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Covid-19 continues to spread. Asymptomatic carriers can spread the virus unknowingly for as long as 14 days. During that time, that carrier can be in a shrine in Qom, Iran, a church in South Korea, Mardi Gras in Louisiana or in the Venice Carnival in Italy and infect several people who then will bring it back home to spread it some more.
Feb 25 showed further declines in the stock markets around the world with the WHO saying the “the world is not prepared”, the CDC saying that it will come to U.S. communities inevitably. The Japanese government is resigned to the fact that they can only mitigate but not contain.
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Covid-19 Headlines
6:45 pm EST update. An increase of 23 cases. No increase in deaths.
Love in the time of coronavirus – DW
Thousands of couples around the world tied the knot despite concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. Armed with face masks, couples declared their love in mass weddings in South Korea and the Philippines.
Wedding participants had to complete health declarations, detailing a travel history of 14 days (the standard COVID-19 quarantine period) and most were required to wear face masks.
Investors flee from controversial pandemic bonds with coronavirus set to trigger payout – DW
Pandemic bonds sound like a curious financial concept — but they were brought in by the World Bank in 2017 to help developing economies. Against the odds, the coronavirus outbreak may see investors lose money on them.
The above news about the pandemic bonds is the reason why a “Pandemic” is not yet announced formally by the WHO even though we are in it. It is about the money.
Orange County officials declare local health emergency over coronavirus – Fox11
“Our declaration of local emergency today signed by Dr. Quick is about preparedness. It does not indicate a greater risk of harm, there are no current incidents reported in the county of Orange,” stated Supervisor Andrew Do.
Facebook is banning misleading coronavirus ads – SBS
Facebook Inc says it will ban advertisements for products offering any cures or prevention around the coronavirus outbreak, and those that create a sense of urgency around the situation.
Coronavirus: China tries to contain outbreak of freedom of speech, closing critics’ WeChat accounts – SCMP
Several Chinese intellectuals have had their social media accounts suspended following their demands for freedom of expression and criticism of the government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
Note: WeChat in China is like a combination of Twitter and Messenger and Venmo.
With first case, Latin America prepares for COVID-19 virus – AP
With Brazil reporting the first case of the COVID-19 virus, neighboring countries and other nations around Latin America were attempting to block the possible arrival of the virus. (More at the link)
Microsoft says virus hurting supply chain more than expected – AP
The virus outbreak in China is hurting Microsoft more than expected, as the company said it won’t meet targets that had already factored in the uncertainty.
Coronavirus far more likely than Sars to bond to human cells due to HIV-like mutation, scientists say – SCMP
The new coronavirus has an HIV-like mutation that means its ability to bind with human cells could be up to 1,000 times as strong as the Sars virus, according to new research by scientists in China and Europe.
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AP FACT CHECK: Democrats distort coronavirus readiness – AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential contenders are describing the federal infectious-disease bureaucracy as rudderless and ill-prepared for the coronavirus threat because of budget cuts and ham-handed leadership by President Donald Trump. That’s a distorted picture. For starters, Trump hasn’t succeeded in cutting the budget.
He’s proposed cuts but Congress ignored him and increased financing instead. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aren’t suffering from budget cuts that never took effect.
A look at some of the Democrats’ remarks: (More at the link)
Commentary: Three scenarios if the COVID-19 outbreak gets worse – CNA
Coronavirus outbreak exposes faults in antibiotics supply – The Age
“The CoV emergency in China has definitely exposed supply chain vulnerabilities for the pharmaceutical industry, which relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing,” Adaljia said. While this is true for the drug industry as a whole, anti-infective therapies are “of clear national security import.”
Related: Covid-19 Can Cause Drugs and Medical Supply Shortages Worldwide
Romania confirms its first case – The Guardian
The Romanian health minister, Victor Costache, has said a man from the southern county of Gorj has become the country’s first case.
The man had been in direct contact with an Italian citizen who travelled to Romania earlier this month. He is in a good condition and will be transferred to a Bucharest infectious hospital.
5 pm EST 2/26/2020 update. Increase of 57 cases since 3:15 pm
S&P 500 falls for fifth session as virus concerns weigh – Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The S&P 500 fell for a fifth straight day in a volatile session as investors reacted to the latest headlines regarding the spread of coronavirus and sought to gauge the economic fallout.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 122.21 points, or 0.45%, to 26,959.15, the S&P 500 lost 11.69 points, or 0.37%, to 3,116.52 and the Nasdaq Composite added 15.16 points, or 0.17%, to 8,980.78.
Could Iran become a new coronavirus epicenter? – Taiwan News
Iran has porous borders with countries that have very poor medical infrastructure. International health officials are concerned that a coronavirus outbreak in the country could quickly spin out of control and create a new epicenter for an outbreak in the Middle East.
Official information from Iranian authorities shows that the virus appears to be spreading quickly in a short amount of time. The fatality rate of COVID-19 infections in Iran is an alarming 15%, which is the highest anywhere in the world. Iran currently has the highest number of coronavirus deaths outside of China.
Coronavirus spreads to six continents as Pakistan, Brazil confirm first cases – SBS
With porous borders, creaking hospitals and large illiterate populations, Pakistan faces a potentially devastating health crisis now coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the country. Latin America has reported its first case too.
Coronavirus: South Korea records almost 300 new infections as Hong Kong confirms first child case – SCMP
- Number of new cases in mainland China falls, but Covid-19 continues to spread in Europe and Asia as South Korean total passes 1,100
- Teenage boy from Diamond Princess cruise ship among four new infections confirmed by city’s health authorities
World battles virus epidemic as cases multiply outside China -AP
The World Health Organization, meanwhile, reported that the number of new cases reported outside China on Tuesday exceeded the number of new infections inside the country for the first time. The number in China was 412, while the tally in the rest of the world was 459.
WHO envoy says if he had Wuhan virus, he’d ‘want to be treated in China’ – Taiwan News
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After touring some areas affected by the Wuhan coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General Dr. Bruce Aylward lavished praise on Communist China for its handling of the outbreak and expressed his doubts that many other countries in the world will be able to contain it.
After having safely returned to WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Aylward expressed confidence in the communist regime’s health care system, proclaiming: “You know, if I had COVID-19, I’d want to be treated in China.”
North Macedonia confirms first case of coronavirus – Reuters
BELGRADE (Reuters) – North Macedonia has confirmed its first case of the coronavirus infection, diagnosed in a woman who recently returned home from Italy, the health minister said on Wednesday.
UW-Madison suspends 2 exchange programs in wake of virus – AP
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin-Madison has suspended study-abroad programs with South Korea and China amid fears of the coronavirus.
Colleges call students back from Italy amid virus concerns – AP
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — The spread of the new coronavirus to Italy has led universities to reassess study abroad programs in the country, with many American schools this week calling their students back to the U.S.
Schools including Syracuse University in upstate New York and Elon University in North Carolina, as well as Sacred Heart University and Fairfield University, both in Connecticut, said they are canceling programs in Italy, where the death toll rose to 12 on Wednesday and the caseload reached 374.
Norway confirms its first case – The Guardian
The Norwegian public health agency has confirmed that one person has tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Reuters news agency.
Chinese woman describes Wuhan virus patients being burned alive – Taiwan News
The traumatized survivor then said that medical personnel placed the man in a black plastic bag and pulled up the zipper, before placing him in yet another plastic bag. She said they then wrapped the man in two more layers with an unidentified material.
The driver then asked if the man was burned alive. She confirmed that the man was still alive when he was sent for cremation, and she said there were fears that the toxic gas from the crematorium would spread.
She claimed that she actually saw several cases of living patients stuffed in body bags and taken for cremation. She said that another elderly man in her isolation ward was still breathing but was also sent for cremation.
Update 3:15 pm EST 2/26/2020 Increase of 56 cases. Case fatality rate at 3.4%
Coronavirus: China’s airlines offer domestic flights for as little as US$4 as industry struggles amid outbreak – SCMP
A one-way air ticket from the coastal economic hub of Shanghai to the inland municipality of Chongqing, a journey of over 1,400km (870 miles), now costs less than a cup of coffee, with Chinese airlines slashing prices in a bid to boost weak domestic demand amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Italy seeks to calm fears in Europe as cases, deaths rise – AP
ROME (AP) — Italy sought to rally international support for its virus containment efforts Wednesday even as its caseload reached 400, people linked to Italy fell ill across Europe and as far away as Brazil, and the U.N.’s health agency urged a scaled-up response.
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte’s government appealed to European neighbors for cooperation, not isolation and discrimination. Italy has been struggling to contain the rapidly spreading outbreak that made it the country with more coronavirus cases outside Asia than anywhere else.
Second person dies of coronavirus in France – The Straits Times
PARIS (REUTERS) – A second person suffering from the coronavirus died in France as health officials tried to find out how the college teacher, who had not visited any country with a known outbreak, had caught the new disease.
The 60-year-old man was already seriously ill when he was admitted to hospital in Paris late on Tuesday.
He died overnight, health officials said on Wednesday (Feb 26).
Germany in warning over a virus epidemic – AP
BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s health minister said Wednesday that the country was “at the beginning of an epidemic” as authorities in western Germany were conducting tests on dozens of people after confirming they had been in contact with a couple who contracted COVID-19.
First victim who died in Greece is a well-known designer – The Guardian
The 38-year-old, while not publicly named, has been identified as a well-known designer who had travelled to northern Italy to attend Milan’s fashion week. She returned to Thessaloniki, Greece’s northern capital, on a Ryanair flight on Sunday and admitted herself to hospital after beginning to feel unwell on Tuesday.
Israel has urged its citizens to reconsider all foreign travel – The Guardian
The Israeli health ministry announced that Israelis returning from Italy would be required to go into quarantine at home for two weeks. Expanding its precautionary steps, the ministry said it was also now urging the public “to reconsider the necessity of flights abroad in general, beyond the required isolation upon return from specific countries”.
New York monitoring 83 people for possible coronavirus, governor says no confirmed cases – Reuters
(Reuters) – Health officials in Nassau County, New York, said on Wednesday they were monitoring 83 people who visited China and may have come in contact with the coronavirus, but Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state has had no confirmed cases so far.
Health outlines plans for possible Pennsylvania virus spread – AP
The Health Department has plans to quickly notify the public if a case is confirmed within Pennsylvania, Levine said. The state has supplies of personal protective equipment, but she said those stockpiles could be drawn down if there is a significant spread of the virus.
Pennsylvania state government has prepared by getting the Health Department’s emergency operations center ready a couple weeks ago and sharing information with health workers, businesses and schools, Levine said.
As coronavirus crisis deepens, airlines slash costs – Reuters
Austerity measures ordered by Germany’s Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) and Amsterdam-based KLM include unpaid staff leave and hiring freezes, while Virgin Australia dropped seven planes from its fleet and said pilot redundancies were likely.
Virus fears keep guests trapped in sunny ‘luxurious prison’ – AP
Holidaymakers in Tenerife, one of the most popular year-round destinations in the Canary Islands, will only be able to have an occasional dip in one of the many pools at the 4-star hotel that has been jokingly termed a “luxurious prison.”
“There is overall a feeling like we are in a luxurious prison,” the pensioner said, adding that he worries about missing the plane back home next Saturday. “The worse thing is the uncertainty of not knowing what they are going to do with us.”
Germany ‘heading for epidemic’ as virus spreads faster outside China – Reuters
Germany said on Wednesday that it was heading for a coronavirus epidemic and could no longer trace all cases, as the number of new infections inside China – the source of the outbreak – was for the first time overtaken by those elsewhere.
Georgia confirms its first case – The Guardian
The Georgian health minister has said the country has identified its first case of coronavirus, increasing the number of countries to which the virus has spread.
Virus adds to fears for targets of Muslim crackdown in China – AP
The Uighur Human Rights Project released video and social media posts from China suggesting that many people are quarantined in their homes and unable to get food, creating a potential hunger crisis in a region under a government crackdown since April 2017.
Members of the group also expressed alarm about the potential spread of the new corona virus among the mass detention camps where the State Department says more than a million Uighurs and other ethnic Muslims are held without charge.
1 pm EST update
An increasingly isolated Iran tries to control virus crisis – AP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran girded Wednesday for a long battle against the coronavirus that is spreading rapidly across the country and the wider Middle East, even though officials in the Islamic Republic had earlier minimized the outbreak that has now killed 19 people, the highest toll outside of China.
President Hassan Rouhani said there were no immediate plans to quarantine cities, but he acknowledged it may take “one, two or three weeks” to get control of the virus in Iran, which has been linked to most of the over 210 confirmed cases in the region.
Two elderly in Japan dies after catching COVID-19 – CNA
A Tokyo man in his 80s who tested positive for the infection died of pneumonia, the health ministry said.
He had not travelled to China recently and there was no sign he had contact with known infected individuals, it said in a statement.
Another elderly person in the Hokkaido region of northern Japan died of viral pneumonia, the ministry said.
Testing done after the death confirmed the infection of the individual, whose details have not been released at the request of the family.
Caution, cancellations mark Ash Wednesday in time of virus – AP
In the Philippines — Asia’s only majority Roman Catholic country — priests sprinkled ashes on the heads of the faithful rather than making the mark of the cross on their foreheads to avoid physical contact.
“Wherever the ash is placed, on the forehead or on the head, the feeling is the same, it’s uplifting,” Editha Lorenzo, a 49-year-old mother of two wearing a face mask, told The Associated Press in Manila.
San Francisco declares emergency over coronavirus – Reuters
(Reuters) – San Francisco declared a local emergency over the coronavirus on Tuesday, despite having no cases, as U.S. officials urged Americans to prepare for the spread of infections within their communities.
Shortages, confusion and poor communication complicate coronavirus preparations – Washington Post
Major U.S. hospital systems are burning through their supplies of specialized masks needed for a widespread epidemic of coronavirus, in part because federal protocols call for them to be thrown out after a single use in practice sessions, federal officials have told health-care leaders.
Some hospitals have just a week’s inventory of the N95 face masks, which filter out 95 percent of all airborne particles, even as a top official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that spread of the virus in the United States now appears inevitable.
HHS also said 60 percent of large-chain pharmacies are already unable to meet demand at stores for the masks, technically known as respirators.
More scary news at the link.
Coronavirus has now spread to every continent except Antarctica – CNN
Hong Kong (CNN)Public health officials warned Wednesday that the spread of the novel coronavirus is inching closer toward meeting the definition of a global pandemic, as the number of cases outside mainland China continues to grow, including in South Korea where a US soldier has tested positive for the virus.
Coronavirus: Carnival-going German couple contract bug, authorities fear it has spread – Straits Times
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY (REUTERS) – A German couple who have contracted the coronavirus had taken part in local carnival celebrations and also visited the Netherlands in the 10 days before they were diagnosed, officials said on Wednesday (Feb 26).
The man, a 47-year-old entrepreneur, is now seriously ill and requires mechanical ventilation.
His wife, a kindergarten teacher aged 46, has pneumonia and fever but her case is not as serious as her husband’s, physician Dieter Haeussinger told a news conference in Duesseldorf on Wednesday.
Dozens of passengers who were allowed off the Diamond Princess cruise ship after testing negative for coronavirus ARE now showing symptoms – Daily Mail
Dozens of passengers allowed off the Diamond Princess cruise ship after it was hit by an outbreak of coronavirus have developed symptoms, Japan has revealed.
Officials said they contacted 813 former passengers of the vessel who had previously tested negative for the virus, and found 45 are now showing symptoms.
A faulty CDC coronavirus test delays monitoring of disease’s spread – Washington Post
Problems with a government-created coronavirus test have limited the United States’ capacity to rapidly increase testing, just as the outbreak has entered a worrisome new phase in countries worldwide. Experts are increasingly concerned that the small number of U.S. cases may be a reflection of limited testing, not of the virus’s spread.
First Two Cases in Pakistan – Tweet
Zafar Mirza: 220/ I can confirm first two cases of corona virus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable. No need to panic, things are under control. I will hold press conf tomorrow on return from Taftan.
Leaked Documents Reveal Coronavirus Infections up to 52 Times Higher Than Reported Figures in China’s Shandong Province – Epoch Times
The novel coronavirus outbreak in eastern China’s Shandong province is much worse than officially reported, according to a series of internal government documents obtained by The Epoch Times.
The Shandong CDC daily new infection numbers ranged from being 1.36 times to 52 times greater than the officially published data by the Shandong health commission and China’s National Health Commission.
As of Feb. 25, the Shandong government stated that there were a total of 755 infections in the province. But the internal document showed that 1,992 people had tested positive for the virus via nucleic acid testing as of Feb. 23.
12-noon EST update. Increase of 46 cases. no increase in deaths from 8:40 am
Coronavirus screening missing more than half of cases: Study – Straits Times
Researchers in the United States and Britain, in a study published in the journal eLife, used computer models to predict the impact of screening based on the latest data of how the coronavirus behaves and how long it takes for patients to show symptoms.
Building on similar work in 2015, they found that many cases would inevitably be missed and called for a rethink in how nations screen passengers.
“If someone doesn’t realise they have been exposed, and doesn’t yet show symptoms, then they are fundamentally undetectable,” Dr Katelyn Gostic, a post-doctoral scholar at the University of Chicago and lead author told AFP. “We estimate that on average, screening will miss about two-thirds of infected travellers.”
Related read: Walking Coronavirus Pneumonia Can Spread the Disease
Singapore is strict and serious
COVID-19: Two to be charged with giving false information to MOH during contact tracing – CNA
SINGAPORE: Two people will be charged under the Infectious Diseases Act for giving false information to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and obstructing the conduct of contact tracing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
‘I’m paranoid and panicked’: Gwyneth jets to Paris with a face mask amid coronavirus outbreak… as she pokes fun at her ill-fated role in Contagion – Daily Mail
Gwyneth Paltrow has admitted she is ‘paranoid and panicked’ amid the killer coronavirus outbreak that is rapidly sweeping the world.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the star revealed she was wearing a face mask on her flight to Paris in a bid to keep herself safe from infection.
Singapore is serious about containment. See below
Man loses Permanent Resident status, barred from re-entering Singapore after breaching Stay-Home Notice – CNA
SINGAPORE: A 45-year-old man has lost his permanent residency status in Singapore after breaching a Stay-Home Notice while the country battles the novel coronavirus outbreak.
He will also be barred from re-entering Singapore, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Wednesday (Feb 26).
Shoppers fight in supermarket ‘within Italy’s red zone’ where 50,000 people have been placed in quarantine and shops have run low on food – Daily Mail
Footage claiming to show a fight breaking out at a supermarket inside the ‘red zone’ in Italy where 50,000 people have been placed in quarantine has emerged online.
The video shows two shoppers coming to blows near the tills of a Lidl supermarket as a member of staff rushes forward to break up the scuffle.
Brazil confirms first coronavirus case in Latin America – AP
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s government confirmed on Wednesday that a 61-year-old Brazilian man who traveled to Italy this month has Latin America’s first confirmed case of the contagious new coronavirus.
“We will now see how this virus behaves in a tropical country in the middle of summer, how its behavior pattern will be,” Brazil’s Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said in a press conference.
South Korea COVID-19 cases exceeds 1,200; US soldier among new cases – CNA
SEOUL: South Korea’s COVID-19 case total jumped well into four figures on Wednesday (Feb 26) as authorities reported another 115 coronavirus cases on Wednesday afternoon.
The US military reported its first case on Wednesday, a 23-year-old soldier based in Camp Carroll, about 20km from Daegu.
North Macedonia confirms first case of coronavirus – Reuters
BELGRADE (Reuters) – North Macedonia has confirmed its first case of the coronavirus infection, diagnosed in a woman who recently returned home from Italy, the health minister said on Wednesday.
U.S. warns of coronavirus pandemic as Latin America reports first case – Reuters
SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) – Asia reported hundreds of new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including an American soldier stationed in South Korea, as the United States warned of a pandemic, the disease spread in Europe and Brazil confirmed Latin America’s first infection.
Trump to detail US coronavirus efforts, Schumer seeks $8.5B – AP
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, on Wednesday unveiled an $8.5 billion request to respond to the virus outbreak, more than triple Trump’s request. Schumer is asking for $4.5 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services to work to contain the outbreak in the U.S., $1 billion to develop and manufacture a vaccine, $1 billion to help other countries battle the coronavirus, and $2 billion to reimburse states for costs incurred in tackling the outbreak.
Update 8:40 am EST 2/26/2020. An increase of 29 cases and 2 deaths from 3 hours ago
US scrambles to prepare for potential coronavirus pandemic – The Straits Times
WASHINGTON – It is not a question of if, but when, the coronavirus becomes a pandemic in the US, a top health official said on Tuesday (Feb 25) as the government scrambled – late, experts say – to gear up.
Dr Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Centre for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases at the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), told reporters: “Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in the United States.”
“It’s not a question of if this will happen but when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illnesses.
“Disruption to everyday life may be severe,” she added.
A kiss is just a kiss except when it spreads the coronavirus -The Straits Times
PARIS (BLOOMBERG) – King Henry VI of England banned kissing in 1439 to battle the plague.
As the world confronts the coronavirus spreading from China, some health authorities are again urging people to refrain from physical displays of affection.
Americans ought to think twice about bro hugs and high fives, they say, while the French and Italians might want to reconsider their traditional pecks on the cheek.
Tweet – How Iranians greet each other with the Covid-19 epidemic
Virus outbreak stalks markets as 2020 gains get wiped out -AP
In Europe on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.7% at 6,968, while Germany’s DAX 1.1% to 12,656. The CAC 40 in France was 0.8% lower at 5,636.
Wall Street was poised for a lower opening, with Dow futures and the S&P 500 futures were both 0.2% lower.
UPDATE 1-London stocks tank as pandemic fears intensify; FTSE hits 1-year low – Reuters
FTSE 100 down 2%, FTSE 250 drops 2.3%
Feb 26 (Reuters) – UK shares tumbled for a fifth straight session on Wednesday, as a U.S. warning to brace for a coronavirus pandemic raised fears of more global supply chain problems, with Rio Tinto and Diageo becoming the latest multi-national firms hit by the outbreak.
China and Japan’s relationship is thawing in the time of coronavirus – CNN
Tokyo (CNN)“Even though we live in different places, we live under the same sky,” read the stanza on the sides of boxes filled with face masks and thermometers sent to China from the Japan Youth Development Association (JYDA).
As China battles the coronavirus outbreak that has so far killed more than 2,700 people and infected over 80,000, Japan has proved to be something of an ally. Earlier this month, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang lauded Japan for supporting China.
UPDATE 2-France reports second coronavirus death, Italian link in another case – Reuters
PARIS, Feb 26 (Reuters) – A second person suffering from the coronavirus has died in France, and a Frenchman who had travelled to Italy’s Lombardy region had also tested positive, the country’s health authorities said on Wednesday.
UK conducts random coronavirus testing as part of early warning plan – Reuters
Britain has started random tests for coronavirus on flu patients in order to have an early warning system in place in case the outbreak becomes more widespread in the country, a senior health official said.
Brazil ‘confirms first coronavirus infection in Latin America’ – Guardian
A government test in Brazil has confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Latin America, a source told Reuters on Wednesday.
Globe braces for long battle against virus as cases spread – AP
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Scientists raced to find a treatment, crews scrubbed everything from money to buses, and quarantines were enforced Wednesday from a beachfront resort in the Atlantic to an uninhabited island in the Pacific as the world fought the spread of a new virus.
Worries over the ever-expanding economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis multiplied, with factories idled, trade routes frozen and tourism crippled, while a growing list of countries braced for the illness to claim new territory. Even the Olympics, five months away, wasn’t far enough off to keep people from wondering if it would go on as planned.
Greece reports first coronavirus infection – Guardian
A spokesman for the Greek health ministry said the patient, a 38-year-old woman who had recently travelled to northern Italy, was in a Thessaloniki hospital and in good condition.
Coronavirus cases rise in Italy, with children among new cases – Straits Times
ROME (REUTERS) – An outbreak of coronavirus in northern Italy worsened on Wednesday (Feb 26), with more than 30 new cases confirmed in the two worst-hit regions and children found to have the illness for the first time.
Officials in Lombardy, which includes Italy’s financial capital Milan, said cases had risen overnight to 259 from 240 on Tuesday, with four children, including a four-year-old girl, infected in the first such cases in the country.
More new coronavirus infections outside China than inside – WHO – The Guardian
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO,
Yesterday, the number of new cases reported outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time. The sudden increases of cases in Italy, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Korea are deeply concerning. There are now cases linked to Iran in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman. There are now cases linked to Italy in Algeria, Austria, Croatia, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.
European nations record string of new cases linked to Italy’s growing outbreak – The Straits Times
Austria, Croatia, France, Spain and Switzerland all reported new cases involving people who had been to Italy. The first cases in the North African nation of Algeria and Brazil in Latin America were also imported from Italy.
Update 6:36 am EST 2/26/2020
Asian markets take another hit as virus sweeps globe – AFP
Asian markets fell on Wednesday, with the coronavirus spreading rapidly around the world and health chiefs warning that governments were not prepared for the outbreak.
‘Recipe for a Massive Viral Outbreak’: Iran Emerges as a Worldwide Threat – NYT
Religious pilgrims, migrant workers, businessmen, soldiers and clerics all flow constantly across Iran’s frontiers, often crossing into countries with few border controls, weak and ineffective governments and fragile health systems.
Now, as it struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Iran is also emerging as the second focal point after China for the spread of the disease. Cases in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates — even one in Canada — have all been traced to Iran, sending tremors of fear rippling out from Kabul to Beirut.
Covid-19 beyond containment, but Singapore’s efforts will slow the spread: Harvard don – The Straits Times
SINGAPORE – The coronavirus outbreak has gone beyond the point of containment, said a Harvard don.
“I think the virus is already spreading rapidly and actively in many places,” said Professor Marc Lipsitch, director of the Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Virus hits more countries as health official warns world ‘not ready’ – AFP
The new coronavirus epidemic swelled on Wednesday with cases in South Korea surging past 1,000 after deaths soared in Iran and infections appeared in previously untouched countries, prompting dire warnings that the world was not ready to contain it.
The virus has rapidly spread in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East, even as the number of fresh cases and deaths decline at the disease epicentre in China.
Tenerife coronavirus: 1,000 guests at hotel quarantined – The Guardian
H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel on lockdown as first case confirmed in mainland Spain
A thousand guests and workers at a hotel in Tenerife have been quarantined after an Italian doctor and his wife tested positive for coronavirus, and as the first cases of the disease were detected in Austria, Croatia and Switzerland.
Coronavirus: 19 dead, 139 infected in Iran: Health ministry spokesman – The Straits Times
DUBAI (REUTERS) – Nineteen people have died and 139 people have been infected by coronavirus in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said on Wednesday (Feb 26) in an announcement on state TV.
Coronavirus spreads further as WHO expert warns world ‘not ready’ for pandemic – The Guardian
Coronavirus has spread further around the world as a World Health Organisation expert warned that countries outside China are “simply not ready” for a pandemic.
The virus has proliferated in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East in recent days, with the death toll rising in Iran, infections in South Korea passing 1,200 and the first suspected case recorded in Latin America – even as the number of deaths and fresh cases decline at the disease epicentre in China. Covid-19 has now reached dozens of countries with Austria, Croatia and Switzerland the latest to declare cases.
New coronavirus advice to UK schools: children should only self-isolate if they have symptoms – Guardian
The Department for Education and Public Health England have issued updated advice for schools and colleges in England, following a number of schools sending staff and students home to self-isolate after returning from northern Italy, Richard Adams, the Guardian’s education editor, reports.
What to do if a pupil, student or staff member has travelled from a Category 2 specified country/area in the last 14 days
If they are currently well:
- They are advised to self-isolate only if they develop symptoms.
- They can continue to attend work or education.
- They do not need to avoid contact with other people.
- Their family do not need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities.
5:40 am EST 2/26/2020 An increase of 808 cases and overnight and 59 deaths overnight.
Italy, reeling from coronavirus outbreak, discovers what it’s like for Chinese – SCMP
Italy was the first European Union country to ignore the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) advice not to ban flights to and from China because of the coronavirus outbreak. Now, with a whole Italian region on lockdown, is Rome regretting that decision?
“I’ve had people ask me in the past few weeks: ‘why we don’t just stop the flights from China?’,” the UK’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday.
“The Italians did that, and now they have the largest outbreak in Europe.”
Coronavirus: 19 dead, 139 infected in Iran: Health ministry spokesman – Straits Times
DUBAI (REUTERS) – Nineteen people have died and 139 people have been infected by coronavirus in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said on Wednesday (Feb 26) in an announcement on state TV.
Iran has had the highest number of deaths from coronavirus outside China, where the virus emerged in late 2019.
How deadly is new coronavirus? It’s still too early to tell – AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists can’t tell yet how deadly the new virus that’s spreading around the globe really is — and deepening the mystery, the fatality rate differs even within China.
As infections of the virus that causes COVID-19 surge in other countries, even a low fatality rate can add up to lots of victims, and understanding why one place fares better than another becomes critical to unravel.
“You could have bad outcomes with this initially until you really get the hang of how to manage” it, Dr. Bruce Aylward, the World Health Organization envoy who led a team of scientists just back from China, warned Tuesday.
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AROUND THE WORLD, CORONAVIRUS PUSHES MASS ONLINE, CANCELS ASH WEDNESDAY – Netny.tv
Catholic churches around the globe are taking major precautions amid concerns for the coronavirus.
In Hong Kong, churches are celebrating Masses online and Ash Wednesday services have been suspended.
In Italy, several dioceses have cancelled Ash Wednesday services and suspended public masses, where more than 150 reported cases have been reported, mostly in the northern region.
Churches are also enforcing measures including no physical greeting during the sign of peace, shorter funeral services, weddings celebrated only with close relatives and removal of Holy Water from fonts. Parish dining rooms will also have food in to-go containers.
South Korean virus cases jump again, 1st US soldier infected – AP
Soldiers in close proximity like military barracks can spread the virus easily.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean virus cases jumped again Wednesday and the U.S. military confirmed its first case among American soldiers based in the Asian country, with his case and many others connected to a southeastern city with a growing illness cluster.
South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 216 of the 284 new cases were in Daegu, where the government has been mobilizing public health tools to contain the spread of the outbreak, and in neighboring towns.
The U.S. military said the 23-year-old soldier was in self-quarantine at his off-base residence.
German with virus in grave condition; Austria probes death – AP
BERLIN (AP) — Authorities in western Germany said Wednesday that a man who contracted COVID-19 is in critical condition and has been taken to a specialist hospital in Duesseldorf, as officials in neighboring Austria sealed off an apartment complex where a female tourist from Italy with a possible infection died overnight.
German news agency reported that the man was in his 40s and had a pre-existing condition.
France reports first French death from coronavirus – Straits Times
PARIS (AFP) – A 60-year-old man has become the first French victim of the coronavirus in the country, the health ministry announced on Wednesday (Feb 26).
The man died overnight after being rushed to a Paris hospital in serious condition on Tuesday evening, bringing the total death toll in the country to two, said the ministry’s deputy head, Mr Jerome Salomon.
China to quarantine visitors from affected countries – Guardian
In an interesting reversal, travellers entering Beijing are to be subject to 14 days quarantine if they have been to countries seriously hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
US soldier stationed in South Korea tests positive for coronavirus as global outbreak worsens – CNN
Hong Kong (CNN)Public health officials warned Wednesday that the spread of the novel coronavirus is inching closer toward meeting the definition of a global pandemic, as the number of cases outside mainland China continues to grow, including in South Korea where a US soldier has tested positive for the virus.
Algeria reports first coronavirus case from Italian citizen – SCMP
Algeria has confirmed its first case of Covid-19, becoming the second African country to report the disease.
The country’s minister of health Abderrahmane Benbouzid announced on state television on Tuesday evening that an Italian national who arrived in the North African country on February 17 tested positive for the virus, which causes a disease known as Covid-19.
Global shares slide on fear virus’ spread may be unstoppable – AP
TOKYO (AP) — Global shares fell Wednesday on growing fears that a new virus’ spread may be unstoppable, hurting global growth considerably.
France’s CAC 40 lost 0.6% to 5,644.47 in early trading, while Germany’s DAX fell 1% to 12,661.83. Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.6% to 6,976.95.
Scottish government “expecting outbreak” – Guardian
The Scottish government announced last night it was stepping up its preparations for an outbreak, after the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, chaired a resilience meeting to discuss preparations.
The health secretary, Jeane Freeman, said it was “expecting an outbreak” in Scotland but stressed the risk to individuals was low and that all tests so far had come back negative. A total of 412 people have been tested for the virus in Scotland so far.
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