The virus has now spread to New York, Moscow and Berlin, as well as Latvia, Indonesia, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Jordan and Portugal. Global health officials sought to reassure the public that the virus remains a manageable threat. “Containment is feasible and must remain the top priority for all countries,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Across Japan, children stayed home after the government announced the closing of schools until April. In Paris, the galleries of the Louvre museum were off-limits. With Israel holding a national election, special voting booths were set up for those under quarantine. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel was rebuffed by her interior minister when she extended her hand to greet him. At the United Nations, officials said they were postponing a major conference on women that had been expected to bring up to 12,000 people from its 193 member countries to New York next week.
The death toll in the United States has reached 9 with escalating tensions over how to curb the coronavirus outbreak. All nine deaths have taken place in the state of Washington. The state alone has 27 confirmed cases. The United States has now over 100 cases spread across 15 states.
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 92,000 people with a death toll of 3100 worldwide, AP reported.
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The National Healthcare Service in the UK on Tuesday called the coronavirus the highest level of emergency by declaring it as a
"Level 4 Incident". Earlier today Britain unveiled a "battle plan" to reduce the impact and contain the spread of coronavirus. The United Kingdom till now has 51 confirmed cases of the virus which are "likely to increase" according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The plan would include shutting down schools and canceling large scale gatherings. As much as 20 percent of UK employees could stay home from work, Reuters reported.
An Indian army officer who returned from Iran on 25 February has been put under isolation in Madhya Pradesh due to an unsub coronavirus exposure.
A health official said that the officer was in an isolated ward in the military hospital near Indore while some senior army officials said he was at home. The location of his quarantine is still not clear. Dr. Santosh Sisodia, district in-charge of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program said "His condition is fine. He has been kept under medical observation in an isolation ward. His blood and swab samples being sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing".
The United States on Tuesday confirmed its seventh death in the state of Washington due to coronavirus. The country has 108 confirmed COVID-19 cases in 12 states, according to US health officials. All the novel coronavirus deaths took place in the state of Washington. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday confirmed 17 new cases of the novel coronavirus. The US Department of Homeland Security shut its office for 2 weeks after an employee had visited a nursing home that reported four deaths. The pubic transportation agency in New York taking to twitter said it was using 'enhanced sanitizing procedures' at trains and bus stations.
Jammu and Kashmir has been put on a high alert amid growing coronavirus fears. The UT has currently no positive COVID-19 case but more than 200 individuals with a travel history from high alert countries such as China, Iran, South Korea and Italy are being contacted and to date, 21 cases have been tested to be negative. "UT of J&K is in a state of alert. The surveillance for this virus has been increased ever since the first advisory was issued by the Government of India on 2nd February 2020," Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning and monitoring Information said while addressing reporters. Surveillance points at airports in the UT and checkpoints for travelers on road have been set up along with a 24*7 Data Control Centres to receive information of travelers coming from affected countries. (PTI)
Only 1 percent of the novel coronavirus cases that are registered in China are without symptoms, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday. The WHO chief addressing reporters in Geneva said "Evidence from China is that only one percent of reported cases do not have symptoms, and most of those cases develop symptoms within two days," PTI reported. This statement comes in response to the fears that COVID-19 can spread via people who appear healthy and have no apparent symptoms.
The World Health Organisation has claimed that protective gear such as masks and goggles used by health workers fighting the new coronavirus were running out, warning against "hoarding and misuse."
"We are concerned that countries' abilities to respond are being compromised by the severe and increasing disruption to the global supply of personal protective equipment ... caused by rising demand, hoarding and misuse," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, warning that "supplies are rapidly depleting." (AFP)
At least 24 persons, including 21 Italian tourists and three Indians, who had come in contact with the Italian national tested positive for coronavirus in Jaipur, have been shifted to the ITBP facility for testing. The tourist has been admitted to the isolation ward of Sawai Man Singh hospital. He was staying in a hotel in Jaipur and was admitted in a private hospital from where he was referred to a government hospital, Rohit Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Health said.
The total number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to six as an Italian tourist in Jaipur tested positive Tuesday for COVID-19. See here how to keep safe from the virus
A five-star hotel in Delhi has asked its staff to go on self-quarantine for 14 days and has enacted elevated precautionary operational protocols at the property as advised by the government.
The development comes after the government confirmed that the individual, who was tested positive for the virus on Monday, dined at La Piazza restaurant at Hyatt Regency Delhi on February 28. "All colleagues who were present at the restaurant on February 28, 2020, have been asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. Hyatt Regency Delhi has also started to conduct daily temperature checks for all colleagues and contractors when they enter and exit the building," Area VP and General Manager Julian Ayers said.
The patient had hosted a birthday party last Friday and all the people who attended have been put under observation. Samples of at least 20 people have been sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, and the results are awaited. Following this, a school in Noida was fumigated, where the children of the patient study.
(PTI)
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued circular to all airlines and their crew members with the guidelines for the prevention of the spread COVID-19:
-Ground handling staff entering international flights should have disposable protective gears like surgical masks, gloves
-Advisable that crew on all flights have protective gears like surgical masks and gloves.
- Adequate hand sanitising facilities should be there at multiple locations in airports for staff and passengers
-Ensure that adequate protective gears like surgical masks, gloves are available in flights for passengers
After the Italian tourist was tested positive with coronavirus, the Rajasthan Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma has instructed health officials to screen all those people who had come in contact with him. The team comprising of senior professors and epidemiologists will inspect hotels and excursions in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mandawa (Jhunjhunu) and Jaisalmer.
Jaipur Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Narottam Sharma said the room where the 69-year-old tourist stayed has been locked. "The room will be disinfected as per the procedure. The hotel authorities will be able to use it only after it is properly disinfected," Sharma said
In Hyderabad, the AYUSH department is distributing coronavirus preventive medicine.
A day after a Hyderabad person tested positive for coronavirus, Indio issued a statement saying that four crew members, who were onboard the Dubai-Bengaluru flight with the infected passenger on February 20, were kept under observation on Monday. "We're following all prescribed Airport Health Organization guidelines," the airline said.
The patient had travelled to Dubai from Bengaluru on February 17. He later travelled to Hyderabad on February 22 and consulted a private hospital complaining of fever. As his flu did not subside, he was referred to Gandhi Medical Hospital on March 1.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said 25 hospitals in the national capital are setting up isolation wards urging people to follow personal hygiene.
"Chief Minister was informed about the one positive case. In 25 hospitals, the process of setting up of isolation wards is underway. We have to take care of personal hygiene & develop a habit of washing our hands frequently," Sisodia said in a press conference.
He further said, "We are trying to get in touch with people who could be infected or were in contact with coronavirus-infected man."
Air India has asked passengers, who travelled on February 25 with a person who tested positive for coronavirus, to follow Union Health Ministry protocols. A Delhi resident on Monday was tested positive for novel coronavirus.
The directive as the Air India crew who had flown the Vienna-Delhi flight on February 25 on which he was the passenger to stay in isolation at their homes for 14 days. "This is for the attention of passengers who flew on AI154 Vienna-Delhi of 25th Feb' 20," Air India tweeted. "One of the passengers has tested positive for #coronavirus. Please follow the protocol notified by the Ministry of Health regarding Coronavirus."
Export restrictions on 26 pharma ingredients and medicines, including paracetamol, vitamin B1 and B12 have been put in place by the Centre. Apart from paracetamol, vitamin B1, B6 and B12, other APIs and formulations over which the export restrictions have been imposed include tinidazole, metronidazole, acyclovir, progesterone, chloramphenicol, ornidazole, formulations made of chloramphenicol, clindamycin salts, neomycin, and paracetamol.
Due to the restrictions, the export of these active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations will require a license from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
The Karnataka health department conducted medical screenings and took blood samples of all the 25 people who were working with the Bengaluru-based techie, who was tested positive for coronavirus in Hyderabad. The department also screened residents of the apartment where techie was staying along with one of his roommates.
“Once we received information from the Telangana health department about the techie on Monday, we traced all the contacts he made in two days after he returned from Dubai. Twenty-five people in the company, where he was working, have been isolated in their homes and screening is being carried. We have also contacted all the passengers on the bus in which he travelled and they have been screened. The blood samples of all the passengers of the flight, in which he traveled from Dubai to Bengaluru, have been collected as well,” Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said. READ MORE
The death toll in Iran has risen to 77 as 11 new deaths due to coronavirus have been reported. After China, Iran has become the second country with massive fatalities. There are now over 2,530 cases of the new coronavirus across the Mideast. Of those outside Iran in the region, most link back to the Islamic Republic.
Congress leader and former party chief Rahul Gandhi took a dig at PM Narendra Modi stating he should quit wasting India's time "playing the clown" with his social media accounts when India is facing an emergency."Dear @PMOIndia, Quit wasting India's time playing the clown with your social media accounts, when India is facing an emergency. Focus the attention of every Indian on taking on the Corona virus challenge," Gandhi tweeted.
The Civil Aviation Secretary and AAI chairman held a review meeting with all airports on preparations to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The ministry stated that airports and airlines have been advised to comply with the travel advisory issued for passengers by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI).
The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre's response to the evacuation of Indian students stranded in Iran due to the coronavirus outbreak. The plea filed by parents of Indian students also sought directions to the Ministry of External Affairs to provide basic medical aid and safety materials like masks and sanitisers to the stranded students till they are evacuated.
Justice I S Mehta issued notice to ministries of home, external affairs, health and aviation and asked them to file a status report on the steps being taken by them to evacuate the students
The plea, filed through advocate Miriam Fozia Rahman, has said that after the coronavirus infection was detected in various Iranian cities, several universities there decided to close down the colleges and hostel facilities and also cancelled the exams.
The Union Health Ministry has issued a travel advisory suspending all regular visas/e-visas granted on or before March 3 to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan who have not yet entered India with immediate effect. The advisory also suspended visa on arrival (VoA) issued by March 3 to Japan and South Korea nationals who have not yet entered India.
The advisory said those who require to travel to India due to compelling reasons, may seek a fresh visa from the nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has called for an emergency meeting on Coronavirus, which will be attended by CM Arvind Kejriwal, Health Minister Satyendra Jain, Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev, and Delhi Health Secretary. The move comes a day after a person was tested positive of the virus in the Delhi NCR region. The patient had attended a birthday party last Friday and students who came in contact with him were kept in isolation. Samples of at least 20 people have been sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, and the results are awaited.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had an extensive review relating to the preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus, assuring there is no need to panic. "Had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Different ministries & states are working together, from screening people arriving in India to providing prompt medical attention. There is no need to panic," Modi tweeted.
Pope Francis, who canceled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy because he is suffering from a cold, has tested negative for coronavirus, the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reported on Tuesday. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said he had no immediate comment on the report. The 83-year-old Roman Catholic leader, who had part of one lung removed because of an illness decades ago, also canceled most audiences last week.
Now, hotels and tourists sites in Agra have been instructed to inform the office of the Chief Medical Officer as soon as visitors from Italy, Iran or China arrive, so that they can be screened for coronavirus infection. As soon as any information is received, a team of doctors will be dispatched to examine the visitors for symptoms of COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer of Agra Dr Mukesh Vats told PTI. "We have issued instructions to all hotels in the city that if any person is coming from Italy, Iran or China, they should inform us. As soon as the hotel informs us, a team of doctors goes to the hotel, and examines them for symptoms of coronavirus. All the tourists sites have been told to inform the 24-hour control about visitors from countries where coronavirus outbreak has been reported," Vats said.
Canada has asked travellers arriving from Iran -- one of the countries hardest hit by the new coronavirus epidemic -- to self-isolate at home for 14 days, even if they are not exhibiting any symptoms. Health authorities asked Canadians to avoid any non-essential travel to Iran and the northern region of Italy, which have both emerged as major hotspots for the infection. The respiratory illness has killed 66 people in Iran with more than 1,500 confirmed infections. Many cases in Canada had been linked to the Iran outbreak, Canadian chief medical officer Theresa Tam told reporters. Canada had 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.
Six people who came in contact with the Coronavirus patient from New Delhi were quarantined in Agra. They were detected with high viral load.
Indian-American Seema Verma has been appointed as one of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force constituted by US President Donald Trump to combat the deadly disease that has claimed six lives in the country and infected over 90 others. Trump on January 30 created the coronavirus task force to lead his administration's response to the deadly virus that emerged in China and has wrecked havoc across the globe.
The Telangana government on Tuesday reviewed preparedness and measures to check the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) in the wake of a man from the state testing positive for the virus. Ministers of Health, Municipal Administration and Panchayat Raj, along with senior officials, held a meeting here to discuss measures to be taken following the detection of the positive case in the city, official sources said.
A day after a case Cornavirus was detected in Delhi, Fumigation is on at a Noida School where the Children of the COVID 2019 patients study. The Ministry of Health and Family welfare on Tuesday.
A team of WHO experts landed in Iran after alarming clusters of the novel Coronavirus continued to swell in the country. Iran’s health ministry has confirmed 1,501 cases and 66 deaths, including the death of a confidant of Iran’s supreme leader. According to reports, caseload surged more than 250% in just 24 hours. The WHO team will identify transmission dynamics and at-risk populations, as well as provide guidance on strengthening and scaling up the response and readiness efforts.
Africa,the last continent to have reported the coronavirus infection has now confirmed 8 COVID-19 cases on Monday with 3 in Algeria, 2 in Egypt, 1 in Tunisia, 1 in Nigeria and 1 in Senegal, AP reported. Across the continent, the governments are taking several steps to prepare for and reduce the impact of the novel coronavirus. Public health advisories are being issued, laboratories are being supplied and quarantine hospital treatment facilities are under preparation.
According to the World Health Organization, 13 out of 54 African countries are at risk of becoming centres of coronavirus. The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has trained its 54 member countries in testing the virus. More than two dozen African countries now have the ability to test for the coronavirus.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on Monday said that they are ready to help all their member countries and address the "human and economic challenges" of the novel coronavirus. They are also willing to provide emergency funding. "International cooperation is essential to deal with the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 virus," the two institutions said in a joint statement. They further highlighted their priority of helping poor countries where health systems are weak and asked the member countries to boost their "health surveillance and response systems" to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Following the confirmation of a positive Coronvirus case in neighbouring Telangana, the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare department has put four border districts — Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur on high alert. Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Karnataka Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said, “As one positive case of Coronavirus has been reported in Telangana, the border districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur are on high alert and any suspect is advised to report immediately to State Surveillance Unit (SSU) Karnataka.” According to the Karnataka health department, 39,391 passengers have been screened at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru so far.
A third person has died in France of the new coronavirus, AFP reported. The woman, who was in her eighties, lived in Crepy-en-Valois, 70 kilometres northeast of Paris.
Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel on Monday said the government is aware that the whole world is worried about the coronavirus outbreak, but assured that India remains safe and secure, PTI reported. Speaking at an event, Patel said the government is taking all necessary steps and maintaining vigil at all international airports. "We know the whole world is worried about coronavirus but India is still secure and safe and we are maintaining vigil on all international airports," he said.
Singapore on Monday confirmed two more cases of coronavirus, taking the total number of infections in the city-state to 108. The Health Ministry said one of the cases is linked to a cluster at Wizlearn Technologies at the Science Park hub in the residential and industrial region on the west coast of the city. Among the two new cases, is a 68-year old female Singapore citizen having no recent travel history to China, but she was in Jakarta from February 11-14.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and is linked to a previous case of COVID-19, reported the Channel News Asia. (PTI)
The first positive case of novel coronavirus detected in Telangana is a 24-year-old techie who returned from Dubai. He works for an IT company in Bengaluru. He had traveled to Dubai from Bengaluru on February 17 and returned to Bengaluru on February 20. He returned to Hyderabad on February 22. He was home for five days and as he was feeling sick, he consulted a private hospital in Hyderabad as an outpatient and as his fever didn't subside, he was referred to Gandhi medical hospital on March 1, said Telangana health minister Etela Rajender. Since the patient traveled to Hyderabad by bus, the government is in touch with all 27 passengers who traveled with him. "We have shared available information with Karnataka government and they are in touch with people who worked in the IT company with him," the minister added.
Poultry breeders on Monday demanded a relief package from the government claiming that the sector has incurred heavy losses of around Rs 1,750 crore in a month due to fake news that coronavirus was spreading due to chickens. Poultry bird prices have plunged to Rs 10-30 per kg at farm gate level due to a slump in chicken demand while the average cost of production is Rs 80 per kg, the All India Poultry Breeders Association (AIPBA) said in a representation to the Ministry of Animal Husbandry. (PTI)
Amid scare over deadly coronavirus, the Punjab government on Monday announced emergency measures, including setting up of 'flu corners' in all government and private hospitals, in the event of any exigency. "The 'flu corners' will screen all suspected cases of respiratory tract infections at the earliest and ensure that the movement of such cases is restricted in order to prevent the spread of the (coronavirus) disease," an official statement said. The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. The cabinet took stock of the situation triggered by the global epidemic, even as two positive cases of the novel coronavirus -- one in Delhi and another in Telangana -- have been reported in the country. (PTI)
Trying to stem the outbreak of the new coronavirus, Iran on Monday held an online-only briefing by its Foreign Ministry as Britain began evacuating nonessential staff and families from the country which has the highest death toll from the virus outside of China. Iran has reported 978 confirmed cases of the new virus with 54 deaths from the illness it causes, called COVID-19. Across the wider Mideast, there are over 1,150 cases of the new coronavirus, the majority of which are linked back to Iran. Experts worry Iran's percentage of deaths to infections, around 5.5 per cent, is much higher than other countries, suggesting the number of infections in Iran may be much higher than current figures show. (AP)
The benchmark equity indices on the BSE and National Stock Exchange (NSE) erased all of their day’s gains and settled lower for the seventh consecutive session on Monday following the last hour selloff in the market triggered by fears of fresh coronavirus cases in India. The S&P BSE Sensex, which had climbed 785.88 points (2.05 per cent) to 39,083.17 during the intraday trade, erased all its gains and ended 153.27 points (0.40 per cent) lower at 38,144.02, thereby crashing 939.15 points in the process.
Telangana Health Minister Eatela Rajender has called an emergency meeting with the health officials at the Directorate of Public Health in Hyderabad.
Iran said there are 66 dead amid 1,501 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the Islamic Republic. That's according to Iran Health Ministry spokesman Ali Reza Azizi, who gave the figure at a news conference Monday in Tehran. Iran has the highest death toll from the virus outside of China, the epicenter of the outbreak. Iranian officials are among those affected, with a member of Iran's Expediency Council dying Monday. (AP)
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said, "We are already prepared in advance and are closely monitoring other countries. We are also discussing if we have to revise any of our decisions, amplify it or focus in any particular direction."
After two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in India, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Monday said that screening of passengers is being done at 21 airports, 12 seaports and 65 minor seaports. Till now over 5 lakh passengers have been screened at airports while 12,431 passengers have been screened on minor and major seaports. He added that 23 samples have been sent for testing and the results are awaited. “We advise Indians to avoid non-essential travel to China, Iran, Korea, Singapore, and Italy. As the situation develops, the travel restrictions may be further extended to other countries also”, he added.
The first three cases of people infected with coronavirus have been confirmed in Iceland, the country's Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said in a statement late on Sunday. The first patient was diagnosed on Friday while two other patients were confirmed during the weekend. All three patients had spent time on holiday in northern Italy, authorities said. (Reuters)
Amid uptick of coronavirus cases across the globe, two fresh cases have been detected in India. While one patient belongs to New Delhi and had travelled from Italy, the other belongs to Telangana and had visited Dubai, a statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated. The virus has claimed over 3,000 lives globally and has been reported in at least 60 countries. The latest detections take the total coronavirus cases in India to five. Read more here
'Both the patients are stable and being closely monitored,' the ministry said.
The 29th edition of the prestigious Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament was on Monday pushed from April to September in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak across the world. The Azlan Shah Cup, which was scheduled to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 11 to 18, will now be held from September 24 to October 3, the organisers said in a statement. The Azlan Shah Cup is the latest sporting event to be effected by the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed more than 3,000 lives and infected 86,000 people. (PTI)
The Czech Republic will stop flights with South Korea and cities in northern Italy and will also host an international biathlon event this week without spectators due to coronavirus concerns, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Monday. The stoppage of flights to and from the Italian cities of Milan, Venice and Bologna will last for two weeks and could be extended, Industry Minister Karel Havlicek said. The central European country reported its first confirmed cases of coronavirus on Sunday. (Reuters)
The Ministry of Health on Monday reported one positive case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in Delhi and Telangana. The person who has tested positive in Delhi has travel history from Italy, while the other person has travel history from Dubai.
Lufthansa said on Monday that it was suspending flights to China until April 24 and to Tehran until April 30 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Lufthansa said it was also adjusting its flights to northern Italy. It said Austrian Airlines was slashing its flights to Italy in March and April by 40% while Brussels Airlines is cutting flights to Rome, Milan, Venice and Bologna by 30% until March 14. Swiss Airlines will probably also cut some services to parts of Italy until the end of April while Eurowings is reducing capacity to some Italian destinations until March 8. Lufthansa said it was too early to assess the impact on its earnings, which are due to be published on March 19. (Reuters)
Kuwait's Health Ministry announced 10 new cases of coronavirus in the country on Monday bringing the total number to 56, a ministry official said. The official, who was speaking during a news conference broadcast on state television, urged citizens to avoid gatherings to avoid spreading the virus in the Gulf state. (Reuters)
Australian health officials said on Monday that a woman and a male doctor have contracted coronavirus - becoming the first cases of community transmissions in the country.
New South Wales state Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said a 31-year old doctor has tested positive for coronavirus, though it is not clear whom he contracted the virus from. The state government said a 41-year woman was tested after her brother returned to Australia from Iran.
While Australia has moved to stop the spread of the virus by restricting entry to the country for some nationalities, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last week a global pandemic was likely. (Reuters)
Is this new coronavirus really a serious danger? Doesn’t the flu kill more people? As the United States recorded its first coronavirus death Saturday — and as other cases popped up in people without known risks on the West Coast — Americans wondered how to measure this new threat against a more familiar foe: influenza. The coronavirus seems to be more deadly than the flu — so far. On average, seasonal flu strains kill about 0.1% of people who become infected. The 1918 flu had an unusually high fatality rate, around 2%. Because it was so contagious, that flu killed tens of millions of people. Early estimates of the coronavirus death rate from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak, have been around 2%. But a new report on 1,099 cases from many parts of China, published Friday in The New England Journal of Medicine, finds a lower rate: 1.4%. The coronavirus death rate may be even lower, if — as most experts suspect — there are many mild or symptom-free cases that have not been detected.
Indonesia on Monday reported its first confirmed cases of coronavirus after health officials in the world's fourth-most populous country hit back at questions over its apparent lack of infected patients.
A 64-year-old woman and her daughter, 31, tested positive for the virus at a Jakarta hospital, said health minister Terawan Agus Putranto. "This morning I received the test results and they were positive," he told reporters in the capital.
"Both are in good condition...they don't have serious breathing difficulties." Officials said that the pair may have been in close contact with a Japanese national who has since tested positive after returning to neighbouring Malaysia. (AFP)
Australia's financial regulators scheduled an emergency call on Monday to discuss the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as the country looks to avoid a risk of recession. The conference call, involving the country's prudential regulator, markets watchdog and central bank, comes as markets now expect the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to cut its cash rate as early as Tuesday at its scheduled monthly review. The epidemic in China - Australia's No.1 trading partner - is having an outsized impact Down Under with a travel ban hitting the tourism and education sectors and having spillover effects on overall spending. (Reuters)