Report: Coronavirus Is Now on 6 Continents

Brazil is trying to confirm its first case
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 26, 2020 6:58 AM CST
Report: Coronavirus Is Now on 6 Continents
A member from an emergency anti-epidemic headquarters in Mangyongdae District disinfects a tramcar in Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020.   (AP Photo/Cha Song Ho)

The coronavirus epidemic is now truly global, with infections or suspected infections on every continent except Antarctica. Authorities in Brazil say a man in Sao Paolo who recently returned from Italy is believed to have the virus and they are awaiting the results of a second test to confirm the first known case in Latin America, reports the New York Times. World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that with the surge in cases in Iran, Italy, and South Korea, the outbreak has now reached the point where more cases are being reported outside China than inside China. "There are now cases linked to Iran in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and Oman," he said. "There are now cases linked to Italy in Algeria, Austria, Croatia, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland."

Greece reported its first case Wednesday and other countries are preparing for outbreaks, the AP reports. "We’re going to be trying to slow down the spread so that our hospitals are not overwhelmed in one big gulp, one big hit," says Ian Mackay, a virus expert at the University of Queensland in Australia. American officials warned Tuesday that the outbreak could cause "severe disruptions." President Trump, meanwhile, congratulated himself on his handling of the situation. "CDC and my Administration are doing a GREAT job of handling Coronavirus, including the very early closing of our borders to certain areas of the world," he tweeted, predicting that Democrats would still complain. "Not fair, but it is what it is," he said. "So far, by the way, we have not had one death. Let’s keep it that way!" (More coronavirus stories.)

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