China reports 27 new covid-19 deaths, lowest rise in cases since January
Bulgaria reports first two coronavirus cases, Argentina reports first fatality
PHOTO: REUTERS
BUENOS AIRES/BEIJING/SOFIA/ASUNCION:
China on Sunday reported its lowest number of new coronavirus infections since January, with nearly all the 44 new cases in the outbreak epicentre Wuhan.
There were 27 new deaths from the virus, all in Wuhan and the lowest in more than a month, bringing the nationwide toll to 3,097, according to the National Health Commission.
Only three cases, all imported from abroad, were reported outside of Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, in Beijing and the northwest province of Gansu.
New infections reported from Hubei have been on a downward trend for several weeks and multiple cities in the province have reported zero new cases in recent days.
A senior government official hinted on Friday that China may soon lift the lockdown on the province imposed in late January, which has effectively restricted the movement of some 56 million people in Hubei.
Nationwide new infections have also been on a downward trend, but confirmed imported cases have prompted fears in recent days that infections could swell as people get infected overseas.
The two cases reported in Beijing Sunday were arrivals from Italy and Spain, the capital's health commission said.
The number of coronavirus cases has risen worldwide to more than 100,000, with 3,500 dead across 95 nations and territories.
Bulgaria reports first two coronavirus cases
Two Bulgarians have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the first cases in the Balkan country, health authorities said early Sunday.
Neither had travelled anywhere recently or been in contact with anyone who had returned from a country with a coronavirus outbreak, chief state health inspector Angel Kunchev said.
"Samples from two patients -- a man from the northern town of Pleven and a woman from the central town of Gabrovo -- tested positive," the director of the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Todor Kantardzhiev, told journalists at a late-night press conference.
The man, aged 27, and the woman, aged 75, were tested for the infection as a preventive measure after being hospitalised several days ago with severe respiratory problems.
Their condition has improved and both will undergo further tests overnight to verify the result.
Authorities said they had already tracked down and started testing anyone who had been in contact with the pair -- around 40 people in total -- in order to identify a possible "patient zero".
Bulgaria is one of the last countries in Europe to be affected by the virus, which has already infected over 100,000 people worldwide and left 3,500 people dead.
The country is already battling an influenza epidemic with hospitals full of flu patients -- potentially jeopardising preparedness to respond to a spread of the coronavirus, health authorities warned earlier this week.
Latin America's first coronavirus fatality is in Argentina
A 64-year-old man died of the novel coronavirus Saturday in Argentina, authorities said, making him Latin America's first fatality in the global epidemic.
The Buenos Aires man had returned from Europe on February 25, Argentina's health ministry said in a statement, without specifying which country or countries he had visited.
He became ill on February 28 with a fever, cough and sore throat and sought medical care on March 4. The patient was hospitalized in intensive care and required machine-assisted breathing, the statement said.
The man had underlying health issues including diabetes, hypertension, chronic bronchitis and kidney problems.
Argentina has reported another eight cases of coronavirus.
The number of cases worldwide has risen to more than 100,000 with 3,500 dead across 95 nations and territories.
Paraguay reports first coronavirus case
A 32-year-old Paraguayan who arrived from Ecuador is the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Paraguay, the country's health minister said Saturday.
The patient was in "very good" general health and authorities were monitoring people who had contact with him since he arrived in Asuncion on March 3, Health Minister Julio Mazzoleni told reporters.
In Ecuador there are 14 confirmed cases of people infected with COVID-19 and 122 suspected cases, according to official figures.
The central laboratory of Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health confirmed the COVID-19 case on Saturday afternoon, Mazzoleni tweeted earlier.
"Protocols already tested and approved by the WHO are being applied," he wrote, referring to the World Health Organization.
Health authorities were continuing to monitor 70 others who had arrived from abroad.
China on Sunday reported its lowest number of new coronavirus infections since January, with nearly all the 44 new cases in the outbreak epicentre Wuhan.
There were 27 new deaths from the virus, all in Wuhan and the lowest in more than a month, bringing the nationwide toll to 3,097, according to the National Health Commission.
Only three cases, all imported from abroad, were reported outside of Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, in Beijing and the northwest province of Gansu.
New infections reported from Hubei have been on a downward trend for several weeks and multiple cities in the province have reported zero new cases in recent days.
A senior government official hinted on Friday that China may soon lift the lockdown on the province imposed in late January, which has effectively restricted the movement of some 56 million people in Hubei.
Nationwide new infections have also been on a downward trend, but confirmed imported cases have prompted fears in recent days that infections could swell as people get infected overseas.
The two cases reported in Beijing Sunday were arrivals from Italy and Spain, the capital's health commission said.
The number of coronavirus cases has risen worldwide to more than 100,000, with 3,500 dead across 95 nations and territories.
Bulgaria reports first two coronavirus cases
Two Bulgarians have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the first cases in the Balkan country, health authorities said early Sunday.
Neither had travelled anywhere recently or been in contact with anyone who had returned from a country with a coronavirus outbreak, chief state health inspector Angel Kunchev said.
"Samples from two patients -- a man from the northern town of Pleven and a woman from the central town of Gabrovo -- tested positive," the director of the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Todor Kantardzhiev, told journalists at a late-night press conference.
The man, aged 27, and the woman, aged 75, were tested for the infection as a preventive measure after being hospitalised several days ago with severe respiratory problems.
Their condition has improved and both will undergo further tests overnight to verify the result.
Authorities said they had already tracked down and started testing anyone who had been in contact with the pair -- around 40 people in total -- in order to identify a possible "patient zero".
Bulgaria is one of the last countries in Europe to be affected by the virus, which has already infected over 100,000 people worldwide and left 3,500 people dead.
The country is already battling an influenza epidemic with hospitals full of flu patients -- potentially jeopardising preparedness to respond to a spread of the coronavirus, health authorities warned earlier this week.
Latin America's first coronavirus fatality is in Argentina
A 64-year-old man died of the novel coronavirus Saturday in Argentina, authorities said, making him Latin America's first fatality in the global epidemic.
The Buenos Aires man had returned from Europe on February 25, Argentina's health ministry said in a statement, without specifying which country or countries he had visited.
He became ill on February 28 with a fever, cough and sore throat and sought medical care on March 4. The patient was hospitalized in intensive care and required machine-assisted breathing, the statement said.
The man had underlying health issues including diabetes, hypertension, chronic bronchitis and kidney problems.
Argentina has reported another eight cases of coronavirus.
The number of cases worldwide has risen to more than 100,000 with 3,500 dead across 95 nations and territories.
Paraguay reports first coronavirus case
A 32-year-old Paraguayan who arrived from Ecuador is the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Paraguay, the country's health minister said Saturday.
The patient was in "very good" general health and authorities were monitoring people who had contact with him since he arrived in Asuncion on March 3, Health Minister Julio Mazzoleni told reporters.
In Ecuador there are 14 confirmed cases of people infected with COVID-19 and 122 suspected cases, according to official figures.
The central laboratory of Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health confirmed the COVID-19 case on Saturday afternoon, Mazzoleni tweeted earlier.
"Protocols already tested and approved by the WHO are being applied," he wrote, referring to the World Health Organization.
Health authorities were continuing to monitor 70 others who had arrived from abroad.