The novel coronavirus continues spreading across the globe, with cases confirmed in over 110 countries.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there are at least 275,000 infected, and the death toll exceeds 11,400 people, as numerous fatalities were reported in Europe and the Middle East over the past few days. Outside China, the worst-hit countries are Italy, Spain, Germany, the United States, and Iran.
73 new cases and six more deaths have been registered over the past 24 hours.
According to the commission, six COVID-19 deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours in China. The total coronavirus death toll in China stands at 3,261.
No new cases were registered in the past 24 hours in Hubei Province, the initial epicenter of the coronavirus infection, which was declared a pandemic this month by the World Health Organization (WHO).
A total of 245 confirmed cases of coronavirus was registered on Saturday.
The health ministry in Gaza announced the first two cases of Covid-19 in the territory. They are two persons who returned from Pakistan on Thursday and they were already in quarantine. The ministry says there are so far no cases among the general population. https://t.co/yDRXbaKbUG
— Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah) March 21, 2020
"People are allowed to leave home/yard only subject to observance of general security measures for the protection against COVID-19. They are also required to avoid gatherings of more than three people who are not family members. From 22:00 to 06:00, going outside is only allowed under certain circumstances", Vela said at a briefing, broadcast on Facebook.
Effective March 23, such circumstances, according to the minister, include buying groceries, taking care of older family members and walking dogs, as well as emergency visits to doctors and essential professional duties, with the latter case requiring a relevant certification.
Effective March 22, malls will be closed, along with dentist offices, save for urgent surgeries. Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open.
Two patients are in critical condition, Communication Minister Jorge Rodriguez said, while 15 have already recovered. No fatalities have been registered.
According to Focus Online, North Rhine-Westphalia accounts for the highest number of COVID-19 cases with more than 6,700 people infected, followed by Bavaria - 3,695 cases, and Baden-Wurttemberg -3,818.
Focus Online also noted that the rate of infection spread has slowed down, declining from 30 percent to 12.1 percent.
"Today we decided to make one more step. The decision that has been taken by the government is to close on the whole territory of Italy any production activity that is not essential to provide us with goods and services of primary necessity", premier Giuseppe Conte said.
He added that supermarkets, pharmacies, postal, and banking services will remain open, public transport will also be ensured.
The patient, who died on Saturday, was initially admitted to Paphos General Hospital with low life expectancy, according to the ministry. The patient suffered from liver failure and chronic heart problems, among other serious conditions. He had come into contact with another patient at the clinic who had tested positive for COVID-19 and thus contracted the virus.
According to local media reports, the deceased patient was British.
84 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the island country so far.
More than 32,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been registered over the past 24 hours, according to the latest situation update provided by the World Health Organisation.
New 1,344 fatalities have been reported globally.
The total number of people infected with coronavirus has risen from 670 to 947 over the past 24 hours, 12 more people have died, all of them elderly citizens, Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said on Saturday.
The Ministry of Health announced this evening the first confirmed case of a Coronavirus patient who arrived at Asmara International Airport from Norway with Fly Dubai at 7:00 a.m. LT this morning. The 39-year old patient is an Eritrean national with permanent residence in Norway
— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) March 21, 2020
The total number of fatalities has risen to 4,825, while Italy has also set the record for recoveries per day - 943, bringing the total number to 6,062.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Mexico has risen to 203 after 85 new cases were registered over the past 24 hours, Jose Luis Alomia, Mexico's general director of epidemiology, said on Saturday, adding that the second person has died of the disease in the country.
"Yesterday we reported about this suspicious death in the state of Durango, the tests' results confirmed the SARS-COV-2 virus," the general director of epidemiology said.
According to Alomia, 2 percent of people hospitalized over COVID-19 is currently in serious condition.
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus increased by 24 in Armenia over the past 24 hours, which brings the total toll of those infected to 160, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday.
"There are 160 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Armenia. One patient has recovered, no deaths from the disease have been registered," the health authorities said in a statement.
RIGA (Sputnik) - Artuss Kaimins, a lawmaker of the country's unicameral 100-member parliament, the Saeima, said on Saturday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus disease and self-isolated.
"Due to poor physical condition, I have been self-isolating since March 17. On Friday, March 20, I passed tests and today I received a response about a positive result for the coronavirus," Kaimins wrote on Facebook.
The lawmaker also apologized to all people he contacted with on March 15 and 16 and called on them to take tests for COVID-19. Kaimins attended a session of the Latvian parliament on March 16.
The Latvian Center for Disease Prevention and Control is analyzing the situation and is due to decide on whether all lawmakers who attended the session should be isolated.
The USA Track and Field (USATF), the governing body of the US athletics federation, urged on Saturday to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which are to take place from July 24 to August 9, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We certainly understand the ramifications of this request, and the realities of trying to coordinate the logistics of a postponed Olympic Games around the schedules of other athletes, sport federations, key stakeholders etc, but the alternative of moving forward in light of the current global situation would not be in the best interest of our athletes (as difficult as that decision might be)," USATF chief executive Max Siegel said in the letter to US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) chief executive Sarah Hirshland.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) canceled on Saturday the world championship due to the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
"The 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been confirmed today by the IIHF Council," the international body wrote on Twitter.
The championship was to take place in Switzerland's cities of Zurich and Lausanne from May 8-24.
China has sent to Greece one million medical and surgical masks, as well as other medical supplies amid COVID-19 outbreak, the Greek Health Ministry said on Saturday, adding that the total weight of cargo amounted to eight tonnes.
According to the ministry, 500,000 masks were granted to Greece by the Chinese government, while another half was sent by State Grid Corporation of China, a strategic partner of Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator.
China's Ambassador to Athens Zhang Qiyue, as well as Greece's ministers of state, health, environment and energy, and the alternate minister for European affairs, participated in a ceremony to receive the cargo.
The ceremony was held at Athens International Airport.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands has totaled to 3,631 after 637 new cases were detected over the past 24 hours, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said on Saturday, adding that the number of fatalities from the virus reached 136.
"Since yesterday, 637 people have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 3631," the statement read.
The statement added that most deaths occurred between 80 and 84 years of age.
Switzerland has confirmed nearly 1,300 new cases of the coronavirus over the last 24 hours, which brings the total toll of those infected to 6,113, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said in a statement on Saturday.
According to FOPH, the number of fatalities across the country reached 56 people.
Earlier this week, the Swiss government toughened measures to contain the pandemic and banned gatherings of over five people. Those violating this decision will be slapped with a fine.
Major Announcement by CM @ArvindKejriwal in view of #coronavirus outbreak.
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) March 21, 2020
✅ Free ration with 50% extra grains to 18 lakh poor families.
✅ Pension for elderly, widows, specially-abled being doubled.
✅ For the homeless, lunch & dinner will be available in all night shelters pic.twitter.com/C6EAqKf5xH
"I hope that the Olympics will still take place this year. You know all the official statements of the IOC in this regard, they have not yet canceled the Olympics. Therefore, we need to continue to work, and tasks of RUSADA remain. The leaders of sports federations should carefully listen to our requirements and recommendations, and be understanding", Yuri Ganus, the head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor on Saturday said it had sent systems allowing to test more than 100,000 people for COVID-19 to 13 countries, including neighbours, Iran, Mongolia, and North Korea.
"Rospotrebnadzor has already transferred test systems developed by the State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology Vector to conduct more than 100,000 tests for COVID-19 to 13 states, including member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Iran, Mongolia, and North Korea. Deliveries to Egypt, Serbia, and Venezuela are expected soon”, the watchdog said.
Sharp Jump in #Coronavirus cases in India in last 12 hours.
— Rishikesh Kumar (@rishhikesh) March 21, 2020
Premiere Lab ICMR confirmed 271 positive cases in India. It was 236 on Friday night.
ICMR: A total of 15,701 samples from 14,811 individuals have been tested for SARS-CoV2 as on 21st
March 2020 1000 hrs IST.@SputnikInt pic.twitter.com/KruTn49P2G
