New coronavirus deaths have been reported in Indonesia and the Philippines since yesterday, as Malaysia and Singapore scramble to track down Muslims who attended a virus-hit religious gathering.
Hong Kong reported more cases linked to an Egypt tour group while Taiwan announced its first imported case involving a woman who had traveled to the United Kingdom.
Thailand reported a spike of 11 cases, all linked to a single group of drinking buddies, a number of whom reportedly came into contact with someone from Hong Kong during a night out carousing.
Vietnam reported three new cases linked to a woman recently in New York and Washington D.C., while more British nationals aboard a river cruise in Cambodia tested positive.
Major COVID-19 updates from around the world since yesterday:
- The World Health Organization finally declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
- The United States has banned entry for non-citizens traveling from most of Europe for 30 days as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The United Kingdom was excluded.
- Hollywood couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson revealed they contracted COVID-19 in Australia, where they were filming a movie about American singing legend Elvis Presley.
- COVID-19 has spread to 119 countries, with first the deaths reported in Greece and Indonesia.
Updates from Coconuts’ newsrooms in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong:
Indonesia
- The total number of official coronavirus cases in Indonesia has risen to 34 with seven new infections reported yesterday.
- Indonesia has also reported its first death due to COVID-19, involving a British woman who died on Bali.
- The woman was 53 years old and Indonesia’s 25th patient.
- She arrived in Denpasar on Feb. 29, reportedly fell ill March 3, and was admitted to hospital six days later.
- Indonesians showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 appear to be flying into Singapore for treatment, the latest details from the latter shows.
- A 56-year-old Indonesian woman who was already ill while in Indonesia tested positive in Singapore on March 10.
- A 65-year-old Indonesian man tested positive in Singapore on March 8, six days after he attempted to get treatment at a Jakarta hospital.
- Four of Indonesia’s COVID-19 patients are showing signs of recovery after diagnostic tests came back negative.
- They reportedly included an Indonesian crewmember from the Diamond Princess cruise ship and case No. 14, involving a 50-year-old Indonesian man.
- Indonesians have been urged to refrain from discriminating against Japanese visitors amid the coronavirus outbreak. Indonesia’s first reported cases were linked to a Japanese national visiting the country.
Manila
- The Philippines confirmed its second COVID-19 death, a 67-year-old Filipino woman.
- The country’s first coronavirus death last month was of a 44-year-old man from Wuhan, China, which was the first reported death of a Chinese national outside mainland China.
- The country’s total cases stood at 49 as of this morning.
- New cases included the first patients in Visayas and Mindanao involving a 64-year-old man and 54-year old man, respectively.
- The Health Department also confirmed last night that it sent off 442 of the 445 passengers repatriated from Japan’s virus-struck Diamond Princess after they completed quarantine in New Clark City. Two still tested positive for the virus and have been transferred to a referral hospital.
- President Rodrigo Duterte will be tested for the potentially deadly COVID-19 after attending meetings with cabinet officials who were reportedly exposed to an infected individual.
- Several government offices temporarily suspended operations today for disinfection.
Malaysia
- Malaysia yesterday reported a spike of 20 new cases, including the country’s first “sporadic” infection involving a patient with no recent travel history to virus-affected countries or known to have come into contact with someone infected. An investigation was underway.
- Two of Malaysia’s COVID-19 patients remain in critical condition.
- Sixty-six Malaysians repatriated from Wuhan, China, have completed quarantine.
- A COVID-19 patient in Brunei who tested positive after a trip to Malaysia had attended an Islamic religious gathering known as tabligh at a mosque in Selangor state from Feb. 27 to March 1, Malaysia’s Health Ministry revealed.
- A total of 10,000 people attended the event. More than half were Malaysian, the rest hailing from a number of other countries not disclosed by the ministry Wednesday.
- Singapore’s Minister-in-charge of Malay-Muslim affairs revealed today 95 Singaporeans attended the three-day religious event.
- The ministry urged Malaysian attendees who have symptoms to contact their local health departments, while the rest should avoid large gatherings.
Thailand
- Thailand reported 11 new cases this morning, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed infections to 70.
- All of the latest cases involved individuals who went partying despite taking ill, sharing glasses of alcohol and cigarettes in Bangkok’s Thonglor area prior to testing positive for the infection.
- One member apparently might have come into contact with an infected Hong Konger.
- The Thai government also suspended visas on arrivals for 19 nations including Russia, China and India, as part of measures to contain the spread of the disease.
Singapore
- Four of Singapore’s military air force personnel were among the city-state’s newly infected. The men developed symptoms after returning from an overseas deployment in France. Two others who had come into contact with them have been put on home quarantine.
- They were among eight imported infections reported yesterday. The rest involved a British woman who recently arrived in Singapore, two Singaporeans who traveled through Europe, two Filipinos who had visited a pneumonia patient in The Philippines, and an ill Indonesian woman seeking care in Singapore.
Brunei
- Brunei has 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 after five more were announced. No further details about the latest cases were released.
Vietnam
- Vietnam reported three new cases, bringing the total number of known infections to 38.
- The latest cases are linked to the 34th patient, said to be a 51-year-old businesswoman who flew from Vietnam to New York and returned home from Washington D.C, transiting at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport and Qatar International Airport.
- The latest patients are the businesswoman’s assistant, her employee, and her daughter-in-law.
Cambodia
- A total of three British nationals from a river cruise have tested positive for COVID-19 in Cambodia. They took the cruise from Vietnam, where they reportedly landed via the same flight as Vietnam’s 17th patient.
- The British nationals are a 73-year old British tourist, his 69-year old wife and a 65-year-old woman from the Swiss-flagged Viking Cruise Journey, docked in Kampong Cham province.
Hong Kong
- Total known infections in Hong Kong stands at 130 today after nine new cases were reported. Six of which are linked to a cluster involving a tour group to Egypt.
- Other new patients include a Cathay Pacific flight attendant and a man who works for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
Taiwan
- Taiwan has reported its 48th case involving a woman who was in the United Kingdom Feb. 28 to March 8. It is Taiwan’s first imported case of COVID-19.
Additional reporting Khyne Palumar.
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