Coronavirus has taken a toll over the world and the global death toll is now nearing 10,000. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases reported so far from across the world has surpassed 2,40,000, with nearly 85,000 people who have recovered (at the time of writing this report - March 20, 07:19 am). Italy, as of now can be considered as the worst affected nation, as the death toll has surpassed that of China's. The United States, along with several other nations continue to battle coronavirus. In the US, the Army prepared mobile military hospitals for deployment in major cities. Medical centers around the United States set up drive-thru testing sites that drew long lines of motorists waiting for nurses to swab their nostrils.
Italy, with 60 million citizens, recorded a total of at least 3,405 deaths, or roughly 150 more than in China, a country with a population over 20 times larger. At the same time, Italy reached its bleak milestone, Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus first emerged three months ago, recorded no new infections, a sign that the communist country’s draconian lockdowns had worked.
Health authorities cited a variety of reasons for Italy’s high toll, key among them its large population of elderly people, who are particularly susceptible to serious complications from the virus. Italy has the world’s second-oldest population, and the vast majority of its dead — 87 per cent — were over 70.
In the US, where deaths reached at least 178, and infections climbed past 11,000, Army officials announced plans to deploy two hospitals, probably to Seattle and New York City.
Washington state had the highest death toll, 74. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he would send a Navy hospital ship to the West Coast as well as one to New York City, which is rapidly becoming a US epicenter, with more than 4,000 cases.
Damage to the world’s largest economy kept piling up, with the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits surging by 70,000 last week. On Wall Street, though, stocks rose modestly amid optimism over efforts by the Federal Reserve and other central banks to shore up the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained almost 200 points, or 1 per cent.
Meanwhile, India reported its fourth death due to novel coronavirus on Thursday. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country has neared 200.
In Delhi, the total number of coronavirus cases has risen to 14. By Wednesday night, the number of cases of the deadly virus in the city stood at 10.
A total of 1,96,200 passengers who have returned from the coronavirus-affected countries have been screened at the Delhi airport till March 18 and placed under surveillance, Delhi Health Department authorities said.
A total of 4,547 passengers from the coronavirus-hit countries were screened on Thursday, according to a statement released by the Delhi Health Department, adding 9,797 passengers are under home quarantine as on March 19.
A total of 57 passengers are under quarantine at government facilities.
General public is advised to remain at home, particularly senior citizens, the person affected with hypertension, diabetes, respiratory diseases, pregnant women, cardiac patients taking steroids and children, the statement said.
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