WHO Director-General updates on COVID-19 figures

− 210,000 cases, 9000 deaths reported globally

−China, Italy have largest numbers

DPI, Guyana, Friday, March 20, 2020

The World Health Organisation’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a briefing on March 20 said that while the numbers change every day in some countries it is important to know that no person can be spared from the virus.

WHO DG

Director General, World Health Organisation, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

“One of the things we are learning is that although older people are the hardest hit, younger people are not spared… Young people, you are not invincible. Data from many countries clearly show that people under the age of 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalisation,” Dr. Ghebreyesus stated.

A recent situation report published by the WHO has presented the latest numbers with more countries reporting new cases while China has managed to control the spread of the virus.

The newest global pandemic, novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has affected 210,000 persons worldwide with 9000 of those persons succumbing to the severe respiratory illness.

COVID MAP

Centre for Diseases Control map published, identifying countries with reported COVID-19 cases

Among those are China and Italy which have the highest reported cases of as of March 19, 2020 – 81, 232 and 39,920 respectively. The two countries have a combined total of 6,704 deaths.

Iran follows directly with 18,553 reported cases, of which 12,82 persons succumbed. In Spain, there were 598 deaths from 16,254 reported cases. The United States of America rounds off the top five with 10,638 cases being reported with 142 of those being deaths.

Meanwhile, in the CARICOM region, the numbers have been relatively low. Jamaica with 14 confirmed cases, has the most followed by Trinidad and Tobago with nine cases, Guyana, five cases, The Bahamas, five cases, Barbados four cases and Saint Lucia two cases.

Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Suriname have one case each with no deaths. These countries fall within the region of the Americas.

The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, called on all countries in the Americas to take urgent action to reorganize their health services and protect health professionals to safely care for patients with COVID-19 and save lives.

The table below shows top countries in other regions and their COVID-19 related figures as of March 19, 2020

.The table below shows top countries in other regions and their COVID-19 related figures as of March 19, 2020.

 

Noteworthy, on March 20, it was highlighted that province of Wuhan in China reported no new cases for the first time since the outbreak started. This the Director General said, “provides hope for the rest of the world, that even the most severe situation can be turned around.”

For more information and numerical data on the coronavirus in other countries, visit WHO’s website –www.who.int

 

 

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