Sunday saw the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus reached 311,988 worldwide. 13,407 people also died around the world as of March 22.
Data from Johns Hopkins University showed that the United States now has 26,747 cases of infections. The country joins Italy and Spain as the worts-hit countries outside China.
At the same time, data from the World Health Organization per region are as follow:
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Western Pacific Region 94 787 confirmed (750 new cases) 3438 deaths (12 new deaths)
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European Region 151 293 confirmed (22 752 new cases ) 7426 deaths (1426 new deaths)
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South-East Asia Region 1257 confirmed (278 new cases) 45 deaths (7 new deaths)
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Eastern Mediterranean Region 23 669 confirmed (1314 new cases) 1596 deaths (130 new deaths)
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Region of the Americas 19 685 confirmed (808 new cases) 252 deaths (17 new deaths)
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African Region 739 confirmed (167 new cases) 20 deaths (8 new deaths)
Meanwhile, US health experts said they are expecting more cases to be confirmed as they conduct more tests in the coming weeks. To date, the nation has conducted more than 150,000 testings. If the country continues the rate by which it conducts tests, experts said about 650,000 people could contract the virus in the next few months.
340 people have already died in the US and most fatalities occurred in Washington state and the New York state. The latter has 8,000 confirmed cases, accounting for at least one-third of all the infections in the country.
In terms of economic impact, New York and California recorded the most damage. The two states have temporarily closed businesses except for food and medicine establishments, as well as financial services. New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut have also observed the same measures. Elsewhere in the US, 45 states have closed schools, bars, and restaurants as all people are advised to stay home.
As the rest of the world grapples due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO launched a global trial called Solidarity. Under the project, a number of drug combinations used in the past outbreaks are going to be tested for COVID-19 patients.
The drugs to be tested under Solidarity include remdesivir, a medicine used during emergency treatment of Ebola patients.
A combination of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are also being looked into under the project. Researchers in France noted in one study that the drug combination reduced viral load in nasal swabs.
Also being tested is the combination of drug ritonavir/lopinavir. The combination is sold under the brand name Kaletra. It has been approved in the US but for treating HIV infections in the year 2000.
Lastly, Solidarity will look into combining ritonavir/lopinavir and interferon-beta. The drug combination regulates inflammation and is also used with MERS patients.
