Coronavirus, which scientists have now formally named as COVID-19, has already spread to over 25 countries across the globe, including the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, North America and the Middle East. Now an expert has predicted the virus is likely to spread to every country in the globe. Dale Fisher, chair of the Global Outbreak Alert Response Network at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said while the epidemic may be reaching its peak in China, it would continue to get worse for the rest of the world.
Professor Fisher, who works at the National University of Singapore, said: “It has spread to other places where it’s the beginning of the outbreak.
“In Singapore, we are at the beginning of the outbreak.
“I’d be pretty confident though that eventually every country will have a case.”
It comes as Chinese health bosses claim the disease may be completely eradicated by April, after the country reported its lowest number of new cases in nearly two weeks.
The deadly disease has so far killed more than 1,100 people with infected almost 60,000, mostly in China.
Britain confirmed its ninth case of coronavirus yesterday as Public Health England confirmed a woman, who had recently flown into London from China, was being treated at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in central London.
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8.14am update: Vietnam plans mass quarantine of 10,000 people
Vietnam officials have announced that an area of 10,000 people will be placed under quarantine for 20 days in the first mass quarantine outside China.
A health ministry statement said: “As of February 13, 2020, we will urgently implement the task of isolation and quarantine of the epidemic area in Son Loi commune.”
There are 15 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in Vietnam, five of them in Son Loi commune.
8.10am update: Cases of coronavirus surge
The number of people killed by the coronavirus has jumped by record numbers, as Chinese health officials said 242 people had died on Thursday – the fastest rise in the daily count since the outbreak.
The surge brings the total number of deaths in the Hubei province to 1,310.
The previous record rise in the toll was 103 on the February 10.
The number of people confirmed to have coronavirus in the province also skyrocketed, as 14,840 cases were recorded yesterday – bringing the total number to 48,206 – a new daily record.
It comes after the authorities changed the diagnostic criteria for counting new cases.