E-Paper
Coronavirus update: 10 countries worst affected by Covid-19
More than 95,700 people have died from Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, while 1,605,372 infections have been confirmed in at least 184 countries and territories.
The number of people who have contracted the coronavirus disease went beyond 1.6 million across the world on Friday with new cases of Covid-19, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December, being reported every day around the world.
More than 95,700 people have died from Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, while 1,605,372 infections have been confirmed in at least 184 countries and territories. More than 356,000 people have recovered to date.
Here is a list of the top ten countries affected by Covid-19:
US
The United States had 468,895 coronavirus cases, 329 new ones, and 16,697 deaths as of Friday, according to Worldometers.
The first coronavirus case in the US was confirmed on January 20. The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the US increased significantly in the third week of March and overtook China’s tally on March 26 making the US the world’s most affected country by coronavirus in terms of the number of cases.
Officials have warned Americans to expect alarming numbers of coronavirus deaths this week, even as there was evidence that the number of new infections was flattening in New York, the epicentre of the outbreak in the US.
Medical and state officials said on Thursday that Americans must continue to practice social distancing now that signs of progress have emerged in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
Italy
Italy reported more deaths than the US with 18,279 fatalities but the number of infected is at 143,626.
New infections in the European country have picked up in the past few days after a reduction from previous numbers, dousing hopes that the illness was in clear retreat.
Italy has been the most affected in Europe as well as outside Asia. The number of Covid-19 cases was once confined to northern Italy but soon spread to the entire country, prompting authorities to a clamp a nation-wide lockdown.
Spain
Spain is currently the second most-affected European country with 153,222 infected with coronavirus. However, the number of fatalities here is less than that of Italy at 15,447.
The confirmation of the first coronavirus case in Spain came on February 1. A minister has contracted the Covid-10 disease and Princess Maria Teresa has been killed, making her the first royal to die of coronavirus infection.
Spain overtook China in the number of coronavirus cases at the end of March and saw a sharp rise to more than 112,000 April 2. A nation-wide lockdown has been announced here as well.
Germany
Germany has 118,235 active coronavirus cases and recorded 2607 deaths to date.
It has also banned public events involving huge crowds in order to break the chain of coronavirus infections. German finance minister Thomas Schafer committed suicide, allegedly because of worries over the state of the country’s economic situation due to Covid-19.
France
France is the fourth most-affected European country by the coronavirus and has 117,749 cases of Covid-19. It has witnessed 12,210 fatalities due to Covid-19.
Paris had on Tuesday banned daytime jogging to keep people from bending anti-coronavirus lockdown rules.
The mayor of Marcq-en-Baroeul, in the north of France, has made spitting in public, coughing or sneezing without covering one’s face, and throwing used masks and gloves in the street punishable by a fine of 68 euros.
And the Atlantic coastal resort city of Biarritz on Tuesday overturned a two-minute limit it had set for people to spend on public benches after widespread criticism.
Paris and other cities have already closed public parks and gardens as part of the nationwide lockdown that requires people to carry a document justifying any excursion from the home.
Those caught without the document risk a fine starting at 135 euros ($147).
Senior government officials have warned it was too early to think of lifting the nationwide lockdown which entered into force on March 17 and is set to run until April 15, for now.
China
China is currently the sixth-worst affected country by Covid-19 and has 81,907 cases as of Friday.
Mainland China reported on Friday 42 new coronavirus cases, including 38 cases involving travellers from overseas. Officials have China will allocate more resources to prevent the spread of the virus from its land borders. They said the country still faces risks of a comeback after new clusters are identified in some regions.
Hubei has been the most-affected province within China, and Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei, is the worst-hit city by the coronavirus infection. Hubei has witnessed more than 67,000 coronavirus-positive cases and continues to report deaths, although at a slower rate than before.
The number of Covid-18 cases in China came down starting March because of the rapid control measures and response by the Chinese government.
Iran
Iran, the worst-hit country in Asia, currently has 66,220 confirmed cases and has reported more than 4,110 deaths due to Covid-19.
Many Iranian government officials and politicians, including members of parliament, have contracted Covid-19 and some of them have died as well.
UK
The coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom is at 65,077 as on Friday and there have been 7,978 Covid-19 related deaths.
The numbers of cases surged significantly in the third and fourth weeks of March making it one of the top ten countries hit by coronavirus.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for coronavirus on March 27. Boris Johnson was admitted to London’s St Thomas Hospital last Sunday night and had been undergoing tests after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms, including a high temperature, for more than 10 days.
Turkey
Turkey, which reported the first confirmed coronavirus infection on March 10, has 42,282 cases of Covid-19. There have been 908 deaths due to the respiratory illness in the Asian country till Friday.
The mortality rate in Turkey is currently lower than that in some of the other European countries such as Italy, Spain, France, and the UK.
Belgium
There are 24,983 Covid-19 patients in the European country and 2523 people have died because of the coronavirus disease so far.
Belgium’s National Security Council, which decided on the measures to contain the new coronavirus (Covid-19) as well as their extension until April 19, will meet again next Wednesday.
The Council is likely to discuss the possible extension of the lockdown measures beyond April 19 until May 3, according to the Belga press agency.
