Coronavirus | Live updates: China, Italy report more COVID-19 deaths

Nurses prepare to deliver yoghurt to patients at a temporary hospital set for COVID-19 coronavirus patients in Wuhan on March 5, 2020. | Photo Credit: AFP

TH, March 7, 2020: More than 100,300 people have been infected globally by coronavirus, according to a Reuters tally based on statements from health ministries and government officials. Mainland China has seen more than 3,000 deaths, but the novel coronavirus is now spreading faster elsewhere.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said every country should make containing the epidemic its top priority, pointing to Iran's national action plan to combat one of the worst outbreaks after a slow start.

China on Saturday reported 28 new deaths from the COVID-19 outbreak, bringing the nationwide toll to 3,070.

There were 99 fresh cases of infection, according to the National Health Commission, with a rise in new cases outside the virus epicentre of Hubei province for a third consecutive day.

In India, till March 6, 2020, 31 people have reported positive. A 76-year-old tourist from the United States has tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan, alarming Assam where he had spent a considerable time before visiting the Himalayan country.

The death toll from an outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy has risen by 49 to 197, the Civil Protection Agency said, the largest daily increase in fatalities

Here are the updates

CHINA

China reports 28 virus deaths, rise in new cases outside epicentre

China on Saturday reported 28 new deaths from the coronavirus outbreak, bringing the nationwide toll to 3,070.

There were 99 fresh cases of infection, according to the National Health Commission, with a rise in new cases outside the virus epicentre of Hubei province for a third consecutive day.

There were 25 new cases reported outside the central province, which remains under lockdown in a bid to control the spread of the virus.

ITALY

Death toll nears 200 in Italy

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has risen by 49 to 197, the Civil Protection Agency said, the largest daily increase in fatalities since the contagion was uncovered two weeks ago.

Italy is currently reporting more deaths per day from the virus than any other country in the world and the government this week ordered the closure of schools, universities, cinemas and theatres around the country to try to stem the infections.

The cumulative number of cases in the country, which has been the hardest hit in Europe by the epidemic, totalled 4,636 compared with 3,858 on Thursday.

SOUTH KOREA

S.Korea confirms 174 new coronavirus cases, total to 6,767

South Korea's new confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday rose by 174 from late Friday, taking the national tally to 6,767, the Korea Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.

The death toll remained unchanged at 44 from late Friday, the KCDC added.

The number of the contagious disease has spiked in South Korea since mid-February when a 61-year-old woman known as ”Patient 31” tested positive after attending religious services at a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southeastern city of Daegu.

The coronavirus, which emerged in China, has spread to more than 90 countries, infecting more than 100,000 people and killing over 3,400 people globally.

UNITED NATIONS

Coronavirus: UN asks 9 countries to delay peacekeeper rotations

The United Nations has asked nine countries, including China, South Korea and France, to delay by three months the rotations of their UN peacekeeping forces due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The request was made on Friday to the countries “to maintain operational strength and execute their mandated tasks,” diplomatic sources at the UN said.

The nine countries also include Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, India, Italy and Germany — all of which have experienced significant outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus.

The UN peacekeeping missions, known as the Blue Helmets, are under constant reassessment in relation to the rotations of the soldiers and police, who are deployed to the mission by their home countries.

The UN wants to keep the deployed troops healthy while maintaining the continuity of the operations.

The Blue Helmets have around 100,000 people in peacekeeping operations in 15 countries.

USA

Overall risk to the American public from COVID-19 remains low: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said the overall risk to the American public from deadly COVID-19 remains low.

"I think at this point, the overall risk to the American public does remain low," Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday after he visited Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker at least 299 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the US and 14 people have died due to it.

The total number of cases globally stands at 101,88 with 3,460 deaths, as per the data compiled by the university. India has reported 31 cases of COVID-19, the university said.

COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Coronavirus infects 100,000-plus worldwide

Twenty-one people aboard a cruise ship that was barred from docking in San Francisco have tested positive for coronavirus, U.S. officials said on Friday, adding to the more than 100,000 cases of the fast-spreading illness across the world.

Vice President Mike Pence, recently appointed as the U.S. government's point man on the outbreak, said the cruise ship Grand Princess will be brought to an unspecified non-commercial port where all 2,400 some passengers and 1,100 crew members will now be tested.

“Those that need to be quarantined, will be quarantined. Those that require additional medical attention will receive it,” Pence told reporters at the White House.

OUTBREAK IN CRUISE SHIP

21 people test positive for virus aboard cruise ship off San Francisco

Twenty-one people have tested positive for COVID-19 aboard a cruise ship denied entry to San Francisco Bay this week after a number of passengers and crew developed flu-like symptoms on the vessel, which was linked to previously confirmed COVID-19 infections.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, announcing results of the tests during a White House briefing, also said the cruise ship Grand Princess will be brought to an unspecified non-commercial port where all passengers and crew, about 3,500 people, will be tested for COVID-19.

Diagnostic test kits were flown by an Air National Guard helicopter on Thursday to the cruise ship, where medical staff took samples from 46 passengers and crew to determine if they have contracted the respiratory virus.

ON N95 MASK

Want N95 mask? Get doctor’s prescription

In a new mandate to curb unnecessary demand, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration on Friday said that chemists cannot sell N95 masks without a doctors prescription. The FDA also warned that serious action would be taken against those who are found selling masks at high prices or hoarding them.

“Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and N95 masks are being sold at very high prices in medical shops.The State has received many complaints about the same. It has also been found that many are making bulk purchases and hording PPE kits and N95 masks,” FDA commissioner Arun Unhale stated in his circular, adding that it is now compulsory to sell the kits and masks only on doctors prescription.