Beginning with China, the COVID-19 infection has managed to make its way into over 45 countries and ravaging a few more than the others. As of now, 82,446 cases have been confirmed across the world and 2,808 deaths have been reported. On Thursday, the condition only worsened across the world. Here is a brief update.
China still the most affected
China continues to be the worst-hit region in the region in the world with 78,497 confirmed cases and 2,744. According to China's National Health Commission, 433 cases were reported on Wednesday along with 29 deaths.
Patients are seen at a temporary hospital converted from "Wuhan Livingroom" in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 10, 2020. In face of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, Wuhan authorities have transformed public venues such as exhibition centers and gymnasiums into temporary hospitals. The hospitals have a large capacity of treating patients with mild symptoms and play an important role in isolating the source of infection and cutting off the routes of infection during epidemic prevention. The first batch of patients was hospitalized on Feb. 5. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi/IANS)Xinhua/IANS
In a bid to encourage citizens to voluntarily report symptoms, officials in the city of Qianjiang in the Hubei province have announced a reward of $1,400 to patients who report symptoms by their own volition and test positive post-admission.
A worker of Junjiang Industrial Limited Company arranges disposable surgical gowns in Yilong New District at Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan in southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 21, 2020. Medical supply companies in Yilong New District have been producing medical supplies at full capacity to support the fight against the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin/IANS)Xinhua/IANS
Also, China's Immigration Administration has asked low-risk areas within the nation to resume issuance of visas to both Chinese and foreign travellers in order to enable the nation to get back on its feet.
Workers make face masks at the workshop of a company in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 28, 2020. To help fight the outbreak of pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus, workers of local medical material companies in Hubei Province rushed back to work to make protective masks, clothing and other protective equipment to guarantee the supplies. (Xinhua/Cai YangIANS)Xinhua/IANS
Cases in South Korea increase
Adding to the increasing number of confirmed cases in South Korea, which currently stands at 1,595 according to GISAID, hundreds of cases were reported on Thursday.
Peng Zhiyong (C), head of the department of critical care medicine of Zhongnan Hospital, performs diagnosis on a patient with his colleagues in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 24, 2020. Central China's Hubei province reported 105 new confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and seven new deaths on Thursday, the provincial health authorities announced Friday. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi/IANS)IANS
The Mayor of Daegu, the city that is being considered the second epicentre of the global outbreak, announced that the thirteenth coronavirus death was reported in the city. However, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) did not confirm the report.
Several countries report new cases
Estonia and Demark reported their first confirmed cases, increasing the number of European countries with confirmed cases to over 15. Meanwhile, the number of cases in Iran and Iraq are on the rise.
Doctors speak with cured novel coronavirus pneumonia patients in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 6, 2020. A total of 23 novel coronavirus pneumonia patients were cured and discharged from hospital on Thursday after integrated treatment with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. (Xinhua/Li He/IANS)Xinhua/IANS
The toll increased to 141 cases and 22 deaths in Iran, while the number of cases in Iraq increases to six. Religious travel in Iraq and Saudi Arabia is hampered due to the viral outbreak.
Workers of Junjiang Industrial Limited Company package medical gloves in Yilong New District at Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan in southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 21, 2020. Medical supply companies in Yilong New District have been producing medical supplies at full capacity to support the fight against the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbi/IANS)Xinhua/IANS
World on brink of coronavirus pandemic: Australian PM
Scott Morrison, Prime Minster of Australia said on Thursday that there are clear indications that the world will soon face a pandemic. "The advice we have received today is...there is every indication that the world will soon enter a pandemic phase of the coronavirus," he said at a conference.
A thermal screening being carried out on the passengers arriving from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, at the IGI airport in New Delhi on Feb 2, 2020. National carrier Air India's second special flight to Wuhan, landed at the IGI airport here on Sunday with 323 Indian and seven Maldivian citizens onboard. (Photo: IANS)IANS
Assuring US citizens that the nation was ready to take on the infection, US President Donald Trump announced that Vice President Mike Pence will head the nation's response towards the spread of the disease. He also did not rule out temporary restrictions on travel to the infection besieged nations such as South Korean Italy.
