Hong Kong, Jan 30 (AFP/APP): Asian markets fell Thursday with investors concerned about the economic impact from the spread of the new coronavirus as China reported more than 1,700 new infections. Airlines around the world are either suspending or paring back services in and out of China following cases of human-to-human transmission outside the country and manufacturers have also been cutting their Chinese operations. The World Health Organization, which initially downplayed the severity of the disease, warned all governments to be “on alert” as it weighs whether to declare a global health emergency. US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the coronavirus posed a new risk to growth in China and elsewhere. In Asian stock markets, Hong Kong was down 1.4 percent and Tokyo dropped 1.6 percent. Japanese automaker Toyota said it would keep its plants in China closed until at least February 9 over concerns about the outbreak of the SARS-like virus which has killed 170 people and infected more than 7,700. Taipei fell 4.9 percent, with shares in Apple supplier Hon Hai Precision Industry plunging more than nine percent after it said most of its manufacturing plants in China would remain closed until February 10. The tech giant, … Continue reading Asian markets fall on fears over economic impact of virus