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* The World Bank announced on Monday that it projected growth in developing economies in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) region to slow to 2.1 percent in the baseline scenario amid the COVID-19 pandemic, from an estimated 5.8 percent in 2019. * No new domestically transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday. The National Health Commission received reports of 48 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Monday, all of which were imported. As of Monday, a total of 81,518 confirmed cases had been reported on the mainland, and 3,305 people had died of the disease. * Cambodia on Tuesday (March 31) confirmed two more cases of COVID-19 in northwest Siem Reap City, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases in the country to 109, according to a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement. * Indonesia has decided to ban all arrivals and transits of foreign citizens into the country to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus which has killed 122 people and infected 1,414 others in Indonesia, a minister said Tuesday. * Myanmar confirmed the first death on Tuesday among the 14 positive COVID-19 cases, according to a release of the Ministry of Health and Sports on Tuesday. * Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday reported 127 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1,651. One person has died, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 10. * The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Europe kept swelling, with the region's total approaching 400,000 and that of Italy exceeding 100,000 as of Monday. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 693,224 COVID-19 cases and 33,106 deaths have been reported globally as of 10:00 a.m. CET Monday, of which, 393,285 cases and 23,966 deaths were registered in Europe. * A total of 22,141 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Britain as of Monday morning, marking an increase of 2,619 in the past 24 hours, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. As of Sunday afternoon, 1,408 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have died, said the department. * Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic during a phone conversation at the initiative of the U.S. side, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday. * The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Poland has reached 2,020 by Monday evening, with 31 fatalities, while the Polish government hinted at possible additional restrictions to stem the spread of the virus. * With 6,549 new COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours, Spain's total number has climbed to 85,195, the country's health authorities said Monday. This makes it the second European country, after Italy, to overtake China in total number of coronavirus infections. * In neighboring France, a total of 40,174 positive cases have been confirmed, of which, 2,606 died in the last 24 hours. * With 15,475 confirmed cases, Switzerland, one of the world's most attractive tourism destinations, may suffer CHF 6.4 billion (US$6.67 billion) drop in tourism turnover in 2020 due to the pandemic, according to a new study. The Swiss government has declared plans to provide CHF 42 billion for economic relief during the pandemic. * The spread of the coronavirus in Germany was still too fast, and there's no reason for the government to ease the introduced restrictions, government spokesperson Steffen Seibert announced on Monday. Germany, the third most affected European country, reported a total of 57,298 cases as of Monday. The number doubled in one week, as the country tallied 22,672 confirmed cases last Monday. * Russian President Vladimir Putin urged on Monday new measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and stabilize the socio-economic situation in the country. Russia has registered a total of 1,836 cases of COVID-19 in 71 regions of the country as of Monday, including a daily record of 302 new cases in the last 24 hours. * The Australian government has cancelled a deployment of U.S. Marines to the Northern Territory (NT) amid the coronavirus pandemic. Approximately 2,500 U.S. troops were due to arrive in Darwin, the capital of the NT, in April as part of a rotation training initiative that began in 2012. * More COVID-19 tests would be conducted in New Zealand, with the criteria for receiving a test being expanded, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday. More than 21,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in New Zealand and the country has the capacity to test about 3,500 people a day, Ardern told a press conference. * The Republic of Korea decided Tuesday to begin this year's new school year with online classes from April 9 in a gradual manner amid lingering concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak. In the latest tally, the ROK reported 125 more cases for the past 24 hours, raising the total reading to 9,786. * An extra 34,000 hospital beds will be provided to Australians following a deal between the federal and state governments and private health sector. Australia's COVID-19 death toll has reached 19 as the spread of the virus continues to slow. According to the latest data from the Department of Health, there had been 4,359 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia as of Tuesday morning - an increase of only 6.5 percent from Monday compared to an average increase of approximately 10 percent in the four previous days. * Pakistan's education authority, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), on Monday directed all universities and accredited institutions in the country to start online classes to avoid education loss to the students staying at home due to the COVID-19 spread, said a notification. * Brazil's government has distributed 14.2 million surgical masks nationwide as part of its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Health Ministry said on Monday. Brazil has so far reported 4,579 confirmed cases of the virus, which can lead to pneumonia, and 159 deaths from the disease. * The death toll from COVID-19 in Ecuador has climbed to 60, with a total of 1,962 people testing positive for the disease, Deputy Health Minister Ernesto Carrasco said on Monday. * Chile on Monday reported eight deaths from COVID-19, and a total of nearly 2,500 cases of infection. * The Turkish coast guard has apprehended a total of 50 illegal immigrants in two separate incidents off Turkey's Aegean coast on their way to a Greek island, state-run Anadolu agency reported Tuesday. * Romania announced a nationwide lockdown from Wednesday morning. The country entered a state of emergency on March 16 after the number of COVID-19 cases exceeded 100. * Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said a total of 39 locations across the country are put under quarantine due to the rising number of confirmed cases for COVID-19. The death toll from the virus in Turkey climbed to 168, and the confirmed cases totaled 10,827 on Monday, according to the latest figures of the Health Ministry. * Israel reported two new death cases from the novel coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 18, Sheba and Shamir medical centers said Tuesday. The Israeli Ministry of Health said the number of the novel coronavirus cases in Israel has risen to 4,831. * UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov on Monday said he regretted the lack of progress on the ground, expressing concern over Israeli settlements and its plans to annex Palestinian land. * Saudi Arabia announced on Monday the registration of 154 new COVID-19 cases, the Saudi Press Agency reported. This increases the total number of COVID-19 cases to 1,453 in the kingdom, of whom 116 recovered and eight passed away, the ministry said. * Iran on Monday asked its citizens to avoid celebrating the Nature Day in the parks and countrysides to prevent the spread of COVID-19, or novel coronavirus. Iran is the worst-hit country in the Middle East by the pandemic. Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Monday reported that the total number of the COVID-19 cases in the country soared to 41,495. * The second death case of COVID-19 has been reported in Syria, the health ministry said in a statement on Monday. So far, 10 coronavirus cases have been reported in Syria, two of whom have died, including the one who died on Monday, said the statement. * The Omani Ministry of Health announced on Monday 12 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 179. According to a statement issued by the ministry, 29 cases have recovered. * The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday reported 41 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 611. * Eastern African leaders on Monday resolved to formulate regional response strategies to contain COVID-19 pandemic which ravaged many countries across the globe. The presidents from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said they will forge a joint approach to curb the spread of coronavirus disease. * President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi on Monday declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19 for 30 days, starting from April 1. The southeastern African country has reported eight cases of COVID-19 so far. * Egypt said on Monday it has recorded 47 new COVID-19 positive cases and one more death, raising the number of confirmed cases to 656 and the death toll to 41. * Nigeria has recorded over 100 COVID-19 cases across 12 states, with the country's center for disease control reporting a total of 111 confirmed cases. * The prisoners swap between the Afghan government and the Taliban, which was planned to take place on Tuesday, has been postponed as no Taliban delegation arrived in Kabul, spokesman for the National Security Council Javid Faisal said on his Twitter account. Under the Doha deal, 5,000 Taliban and 1,000 Afghan security personnel should be exchanged to facilitate direct talks between the two sides for a solution to the country's prolonged conflict. Source: NDO |
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