BEIJING: As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide is approaching 100,000, more and more officials and experts have urged the international community to learn China’s experience in containing the epidemic.
Up to 2,241 new cases have been reported across the globe in the past 24 hours, bringing the total count to 95,333 as of Thursday, according to the latest official data by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Among the four countries or territories reporting their first confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, the case in South Africa involves a 38-year-old man who recently traveled to Italy with his wife.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) confirmed its first case in the region of RepublikaSrpska, one of the two entities of BiH. The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar also reported its first confirmed case.
Besides, Palestine on Thursday reported its first seven cases in workers of a hotel in the city of Bethlehem. All the patients were infected during contacts with a group of Greek tourists who stayed in the hotel on Feb. 23-27. The country has declared a one-month state of emergency.
Among some of the worst-hit countries, South Korea reported a total of 6,088 cases with 41 deaths on Thursday, up by 322.
Japan has confirmed 1,023 cases by Thursday, with 706 linked to the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was previously quarantined near Tokyo. The government announced that tests for COVID-19 will be covered under Japan’s national health insurance system starting from Friday.
Iran said Thursday that the death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 107, up by 92. The total number of infections increased to 3,513, up by 591. The country launched Thursday a national plan to combat the outbreak.
By Thursday, Italy has confirmed 3,296 cases with 148 deaths. The Italian government has announced the closure of all schools and universities across the country until March 15 at least.
Within Europe, countries like the Netherlands and Belgium have seen confirmed cases nearly doubled in the past 24 hours.
The number of confirmed cases in the Netherlands increased to 82 on Thursday from 38 a day earlier while Belgium confirmed 27 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 50. Most of the new patients in the two countries are linked to recent travel to Italy.
In Belgium’s two populous neighbors — Germany and France — the situation is no less alarming. There have been 400 cases confirmed in Germany as of Thursday, up by 138.
France also reported 138 new cases on Thursday, the biggest one-day jump in the country, raising the total number to 423. The Paris Marathon, which was initially scheduled for April 5, has been postponed to Oct. 18.
According to databases set up by several major U.S. media outlets, the total confirmed cases in the United States have topped 200 from some 20 states with at least 12 deaths as of Thursday evening.
The U.S. states of Washington, Florida, California, Hawaii and Maryland have all declared a state of emergency. The Grand Princess cruise ship in connection with the first reported death of COVID-19 in California was ordered to delay its return to San Francisco. – Agencies
