Coronavirus updates: China’s new cases drop below 100
- China reports decrease in new cases.
- WHO describes outbreak as “deeply concerning.”
- Global death toll rises above 3,400.
- Number of confirmed cases in Germany climbs to 670.
Read more: What you need to know about the coronavirus
Updates in Universal Coordinated Time (UTC/GMT)
10:00 Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte will declare a public health emergency to help contain the spread of the new coronavirus, after the country recorded its first case of community transmission, officials said on Saturday.
09:45 An Iranian lawmaker, 55-year-old Fatemeh Rahbar, died from COVID-19 on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. She is the second lawmaker killed by the virus in Iran and one of seven politicians and government officials who have died in the outbreak since the country reported its first cases in mid-February.
07:52 US officials have yet to decide on where to allow the cruise ship Grand Princess, with 21 virus cases aboard, to dock in California. President Donald Trump said he would have preferred not to let the passengers disembark onto American soil but would defer to the recommendations of medical experts. Meanwhile, 15 Americans have been quarantined in a hotel in Bethlehem over COVID-19 fears, said the Palestinian government.
07:30 The spread of the new COVID-19 virus is straining Germany’s complex healthcare system. The number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 670, according to the John Hopkins University. To understand more about the kind of pressure Germany’s healthcare system is currently facing, read this piece: Coronavirus in Germany: Health care system under pressure
06:16 The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan has jumped to four, Reuters reported, citing the country’s health ministry. Of these, three cases have been registered in western Herat province, officials said. The province borders neighboring Iran, one of the countries worst affected by the virus outside of China, with over 4,000 cases and more than 100 deaths.
05:08 The coronavirus death toll in the United States rose to 17. Two deaths were reported in the southern state of Florida, and four more deaths were reported in Washington state, the epicenter of the outbreak, where 14 people have died.
03:44 Chinese exports this year have fallen 17.4%, the biggest drop since February of last year when the US-China trade war was heating up.
03:22 Mexican authorities reported their sixth confirmed case of the novel coronavirus. The man, who contracted the virus abroad, is in “grave condition.”
02:48 The US State Department warned its nationals against traveling to the central Asian countries of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, citing coronavirus concerns.
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02:02 Iceland declared a state of emergency after two Icelandic nationals contracted the novel coronavirus in the country. The new cases brought the total number of cases to 43, reported Iceland Monitor news site.
Italy has become one of the hardest hit countries in Europe
01:53 The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said at least two attendees of its annual conference in Washington have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
01:32 Two health screeners at Los Angeles International Airport have tested positive for coronavirus, reported Reuters news agency, citing an internal document.
01:18 South Korea reported 174 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.
Read more: Opinion: Will the new coronavirus spell the end of globalization?
00:37 Saudi Arabia limited landed crossings with Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, citing concerns about the coronavirus, reported the official SPA news agency.
00:24 Chinese authorities report 99 new cases, marking a drop from 143 a day before. The death toll in China reached 3,070 of which the overwhelming majority is located in the Hubei province, dubbed the epicenter of the outbreak.
Read more: A coronavirus vaccine isn’t coming very quickly
sri, ls/rc (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-updates-china-s-new-cases-drop-below-100/a-52673911?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf