The new coronavirus appears to now be spreading much more rapidly outside China than within, and airports in hard-hit countries were ramping up screening of travelers.
The global death toll exceeded 3,000, with the number of dead in Italy jumping by 18 to 52. Latvia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Morocco reported cases for the first time, bringing the total to more than 60 countries with the illness known as COVID-19.
Mainland China reported 125 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 80,151. The death toll reached 2,943 as of end-Monday, up by 31 from the previous day.
Outside China, there are now more than 8,700 infected and over 125 deaths.
Chinese authorities asked overseas Chinese to reconsider or minimize their travel plans as imported virus cases rise. Guangdong province and Shanghai said they would require travelers from virus-hit countries to be quarantined for two weeks.
Morocco, Andorra, Armenia, Czech Republic, Iceland, and Indonesia confirmed their first cases.
South Korea’s president declared war on the coronavirus on Tuesday, ordering additional hospital beds and more face masks to be made available as the number of cases rose by 600, taking total infections to 4,812, while total fatalities rose to 34.
Australia will use a little-known biosecurity law to restrict the movements of people suspected of having the virus, its attorney-general said on Tuesday, as the country’s confirmed cases increased to 38.
Six people in the Seattle area have died of illness caused by the virus, prompting health officials to plan new containment measures, ranging from possible school closings to temporary quarantine housing for mildly ill homeless patients.
Florida on Monday confirmed that two presumptive coronavirus cases were positive. One patient had recently traveled to Italy, while the other had no relevant travel history.
Pakistan reported a new coronavirus case, bringing the total to five in the south Asian nation since last week, while neighbor India on Monday reported three more cases, including an Italian national.
Germany on Monday confirmed at least 28 new cases, bringing the number of infections to 157 from 129 on Sunday.
Iran, one of the worst-hit nations, reported infections rising to 1,501, with 66 deaths, including a senior official.
The death toll in Italy jumped to 52 on Monday from 34 the day before and the total number of confirmed cases in Europe’s worst affected country climbed past the 2,000 marks.
Spain’s confirmed cases rose to around 120 on Monday from 81 the day before, a health official said.
Major concerts and events in the United Arab Emirates have been canceled or postponed.
Britain is not planning to cancel mass gatherings or large sports events over the concerns about coronavirus, health minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday.
Global shares and oil prices extended their rebound on mounting speculation policymakers around the world would move to ease the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Reuters
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