Hong Kong declares emergency & cancels New Year celebrations as coronavirus spreads

Hong Kong has shuttered schools and done away with planned New Year festivities as the city scrambles to stop the spread of a deadly coronavirus.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam declared a state of emergency in the city, and said she would halt all official visits to mainland China, where the virus originated.

New Year celebrations have also been cancelled, and schools will remain closed until February 17. The Hong Kong Marathon has been nixed as part of the emergency measures.

At least three local residents have been infected by the virus after returning from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak began.

The coronavirus has killed at least 41 people in China and infected more than 1,300 worldwide.