Two new deaths related to the new coronavirus were recorded Wednesday on American soil, bringing to eleven the number of deaths in the United States, where the parliamentarians agreed to release a budget of more than 8 billion dollars to contain the epidemic.
California declares state of emergency after first death
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday in his state, hours after announcing the first death attributed to Covid-19 on Wednesday in this southwestern United States.
“The purpose of this statement is to help highlight our resources,” Newsom said in a television interview. “With 53 cases tested positive, these are no longer isolated cases, it is part of our state, and the burden is shared across it.” He stressed that the main purpose of the state of emergency was to help with the logistics of managing the coronavirus epidemic. “This state of emergency will allow the state to better prepare our communities and our health system if the epidemic spreads further,” he said on Wednesday. Six new cases of Covid-19 were reported in the megalopolis of Los Angeles (ten million inhabitants) while four other patients were treated in New York (more than 20 million inhabitants) after being in contact with a patient. U.S. parliamentarians have agreed to release more than $ 8 billion to stem the epidemic.
Cruise ship kept away from San Francisco Bay
A cruise ship from Hawaii is kept away from the California coast while 21 passengers are suspected of carrying the Covid-19 virus, report the American media quoting the governor of the state of the Southeast American, Gavin Newsom. A man who died of the virus in California on Wednesday had previously stayed on the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess boat is to remain in international waters along the California coast and a helicopter will be dispatched to carry tests to be carried on board before returning them to a laboratory.
In addition to the 21 people with flu symptoms, 62 other passengers and other crew members from the first cruise to Mexico will also be tested for the new coronavirus.
A man who died of infection in California on Wednesday was among three passengers who tested positive on a previous trip by the Grand Princess, who was on a cruise between San Francisco and Mexico last month.
A second death in Australia
Australia confirmed its second Covid-19 death on Thursday. The patient was a 95-year-old woman who died overnight after being infected by a medical staff member in a nursing home in Sydney.
Two other residents of the retirement home have also tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to New South Wales state health officials. The other residents remain in isolation. Australia now reports 50 cases of infections, including two deaths. The first death is an elderly man who had been evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
145 new cases in South Korea, bringing the total to nearly 6,000
South Korean authorities on Thursday announced 145 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of people infected to 5,766 in South Korea, the highest number after China. Three new deaths have been recorded, bringing the disease to 35, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced in their first daily report.
At this point, 36 countries have imposed a total entry ban on people who have recently been to South Korea, the South Korean foreign ministry said.
Nearly 90% of South Korean cases have been recorded in the city of Daegu (south), which has more than 4,300 confirmed cases, and in the neighboring province of North Gyeongsang.
In question, the very important spread of the disease within the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a religious organization accused by some of being a sect, from a follower, a 61-year-old woman who had attended several ceremonies nuns in February in Daegu.
The central bank has lowered its growth forecasts for the 12th world economy, explaining that the epidemic would weigh on consumption and exports.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has announced that his government will inject more than 30 trillion won (22.5 billion euros) to help the economy cope with this “serious” situation.
Seoul said Wednesday that 11.7 trillion won will go to improving epidemic prevention systems and supporting small and medium-sized businesses.
31 more dead in China, death toll exceeds 3,000
The death toll of people who have died from coronavirus in mainland China has passed the 3,000 mark with 31 new deaths, Chinese authorities announced on Thursday. At least 3,012 people have died in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao) since the outbreak of the epidemic in December in Wuhan, the capital of central Hubei province. Most of the deaths (2,305) were recorded in this metropolis.
The quarantine to which Wuhan and his province have been subjected since the end of January, as well as the limitation of trips to the country, seem to be bearing fruit, with a downward trend in new deaths in recent weeks.
There were also 139 new infections, a little more than the day before (119), for a total of 80,409 confirmed cases, added Thursday morning the national commission of health (ministry). Only five of the new cases have been reported outside of Hubei.
China is now worried about the coming of the virus from abroad, because the Covid-19 epidemic is now present in 80 other countries and territories.
Outside mainland China, the coronavirus infected 14,539 people, including 264 deaths, according to a report established by AFP from official sources Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. GMT.
300 million students without school
Almost 300 million students in the world deprived of class: Italy is the last country to have closed its schools in an attempt to slow down the epidemic of Covid-19 which panics the planet and threatens the world economy.
Italy, the first European home, which passed the 100 dead mark on Wednesday (107 dead for 3,089 cases), has taken exceptional measures: all schools and universities will be closed from Thursday until March 15.
South Korea, the second largest source of contamination after China (5,766 infections, including 35 deaths), the holidays have been extended by three weeks in schools and nurseries.
In Iran, where the authorities have reported 15 new deaths (92 dead in total, 2,922 cases), educational establishments have also been closed, cultural and sporting events suspended and working hours reduced in administrations.
As a result of the epidemic, 13 countries have been forced to close all their schools, affecting the education of more than 290 million students worldwide, according to Unesco, which speaks of an “unprecedented figure”.
The UN organization for education and culture recalls that just two weeks ago China, where the virus appeared in December, was the only country to have closed its schools.
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