TOP DESTINATION FOR TRAVELERS FROM WUHAN? THAILAND. I think that not closing down air travel from China is likely a big mistake. I understand the reluctance — it’ll have major economic impact, and if you do it you’ll have to keep it in place for several weeks minimum — but I think it’s probably a big mistake.

Related: Scientist who simulated the global impact of a coronavirus outbreak says ‘ the cat’s already out of the bag’ and calls China’s efforts to contain the disease ‘unlikely to be effective.’

UPDATE: Michael Yon emails from Baghdad: “Thailand is about to be hit hard. I am here checking. Bangkok hospital isolation rooms already are full. Am not sure if this is reported. But Bangkok is biggest destination for Wuhan travellers, and Bangkok airport is an amazing global hub.” Well, stay tuned. The big question is whether the Xi’s Disease is more serious than is being reported. If it’s really somewhere in the neighborhood of a bad seasonal flu, that’s one thing. But if the Chinese are lying and it’s more serious — which is possible given the Chinese tendency to lie and also how panicked the Chinese Government is acting — then it’s much worse. And if it’s really infectious for two weeks before symptoms appear, screening is useless and it may already be too late for a travel shutdown to work. We should hope that it’s no worse than most reports suggest.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Wuhan mayor admits ‘withholding information’ about the coronavirus outbreak after revealing FIVE MILLION residents had left the city before it went into lockdown. Well, that’s not good.