Latest On Coronavirus

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2020) As the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) worldwide nears 98,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concerns over the fact that some countries are not taking the situation seriously and has also called for mobilizing governmental efforts. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also stressed that we are all responsible not only for our health but for reducing the risk of infecting others.

China remains the most seriously affected country, with over 80,000 confirmed cases, while Italy has the greatest number of confirmed cases in Europe � over 3,800, with the death toll totaling 148. Meanwhile, South Korea's COVID-19 total has exceeded 6,000. France's number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surged by 138 from Wednesday, reaching 423. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany jumped by 109 within just 24 hours, reaching 349, while Greece confirmed 21 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, with the total standing at 31. The Netherlands' COVID-19 total has more than doubled to 82. The United Kingdom's number of COVID-19 cases has surged by 25 to 115. Meanwhile, Sweden's Stockholm county confirmed 28 more cases of coronavirus disease, bringing Sweden's total number of cases to 94.

Slovenia, Bosnia and South Africa have reported the first cases of COVID-19.

The first COVID-19 fatalities have been registered in Switzerland, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Both the US House of Representatives and the Senate have passed a $8.3 billion emergency funding bill to help contain the novel coronavirus outbreak in the United States, where the death toll from COVID-19 has reached 11. The bill is now to be signed by US President Donald Trump.

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus � a religions group believed to be behind the vast majority of South Korea's COVID-19 cases � has donated 12 billion won ($10.1 million) to the national fight against the outbreak, according to the Yonhap news agency.

The Italian government is likely to increase to 5 billion Euros ($5.57 billion) the value of measures to help the economy withstand the coronavirus outbreak, Deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli said on Thursday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that the country "set aside" 7.5 billion euros to boost the economy.

Italian lawmakers will be working only on Wednesdays in March to prevent COVID-19 spread.

Iran, which is one of the worst-hit countries with almost 3,000 COVID-19 cases, will close schools and universities until March 20 to prevent further spread of the virus.

China, where the outbreak has slowed down, is ready to aid and share its expertise in combating the spread of the coronavirus with the affected nations, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said on Thursday.

The Indonesian government is going to use a former camp for Vietnamese refugees, located on the uninhabited island of Galang, to treat those infected with COVID-19, the Jakarta Post newspaper reported on Thursday, mere days after the fist cases were confirmed in Indonesia.

Australia introduced on Thursday an entry ban for foreigners traveling from coronavirus-stricken South Korea.

Kazakhstan has decided to ban entry for South Koreans as well, starting from Sunday.

Foreign trips of Norwegian parliamentary committees, planned for March and April, will be canceled amid the global outbreak, VG newspaper reported.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has ordered a high-readiness regime in the Russian capital due to the threat of the COVID-19 spread. Citizens arriving from China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, Germany, Spain and other countries will be now obligated to ensure self-isolation at home for 14 days from the date of return to Russia.

The Rome Marathon, scheduled for March 29, has been canceled.

Lufthansa Group has canceled 7,100 flights due to COVID-19 outbreak as of Thursday.

Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity was ordered closed on Thursday due to concern over the coronavirus, the Palestinian Tourism Ministry said.

The United States and Israel have canceled their major missile defense exercise Juniper Cobra, which started on Tuesday and was expected to last until March 13 with the participation of over 600 US troops.

The European Union-India summit, which was due to take place in Brussels next week, has been indefinitely postponed over the COVID-19 outbreak, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brussels has been canceled, too.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has lowered the global oil demand growth estimate for 2020 to 0.48 million barrels per day from the previous 1.1 million barrels per day due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has postponed his official visit to Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak, currently affecting both countries, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on Thursday.

The organizing committee of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has decided not to host the event in 2020 in light of the outbreak of coronavirus.