The world now has 937,091 confirmed cases of infections as of press time, according to real-time tracker app from Johns Hopkins University. As many as 47,208 people died due to COVID-19. At the same time, 193,700 people from the world over recovered from the novel coronavirus. The United Nations said the pandemic is shaping tp become the worst crisis since the World war II.
In his speech on April 1, Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the rapid escalation and global spread of the virus are deeply concerning. New cases are piling in exponential growth. He said the number of infections will reach one million and the deaths at 50,000 in a matter of days.
Three new countries - Botswana, Burundi, and Sierra Leone - have reported their first cases in the past 24 hours according to the latest situation report from WHO. This was unfortunate coming from a day where there are no zero new countries reporting their first cases of COVID-19.
Botswana was placed under an indefinite state of emergency after the confirmation of its first three new cases. The patients have travel histories to the United Kingdom and Thailand. All of them are kept in quarantine at a local hospital. Officials assured that they are in good health.
Burundi has also confirmed its first-ever cases. The two patients were both Burundian. The 56-year-old man traveled from Rwanda while the 42-year-old returned from Dubai.
Sierra Leone also confirmed its first case, a 37-year-old man who returned from France. The government did not specify any measure following its first confirmed case.
Elsewhere in the world, eyes are still on the European region and the United States as these two are the new epicenters of the virus.
The United Kingdom shocked its people when it reported a sudden spike in the confirmed cases in 24 hours. The country now has 563 which is a record jump for Britain. Deaths are now at 2,352.
Still in Europe, Spain has recorded its highest daily death toll at 864. Total confirmed cases are now at 102,136, from94,417.
France, meanwhile, reported 509 deaths in the past 24 hours.
In the United Staes, the death toll was now more than 4,000 and the number of confirmed cases surpasses 200,000.
In the Middle East, Iran still has the highest cases at 44,606 plus 3111 in the past 24 hours. Deaths are now at 3,000, plus 138 new fatalities.
In Asia, the Philippines is making headlines worldwide for seemingly draconian ways observed by controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. In his latest address to the nation, he ordered the country's military and police to "shoot dead" leftists that will try to take advantage of the situation.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin allowed the government to declare a state of national emergency. The cases in the country are now at 2,337 plus new cases at 500. Deaths are at 17 plus 8 new fatalities.
