Coronavirus epidemic continues to spread, first death in the United States

Text by: RFI Follow

The coronavirus epidemic continues to progress. In less than 24 hours, more than 1,800 new infections have been identified worldwide.

Publicity

■ The United States reports its first death on its soil

US authorities announced on Saturday that a woman in her 50s has died in Washington State. Some 22 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in the country, said Donald Trump at a press conference. Added to this are the 47 patients repatriated to the United States.

The President also reported that four people were " very sick " and 15 healed or recovering and who are no longer forced into self-containment. The deceased is not the first American citizen to succumb to the coronavirus: a 60-year-old man hospitalized in Wuhan (China) died on February 6.

Vice President Mike Pence has announced new security measures, reports our New York correspondent, Loubna Anaki . As with China, non-American travelers from Iran are now prohibited from entering the United States. The authorities also advise Americans not to travel to the affected areas in Italy and South Korea. Donald Trump also said that a meeting with major pharmaceutical groups will take place this Sunday to discuss a vaccine.

■ The 100 cases reached in France, more than 1,000 in Italy

France reached the symbolic bar of 100 cases of coronavirus this Saturday since the end of January, 43 more than the previous day. It is the second most affected European country. Twelve people are cured, two died and 86 hospitalized, including nine in serious condition, said number two of the Ministry of Health, Jérôme Salomon. To slow the spread, the government has announced a ban on gatherings of more than 5,000 confined people, as well as open gatherings where people from areas at risk may be found.

Italy has exceeded a thousand contaminations and recorded 29 deaths in three regions of the north of the country: Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. To stop the spread, they decided as a precaution to keep all schools closed next week.

The epidemic has claimed eight lives in 24 hours. All those who died were elderly and most of them seriously ill. Out of a total of 506 hospitalized patients, 105 are currently in intensive care, said in his press point the head of Civil Protection, Angelo Borrelli. Since the start of the epidemic a week ago, 1,128 people have tested positive for the virus, down from 888 on Friday. An increase partly explained by the number of tests carried out: in one week, Italy carried out 18,500, far more than its European neighbors.

■ Sixty countries affected

According to a report drawn up this Saturday afternoon by Agence France-Presse from official sources, the coronavirus epidemic has infected more than 85,900 people worldwide and has left more than 2,900 dead. More than 1,800 new infections were identified in 24 hours.

Mainland China, where the epidemic broke out at the end of December, has 79,251 cases, including 2,835 deaths. South Korea, the second most affected country, recorded 813 additional cases on Saturday, the largest daily increase to date, for a total of 3,150 infections, including 17 deaths. Another worrying sign is that the country has registered its first case of recontamination.

Authorities in Iran reported nine new deaths on Saturday, bringing the official death toll to 43 dead and 593 people infected. But according to BBC Persian radio, which cites hospital sources, at least 210 people have died in the country, an assessment denied by the government.

Monaco, Luxembourg, Qatar and Ecuador have announced their first cases of infection.

► Read also: Iran: imbroglio around the number of people affected by the coronavirus

There are several explanations for this "repositivation" of the tests.

How to explain recontaminations to the coronavirus?

( With AFP)

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Download the app

• coronavirus
• United States
• Health and Medicine

On the same subject

Coronavirus: the Paris half-marathon canceled and Juve-Inter postponed

Iran: imbroglio around the number of people affected by the coronavirus

February 2020: the fly drawing