CHINA, Mar 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) – COVID-19 continued its spread across the globe, despite travel restrictions aimed at curtailing its spread.
As the global death toll reached over 3,000, South Korea said, it has confirmed 599 new cases, far higher than the daily tally reported in China. With 4,335 confirmed infections and at least 28 deaths, South Korea has the second-largest national caseload. However, it has tested more than 100,000 people, far more than most nations.
In the United States, where two deaths were reported over the weekend, bringing the total to nine, tests have taken place at a far slower pace. Genetic analysis suggested, the COVID-19, has probably been spreading undetected for about six weeks in Washington state. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took steps to sharply expand testing.
Italy now has more than 1,600 confirmed cases and 52 deaths, while Iran surpassed 1,500, with 66 deaths. Travellers from both countries appear to have spread the virus to other nations in the Middle East and Europe. Elsewhere, Indonesia, one of the few large nations thought to be free of the virus, said, it had two confirmed cases, while others were reported in Australia, India, and Portugal.
The number of deaths worldwide reached over 3,000 with infections exceeding 90,000.
Here are the latest developments:
- The number of deaths worldwide is now more than 3,000, with infections exceeding 90,000
- More than 90 percent are in Hubei, China, but there have been deaths in 10 other countries
- The European Union disease prevention agency raises risk level to “moderate to high”
- The leader of a South Korean church (which South Korea labels a cult) linked to the outbreak gets on his knees to apologise
- Iran reported 66 deaths, including Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a high-ranking adviser to the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
- Indonesia, Iceland, Portugal, Armenia, the Czech Republic, and Andorra confirm their first cases
- Australia confirms the first person-to-person transmission
- China reports 42 more deaths — a total of 2,912.
Many are dependent on China’s 300 million migrant workers, a third of whom are still not working because of quarantine rules. It is expected that China’s economic growth will take a significant hit in the first half of this year because of the impact coronavirus has on business and spending in the country.
There was one silver lining to the fall in Chinese output though: NASA said pollution monitoring satellites detected significant decreases in nitrogen dioxide over the country, which evidence suggests is “at least partly” related to the economic slowdown caused by the outbreak.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States jumped by two dozen over the weekend, as the first two deaths from the outbreak were confirmed.
New cases of the virus were announced in Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington state, New York and Florida, bringing the U.S. total to 89 as of Monday morning, up from 65 on Friday night.
The new cases prompted emergency declarations in at least two states and sparked new warnings. Schools in Seattle, Portland, and Rhode Island all announced closures for cleaning this week, after presumptive positive cases linked to either students or staff.
The EU’s watchdog for diseases — the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) — upgraded its risk assessment in Europe to “moderate to high.” That’s based on the fact that some cases can’t be linked to a specific chain of transmission, and the growing number of countries reporting incidences of the virus. Eighteen EU member states will work together to buy protective equipment for medical professionals.
European health ministers will meet on Friday (tomorrow), national border officials are meeting regularly, and finance ministers from the countries using the euro single currency will hold a conference call on Tuesday. EU Budget Commissioner, Paolo Gentiloni, warned it would be optimistic to expect a quick economic recovery. But the message from Brussels was not to panic.
Europe has not been as hard hit as China, but several member countries have had outbreaks and the EU is scrambling to coordinate the health response. Italy has had it worst, with 1,694 people testing positive. “As of this morning, we have 2,100 confirmed cases in 18 EU member states and we have 38 citizens who have lost their lives,” EU Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, said.
