Coronavirus Update: 113,702 Confirmed Cases in 110 Countries With 4,012 Deaths

WHO Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation Report 50

• 5 new countries/territories/areas (Brunei Darussalam, Mongolia, Cyprus, Guernsey and Panama) have reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
• As of March 9, 2020, a total of 45 States Parties informed WHO of additional health measures they implemented in relation to COVID-19 and provided the public health rationale for these measures.WHO reiterates that measures that restrict the movement of people during this outbreak should be proportionate to the public health risk, short in duration and reviewed regularly as more information about the virus, the disease epidemiology, and clinical characteristics becomes available. For more information, please see ‘subject in focus’.
• WHO Director-General in his regular media briefing on March 9, stated that the threat of a pandemic has become very real; however, this would be the first pandemic in history that could be controlled. For details, please see here.

Risk Assessment

China: Very High

Regional Level: Very High

Global Level: Very High

Coronavirus Situation in Numbers

Globally

• • 113,702 confirmed cases (4125 new)
  • 4,012 deaths (203 new)

China

• • 80,924 confirmed cases (20 new)
  • 3,140 deaths (17 new)

Outside of China

• • 32,778 confirmed cases (4105 new)
  • 109 countries/territories (5 new)
  • 873 deaths (186 new)

Situation In Focus: Travel measures

As of March 9, 2020, a total of 45 States Parties informed WHO of additional health measures they implemented in relation to COVID-19 and provided the public health rationale for these measures. Many States Parties are implementing additional health measures against countries other than China. WHO has shares this information with States Parties through the Event Information Site secure platform on a weekly basis. In addition, WHO Director-General informed States Parties of the measures and public health rationale provided through 2 Circular Letters – on February 6 and 17.

As virus transmission shifts to other countries, measures are currently being implemented against countries other than China. The main reasons given for implementing such measures continue to be perceived vulnerabilities/ limited country capacity and the nature of the virus epidemiology.

WHO also monitors other sources of information: IATA, SOS international and countries’ official websites. Measures such as flight suspensions are often implemented by industries, which are not bound by the IHR (2005; and such measures are often driven by economic considerations, such as reduced demand, or concerns for crew staff. Preliminary analysis shows that in some countries such travel measures may have delayed the importation of new cases, while in other countries the “restrictions” did not stop the importation of new cases.

WHO reiterates that measures that restrict the movement of people during this outbreak should be proportionate to the public health risk, short in duration and reviewed regularly as more information about the virus, the disease epidemiology, and clinical characteristics becomes available. See also updated WHO recommendations on international traffic, published on February 29, 2020.

Countries, territories or areas with reported laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, March 10, 2020

Recommendations and Advice for the Public

If you are not in an area where COVID-19 is spreading, or if you have not traveled from one of those areas or have not been in close contact with someone who has and is feeling unwell, your chances of getting it are currently low. However, it’s understandable that you may feel stressed and anxious about the situation. It’s a good idea to get the facts to help you accurately determine your risks so that you can take reasonable precautions.

Your healthcare provider, your national public health authority and your employer are all potential sources of accurate information on COVID-19 and whether it is in your area. It is important to be informed of the situation where you live and take appropriate measures to protect yourself.

If you are in an area where there is an outbreak of COVID-19 you need to take the risk of infection seriously. Follow the advice issued by national and local health authorities. Although for most people COVID-19 causes only mild illness, it can make some people very ill. More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes) appear to be more vulnerable.