China’s Factories at Risk of Double Whammy as Coronavirus Hits South Korea, Japan
The new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has spread to dozens of countries around the world.
Refresh for March 3 updates.
UK Announces 5 New Cases
The UK on Tuesday morning updated its national case total to 40, according to the country’s Department of Health and Social Care.
“A total of 13,525 people have been tested in the UK, of which 13,485 were confirmed negative and 40 positive,” a statement read.
Australia’s Reserve Bank Cuts Interest Rate
The Reserve Bank of Australia has cut the cash rate to a new record low of 0.5 percent.
RBA governor Philip Lowe said the easing from 0.75 percent comes ahead of a worse-than-expected near term virus hit to the economy.
“It is too early to tell how persistent the effects of the coronavirus will be and at what point the global economy will return to an improving path. Policy measures have been announced in several countries, including China, which will help support growth,” Lowe said in his address after the bank’s March board meeting.
Belinda Allen of Commonwealth Bank told the Australian Financial Review that she favored other approaches to mitigating potential impacts from the outbreak.
“A fiscal response would be more appropriate,” she said.
Cases in Australia Increase to 35
Four more cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in the Australian state of NSW, bringing the total number of people infected with the virus in the state to 13.
NSW Health on Tuesday afternoon said two women in their 60s who returned to Sydney from South Korea and Japan had tested positive.
Earlier in the day, the NSW premier announced two more cases: a 39-year-old man who arrived in Sydney from Iran on Feb. 28, and a 53-year-old man who had returned to Sydney from Singapore on Feb. 28.
Australia now has a national total of 35, with 1 death and 21 already recovered.
Georgia Detects 2 More Cases
In a press conference late Monday night, Gov. Brian Kemp confirmed that a husband and wife in Atlanta have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after being tested by a local doctor, who sent the samples to the CDC.
“These cases involve two individuals who reside in the same household. One who recently returned from Italy,” Kemp said of the patients in Fulton County, Atlanta.
Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey told reporters, “We thought it was important that we come today and tell you about this even as our epidemiologists are still investigating and find any potential contacts in the community.”
The patient who returned from Italy said that they did not feel any effects of the virus until they were back to Atlanta. Toomey said that the couple are both now exhibiting minimal symptoms and are self-isolating at home.
“We will continue to search for any contacts to ensure that we stop any further spread in the community,” Toomey said. “The message to the public is still low risk. No local transmission going on and wash your hands and get a flu shot,” she added.
Jordan, Latvia Detect First Infections
The Kingdom of Jordan on Monday reported its first case of novel coronavirus, with the majority of cases tracing back to regions in Italy and Iran that are suffering from localized outbreaks.
The Jordanian citizen returned from Italy 16 days ago, and entered quarantine last week after feeling sick. According to the country’s Health Minister Saad Jaber, the male patient is in good condition. His family and a colleague who he came in contact with are in quarantine for 14 days.
Jaber added that schools across the kingdom are likely to be shut down if the number of cases reaches 20. Mass gatherings will also be banned.
Latvia has also reported its first case of the virus, its Ministry of Health said on Monday, according to LETA news agency.
The patient, a female national who lives in Rīga, arrived in Latvia on Feb. 29 on the 3:40 p.m. airBaltic flight BT226 that left from Milan, Italy, via Munich with her family.
Upon their arrival, they traveled by private car from the airport back home.
Health officials have said that her condition is not severe. She and her child, who is also showing symptoms, have been transferred to the Latvian Infectology Center for isolation and monitoring.
The rest of her family are quarantined at home.
Other passengers on the flight are being asked to call Latvia’s Disease Control and Prevention Center on precautionary measures after sharing the plane with the infected woman. The flight arrived in Rīga at noon local time.
US to Increase Healthcare Worker Access to Respirators
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Monday measures to make more respirators, including certain N95s, available to healthcare workers.
In a statement, the FDA said that it has now approved respirators marked for use in industrial settings for use by healthcare professionals responding to patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
“The FDA and CDC’s action to allow a wider range of respirators to be used in healthcare settings will help those on the front lines of this outbreak and their patients, which will keep all Americans safe,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
“President Trump has made it clear that protecting the American people is his top priority, and that includes taking every necessary step to ensure America’s healthcare providers have the tools they need.
“We will continue pursuing every possible avenue to secure the protective gear needed for responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Another Case Detected in Australia
A 10th coronavirus case in the Australian state in Queensland has been confirmed by state health authorities.
A 20-year-old male university student from China has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The man, who had traveled to Dubai for at least two weeks before entering Australia, is in a stable condition in isolation in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Queensland Health has confirmed he is a student.
He was living in the Brisbane suburb of Toowong with a male housemate, who is now being assessed for the disease.
A student accommodation business told AAP Chinese students are bypassing the China travel ban by spending two weeks in other countries before entering Australia.
Natural Protection Strategy Against Viruses
(George Rudy/Shutterstock)Conventional medicine offers very little for the prevention or treatment of most viral illnesses. Natural medicine offers considerably more solutions.
Read about natural treatments here.
Unusual Animal Behavior in Coronavirus Epicenter: Video
People from Hubei province, the epicenter of coronavirus outbreak, have reported sightings of unusual animal behavior in Hubei, such as huge flocks of crows and fish jumping out of water.
Elderly Chinese people used to say that crows are carrion-eaters and have the ability to anticipate death, because they can smell the odor of a dying person. That is why in Chinese culture, crows are considered inauspicious and are always linked with death.
Click here to watch the video.
For updates from March 2, click here.
Dr. Charles Bens and AAP contributed to this article.
This article is from the Internet:Coronavirus Live Updates: UK Announces 5 New Cases
Pakistan’s Largest City Shuts Schools for 2 Weeks Over Virus Fears