Coronavirus — March 1st, 2020 Facts

▶️ The virus has infected more than 89,000 people in at least 64 countries, resulting in at least 3,037 deaths.

▶️ Mainland China had 202 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Sunday, sharply down from 573 cases a day earlier. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 80,026. The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China reached 2,912 as of the end of Sunday, up by 42 from the previous day.

▶️ 22 people have now died from COVID-19 in South Korea with 4,212 people infected.

▶️ Second coronavirus death reported in the U.S. As of Sunday night, 88 cases of coronavirus had been identified in the United States. Coronavirus reaches 12 states with first cases in New York and Florida.

▶️ Cases are up to 385 in Iran, raising its total number of officially confirmed cases to 987. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was “deeply concerned” Tehran may have covered up details about the spread of coronavirus.

▶️ The number of people infected in Italy with the new coronavirus rose by 50 percent to 1,694 in just 24 hours, the head of the Civil Protection Agency said. Five more people died, bringing the total number of deaths to 34, according to Italian authorities.

▶️ Two health care workers in California test positive.

▶️ A dog has been quarantined in Hong Kong after it tested “weak positive” for coronavirus, officials said. Authorities said the dog belongs to a coronavirus patient. To the relief of animal lovers, authorities said there was no evidence yet that the virus could be transmitted to man’s best friend.

▶️ Two Amazon employees in Europe have contracted the coronavirus.

▶️ The Chinese city of Shenzen, which borders Hong Kong, has identified its first case of imported coronavirus.

▶️Scotland and the Dominican Republic report their first cases, and Ecuador reports more.

▶️ Flights are suspended amid an outbreak in Italy. Delta Air Lines said it would suspend daily flights between New York and Milan. American Airlines said it would suspend flights to Milan from New York and Miami, citing a “reduction in demand.” Delta said it planned to resume flights between Milan and New York in early May, and American said its flights would resume on April 25.

▶️ Seoul seeks a murder inquiry into leaders of a church linked to the outbreak. Officials say that nearly 60 percent of the 4,212 confirmed cases in South Korea are in members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southeastern city of Daegu or people who came into contact with them.

▶️ The US currently has 75,000 diagnostic kits for testing coronavirus available and will increase that number “radically” in the following weeks, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told ABC’s “This Week”.

▶️ Remaining Diamond Princess passengers and crew are cleared, Japan says.

▶️ Democratic candidates use the coronavirus to attack President Trump on the economy.

▶️ Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar said he is personally involved in examining allegations raised by a whistleblower that agency employees who helped quarantined American evacuees from Wuhan, China, lacked proper training and protective gear. He also denied any possible exposure to the coronavirus led to its spread on the West Coast.