Published 19:53 IST, February 28th 2020
Coronavirus outbreak: Here's how the epidemic is affecting the world
The Coronavirus has now spread to at least 50 countries and affected 83,000 people globally has alarmed international leaders over the easy spread of pathogen.
- World News
- 4 min read
The deadly Coronavirus has now spread to at least 50 countries and has affected 83,000 people globally while alarming the international leaders over the pathogen being spread easily. The drastic spike in confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the globe since it originated late December in the Chinese province of Wuhan has made authorities struggle with containing the outbreak.
As of February 28, a new case of an Italian man working in Nigeria has been confirmed as a virus patient. Apart from China, new clusters have also emerged in South Korea, Italy, and Iran which has further made the battle with the pathogen, difficult.
More than 500 infections of the fatal Coronavirus have been reported in South Korea for the second consecutive day making the total cases in the country cross the 2,300 mark. Outside China where at least 2,867 lives have been lost to the COVID-19 with 78,824 confirmed cases, South Korea is the most hit country in terms of reported cases. Other countries who have reported their first cases recently include Lithuania, Belarus, and New Zealand.
The Mongolian President has also been put under quarantine after returning from China on February 28.
Global markets hit low
The economy has been severely affected by the ongoing crisis of the Coronavirus outbreak with the global markets witnessing reportedly their worst week since the 2008 global financial crisis. The virus fears have pushed the stocks down for the seventh consecutive day.
Meanwhile, at the heart of the biggest outbreak outside China, South Korean officials are still struggling to find at least 3,000 members of a religious group which practises an offshoot of Christianity.
Coronavirus in Iran
Emerging as the new cluster of the fatal virus, according to reports, the full picture of Iran's outbreak still remains unclear. The Islamic Republic has recorded the highest death rate outside China with 34 people dead and only 388 confirmed cases reported of infection. The death of the virus has been at around 1-2 per cent elsewhere in the world, this further suggests that thousands of Iranians might be carrying the pathogen undetected.
World's biggest motor show cancelled
In the wake of the epidemic, authorities have cancelled the Geneva Motor Show, which is one of the world's biggest motor shows. This was the latest string of international events which has been delayed or cancelled because of COVID-19 including the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that was supposed to happen in February.
Facebook also called off its biggest annual events, the F8 developers conference, while keeping in mind the health security of its officials and attendees.
Evacuation from North Korea
Even though, South Korea's immediate neighbour, North Korea has not publically reported any Coronavirus cases. A source of international media outlet has revealed that officials are currently planning to evacuate their diplomats from North Korea. However, the date of the evacuation flights is not yet finalised.
The current death toll of countries
The virus death toll in China is more than 2,800 and the fatalities due to Coronavirus are 79 in other countries. The deaths have been reported as; 34 in Iran, 17 in Italy, 13 in South Korea, 9 in Japan, 2 in Hong Kong, 2 in France, and one each in Phillippines and Taiwan. The virus has now affected every continent except Antarctica.
(With agency inputs)
Updated 19:53 IST, February 28th 2020
