Chronicle Editor
Indonesia has announced its first two coronavirus cases while the death in Iran rose to 66 — the highest outside China.
The number of people infected in Italy — the centre of the outbreak in Europe — jumped to 1 694, while in France the figure rose to 130. With the outbreak deepening, the staff at the Louvre in Paris voted to close the iconic museum.
The Czech Republic, Scotland and the Dominican Republic also confirmed their first cases.
More than 89 000 people across 58 countries have been infected, while the death toll has exceeded 3 000.
UK coronavirus cases jump to 40
Four more confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, health officials say, taking the total to 40.
The new cases recently travelled from Italy, according to Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer of England.
Yesterday, Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, said the country needs to be prepared for the virus to spread further.
Virus outbreak to hit global
economy: WTO chief
The coronavirus outbreak will have a “substantial” impact on the global economy, according to the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
“The effects on the global economy are . . . likely to be substantial and will start to show up in the trade data in the weeks to come,” Roberto Azevedo said yesterday.
Also yesterday, the European Central Bank (ECB) called off a joint event with the European Commission that was to take place today.
“Several cancellations by conference participants” forced the ECB to cancel the event as the region is hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
France reports two more
deaths from coronavirus
The death toll from coronavirus in France has jumped to four following the death of two people in the country’s north, Le Parisien newspaper reported, citing the mayor of the of Compiegne.
Indian fishermen stranded
on Iranian island seek help
More than 400 Indian fishermen stranded on the Iranian island of Kish are calling for the Indian government to airlift them home.
The fishermen, who sent out an SOS video, are reportedly running out of food, fuel supplies and fear for their health as they do not have protective masks in coronavirus-hit Iran, reported Indian TV channel NDTV.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, tweeted that he is currently collaborating with the Iranian authorities for their return.
Virus risk in EU rising
from moderate to ‘high’
The risk level of coronavirus in the European Union has increased to “high”, EU Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen told a Press conference in Brussels.
“The ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] has announced today that the risk level has risen from moderate to high for people in the European Union. In other words, the virus continues to spread,” von der Leyen told reporters.
Europe registered 2 199 cases and 38 deaths, most of them in Italy.
China closes first makeshift
hospital, but keeps strict control
As China marked its lowest number of infected cases since January 22, authorities closed the first of 16 hurriedly built makeshift hospitals after it discharged the last recovered patients, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Despite a sharp decline in new cases in Hubei province and the provincial capital Wuhan, controlling the outbreak remains at a crucial stage and strict prevention must be maintained, said Premier Li Keqiang during a meeting.
Chinese cities with high population mobility such as the capital, Beijing, must control channels and prevent the spread of the epidemic, the government said in a statement on its website.
Virus ‘greatest danger’ to
global economy: OECD
Coronavirus presents the world economy with its greatest danger since the global financial crisis in 2008, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
A sharp slowdown in global growth is expected in the first half of 2020 as supply chains and commodities are hit, tourism drops and lower confidence grows.
The global economy is set to grow only 2.4 percent this year, the lowest since 2009 and down from a forecast of 2.9 percent in November, according to the Paris-based policy forum.
However, if the virus spreads throughout Asia, Europe and North America, global growth could drop as low as 1.5 percent this year.
Iran reports increasing number of deaths
Sixty-six people have died and 1 501 people have been infected by coronavirus in Iran, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said in an announcement on state TV.
“The definite latest numbers we have are 523 new infections and 12 new deaths so the total number of those infected is 1,501 until now and the number of deaths is 66,” he said.
Israelis head to the polls
with face masks and gloves
As voters in Israel head to the polls for a third time in less than a year, 16 dedicated voting booths have been set up across the country for about 5 500 people who have been placed in home quarantine after travelling to areas considered outbreak hotspots.
Paramedics dressed in head-to-toe protective gear are standing next to the polling stations to assist possibly infected voters.
“The situation is under control,” said Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, director-general of Israel’s Health Ministry, urging citizens to not hesitate to go out to vote.
More countries confirm first cases
Andorra, Iceland and Portugal reported their first cases.
In all three countries — which registered one, three and two cases, respectively — the people who tested positive had recently travelled to Italy, which is the epicentre of the virus outbreak in Europe.
Iran’s member of Expediency Council dies
State radio announced that Mohammad Mirmohammadi (71), a member of the Expediency Council, has died after contracting the coronavirus.
Other prominent members infected in the country include Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar and Iraj Harirchi, head of the country’s task force on COVID-19.
Kuwait reports 10 new cases
A health ministry official in Kuwait announced 10 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number to 56.
In comments made during a news conference broadcast on state television, the official called on citizens to avoid gatherings to stop the spreading of the virus.
France sees ‘much more
significant’ growth effect
The French government warned the effect of the coronavirus will be larger than previous estimates and promised to provide the necessary support to companies.
Speaking on France2 television, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the impact from the virus will be “much more significant” than the 0.1 percent reduction in growth that his ministry had forecast two weeks ago.
The country’s travel and tourism sectors have already been hit as companies scaled back travel and cancelled conventions.
First community
transmissions in Australia
Officials in Australia said a woman and a male doctor have contracted coronavirus, becoming the country’s first cases of community transmissions in the country.
New South Wales state’s 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.
State officials said a 41-year-old woman was tested after her brother returned to Australia from Iran, a country that has emerged as a coronavirus hotspot in the Middle East.
Nike ‘temporarily closes’
Europe HQs in Netherlands
Dutch news agency ANP said Nike’s European headquarters in the Netherlands would be closed as of yesterday and today following the infection of an employee with coronavirus.
ANP said the patient was staying home in isolation for 14 days while the office in Hilversum would be disinfected.
“The place is on lockdown,” a security guard at the location told Reuters news agency, which said roughly 2 000 employees from 80 countries work at the facility.
South Korean church
leader issues apology
The leader of a church linked to about half of South Korea’s more than 4 000 coronavirus cases apologised for the spread of the virus
“I would like to offer my sincere apology to the people on behalf of the members,” Shincheonji head Lee Man-hee told reporters in Gapyeong in a breaking voice.
China counting methods may underplay extent of outbreak — Caixin
A report from Caixin on the way China counts coronavirus infections has analysed data from the province of Heilongjiang in the northeast.
Since the beginning of last month, the National Health Commission has required that local authorities include “asymptomatic infected individuals” in the coronavirus data but it seems not all are doing so.
Caixin says there were 104 asymptomatic cases in Heilongjiang on February 25 but they were not included in its 408 “confirmed cases”.-Al Jazeera.
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