International
US Backs $8.3bn Funds, China Death Toll Tops 3,000: Live updates
In a move to stop the spread of COVID-19, The US Congress voted for a $8.3bn emergency funding package to fight the coronavirus as Italy closes schools, and cancels public events and countries around the globe report more cases.
The US move came as the country reported a total of 11 deaths, including one in California, the first outside Washington state. More cases have also emerged in New York and Los Angeles with California declaring a state of emergency.
Globally, more than 93,000 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the vast majority of them in China where the virus originated late last year.
Read Also: US defence linguist accused of sharing military secrets
UAE ADVICES AGAINST TRAVEL ABROAD
The United Arab Emirates has urged citizens and other residents to avoid travelling abroad because of concerns over a coronavirus, state news agency WAM said.
Authorities in the Gulf state may order medical checks on returning travellers and ask them to stay in isolation at home, pending the outcome, WAM said, citing a health ministry statement.
The UAE, which has closed schools and educational institutions for four weeks, said students and education workers would have to spend 14 days in home isolation on returning to the country.
HONG KONG EVACUATES MORE PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG
Hong Kong is evacuating more of its people from Wuhan where the coronavirus originated late last year.
The first group of evacuees arrived on Wednesday, after going through health checks before boarding. They will spend 14 days in quarantine.
THAILAND REPORT FOUR MORE CASES
Thailand has diagnosed four more cases of coronavirus; an Italian man who arrived in the country on March 1, a Thai man who returned from Italy, a Chinese man who was in transit from Iran to China and was found to have the virus during screening. and a Thai student who had come back from Iran.
The country now has 47 confirmed cases.
CHINA CORONAVIRUS DEATHS EXCEED 3000
China’s National Health Commission has just released its daily update on the coronavirus.
It reported 139 new cases on Wednesday, compared with 119 the day before. That brings the total number of cases on the mainland 80,409.
The number of deaths rose to 3,012 after an additional 31 people died from the illness.
SOUTH KOREA CASES CONTINUE TO CLIMB
South Korea has just given its first update of the day on the coronavirus situation there. It’s confirmed 438 new cases taking total infections to 5,766.
The Korea Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention also said three more people died from the virus, bringing the total to 35.
The US has also reported two more cases among the 28,500 soldiers stationed in the country, bringing the total to six.
SINGAPORE DELAYS FLIGHT AFTER PASSENGER CONFIRMED WITH COVID-19
Singapore’s Transport Ministry grounded a Turkish Airlines flight on Wednesday after one of the passengers tested positive for the coronavirus.
TK54, a Boeing 787-9, arrived in Singapore from Turkey on March 3, but was delayed on the return leg after the case was discovered, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
“(The) Ministry of Health has started contact tracing for flight passengers who may have had contact with the case while the case was infectious,” it said.
Local media reported there were 220 people on the plane, which flew back to Turkey with crew but no passengers in the early hours of Thursday morning.
AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES SECOND DEATH, MORE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
Australia says a second person has died from the coronavirus; an elderly woman who was diagnosed with the illness after a worker at the nursing home where she lived was confirmed to have the virus.
Most of Australia’s 52 cases are people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship which was quarantined off Japan, but the country has also introduced travel restrictions with a number of countries.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said non-Australians coming from South Korea would not be allowed to enter the country, while people arriving from Italy would have to go through enhanced screening.
A ban on visitors from China and Iran was also being extended, he said.
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