Corona Virus: Outbreak reached "critical stage and could turn into a pandemic"
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Gebriusos, said that the outbreak of the Coronavirus has reached a "critical stage" and there are "possibilities of becoming a comprehensive epidemic."
Tedros' remarks come as world nations struggle to curb the spread of the virus.
On the second day, more cases of HIV infection were reported outside China.
Iran and Italy occupied two major centers in terms of transmitting the infection to other regions, through people who were visiting the two countries.
A number of prominent Iranian officials were injured, the last of whom, Masoumeh Ebtekar, the Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs.
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"This is what is happening in the rest of the world, and it is our greatest concern today," Tidros said.
Worldwide, the number of infections has recorded over 80,000 cases in about 50 countries, and about 2,800 people have died, most of them in China's Hubei Province.
At the same time, stock markets around the world have fallen sharply, amid fears that increased travel restrictions will limit commercial activity.
What did the World Health Organization say?
*- Japan and Iraq have decided to suspend schooling, a measure already taken by China and Hong Kong.
*- Saudi Arabia suspended the entry of pilgrims and foreign tourists to its territory . It is not clear if the pilgrimage will be affected in July this year.
*- Iran urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel within the country, and it canceled Friday prayers in Tehran and other cities.
*- Australia has extended a ban to foreign visitors from China.
*- Italy recorded 17 deaths with quarantine in 11 cities.
*- Greece has canceled all festive activities
How does the suspension of schools affect Japan?
The decision to suspend schools is due to come into effect next Monday, and will continue until the end of the spring vacation, which usually falls in early April, and the move will affect about 13 million students.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the first weeks of March would be a "very critical period" to prevent the transmission of the virus.
The move comes in the wake of a decision by China to not resume school activity on the mainland after the Spring Festival holiday. Instead, it asked about 200 million students to follow lessons online from home. Schools in Hong Kong remain closed until April.
Many parents in Japan are concerned about what they will do with their children.
A parent wrote on social media: "All schools are on vacation? Protecting children is important, but what happens if they have working parents?"
Officials say that day care centers and post-day care facilities can remain open.
So far, more than 200 people have been infected with the Corona virus in Japan. A woman in her forties in Osaka is said to have confirmed her HIV infection after recovery.
What happens in the e Liran?
Tehran has reported 26 deaths and 245 confirmed cases, among them a number of officials, including Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar and Deputy Minister of Health, Iraj Hariri.
Two members of Parliament were reported injured, one of them representing the city of Qom, which recorded several cases.
Reports indicate that Ibtikar's symptoms are not severe and are not in hospital.
Michael Ryan, of the World Health Organization, said the spread of the virus in Iran "may be wider than we think".
However, he said, the country has a "very high health-care capacity", and that the current mortality rate of 10 percent of cases may reflect an examination that has not detected mild cases of HIV.
A spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Health called on the Iranians to avoid "unnecessary travel inside the country."
And neighboring countries of Iran closed its borders, and in the north of Europe, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Estonia recorded new cases of the virus for travelers from Iran.
What happens elsewhere?
China recorded 29 deaths and 433 new infections Thursday, and ordered people arriving in Beijing from affected countries to isolate themselves from the people.
South Korea saw new cases bringing the total number of cases to 1261 people and recording 12 deaths, and Singapore said that a 12-year-old student at the Raffles Institute school was among three new cases, bringing the total to 96 cases.
In Europe, Italy recorded 650 cases and 17 deaths.
Countries including Algeria, Denmark, Romania and Spain have also reported injuries related to Italy.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country was "facing a coming epidemic crisis", especially after it currently recorded 38 confirmed cases and two deaths. France is one of the most visited countries in the world.
Northern Ireland recorded its first case, bringing the total number of injuries in the United Kingdom to 16.
The Netherlands confirmed the country's first case of infection to a person who recently visited the Lombardy region of Italy.
Latin America recorded its first case in Brazil of a person returning from Italy.
The United States has announced the first confirmed "unknown source" infection, which is the nation's No. 60 infection in general, and officials said the unidentified person in California "has no relevant travel history or has been exposed to another known patient" who is infected with the virus.
US Vice President Mike Pence told a news conference Thursday that the overall threat in the United States remains low, adding that the White House has begun discussions with congressional leaders on a spending bill to combat the spread of the virus.
However, US President Donald Trump played down fears of a pandemic in the United States.
"I think there is an opportunity for the situation to get worse, and there is an opportunity for it to get much worse, but nothing is inevitable," he said on Wednesday.
Corona Virus: Outbreak reached "critical stage and could turn into a pandemic"
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MEROUANE ATIK
