Key Points:
- Confirmed cases 198 018
- Deaths 7 948
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- European Union closes its borders
- South African cases jump to 85
- New Zealand confirms new cases; all from overseas
- Colombia turns to mass home isolation for the elderly
- Brazil seeking state of emergency to tackle virus
- Human biosecurity emergency’: Australia
- South Korea reports 93 new cases
- China reports 13 new cases and 11 deaths
- Italy had at least 2,503 virus-related deaths as of 6 p.m. local time on March 17, according to the country’s health ministry.
SA coronavirus cases rise to 85, travel ban begins
South Africa has 23 new Covid-19 cases, pushing the total to 85, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced in a statement late on Tuesday night.
This as the country takes drastic steps to curb a possible coronavirus outbreak with travel restrictions set to be implemented on Wednesday, as well as school and university closures.
It is notable that there are 8 cases of local transmissions,” said Mkhize.
Gauteng recorded four local transmissions, followed by three in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Western Cape.
In total, Gauteng has 45 cases, the Western Cape has 21, KZN has 16, Mpumalanga has 2 and Limpopo has 1 recorded case.
Citizens from Wuhan gets the clear
He also added that all of the South Africans who returned from Wuhan tested negative for Covid-19.
We continue to keep them in quarantine for the prescribed period and will thereafter initiate the process of reunifying them with the community.”
The 104 South Africans are in quarantine at The Ranch Resort in Polokwane where they will be monitored for up to 21 days.
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which has already claimed about 7 300 lives worldwide.
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Australia declares a “Human biosecurity emergency”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared a “human biosecurity emergency”, giving the government the power to close off cities or regions, impose curfews and order people to quarantine, if seen as necessary to contain the spread of the virus.
Official travel advice, as we reported earlier, has been raised to an unprecedented “Level 4: Do not travel” to any country in the world. Any non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people have also been banned.
Life is changing in Australia, as it is changing all around the world,” Morrison said during a televised news conference. “Life is going to continue to change, as we deal with the global coronavirus. This is a once-in-a-hundred-year-type event.”
Australia has recorded approximately 425 coronavirus infections and five deaths.
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CoronaVirus and Responsible Travelling PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
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