Some Asian countries have been at the center of talks among health experts as imported cases are gradually exceeding locally-transmitted ones in the region.
French Foreign Minister Cites China in CoVID-19 Measures Plan
French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday that France will look into China's coronavirus action plan as the country battles its own health crisis, Xinhua reported.
According to the outlet, Chinese state councilor and foreign minister Wang Yi delivered the message after the two of them held a phone conversation to discuss potential measures that France can implement amid the ongoing CoVID-19 outbreak in Europe.
Le Drian was quoted to have said that France is willing to learn what it can from China's experience when it was at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak.
China is the novel virus' origin country but it is no longer the country with the highest death toll from the highly-infectious disease.
Shanghai Health Experts Return Home After Fierce CoVID-19 Battle in Wuhan
On Thursday, the first batch of health experts from Shanghai who went on the frontline in Hubei Province returned home following the improved the situation in Wuhan, the CoVID-19 strain's origin city.
Chen Jinhong, one of the health experts who confronted the coronavirus in Wuhan, told the Global Times that he is now ready to assist other countries after everything he learned while being face-to-face with the virus in Hubei.
Wuhan recorded the most deaths in China as the coronavirus crisis peaked but on Thursday, the country recorded zero cases, marking the first time since the virus emerged that there were no new cases in the origin country.
Japanese Government Panel Proposes School Resumption
Medical experts under a Japanese government panel proposed on Thursday that schools and educational institutions in areas without confirmed CoVID-19 cases may start resuming classes, Kyodo News reported.
Despite the proposal, the panel reiterated that local governments should still be careful in deciding whether it is conducive to hold large gatherings, especially with clustered cases still possible.
Japan saw one of the biggest earlier outbreaks of the novel virus last month, when the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at the Yokohoma port.
North Korea Reportedly Implements 'No Mask, No Ride'
On Thursday, Yonhap News reported that North Korea started banning the use of public transportation for people who were not wearing masks in efforts to prevent spreading among its people.
The outlet further reported that North Korea has thousands of people being monitored for potential coronavirus infection. However, the country has not yet reported any confirmed CoVID-19 cases.
Pyongyang also blocked its border and strict quarantine measures have reportedly been implemented across the country. Furthermore, all people who want to use public transportation are required to sanitize their hands before boarding.
South Korea Sees Shortage in Mask Filters
South Korea is second to China in Asia's biggest coronavirus outbreaks and on Friday, the government announced that it is planning to import up to 53 tons of mask filters as the country experiences widespread shortage in the item.
The South Korean ministry of trade, industry, and energy revealed that the first batch is expected to arrive in the country next week.
The news came after the country saw a spike in new cases on Thursday, mostly imported ones.
South Korea Reports New Wave of CoVID-19 Cases
On Friday, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 87 new cases, bringing the country's total to 8,652, Reuters reported.
The numbers are still lower compared to the peak of the outbreak in South Korea, when over hundreds of cases were reported. On the other hand, health experts noted that the country may see new imported cases, especially those from the west.
India Bans Incoming Flights
For a week, all incoming international flights to India will not be allowed, the Indian government announced Thursday, as the coronavirus continues to spread around the world.
According to Channel News Asia, the government said in a statement that the ban on international flights coming to the country will kick off on March 22. The government also urged people considered to be at "high-risk" of contracting the disease to stay at home.
India, with an estimated 1.3 billion people, has recorded 173 confirmed CoVID-19 cases as of Thursday, and four deaths.
