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The novel coronavirus spread further, with the number of confirmed cases in China soaring to overtake the official number of infections in the country during the SARS epidemic.

Governments tightened international travel and border crossings with China as they ramped up efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

Germany said Tuesday it identified a cluster of local patients infected by a woman from Shanghai who had been visiting Europe. That’s a worrying sign for health authorities who have taken aggressive steps to stop what for now has been mostly a Chinese outbreak from becoming an international one.

People in facemasks rush to buy necessities at a store in Wuhan on Jan. 26.

Photographer: Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

• About 5,974 cases in China, at least 132 deaths: Track the outbreak
• Toyota Halts Production, Cargill Works From Home: Virus Impact
• What You Need to Know About China’s Virus Outbreak: QuickTake
• Read about the global race to contain this killer bug

Here are the latest developments. All times are Hong Kong time:

British Air Halts China Bookings (3:50 p.m.):

British Airways said it will halt flights to Beijing and Shanghai, joining other carriers in announcing the cutting or suspension of flights to China following the coronavirus outbreak.

The moves come as the U.S. and U.K. said residents should avoid all non-essential travel to China. United Airlines Holdings Inc., the biggest U.S. carrier to the Asian nation, said it would cut flight service after a drop in demand.
The U.S. government is considering several options to combat the emergence of the coronavirus, including a ban on flights to and from China, though no decision has been made, a person familiar with the deliberations said on Tuesday night.

Toyota Halting China Production Until Feb. 9 (1:57 p.m.):

Toyota Motor Corp. is halting operations in China until Feb. 9, joining a growing list of global companies that have cut back on business activities in China.

“Given the various factors including the guidelines by the local and region governments and parts supply situation, as of Jan. 29, we have decided to halt operations in our plants in China until Feb. 9,” said Maki Niimi, a spokesman for the Japanese automaker. “We will monitor the situation and make further decisions on operations from Feb. 10.”

U.A.E. Reports First Confirmed Middle East Cases (1:08 p.m.):

The United Arab Emirates reported the first cases of the novel coronavirus in the Middle East.
The disease was diagnosed among members of a family that arrived from the Chinese city of Wuhan, state-run WAM news agency reported, citing the Ministry of Health and Prevention. The patients are in stable condition and are under medical observation, it said.
The ministry didn’t specify the number of diagnosed cases.

Macau’s China Visitors Plunge, Hurting Casinos (12:25 p.m.)

Visitor arrivals to Macau from mainland China have plunged 79% during the Lunar New Year holiday, as the impact from the virus outbreak deals a major blow to casino operators.
The number of Chinese visitors from Jan. 24-28 slumped to 127,149, according to data from Macau Government Tourist Office. While casinos in the world’s largest gambling hub remain open for now, the region has been effectively shut down. Nearby Hong Kong has restricted transportation from the mainland, while Beijing has stopped issuing visas for individual travel to both Hong Kong and Macau.
A Bloomberg Intelligence index of Macau casino operators dropped as much as 5.1% on Wednesday, the most intraday in almost six months.

China Removes Health Official Over Virus (11:58 a.m.):

China removed a health official from his post in the government’s first dismissal related to the coronavirus outbreak.

The official with Tianjin’s health commission, Wang Zengtian, has been removed from his post for “severe dereliction of duty and irresponsibility” related to coronavirus, local media Jinyun reported Tuesday.
The report didn’t detail what the official did to prompt the action. The government has vowed to punish officials who delay virus information. The ruling Communist Party is anxious to avoid a repeat of SARS, during which it was criticized for initially covering up the scale of the problem.

Evacuation Begins for U.S. Citizens in Wuhan (9:58 a.m.):

A plane taking U.S. citizens out of Wuhan has taken off from the city at the center of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a U.S. government official.
The U.S. State Department has been working with Chinese authorities to bring back American consulate personnel and other citizens from Wuhan. The plane is expected to land in Ontario, California. The state department said travelers would be screened and monitored.

Hong Kong Stocks Tumble as Trading Resumes (9:36 a.m.):

Investors in Hong Kong caught up with the rapidly spreading virus outbreak, as the Hang Seng Index dropped as much as 3% in early trading. Financial markets in Hong Kong opened for the first time this week following the Lunar New Year break.
Financial markets in China will reopen on Monday after the central government extended the holidays on the mainland. China pledged to provide abundant liquidity for money markets and urged investors to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus objectively.

Australians Urged to Reconsider China Travel (8:57 a.m.):

Australia updated its travel advice, urging citizens to reconsider all travel to China, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
The advisory comes as the country is preparing a plan to help evacuate Australians from the city of Wuhan and Hubei province. Evacuated citizens will be quarantined on Christmas Island for up to 14 days.

Other countries, including the U.S., also are working to evacuate their citizens in Wuhan.

Japan’s First Wuhan Evacuation Flight Arrives (8:20 a.m.):

Japan’s first charter flight carrying evacuees from Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the outbreak, landed in Tokyo on Wednesday. The plane was carrying 206 people, according to the Japanese government.
The passengers will be subject to two weeks home quarantine, the government has said. Other countries, including the U.S. and Australia, also are working to evacuate their citizens in Wuhan.

China Virus Cases Surpass Those From SARS (8:09 a.m.):

The number of infected cases in mainland China soared to 5,974, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. That’s more than the 5,327 cases officially reported in the country during in the SARS epidemic 17 years ago.
The death toll climbed to 132, with most of the cases in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak. The province added 25 fatalities on Wednesday. Almost 60,000 patients are under observations, the NHC said, double the number from earlier in the week.