The number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the world has soared past one million and deaths have topped 50,000. The US reported more than 6,000 deaths, as per the John Hopkins University ticker, taking the global death toll due to the virus past 50,000.
About 208,000 patients have been cured of the virus globally.
As per an AFP report, South Africa recorded 82 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,462.
The fast-spreading virus is claiming more and more lives even as more than half of the planet lives in a state of lockdown. Medical experts say that the US, Spain and Britain are to see their worst days yet.
Countries like Thailand, Russia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, the UK, Australia, Jordan, Argentina, Israel and most of EU are currently on stay-at-home orders.
The US now accounts for a quarter of coronavirus cases around the globe, with its death toll rocketing. Disaster response agency FEMA on Thursday asked the US military for 100,000 body bags.
About 6.65 million Americans signed on for unemployment benefit last week, taking the total number of people who have lost their jobs in wake of the outbreak of the pandemic to 10 million in the last two weeks of March alone.The US is also facing a stark shortage of essentials for healthcare workers and doctors like hospital gowns, surgical masks and gloves.
President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to rapidly increase manufacturing of N95 masks. Trump administration is also working on developing new guidance that will recommend that Americans wear face masks while leaving their homes in order to slow down the spread of the virus.
To help countries deal with the epidemic, WHO will rollout an emergency package of $160bn over a period of 15 months, with an initial $1.9 billion going to projects in 25 countries and operations moving forward in 40 more countries.
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New cases of COVID-19 have slowed down in Spain. Spain has shown signs of slowing down. “The data shows the curve has stabilized” and the epidemic has entered a “slowdown” phase, Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa said.
Death tolls in Spain and Italy have accounted for nearly half of the global health toll, but as per experts, the number of new cases is slowing down.
Rest of Europe could still be bracing for worse days yet, especially Britain. Britain saw 569 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Main victims of the virus have been the elderly and those with pre-existing pre-medical conditions. But in rent days, deaths have been reported even in teenagers and infants even. Hans Kluge of the World Health Organisation was quoted in an AFP report saying, “The very notion that 'COVID-19 only affects older people' is factually wrong.”
