China exempts US imports from tariffs for virus fight

Workers checking the temperature of customers at the entrance of Sam's Club in Nantong in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on Saturday (Feb 1). China's death toll from a new virus rose to 259 as Beijing announced US imports that can be used in China's fight against a deadly new virus will be exempted from retaliatory tariffs imposed in the trade war. - AP

BEIJING: Beijing announced on Saturday (Feb 1) that US imports that can be used in China's fight against a deadly new virus will be exempted from retaliatory tariffs imposed in the trade war.

The decision comes as China is scrambling to contain the spread of the virus which has overwhelmed hospitals and caused shortages of medical supplies in the worst affected city, Wuhan.