March 24, 2020

Coronavirus has infected over 400 000 people worldwide and killed about 17 000 so far

By Newsroom

Nearly 400,000 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus worldwide, and around 17,000 have died.

In India their Prime Minister Narendra Modi has imposed a nationwide lockdown in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The restrictions came into force at midnight local time in India and will be enforced for 21 days.

“There will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes,” Mr Modi said in a televised address.

India has a population of 1.3bn  and now joins a growing list of countries that have imposed similar measures.

The coronavirus death toll in Spain has jumped by 514 in a single day, as the situation in the country quickly worsens. Official figures show that 2,696 people have now died in the country and close to 40,000 are infected. About 5,400 health care workers are among those confirmed cases.

Spain is the worst affected country in Europe after Italy, which has recorded more than 6,000 deaths so far.

In New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has pleaded for medical supplies, warning Covid-19 is spreading in his state faster than “a bullet train”. He said the federal government was not sending enough equipment to combat the crisis, noting the state needs 30,000 ventilators. New York now has over 25,000 confirmed virus cases and at least 210 deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday the US could become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.

Share