The total number of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases worldwide has exceeded 300,000, with the death toll reaching over 13,000
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2020) The total number of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases worldwide has exceeded 300,000, with the death toll reaching over 13,000. Although European countries and the United States remain at the forefront of the outbreak, the number of cases is increasingly growing in other parts of the world, including Latina America, the Middle East and Africa.
First cases of COVID-19 were registered in Mozambique, Uganda, Syria and Gaza.
Cyprus, Colombia, the self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo, the Czech Republic and Afghanistan have reported the first deaths caused by the coronavirus.
Germany's Robert Koch Institute said on Sunday that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose by 1,948 over the past day exceeding 18,600, while the number of deaths from the virus increased to 55. However, according to media reports, the number of cases increased beyond 22,100 cases, while the number of fatalities reached 76.
Spain's COVID-19 total has surged to about 28,500 over the past 24 hours, with the death toll passing 1,700 people. Moreover, 12 percent of those infected in the country are medical workers, according to the Health Ministry.
According to the latest data provided by the French health authorities, the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease in the country is 16,018. The country's death toll from COVID-19 now amounts to 674. On Sunday, the first doctor, who was involved in the fight against COVID-19 in France, died from the disease.
Switzerland has confirmed 901 new cases of the coronavirus over the last 24 hours, which brings the total toll of those infected to 7,014. The death toll has increased to 60 people.
At the same time, the latest data on COVID-19 in Italy shows that the death toll increased by 651 to 5,476. The number of coronavirus cases across country amounts to over 46,000.�
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Austria rose to 3,026 over the past 24 hours, while nine people have died from the infection and nine more fully recovered.
More than 200 people had contracted COVID-19 in Norway that took the overall number of cases in the country to 2,132. The number of victims stands at seven. Meanwhile, Finland confirmed 626 COVID-19 cases across the country.
The Netherlands confirmed 573 more COVID-19 cases over the past day, with the overall number of cases now reaches 4,204. A total of 179 people have died of the disease.
Portugal reported 320 new COVID-19 cases in the country over the past 24 hours with the total toll reaching 1,600. Two people died from the disease, according to the Health Ministry.
A total of 20 new cases of the coronavirus were registered over the past day in Estonia and that brought the total toll in the country to 326.
There are now over 31,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to the Johns Hopkins University. A total of 390 people have died from the disease in the US.
Russia registered 61 new cases of the coronavirus in six regions over the past 24 hours, which brings the total toll of those infected to 367.
At the same time, China registered only 46 new coronavirus cases in the past day, most of them imported, over 500 people have recovered over this period. China currently has over 81,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The total death toll stands at 3,261.
Thai Health Ministry spokesman Taweesilp Witsanuyotin said on Sunday that Thailand registered a record 188 cases of the coronavirus infection over the past day that brought the total count to 599.
Indonesia reported 64 new COVID-19 cases and ten fatalities over the past day.
Iran's number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 1,028 to 21,638, and the death toll has grown by 129 to 1,685.
The Health Ministry of Saudi Arabia said that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country increased from 392 to 511 over the past day, and 17 people have fully recovered.
In Iraq, the number of cases rose to 233, while 20 of them have died.
In Latin America, the number of infected people increased tenfold over the past week to 4,161 people, with the death toll stands at 44. The highest number of cases � 1,228 � is observed in Brazil with the number of fatalities standing at 18. The second worst-hit Latin American country is Chile with 632 COVID-19 cases and one fatality. In Ecuador, the number of people who had contracted the disease increased from 23 to 532 over the past week, and seven people have died. Notably, Ecuadorian Minister of Health Catalina Andramuno and Minister of Labor Andres Madero stepped down after the dramatic increase in the country's toll.
Peru reports 318 cases of infection and one fatality, while in Mexico the count is 251.
According to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Spain has put in place the toughest quarantine measures of all European countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday decided to go under home quarantine after reports that a doctor, who vaccinated her on Friday, tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, all group meetings in both public places and private houses in Germany were prohibited.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday that Italy would stop all production activities in the country as the next step in the nationwide effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The Romanian government ordered for a curfew and closure of malls and dentist offices as part of measures undertaken in the country to curb the epidemic.
Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele announced the introduction of compulsory home quarantine for 30 days.
The authorities of Uzbekistan decided to close the country's borders starting from Monday due to the spread of the coronavirus.
China will redirect all international flights to Beijing to 12 other cities starting Monday as part of measures to combat the epidemic.
Singapore prohibited short-term visitors from entering and transiting through the country due to COVID-19.
The UAE's Emirates airline said on Sunday that it would suspend all passenger flights starting from March 25.
Meanwhile, Russia's coronavirus response center said that no strict quarantine would be introduced in the near future in Russia amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also said in an interview that the Moscow metro would work in any situation and would not close for quarantine.
A the same time, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) said that Russia would restrict flights to Turkey starting from March 23 and suspend air traffic with other countries, except flights from Moscow to capitals and big cities.
On Sunday, two Russian planes with specialists and equipment took off from Chkalovsky airfield to Italy to assist in combating the coronavirus pandemic. Virologists, who were sent to the European country, have extensive practical experience, as they took part in eliminating outbreaks of African Swine Fever, anthrax and were involved in developing a vaccine against Ebola, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Millions of masks and hundreds of thousands of protective suits and testing systems have been delivered to the Czech Republic from China as part of procured equipment for the country's medical staff to battle the spread of the coronavirus.
Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya said that the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Ukrainian Health Ministry were developing two aid plans with overall budget of about $58 million to support Ukraine in the fight against COVID-19.
Doctors Without Borders international humanitarian organization delivered to Iran's Isfahan a 50-bed inflatable treatment unit to help in curbing the epidemic.
The French Parliament adopted in a final reading a law on the introduction of a state of health emergency in the country for two months.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach said that a final decision on possible postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic would be made in four weeks. According to Bach a cancellation of the Olympics is not on the agenda of the Committee.
