16 million people quarantined in Italy as virus sweeps globe

Rome, March 8

Around 16 million people, a quarter of the Italian population, was locked down on Sunday as the government took drastic steps to stop the spread of the deadly new coronavirus that is sweeping the globe, with Latin America recording its first fatality. Italy has seen the most deaths (233) from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak that has now killed more than 3,500 people and infected over 100,000 worldwide began in December.

The measures in place until April 3 bar people from entering or leaving vast areas of northern Italy without good reason, according to a decree signed by the prime minister and published online. The quarantine zones are home to more than 15 million people and include the regions around Venice and financial capital Milan, while cinemas, theatres and museums will be closed nationwide. It comes as Argentina on Saturday became the first Latin American country to report a fatality from the virus that has affected 95 nations and territories.

Anxious passengers aboard a virus-hit US cruise ship were confined to their cabins in waters off San Francisco, after 21 people tested positive for the disease. The contagion has already spread to 30 US states, killing at least 19 people, with New York announcing a state of emergency. The Grand Princess ship was given permission late Saturday to dock in Oakland. Vice President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the US response to the outbreak, said earlier that all 3,533 passengers and crew would be tested for coronavirus and quarantined if necessary.

Meanwhile another cruise ship, the Costa Fortuna, was turned away by Malaysia and Thailand due to virus fears, an official said Sunday. The World Health Organisation has hailed the efforts of Italy and China.

Colombia, Costa Rica, Malta, the Maldives, Bulgaria and Paraguay have also announced their first cases. The number of infections in South Korea passed 7,000 on Saturday, the highest in the world outside China. Iran’s death toll has gone up to 145 with 5,823 infected. — AFP

10 killed as quarantine hotel collapses in China

Shanghai/Beijing: Ten people have died and 23 remain trapped after the collapse of a hotel that was being used to quarantine people under observation for the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, authorities said on Sunday. More than 70 people were believed to have been initially trapped in the seven storey building, which collapsed on Saturday evening. As of 16:00 Beijing time on Sunday, authorities had retrieved 48 individuals from the site of the collapse, with 38 of them sent to hospitals. Reuters