The COVID-19 outbreak almost exclusively associated with China and Asia since it began in December 2019 has now taken on a more frightening international dimension. Italy and Iran are now ranked the sixth and ninth most infected countries in the world. Both countries only reported their first confirmed COVID-19 infections last week.
The six deaths in Iran are the largest number of deaths worldwide outside China. Iran only reported its first COVID-19 case and death on February 19. As of Sunday morning (Hong Kong time), there are 28 confirmed cases Iran and many of those hospitalized and under observation are showing clear signs of infection. The COVID-19 outbreak in Iran is so far confined to four cities: Tehran, Qom, Arak and Rasht. Qom is the disease epicenter in Iran. Tehran is some 5,800 km distant from Wuhan, epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Italy reported its first and second deaths from the disease within a span of 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. Italy has 51 confirmed cases. The Ministry of Health has confirmed the death from the coronavirus of a 78-year-old from the small town of Vo' Euganeo in the northern city of Padua. Health Minister Roberto Speranza earlier said there were 15 cases of Covid-19 in the northern region of Lombardy and two in neighboring Veneto where Padua is located.
Health authorities in both countries report the outbreaks apparently began when a citizen had come into contact with someone that had returned from China. None of the patients in both countries are Chinese. The rapid spread of the highly-communicable disease in both countries lends credence to warnings by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday the coronavirus might break out internationally at any time, making it a global pandemic.
South Korea is now the most infected country outside China, displacing Japan, due to a swift rise in cluster infections inside the city of Daegu in the southern part of the country. South Korea's COVID-19 cases more than doubled Saturday to 433, said South Korea's Centers for Disease Control (KCDC). The total on Friday stood at 204.
KCDC first reported 142 cases then reported 87 more for a total of 433. Of the new cases, 100 are from a Shincheonji Church of Jesus cluster in Daegu. A further 95 are linked to a cluster at the Qingdao Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo County in the eastern part of the country. KCDC also reported South Korea's second death from the virus.
KCDC reported that of the first 346 cases, 48.8% are linked to the church cluster and 31.2% are linked to the hospital cluster. Cases in South Korea jumped by 73 new cases on Wednesday and Thursday, tripling the number of cases in the country. KCDC reported 53 new cases Thursday and 20 Wednesday. South Korea also reported its first COVID-19-related death on Thursday.
The international COVID-19 casualty count now stands at 78,583 confirmed cases and 2,364 deaths as of Friday morning, Hong Kong time. Of the new toll, 76,918 cases are in China, as well as 2,345 deaths. There are 19 deaths worldwide outside China as of Sunday morning (Hong Kong time), including the second death in South Korea and four more deaths in Iran reported Saturday.
WHO officials said COVID-19 hasn't spread widely around the world, but believes the highly-infectious coronavirus could break out globally at any time.
"The number of cases in the rest of the world is very small compared to what we have in China, but that may not stay the same for long," said Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at WHO headquarters in Geneva on Thursday.
