A woman wearing a face mask passes by posters about precautions against the COVID-19 illness on a street in Seoul, South Korea, March 10, 2020. (AHN YOUNG-JOON / AP)
SYDNEY/ANKARA/TEHRAN/VIENTIANE/NEW DELHI/RAMALLAH/SEOUL/TOKYO/JERUSALEM/AMMAN/SINGAPORE/ISLAMABAD/JAKARTA/HANOI/DUBAI/MUMBAI/BANGKOK/ULAN BATOR/KUWAIT CITY — Japan's lower house of parliament on Wednesday passed a special bill to enable better provisions to be made to combat the COVID-19 outbreak and empowering Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency if necessary as the number of pneumonia-causing infections continue to rise.
The passage of the bill through the lower house on Wednesday paves the way for the bill to be put to the vote in the upper house of Japan's bicameral parliament on Thursday.
The bill, which will be effective for a period of up to two years until February 2022.
Japan's health ministry and local governments said besides those who were infected in the Princess Diamond, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by one on Tuesday to stand at a total of 568 infected people in Japan as of 10:30 am local time here.
The death toll in Japan from the virus currently stands at 31, according to the health ministry.
The operators of Tokyo Disneyland, DisneySea and Universal Studios Japan said on Wednesday that they will extend their closure in line with a government request, in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Iran's president urges reduction of trips, toll jumps to 354
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday said that people should minimize all their trips to help government to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak reached 354, a rise of 63 in the past 24 hours, a health ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.
Around 9,000 people were infected, Kianush Jahanpur told state TV, calling on people to avoid unnecessary trips and stay at home.
South Korea infections jump
South Korea reported another 242 new cases compared with only 35 a day earlier, bringing the total in Asia’s worst outbreak outside Chinese mainland to 7,755, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. The death toll rose by one to 60.
The daily tally of new cases in South Korea peaked at 909 on Feb 29, as authorities tested about 200,000 followers of a fringe Christian church at the center of the nation’s epidemic.
With that task almost done, the infection rate had slowed in recent days, raising hopes that South Korea might be bringing the virus under control.
The mass infections at the call center could be the beginning of a fresh tide that leads to a widespread regional outbreak
Park Won-soon, Seoul Mayor
But new clusters at a call center in Seoul, and among teachers and students of a dance school with classes around the country, have kept authorities on high alert for a fresh spike in infections.
“The mass infections at the call center could be the beginning of a fresh tide that leads to a widespread regional outbreak,” Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon told a briefing.
At least 90 cases confirmed this week, including 62 in Seoul, were linked directly to the call center located near a public transportation hub connecting Seoul with Incheon and other major cities, the KCDC said.
Authorities say they are testing the 200 staff who worked on the floor where the first cases were discovered, while monitoring the other 550 in the center’s workforce who are self-quarantined.
Many of its workers who tested positive were found to have used the subway and buses for their daily commute, prompting extensive disinfection work around key stations, city officials said.
Women wearing face masks walk in a public area in Banda Aceh on March 2, 2020. (CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP)
16 more COVID-19 cases reported in Philippines, 49 in total
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday that 16 more people have tested positive for the new coronavirus in the Philippines, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 49.
The country's Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday that some of the hospitals in Metro Manila are experiencing overcrowding due to an increasing number of people who might have contracted the new coronavirus.
Indonesia appoints more referral hospitals for COVID-19
The Indonesian government has officially appointed more hospitals across the country as referral ones for patients infected by COVID-19 following a report on the first death of a patient, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
The number of the referral hospitals rose to 132 from about 100, and they are located in all the country's 34 provinces, the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, a 53-year-old British woman has died from coronavirus in Indonesia, the first recorded death from the virus in the Southeast Asian country.
Indonesia has 34 confirmed coronavirus patients with 6 new detected cases on Wednesday.
Malaysia reports 20 new cases of COVID-19, 149 in total
Malaysia on Wednesday announced 20 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 149, said the Health Ministry.
Another case had been declared cured and discharged, making for a total of 26 who had recovered in Malaysia, Health Ministry director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.
Malaysian authorities are also tracking around 5,000 citizens across the country believed to have been potentially exposed to the coronavirus at a religious event in the outskirts of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
India closes a border, extends travel curbs
India ramped up travel restrictions and closed a border with neighboring Myanmar to counter the coronavirus outbreak, as countries across South Asia reported a rise in cases on Wednesday.
Indian suspended issuing visas to citizens of France, Spain and Germany until further notice, a health ministry statement said late on Tuesday.
The number of COVID-19 infection cases in India rose to 60, India's federal health ministry officials said Wednesday.
Of the 60 cases, 44 are Indian nationals and 16 are citizens of Italy.
Brunei reports 5 new cases of COVID-19
According to Brunei's Ministry of Health on Wednesday, among the five new cases, three people have attended the same religious gatherings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the first confirmed patient.
The other two cases are both close contacts of the three people, who have no trip history to Kuala Lumpur and a contextual investigation is underway.
Brunei has 11 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday.
People wear facemasks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 novel coronavirus, in McLeod Ganj near Dharamshala on March 9, 2020. (SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP)
Afghanistan infections tally at 7
In Afghanistan, the number of confirmed cases rose to 7 from 4, the country’s health ministry said on Wednesday.
Bangladesh’s High Court has directed the government to take measuresTk to curb the soaring prices of masks and sanitizers, after it reported its first three cases of the virus on Sunday.
Two Bangladesh COVID-19 patients tested negative
Two of Bangladesh's first three reported COVID-19 patients have tested negative, an official told the press on Wednesday.
Thailand restricts visitor visas to limit virus spread
Thailand will temporarily suspend issuing visas on arrival to visitors from 19 countries and territories, to contain the spread of the coronavirus, its interior minister said on Wednesday.
People from any country who want to come will need to apply for a visa with our embassies
Anupong Paochinda, Thailand's Minister of Interior
The suspensions were the latest measures imposed in the tourism-reliant Southeast Asian country, which has reported 59 cases of the virus and one death so far. “People from any country who want to come will need to apply for a visa with our embassies,” Minister of Interior Anupong Paochinda told reporters.
“Thai embassies everywhere will ensure that no sick people will travel to Thailand.”
Following Bangkok, Chiang Mai has also called off Thailand's largest annual event, the Songkran Water Festival in an attempt to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak.
Australia unveils health package to combat coronavirus
Australia announced a A$2.4 billion (US$1.56 billion) health package on Wednesday that proposes setting up fever clinics and offering cost-free facilities for people to consult doctors over video calls, as it combats the spread of the coronavirus.
“Just under US$1.2 billion of that will actually, we anticipate, be spent this financial year, particularly as the virus and its impacts ramp up in the months ahead,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra.Australia has been struggling to contain the disease, which is expected to take a significant economic toll, with the Treasury department warning the outbreak would cut at least half a percentage point from economic growth in the first quarter.
The federal government said the latest funding package would include the A$500 million announced last week to support the costs on the health system from the virus outbreak.
It will include free video consultations for people in self-isolation and quarantine.
“We are ensuring people can access essential care in a way that reduces their potential exposure to infection,” Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
The package will be in addition to a multi-billion-dollar economic stimulus package the government says will be announced on Thursday.
A woman wearing a face mask crosses the street in Melbourne on March 5, 2020. (WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
Australia also extended its travel ban for Italy from 1800 local time (0700 GMT) on Wednesday, after Italy expanded a lockdown to cover the entire country to contain the spread of the virus.
ALSO READ: Vaccine testing begins in Australia
Australia has recorded 112 cases of the coronavirus as of 11 am local time on Wednesday, up from 100 the previous day, the health department said. Three people have died from the disease in the country.
ALSO READ: HK to quarantine arrivals from parts of Europe, Japan
A woman wearing a mask walks past a Japanese flag on March 11, 2020, in Tokyo. (JAE C. HONG / AP)
Turkey's first coronavirus patient confirmed
A Turkish citizen with high fever and cough symptoms was diagnosed with the coronavirus following tests, making him the country’s first confirmed diagnosis, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said early on Wednesday.
The male patient is in good health condition and his family and people who had close contact with him are under observation.
Vietnam halts visa-free travel for Britain, 7 EU countries
Vietnam will temporarily suspend the visa waiver program for nationals of Britain and seven European Union countries from Thursday as part of the efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the community, Vietnam News Agency reported Wednesday.
According to the media, people from Britain and seven countries of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France and Spain will no longer be granted 15-day visa-free entry.
The country reported three new infections Wednesday, taking the totall number of cases to 38.
Israel confirms 6 new COVID-19 cases
Israel's Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that six more Israelis were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients in Israel to 76.
The ministry said the source of the infection of one of the six patients, a maintenance worker at Ben Gurion International Airport, is unknown.
This is the second patient in Israel to be infected without being abroad recently nor being in contact with another verified patient.
According to the ministry's data, 70 are hospitalized in 16 hospitals across Israel. One of them is in serious condition.
Three patients are being treated at home, and the remaining three have recovered.
Palestine on Tuesday reported a new case of the novel coronavirus, bring the total number of the infected people to 30
Coronavirus cases in Palestine hit 30
Palestine on Tuesday reported a new case of the novel coronavirus, bring the total number of the infected people to 30.
Ibrahim Milhem, Palestinian government spokesman, said the latest case a man in his 30s living in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
More than 2,000 Palestinians are currently placed in quarantine in the cities of Bethlehem and Jericho.
Lao govt urges postponement of social gathering
The Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism issued a notice on Tuesday, discouraging the organization of large events including weddings, as the government intensifies efforts to minimize the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Head of the Ministry Office, Vansy Kuamua, signed the notice on Tuesday, giving provincial culture and tourism departments and relevant bodies nationwide authority to request the postponement of festivals and events, such as weddings, which draw a large crowd.
The advisory notice is a precautionary measure to protect Laos against the virus, with Laos now being the only country in the region to have no confirmed cases, said local online newspaper Vientiane Times.
Bahrain records 77 new coronavirus cases among evacuees from Iran
Bahrain’s health ministry said on Wednesday 77 new coronavirus cases had been recorded among citizens evacuated from Iran by plane this week.
The new cases brought the total number of coronavirus cases recorded by Bahraini health authorities to date to 189, 30 of whom have recovered.
READ MORE: Coronavirus kills 237 in Iran, 7,161 infected
Emirate Airline authorizes temporary one-way flights to Tehran
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) international carrier Emirates Airline authorized one-way flights to Iran until March 20, official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.
IRNA quoted the Iranian Embassy in Dubai as saying that the flights will take Iranian passengers stranded outside of the country back home.
After the first cases of the coronavirus infection were reported in Iran on Feb 19, the Emirates Airlines cancelled flights to and from Iran.
Women wear facemasks amid fears of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus in the Orchard Road shopping district in Singapore on March 10, 2020. (LOUIS KWOK / AFP)
Singapore reports 12 new infections, including 8 imported cases
Singapore recorded 12 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 178, the Ministry of Health said Wednesday.
One is part of the cluster infection involving the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on Feb. 15, eight are imported cases, one is linked to an imported case, and two are currently unlinked.
Singapore' Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday that the affluent island nation needs to impose longer-term changes to deal with a rapidly evolving epidemic.
ALSO READ: Singapore warns of complacency while new virus infections surge
Pakistan's Sindh province confirms 2 new COVID-19 cases
Pakistan’s Sindh provincial authorities on Tuesday evening confirmed two more COVID-19 cases in the province, increasing the country’s overall tally to 18, a statement said.
Lebanon's COVID-19 cases increase to 61, two deaths
Lebanon's Health Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the number of COVID-19 cases in Lebanon increased to 61 and a second death case caused by the virus was registered.
Firas Abiad, general manager of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, said a day earlier that more than six hospitals have been equipped so far to receive COVID-19 cases.
On March 4, Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan said that Lebanon is cooperating with China in fighting against the virus, adding "China has offered needed medical tests to help in detecting the virus."
READ MORE: Team arrives in Iraq to aid fight against virus spread
Iraq cancels Friday prayers in Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala
Iraq canceled Friday prayers in the Shi’ite holy city of Kerbala due to concerns about the coronavirus, a statement from the administration of the city’s holy site said on Wednesday.
The Iraqi Health Ministry on Tuesday announced that 15 people infected with COVID-19 have recovered
Kerbala, like the neighboring holy city of Najaf, attracts Shi’ites pilgrims from Iraq and abroad. Prayers had already been canceled last Friday.
The Iraqi Health Ministry on Tuesday announced that 15 people infected with COVID-19 have recovered.
Among the cured were 11 in the capital Baghdad, while the other four in the northern province of Kirkuk, the ministry said in a brief statement.
So far the Iraqi ministry has reported 66 cases of COVID-19, of whom seven have died.
Mongolia steps up measures to prevent COVID-19 after first confirmed case
Mongolia is stepping up measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the landlocked country, following its first confirmed case on Tuesday.
The sole patient is a 57-year-old French national who arrived in the capital Ulan Bator on March 2, before developing a fever on Saturday and testing positive for the virus.
In addition to a ban introduced earlier on all public gatherings and advice on virus prevention, the Mongolian State Emergency Commission (SEC) on Tuesday decided to restrict traffic in Ulan Bator and all 21 provinces until March 16, as well as suspend all scheduled flights to and from Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan from Friday through March 28.
The commission has also required all public and private organizations to allow female employees who are pregnant or have children under 12 to work from home, or to provide paid leave for them until the end of March.
COVID-19 cases in Kuwait rise to 72
Kuwait confirmed three new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 72, Kuwait's Ministry of Health said Wednesday.
At a daily press briefing, the ministry's spokesman Abdullah Al-Sanad said that one of new cases had travelled to Iran. The other two are an Egyptian and a Sudanese who were in close contact with an infected person who came from Azerbaijan.
There are five patients at the intensive case unit, including one in critical condition and four stable, he said.
In addtion, two patients have recovered, he added.
Jordan bans entry of five countries over COVID-19 concerns
Jordan on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Germany, Spain, France, Syria and Lebanon to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
Jordanians are also prohibited from travelling to the five countries, said Health Minister Saad Jaber at a press conference in the capital Amman.
