Brazil confirmed its first case of COVID-19 infection, the first all throughout South America. The case in Latin America officially made the virus present in seven continents. The only continent left without infection is Antarctica.
Still, the World Health Organization held off the decision to declare COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The organization, however, said the rapid spread of the virus is close in meeting the target of being classified as a pandemic.
The virus continues its spread in the Middle East and the European region as Iran and Italy showing the highest number of infections outside China, next to Japan and South Korea.
Nations far from Hubei provinces in China, such as Algeria, Austria, Croatia and Switzerland have also confirmed their first cases of infections. Worldwide, the number of infected people stands at 82,166 and deaths at 2,803. At the same time, as many as 32,812 people recovered from the disease.
Norway has become the latest country to confirm its first COVID-19 case. The patient returned from China and although he was positive, he is not ill, hence the spread of disease remaining low.
Georgia also reported its first confirmed case. Local officials said the Georgian man traveled from Iran and crossed the border from Azerbaijan.
North Macedonia also confirmed its first case of infection. The woman came from Italy.
A 38-year-old Greek woman who traveled back from Italy also became the first confirmed infection in Greece.
Meanwhile, Finland confirmed its second case. The Finnish women traveled from Milan, Italy as well.
France has just confirmed the first death of a French national due to COVID-19. The patient was 60 years old. This was the second death in France with the first being an 80-year-old Chinese national.
Germany reported seven new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 19. Attention is given to one patient who has a pre-existing health problem. His wife is a kindergarten teacher.
Most of the cases in Europe are traced back to Italy where there have already been 400 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. The country has also reported that four children are showing flu-like symptoms but reports weren't exactly clear if the kids, indeed, have the COVID-19.
In The United States, President Donald Trump assured citizens that the nation is prepared to battle COVID-19 once it became an outbreak. This is after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that whether the virus became an outbreak in the US is not a question of "if" but "when."
The assurance from Trump came as Orange County in California declared a state of emergency. To be clear there is no confirmed case in the county. At the same time, New York City prepared at least 1,200 hospital beds in case the outbreak strikes.
The White House, meanwhile, is considering appointing a czar to attend to a possible outbreak. The information, however, is continuously being denied by the White House.
Here are the number of confirmed cases as of February 27 in regions outside China and Asia:
Iran 139 (confirmed cases) + 44 (new cases)
USA 60 + 3
Bahrain 33 + 10
Germany 27 + 9
Kuwait 26 + 15
France 18 + 4
Spain 13 + 4
The United Kingdom 13
U.A.E 13
Canada 12
Oman 4
Croatia 3
Austria 2
Finland 2 + 1
Russia 2 + 1
Sweden 2
Afghanistan 2
Algeria 1
Belgium 1
Brazil 1
Egypt 1
Georgia 1 + 1
Greece 1 + 1
North Macedonia 1 + 1
Switzerland 1
