Iran Takes Drastic Measures to Contain Virus
CODOGNO, Italy (AFP) -- South Korea reported a sharp jump in coronavirus cases on Sunday, while Italy and Iran took drastic containment steps as worldwide fears over the epidemic spiraled higher.
The contagion’s spread prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that Africa’s unprepared health systems left the continent vulnerable to the COVID-19 disease, which spilled out of China and has infected more than 77,000 people in more than 25 countries.
Already one of the worst-hit nations outside of China, South Korea reported 123 new cases Sunday, taking its fast-rising total to 556. Its death toll also rose to four with two additional fatalities.
The higher toll came a day after Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the nation of around 51 million people faced a "grave” situation.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu -- considered by many a cult -- has emerged as a hotbed of contagion, with hundreds of members infected.
Prime Minister Chung called on Koreans to refrain from attending large gatherings including religious services.
Other South Korean cases involved many under hospital treatment for mental health issues, an employee with electronics giant Samsung, and eight people who just returned from a trip to Occupied Palestine.
Italy and Iran began introducing the sort of containment measures previously seen only in China, which has put tens of millions of people under quarantine lockdown in the epicenter province of Hubei.
More than 50,000 people in about a dozen northern Italian towns near the business hub of Milan were urged by authorities to stay home, shuttering shops and schools.
Among dozens of cases, Italy on Friday became the first European country to report one of its nationals had died from the virus -- a 78-year-old retired bricklayer in the region of Veneto.
That was followed Saturday by the death of a 77-year-old woman in Lombardy.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the government was weighing "extraordinary measures” to halt further infections.
Officials said all patients in Lombardy were linked to a 38-year-old man in intensive care in the town of Codogno, whom Italian media say dined in January with a friend who had returned from China.
The friend has since tested negative, however, illustrating mounting frustration among authorities worldwide over exactly how the virus spreads and the duration of its incubation period.
China reported another 97 deaths in its daily update on Sunday, taking its total to 2,442, plus another 648 new infections. Nearly 80,000 infections have been reported worldwide.
The vast majority of Chinese deaths and new infections remained concentrated in the hard-hit city of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have first emanated from a live animal market in December.
China’s infection rate has slowed sharply from earlier in the epidemic, but repeated Chinese flip-flopping over counting methods has sowed confusion over its data.
Iran ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural centers across 14 provinces from Sunday following eight deaths in the Islamic Republic -- the most outside East Asia and the first in the Middle East.
There were now 43 confirmed cases of the illness in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said. That’s a jump from a Saturday’s total of
28 confirmed cases and six fatalities.
The outbreak in Iran has centered mostly on the city of Qom, but spread rapidly over the past few days to people in four other cities, including the capital, Tehran.
Soccer fans across the country won’t be allowed to attend matches, and shows in movie theaters and other venues were suspended until Friday. Authorities have begun daily sanitization of Tehran’s metro, which is used by some 3 million people, and public transportation cars in the city.
Jahanpour said the 15 newly confirmed cases included seven in Qom, four in Tehran, two in the northern Gilan province, one in the central Markazi province, and one from the town of Tonekabon in the northern Mazandaran province, who died of the illness.
Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki said officials were nearly certain the virus came from China to Qom in central Iran. He also said that among those who’d died from the virus was a merchant who regularly shuttled between the two countries using indirect flights in recent weeks, after Iran stopped direct passenger flights to China.
Namaki, however, defended the government’s handling of the outbreak, saying it was being "transparent.” He said it would help make face-masks and sanitizers available for Iranians, amid concerns that stocks were running low in the capital’s pharmacies.
Iran is also producing kits for diagnosis of the infection, he added.
"We obviously do not recommend traveling to Qom and other pilgrimage cities,” Namaki said. The city is a major destination for pilgrims inside Iran and from abroad.
Iran has also set up 36 screening stations at different ports of entry to the country to check for possibly infected travelers, he added.
The contagion’s spread prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that Africa’s unprepared health systems left the continent vulnerable to the COVID-19 disease, which spilled out of China and has infected more than 77,000 people in more than 25 countries.
Already one of the worst-hit nations outside of China, South Korea reported 123 new cases Sunday, taking its fast-rising total to 556. Its death toll also rose to four with two additional fatalities.
The higher toll came a day after Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the nation of around 51 million people faced a "grave” situation.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu -- considered by many a cult -- has emerged as a hotbed of contagion, with hundreds of members infected.
Prime Minister Chung called on Koreans to refrain from attending large gatherings including religious services.
Other South Korean cases involved many under hospital treatment for mental health issues, an employee with electronics giant Samsung, and eight people who just returned from a trip to Occupied Palestine.
Italy and Iran began introducing the sort of containment measures previously seen only in China, which has put tens of millions of people under quarantine lockdown in the epicenter province of Hubei.
More than 50,000 people in about a dozen northern Italian towns near the business hub of Milan were urged by authorities to stay home, shuttering shops and schools.
Among dozens of cases, Italy on Friday became the first European country to report one of its nationals had died from the virus -- a 78-year-old retired bricklayer in the region of Veneto.
That was followed Saturday by the death of a 77-year-old woman in Lombardy.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the government was weighing "extraordinary measures” to halt further infections.
Officials said all patients in Lombardy were linked to a 38-year-old man in intensive care in the town of Codogno, whom Italian media say dined in January with a friend who had returned from China.
The friend has since tested negative, however, illustrating mounting frustration among authorities worldwide over exactly how the virus spreads and the duration of its incubation period.
China reported another 97 deaths in its daily update on Sunday, taking its total to 2,442, plus another 648 new infections. Nearly 80,000 infections have been reported worldwide.
The vast majority of Chinese deaths and new infections remained concentrated in the hard-hit city of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have first emanated from a live animal market in December.
China’s infection rate has slowed sharply from earlier in the epidemic, but repeated Chinese flip-flopping over counting methods has sowed confusion over its data.
Iran ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural centers across 14 provinces from Sunday following eight deaths in the Islamic Republic -- the most outside East Asia and the first in the Middle East.
There were now 43 confirmed cases of the illness in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said. That’s a jump from a Saturday’s total of
28 confirmed cases and six fatalities.
The outbreak in Iran has centered mostly on the city of Qom, but spread rapidly over the past few days to people in four other cities, including the capital, Tehran.
Soccer fans across the country won’t be allowed to attend matches, and shows in movie theaters and other venues were suspended until Friday. Authorities have begun daily sanitization of Tehran’s metro, which is used by some 3 million people, and public transportation cars in the city.
Jahanpour said the 15 newly confirmed cases included seven in Qom, four in Tehran, two in the northern Gilan province, one in the central Markazi province, and one from the town of Tonekabon in the northern Mazandaran province, who died of the illness.
Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki said officials were nearly certain the virus came from China to Qom in central Iran. He also said that among those who’d died from the virus was a merchant who regularly shuttled between the two countries using indirect flights in recent weeks, after Iran stopped direct passenger flights to China.
Namaki, however, defended the government’s handling of the outbreak, saying it was being "transparent.” He said it would help make face-masks and sanitizers available for Iranians, amid concerns that stocks were running low in the capital’s pharmacies.
Iran is also producing kits for diagnosis of the infection, he added.
"We obviously do not recommend traveling to Qom and other pilgrimage cities,” Namaki said. The city is a major destination for pilgrims inside Iran and from abroad.
Iran has also set up 36 screening stations at different ports of entry to the country to check for possibly infected travelers, he added.