Voice of America
18 Feb 2020, 02:06 GMT+10
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - China has published new data on more than 44,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, which show the disease is not as deadly as previous coronaviruses including SARS and MERS. The World Health Organization reports more than 70,000 cases, including 1,772 deaths, mostly from China's Hubei province, where the outbreak first surfaced. Cases in 25 countries outside China have increased slightly to 694, including three deaths, one each in the Philippines, Japan and France.
The data appear to show a decline in the number of new cases of coronavirus. But WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this should be interpreted with great caution because trends can change as new populations are affected.
More than 94 percent of all reported cases in China come from Hubei province. The new cases reported are both clinically and lab-confirmed cases. Tedros said it is too early to tell if the disease is slowing down.
Tedros, however, said the Chinese data appear to indicate that most people who become infected with Covid-19 disease will not die.
"More than 80 percent of patients have mild disease and will recover. In about 14 percent of cases, the virus causes severe disease, including pneumonia and shortness of breath. And, about five percent of patients have critical disease including respiratory failure, septic shock and multi-organ failure," he said.
Tedros said the fatality rate is at about 2 percent. Those most at risk are elderly people with underlying health conditions. He notes relatively few children have become infected, a mystery that requires more research.
The WHO chief said a team of 12 international experts is on the ground in China and working with Chinese counterparts to get to the bottom of this illness. He says they are trying to better understand the origin of the outbreak and its evolution.
Get a daily dose of Leeds Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Leeds Times.
More InformationDUBLIN, Ireland: The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has warned that there could be a serious trolley crisis this summer...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar continues to lose ground, weighed down by growing concerns over Washington's fiscal outlook...
DUBLIN, Ireland: The High Court has lifted an anonymity order, allowing Trinity College Dublin and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland...
PARIS, France: France is taking stronger steps to reduce smoking. A new health rule announced on Saturday will soon ban smoking in...
VILNIUS, Lithuania – A growing body of research suggests that selectively restricting a single nutrient in our diet could have profound...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
GENEVA, Switzerland: A new United Nations report alleges that dozens of global corporations are profiting from and helping sustain...
LONDON, UK - Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama is set to address a significant three-day conference of Buddhist leaders this week, coinciding with...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...