China virus toll rises to 170 as countries isolate citizens to stop global spread

A woman wearing a face mask and goggles uses an escalator near Beijing Railway Station as the country is hit by an outbreak of the new coronavirus, in Beijing, China January 30, 2020.

Several countries began isolating hundreds of citizens evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan in an effort to stop the global spread of an epidemic which has killed 170, with South Korea calling for calm in the face of protests at a quarantine center.

Asian stocks and currencies fell on Thursday as fatalities rose and more cases were reported around the world.