Coronavirus latest: Over 300,000 confirmed cases worldwide

• The global death toll from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 13,000 people with more than 307,000 known infected
• Nearly 1 billion people around the world were confined to their homes as countries and regions restrict movement

• Italy has ordered all non-essential production to shut down in what its prime minister called the country’s “gravest crisis since World War II.”

WHO information and resources are available via WhatsApp:

Updates in Universal Coordinated Time (UTC/GMT)

09:58 Iran has described the United States’ offer to assist the Islamic Republic as “strange,” as it battles the coronavirus pandemic.

The country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech: “Several times Americans have offered to help Iran to contain the virus … You are accused of creating this virus. I do not know whether it is true, but it is strange that you want to help Iran.”

Iran is the most-affected country in the Middle East with over 1,500 coronavirus deaths and 20,610 people infected.

“Aside from the fact that you have shortages in your fight against the virus, what if you give us a drug that will help the virus to remain in Iran permanently?” Khamenei added.

“Our number one enemy is America. It is the most wicked, sinister enemy of Iran … its leaders are charlatans,” Khamenei said.

Iranian authorities have blamed crippling US sanctions for hindering Tehran’s efforts to combat the outbreak. The Trump administration has thus far refused to lift sanctions.

Read more: In a pandemic, community-centered care must take precedence 

09:53 Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization (WHO), has warned countries of the dangers of lifting lockdowns prematurely, saying that doing so could then cause a rise in cases once more.

Ryan was speaking on the WHO’s World Water Day, whereby the UN’s health body reminds citizens of the need for good sanitation in order to prevent and contain outbreaks.

09:29 Indonesia has reported 64 new coronavirus cases and 10 new deaths, a health ministry official said. The country now has a total of 514 cases and 48 deaths.

08:51 The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has threatened citizens with jail sentences of up to six months if they contravene isolation orders, police said.

The NSW police revealed they had power under the Public Health Act to enforce public health orders and charge offenders.

08:16 The Czech Republic has announced it now has 1,047 reported cases of COVID-19. Romania has confirmed its first death from the disease.

07:45 A 39-year-old man has become the first confirmed infection of the new coronavirus in Eritrea. Thirty-nine African nations in total have thus now detected cases of COVID-19.

Read more: Fake news obstructs Africa’s coronavirus response

07:41 Turkish Airlines said 85% of its passenger planes are not being used as a result of flight cancellations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

07:15 The former Real Madrid president, Lorenzo Sanz, has died aged 76 due to COVID-19. He had initially decided to stay home when he was first diagnosed rather than add to the pressure of an already wilting Spanish health service due to the number of infections in the country. However, he was finally admitted to hospital on Tuesday after suffering from fever for eight days.

Sanz presided over the Spanish football club in the late 1990s when the giants lifted the European Cup in 1998 after a 32-year wait.

Lorenzo Sanz (right), then-president of Real Madrid, and team coach Jupp Heynckes of Germany, hold the Champions League trophy in 1998

06:30 On order of President Vladimir Putin, the Russian military will begin sending medical help to Italy starting Sunday in order to help the country battle the overwhelming number of cases of COVID-19 there, Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Along with China and Iran, Italy has been a global center of the outbreak and has seen more infections than any other country. As of early Sunday Italy reported 53,378 confirmed infections, though experts have said the true number of cases is likely much higher.

Russia, on the other hand, has seen comparatively few reported infections, with just 306 confirmed cases as of Sunday.

Read more: Is Russia running a coronavirus disinformation campaign? 

Though Friday’s Olympic flame-lighting ceremony in Japan was not open to the public due to coronavirus prevention measures, spectators have flocked to see the flame over the weekend

06:17 Tens of thousands of people flocked to a cauldron with the Olympic flame in northeastern Japan over the weekend despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The flame arrived in Japan to a scaled-down welcoming ceremony on Friday as doubts grew over whether the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will go ahead on schedule as the deadly virus causes chaos around the world.

Read more: What happens if the Olympics are cancelled?

05:48 All international passengers arriving in Beijing will be redirected to 12 designated entry points located throughout China starting Monday, the country’s Civil Aviation Administration said Sunday.

In recent days mainland China has experienced a rise in the number of coronavirus infections involving travelers arriving from abroad, even as zero locally transmitted cases were reported on Saturday for the third day in a row.

Read more: How has Taiwan kept its coronavirus infection rate so low?

04:56 Thailand reported 188 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday, taking the total number of cases to 599. The country has reported one death.

“Most of the new cases were found in Bangkok and were among young people who continue to have social activities, which can lead to more infections,” said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the Public Health Ministry, while calling on citizens to stay at home as the government attempts to control the outbreak.

04:48 Spain has ramped up its efforts to contain the coronavirus epidemic, mobilizing health workers and setting up emergency field hospitals, as the country reported 24,926 confirmed cases and 1,326 deaths.

“We must prepare ourselves emotionally and psychologically for very hard days ahead,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised address, as the country mobilized close to 52,000 health workers, including retired doctors and nurses.

Madrid prepared a field hospital for coronavirus patients in the capital

04:46 Close to 1 billion people worldwide were confined to their homes on Sunday, as the COVID-19 death toll crossed 13,000. Over 300,000 coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide.

Lockdowns have been enforced in 35 countries around the world, a day after Italy’s death toll rose sharply to 4,800. Many governments have closed borders and passed emergency funds to ensure that businesses do not crumble under pressure.

Read more: What the next 18 months could look like, if leaders buy us time

04:32 Sri Lanka has detained nearly 300 people for breaking a curfew imposed by the country to control the coronavirus outbreak. 

Police said 291 people were detained for being on the streets after the curfew, which started on Friday and will be lifted Tuesday. The country has adopted a range of strict measures as the number of confirmed cases rises to 77.

04:14 Japan has confirmed two new COVID-19 cases at a medical center that had earlier reported 12 coronavirus infections. After two more nurses tested positive for the virus at the Oita Medical Center, the facility is being looked at as a suspected cluster.

Diagnostic tests are being conducted for close to 600 patients and staff members.

The country recorded 1,055 cases of domestically transmitted coronavirus on Sunday. This does not include the 712 cases for people were aboard a cruise ship moored near Tokyo.

03:53 Ecuador reported 532 confirmed coronavirus cases and seven deaths, prompting the country’s health and labor ministers to resign on Saturday. 

03:51 Colombia recorded its first coronavirus-related death on Saturday, the Health Ministry has confirmed. A 58-year-old man working as a taxi driver was the country’s first coronavirus casualty.

Earlier this month the victim had two Italian tourists in his taxi. Two days later he began to show symptoms, the Health Ministry said, adding the man had hypertension and diabetes.

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Contaminated door handles

  Current research says the coronavirus family of viruses can survive on some surfaces, like door handles, for an average of four to five days. Like all droplet infections, SARS-CoV-2 can spread via hands and frequently touched surfaces. Although it hasn’t previously been seen in humans and therefore hasn’t been studied in detail, experts believe it spreads similarly to other known coronaviruses.

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Not so delicious

  A certain degree of caution is called for when eating lunch at your work cafeteria or in a cafe — that is, if they haven’t been closed yet. Technically, coronaviruses can contaminate cutlery or crockery if they’re coughed on by an infected person. But the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) states that “no infections with SARS-CoV-2 via this transmission route are known to date.”

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Virus-carrying teddy bears?

  Should parents fear a possible infection from imported toys? It’s unlikely, say the BfR. As of yet, there are no cases of an infection via imported toys or other goods. Initial laboratory tests show that the pathogens can remain infectious for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel – especially in high humidity and cold settings.

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Packages, letters and shipped goods

  A recent study from the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in the US found the novel coronavirus can survive up to 72 hours on stainless steel and up to 24 hours on cardboard surfaces — in an ideal laboratory setting. But because the survival of the virus is dependent on many factors like temperature and humidity, the BfR says getting infected from handling the post is “rather unlikely.”

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Can my dog infect me, or can I infect my dog?

  Experts consider the risk of pets being infected with the coronavirus to be very low. But they can’t yet rule it out. The animals themselves show no symptoms, so they don’t become ill. However, if they are infected, it is possible they could transmit coronaviruses via the air or via excretions (their poop).

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Fruit and vegetables: suddenly dangerous?

  “Unlikely.” According to the BfR, transmitting SARS-CoV-2 via contaminated food is not likely to happen and, so far, there are no proven cases of infection this way. As the viruses are heat-sensitive, heating food during cooking can further reduce the risk of infection. Of course, you should thoroughly wash your hands before cooking and eating — and this goes for anytime, regardless of corona!

• 
  

  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  Contaminated frozen food

  Although the SARS and MERS coronaviruses known to date don’t like heat, they are quite immune to the cold. Research shows they can remain infectious at minus 20 degrees Celsius for up to two years. But the BfR gives frozen food the all-clear. So far, there’s no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection via the consumption of any food, including frozen food.

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  Hands off! What can we touch during the coronavirus outbreak?

  But leave those wild animals alone!

  The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted many extraordinary measures and China’s ban of the consumption of wild animals is no exception. There is compelling research to suggest the novel coronavirus originated in bats before being passed to humans via another intermediate animal. But it’s not the animals we need to blame — experts say humans are exposed to these viruses via our interaction with animals.

  Author: Julia Vergin (cs)

03:48 El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, imposed a 30-day curfew in the Central American country late Saturday. 

03:40 Singapore has restricted the entry of all short-term visitors starting the end of the day on Monday. No visitors will be allowed to transit or enter the city-state once the ban comes into motion.

Only work pass holders who are involved in the provision of essential services will be allowed to return or enter. The country has reported 432 coronavirus cases, almost 80% of which were imported.

03:26 The government of Hong Kong urged its citizens to practice social distancing amidst a rise in number of coronavirus cases in the territory. Most of the 274 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the territory are either imported or those who have been in touch with people who have recently traveled.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) asked citizens to “maintain an appropriate social distance with other people” and cut down on going out or engaging in social activities.

“In view of the proliferation of the disease and continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong,” a CHP spokesperson said in a statement.

02:25 Everyone traveling to Hawaii will be subject to a 14-day quarantine starting Thursday, the state’s governor said on Saturday. The state currently has 48 confirmed coronavirus cases.

”We need to come together as a community to fight this virus,” Governor David Ige said. ”This mandate is the first of its kind in the nation. We want this action to send the message to visitors and residents alike that we appreciate their love for Hawaii, but we are asking them to postpone their visit.”

As of Thursday, travelers arriving on Hawaii will face a two-week quarantine

02:12 The Philippines reported 73 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 380. The death toll stands at 25, with six more deaths reported by the Health Ministry. 

02:06 Amazon on Saturday announced a raise in overtime pay for employees working in the Internet company’s warehouses. 

The raise comes as the online retail giant tries to meet the shopping demand from customers who are at home because of widespread lockdowns put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus. 

The employees will get double pay — up from 1.5 times — after 40 hours of overtime for the period of time between March 15 and May 9. This is the second increase in pay for Amazon workers after the company increased the minimum hourly rate for associates to $17 from $15 early this week.

01:52 India has begun its 14-hour curfew to combat the spread of COVID-19. The curfew has been imposed from 7 a.m. (local time) until 9 p.m. Many modes of public transport were suspended, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to “stay indoors and stay healthy.”

01:45 North Korea on Saturday said that it received a letter from US President Donald Trump, in which the president praised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for his efforts “to defend his people” from coronavirus.

A senior official from the Trump administration confirmed to Reuters news agency that a letter had been sent. 

North Korea said the letter was indicative of “the special and very firm personal relations” shared by the leaders, adding that Trump had “expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work.”

This comes soon after North Korea launched two short-range missiles earlier on Saturday.

01:32 Mexico reported 251 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country on Saturday, up by 48 infections from the day earlier. The country has created a comic superhero to remind people to observe social distancing guidelines.

01:30 South Korea reported 98 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, increasing the total number of coronavirus infections in the country to 8,897. While there was a small bump in the numbers on Saturday, the overall downward trend continued in the country.

01:20 Walt Disney will delay the launch of its streaming service, Disney+, in France by two weeks. The decision was taken at the request of the French government.

Disney+ will be launched in other major European markets on March 24, but the quality of video offered will be degraded to “ensure the smooth functioning of the broadband infrastructure.” The company plans to lower “overall bandwidth utilization by at least 25%” at the time of the launch.

01:05 Coronavirus tests for US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, have come back negative, the VP’s press secretary said on Twitter.

Both were tested for COVID-19 after a member of Pence’s staff tested positive for the virus earlier this week. 

00:52 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison may announce the second economic rescue package for the country on Saturday amid coronavirus fears. With a value of AUD 66 billion (€35 billion, $38.2 billion), this economic stimulus package is not expected to be the last.

“We want to help businesses keep going as best they can or to pause instead of falling apart,” he told the Sun-Herald newspaper Sunday. “We want to ensure that when this crisis has passed Australia can bounce back. There is a lot of pain coming but we’re going to cushion the blow as best we can.”

The package is aimed at allowing small businesses to stay afloat, with 100,000 Australian dollars being transferred to such enterprises so that they can keep their staff and not pack up.

The PM also added that the country may also look at implementing draconian measures to ensure social distancing during this health crisis.

00:40 Mainland China reported 46 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, 45 of which were imported. Six deaths were reported.

China’s Hubei province, which has been the COVID-19 epicenter in China, reported no new cases of infection on Saturday. Five deaths were reported in the province.

00:22 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first rapid coronavirus test on Saturday. The new test has a detection time of approximately 45 minutes.

Currently, getting results can take days, as the samples are sent to a centralized lab. As the US attempts to meet the increasing demand for testing, the new diagnostic test has been developed by Cepheid, a California-based molecular diagnostics company. 

It will be shipped to hospitals and emergency rooms starting next week, the company said in a statement.

00:12 Panama recorded two more coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, bringing the total number of fatalities to three. The Central American country has 245 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

00:09 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that it could take just two weeks for the country’s National Health Service (NHS) to be “overwhelmed” by the COVID-19 pandemic, like the Italian health care system. The death toll in the UK hit 233 on Saturday after 53 people died after being infected.

“Unless we act together, unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread — then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed,” he was reported saying in multiple Sunday newspapers, as he called on citizens to stay home as much as possible. 

“The Italians have a superb health care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand,” Johnson added.

00:07 The Gaza strip announced its first two cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. The Palestinian Health Ministry said both people had recently traveled from Pakistan and were currently in isolation at a medical facility in the southern city of Rafah.

This has raised new fears about the spread of the pandemic in the strip, where the health care system is trying to contain the threat of COVID-19 despite the Israeli-Egyptian blockade. 

00:05 After closing Sydney’s Bondi Beach to tourists, 11 beaches south of Bondi were also closed on Sunday in line with Australia’s social distancing decree. 

The country has banned gatherings of over 500 people and asked everyone to maintain a 1.5-meter distance from each other to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

Bondi beach in Sydney was closed after people failed to follow social distancing rules

00:02 Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday ordered a nationwide closure of all non-essential factories and companies until April 3.

“The decision taken by the government is to close down all productive activity throughout the territory that is not strictly necessary, crucial, indispensable, to guarantee us essential goods and services,” he said on TV.

Essentials like groceries and pharmacies will stay open as will postal and banking services, he stressed, adding that the country is living through “its gravest crisis since World War II.”

“We are slowing down the country’s production engine, but we are not stopping it,” Conte said.

Italy reported close to 800 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, taking the death toll to 4,825. The total number of infections rose by 4,800 to 53,578. 

00:00 Catch up on yesterday’s coronavirus developments here: Italy suffers through highest daily death toll

see,jsi/kl (AP, Reuters, dpa, AFP)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-latest-over-300-000-confirmed-cases-worldwide/a-52874174?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf