The coronavirus is affecting 188 countries and territories around the world and one international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan).
So far the coronavirus infections have hit 308,547 globally with 13,069 deaths. However, 95,829 people have recovered from the deadly disease.
Italy now the pandemic’s new epicentre has more than 53,000 recorded infections and more than 4,800 dead, and the rate of increase keeps growing, with more than half the cases and fatalities coming in the past week.
On Saturday, officials reported 793 additional deaths, by far the largest single-day increase so far. Italy has surpassed China as the country with the highest death toll, becoming the epicentre of a shifting pandemic.
China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the United States of America and Germany have suffered the highest number of infections.
The current death toll suggests 4 per cent of patients who catch the virus die from it.
A number of US states have ordered shutdowns with one in five Americans soon set to be under a “stay at home” order.
Connecticut and New Jersey on Friday joined Illinois and California in ordering residents to stay at home in order to combat coronavirus.
New York State ordered non-essential businesses to close.
So far infections in African nations have started rising steadily. Ghana and Nigeria have recorded 21 and 22 infections respectively with Senegal recording 56 cases.
Egypt and South Africa have the highest number of infections in Africa with 294 and 240 respectively.
Most of the cases in African countries have shot up rapidly within the last five days.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
