their trip.

On the other hand, the Swedish furniture company, Ikea, has decided to temporarily close half of the 30 stores they have in China. The company has announced that it will continue to pay the salary to its employees. It is estimated that Ikea in China employs around 14,000 people. Meanwhile, another big company like Starbucks has decided to close up to 2,000 new coffee shops.

In turn, Toyota has made official that it will suspend operations at its plants until February 9. Meanwhile Volkswagen and Credit Suisse banks Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs have asked their workers to telework.

Finally, it has also been known today that the H&M clothing company has closed 45 stores and suspended business trips from both the Chinese country and from outside, as well as that they have advised all their workers to remain, for the moment, 14 days in their houses.

For most companies, it is still too early to quantify how many losses this break will mean to which the country is being subjected.

An Open Arms humanitarian ship saved 45 more migrants in the Mediterranean on Wednesday, bringing 282 people on board and waiting at sea for a European country to authorize a port.

The founder and director of the NGO Open Arms, Carcar Camps, has indicated on social networks that the ship has received an alert call from Alarm Phone, a telephone service made available to migrants. The 45 people who were trying to reach the European coasts across the central Mediterranean were “in poor physical condition.”

“We now have 282 people on board and medical cases that may require evacuation,” said Camps. Open Arms has rescued almost 300 people on several rescue devices deployed at sea since Monday.

Among the migrants are at least three women and 38 unaccompanied minors who come from countries such as South Sudan, Gambia, Egypt, Senegal, Chad, Burkina Faso, Guinea and the Central African Republic, explained Open Arms mission chief Gerard Canals.

The Italian Ministry of Interior also reported Tuesday that so far this year 870 migrants have arrived in Italy, compared to 155 that did so during the same period last year and 3,176 in 2018. Open Arms is currently the only humanitarian ship in the central Mediterranean area.