Global Economy Takes Hit Amid Coronavirus Outbreak As More Americans Evacuated To California

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Nearly 500 people have died from the novel coronavirus in China and more than 24,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, with six in California — two in the Southland.

In China, authorities were instituting a tough approach to contain the virus with social media posts apparently showing a woman being arrested in a grocery store after refusing to wear a face mask and another woman beaten after reportedly declining to have her temperature taken. One house was even locked by authorities with a family inside.

But back in the United States, the virus is expected to take a toll on the economy. According to Goldman Sachs, a 0.4% decrease was expected in economic growth for the first three months of the year — partially blamed on an expected drop in Chinese tourism.

Delta and American Airlines had previously announced that they were suspending travel to and from China, and United on Tuesday said it would follow suit — suspending travel to China and Hong Kong starting Thursday.

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Even Nike was feeling the financial impact, according to Reuters.

The company announced it has temporarily shut down half of the Nike-owned stores in the county.

"They must close the shops, because they are at home," Sherry, a traveler headed to Beijing said. "They are not going to the public area."

In Macau, the world's gambling capital, January figures plummeted 87% compared to last year — despite the Lunar New Year holiday that typically boosts tourism and income.

"I think everyone is impacted," on traveler said. "We have to work together to control this, I think."

All of this comes as more Americans were being evacuated from China and repatriated to the United States. Two planes carrying those evacuees left Tuesday and were expected to arrive Wednesday at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

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Though flight data showed those two flights were scheduled to arrive at March Air Reserve Base, where the first plane of evacuees landed last week, early Wednesday morning. But officials said the Riverside base was a back-up location in the event the planes were diverted.

The evacuees will be held on a mandatory 14-day quarantine before being released to their final destinations.