Tweet
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-persp...fections-climb
Korean COVID-19 cases double; Iran-linked infections climb
Filed Under:
COVID-19
Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News
| Feb 22, 2020
South Korea's COVID-19 cases more than doubled today, as Japan, Iran, and Italy reported more infections. In addition, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the third country to report Iran-linked cases.
In other developments, China reported more cases and added to its death total, and officials in the United States detailed plans to house evacuees and test surveillance samples.
WHO chief warns Africa
In the wake of warning earlier this week that the window for containing COVID-19 has narrowed, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, met with African health ministers in an emergency meeting about preparedness, which was organized by the African Union and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The WHO has voiced deep concern over the potential spread of the virus to countries with weak health systems, especially those in Africa.
Though 80% of patients have mild disease and recover, the other 20% have severe or critical disease, he said in a speech today before the group. "These patients require intensive care, using equipment such as respiratory support machines that are, as you know, in short supply in many African countries. And that's a cause for concern."
Many Korea cases part of 2 clusters
In two separate reports today, South Korea's Centers for Disease Control (KCDC) first reported 142 cases then reported 87 more for a total of 433, more than double the 204 reported yesterday. Of the new cases, 100 are from a Shincheonji Church of Jesus cluster, and 95 are linked to a cluster at Qingdao Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo County. Health officials also reported South Korea's second death from the virus.
The KCDC also published a summary of its first 346 cases, which shows that 48.8% are linked to the church cluster and 31.2% are linked to the hospital cluster.
It also has details about the hospital outbreak, which is centered in the facility's psychiatric ward and has so far sickened 9 staff and 102 patients. South Korea's two deaths are linked to the hospital outbreak. The report also notes that transmission linked to the church likely reflects repeated exposures, such as during small group meetings.
Japan Singapore totals grow
Meanwhile, Japan's health ministry today reported 22 more cases, raising the country's total to 113, though it also notes an overall total of 132 that includes 16 asymptomatic carriers and 3 confirmed positives.
The cases span 10 locations: Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Hokkaido, Ishikawa Prefecture, Tokyo, Nagoya, Tochigi Prefecture, and Sagamihara.
In Singapore, the health ministry reported 3 more cases, raising the country's total to 89. One of the new cases is linked to a church cluster, one involves an evacuee from Wuhan, and the exposure source is under investigation for the third case. In total, only 9 of Singapore's cases don't have links to other cases.
Iran outbreak grows; UAE reports Iran-linked cases
Iran today reported 10 new cases, 1 of them fatal, The News International reported today, citing a health ministry spokesman. Eight patients are hospitalized in Qom, the country's epicenter, with two hospitalized in Tehran.
Iran reported its first cases, both fatal, on Feb 20, and today's developments lift the country's total to 28 cases, 5 of them fatal.
In a related development, the UAE today reported two cases, involving a couple who had traveled from Iran, according to a health ministry tweet. One of the patients is a 70-year-old man who being treated in an intensive care unit, and the other is his 64-year-old wife. The UAE now has 13 cases.
Italy reports another death
Italy today reported as many as 11 new cases in its steadily growing outbreak, and there are now 2 fatalities, Reuters reported today, citing healthcare sources quoted in an ANSA news agency report.
Italy now has 30 cases in the northern part of the country, 27 of them in Lombardy region. The latest death occurred in a woman from Lombardy.
China cases rise
In China, members of an international joint mission led by the WHO is in Wuhan today with their Chinese colleagues to assess the situation. The group has also visited Beijing, plus Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.
The country's National Health Commission today reported 397 new cases today, down from 889 reported yesterday, for a total of 76,288.
Officials also reported 109 more deaths and 156 fewer suspected cases, putting those respective totals at 2,345 and 11,477.
California city blocks evacuee transfer
In US developments, the California city of Costa Mesa has won federal injunction that temporarily bars the transfer of people quarantined at Travis Air Force Base to a state-owned building in Costa Mesa, according to an NBC News report.
City officials said about 30 to 50 people, reportedly those who tested positive for the virus, were slated to arrive at the facility as early as Feb 23. The building was once an assisted-living facility for people with disabilities. An expedited hearing is slated for Feb 24.
Honolulu added as surveillance site
Meanwhile, federal officials have added a sixth site—Honolulu— to its surveillance system for COVID-19, Anthony Fauci, MD, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview yesterday on CNBC.
A recently reported Japanese patient had traveled to Hawaii before he became ill. Last week, federal officials announced the first phase of a plan to look for people who may be infected with the disease at flu surveillance sentinel sites in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and New York City.
Health officials will test negative flu specimens for the virus that causes COVID-19.
Korean COVID-19 cases double; Iran-linked infections climb
Filed Under:
COVID-19
Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News
| Feb 22, 2020
South Korea's COVID-19 cases more than doubled today, as Japan, Iran, and Italy reported more infections. In addition, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the third country to report Iran-linked cases.
In other developments, China reported more cases and added to its death total, and officials in the United States detailed plans to house evacuees and test surveillance samples.
WHO chief warns Africa
In the wake of warning earlier this week that the window for containing COVID-19 has narrowed, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, met with African health ministers in an emergency meeting about preparedness, which was organized by the African Union and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The WHO has voiced deep concern over the potential spread of the virus to countries with weak health systems, especially those in Africa.
Though 80% of patients have mild disease and recover, the other 20% have severe or critical disease, he said in a speech today before the group. "These patients require intensive care, using equipment such as respiratory support machines that are, as you know, in short supply in many African countries. And that's a cause for concern."
Many Korea cases part of 2 clusters
In two separate reports today, South Korea's Centers for Disease Control (KCDC) first reported 142 cases then reported 87 more for a total of 433, more than double the 204 reported yesterday. Of the new cases, 100 are from a Shincheonji Church of Jesus cluster, and 95 are linked to a cluster at Qingdao Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo County. Health officials also reported South Korea's second death from the virus.
The KCDC also published a summary of its first 346 cases, which shows that 48.8% are linked to the church cluster and 31.2% are linked to the hospital cluster.
It also has details about the hospital outbreak, which is centered in the facility's psychiatric ward and has so far sickened 9 staff and 102 patients. South Korea's two deaths are linked to the hospital outbreak. The report also notes that transmission linked to the church likely reflects repeated exposures, such as during small group meetings.
Japan Singapore totals grow
Meanwhile, Japan's health ministry today reported 22 more cases, raising the country's total to 113, though it also notes an overall total of 132 that includes 16 asymptomatic carriers and 3 confirmed positives.
The cases span 10 locations: Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Hokkaido, Ishikawa Prefecture, Tokyo, Nagoya, Tochigi Prefecture, and Sagamihara.
In Singapore, the health ministry reported 3 more cases, raising the country's total to 89. One of the new cases is linked to a church cluster, one involves an evacuee from Wuhan, and the exposure source is under investigation for the third case. In total, only 9 of Singapore's cases don't have links to other cases.
Iran outbreak grows; UAE reports Iran-linked cases
Iran today reported 10 new cases, 1 of them fatal, The News International reported today, citing a health ministry spokesman. Eight patients are hospitalized in Qom, the country's epicenter, with two hospitalized in Tehran.
Iran reported its first cases, both fatal, on Feb 20, and today's developments lift the country's total to 28 cases, 5 of them fatal.
In a related development, the UAE today reported two cases, involving a couple who had traveled from Iran, according to a health ministry tweet. One of the patients is a 70-year-old man who being treated in an intensive care unit, and the other is his 64-year-old wife. The UAE now has 13 cases.
Italy reports another death
Italy today reported as many as 11 new cases in its steadily growing outbreak, and there are now 2 fatalities, Reuters reported today, citing healthcare sources quoted in an ANSA news agency report.
Italy now has 30 cases in the northern part of the country, 27 of them in Lombardy region. The latest death occurred in a woman from Lombardy.
China cases rise
In China, members of an international joint mission led by the WHO is in Wuhan today with their Chinese colleagues to assess the situation. The group has also visited Beijing, plus Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.
The country's National Health Commission today reported 397 new cases today, down from 889 reported yesterday, for a total of 76,288.
Officials also reported 109 more deaths and 156 fewer suspected cases, putting those respective totals at 2,345 and 11,477.
California city blocks evacuee transfer
In US developments, the California city of Costa Mesa has won federal injunction that temporarily bars the transfer of people quarantined at Travis Air Force Base to a state-owned building in Costa Mesa, according to an NBC News report.
City officials said about 30 to 50 people, reportedly those who tested positive for the virus, were slated to arrive at the facility as early as Feb 23. The building was once an assisted-living facility for people with disabilities. An expedited hearing is slated for Feb 24.
Honolulu added as surveillance site
Meanwhile, federal officials have added a sixth site—Honolulu— to its surveillance system for COVID-19, Anthony Fauci, MD, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview yesterday on CNBC.
A recently reported Japanese patient had traveled to Hawaii before he became ill. Last week, federal officials announced the first phase of a plan to look for people who may be infected with the disease at flu surveillance sentinel sites in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and New York City.
Health officials will test negative flu specimens for the virus that causes COVID-19.