Coronavirus: China accuses US of causing panic and 'spreading fear'

The Chinese government has accused the United States of causing "panic" in its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

It follows the US decision to declare a public health emergency and deny entry to foreign nationals who had visited China in the past two weeks.

There are more than 17,000 confirmed cases of the virus in China. Some 361 people have died in the mainland alone.

Outside China, there are more than 150 confirmed cases of the virus - and one death, in the Philippines.

In a news briefing on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the US actions "could only create and spread fear" instead of offering assistance - saying it was the first country to impose a travel ban on Chinese travellers and the first to suggest a partial withdrawal of its embassy staff.

"It is precisely developed countries like the US with strong epidemic prevention capabilities... that have taken the lead in imposing excessive restrictions contrary to WHO recommendations," she said, according to a Reuters report.

A handful of countries like Australia also imposed an entry ban on Chinese travellers shortly after the US ban.

On Monday, Hong Kong said it was suspending from midnight local time (16:00 GMT) 10 out of 13 border crossings with mainland China.

The WHO has actually warned that closing borders could accelerate the spread of the virus, if travellers enter countries unofficially.