Biosecurity

Live updates: More than two-thirds of Germany could end up infected by coronavirus, Merkel warns

As the number of novel coronavirus cases surpassed 120,000 worldwide and topped 1,000 in the United States amid widening public disruption, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the “virus has arrived,” warning up to 70 percent of the country could end up infected.

In the United States, Dow futures plunged ahead of the market opening Wednesday. Government officials and businesses announced sweeping steps to contain the rapidly expanding outbreak. Five more deaths — including two in Washington state and one each in California, New Jersey and South Dakota — were reported Tuesday, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 31.

China announced another decline in the number of new cases, with just 24 across the country and 22 deaths. But there were also more signs of the infection being imported from abroad, with 10 cases involving people who had arrived from outside China — including one coming from the United States.