Coronavirus Monitor: Death Toll Crosses 1000

The number of deaths from the deadly 2019 novel Coronavirus has now crossed 1,000 with Mainland China witnessing the highest number of 108 deaths on February 10, 2020. 

Vietnam and Singapore witnessed a three-month-old baby and a two-year-old child testing positive for the Coronavirus making them few of the youngest confirmed cases of the Coronavirus. 

Here are the latest developments about the virus:

Global Developments

Statistics

The virus has so far claimed 1018 lives, 1016 from mainland China, and one each from Hong Kong and Philippines.

The total number of confirmed cases for the Coronavirus have risen to more than 43,100 spread across 27 countries.

According to a real time data monitor by John Hopkins University, over 4060 people have recovered. The recovered cases have been kept under observation and are treated with a variety of medicines by various doctors.

Studies on the virus

Researchers have found that the new virus is more likely to affect older men with deteriorating health implications

The WHO's special team has reached China for studying the virus. 

The global forum to discuss the 2019-novel Coronavirus begins on February 11 in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Developments in China

Groceries in China are getting more expensive and the inflation rate in January was found to be 5.4%, the highest after October 2011, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China needs to stabilize the economy and prevent large-scale layoffs amid the coronavirus outbreak to fulfill the country's economic targets.

Hubei has removed the director and party secretary of provincial health commission.

Other developments

Taiwan will ban most people traveling from Hong Kong and Macao while Philippines has banned flights from Taiwan

Four people evacuated from a building in Hong Kong which had two positive cases tested positive for the Coronavirus. The Hong Kong officials are checking the pipes and systems to understand how the virus spread. 

US President Trump believes that increasing warm weather will weaken the coronavirus. He has also proposed a cut in the budget for global health programs. 

A hundred and sixty Indians on board the cruise- Diamond Princess which has 136 positive cases of the virus, docked off Japan have requested the Indian Prime Minister to evacuate them from the cruise. Meanwhile, a Centre for Disease Control - United States of America representative is in Japan to assist the US citizens who tested positive for the virus on the cruise. 

In a bizzare turn of events, two men who had earlier tested negative for the Coronavirus in Japan, tested positive after developing fevers on February 11. 

Coronavirus in India

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has posted a video stating a few hygienic habits that can help in avoiding the Coronavirus. 

Read our previous monitors here, here and here.

Misinformation around Coronavirus

Misinformation around Coronavirus is increasing daily. Videos with misleading narratives as well as theories that chickens across India contain the virus are circulating on social media.

Also Read:False: Chicken Infected With Coronavirus In Bangalore

Also Read:False: Coronavirus Found In Broiler Chickens

The WHO has initiated a four-pronged approach to battle misinformation around the new virus. Meanwhile, Hungarian police said on Saturday they had uncovered a network of "fake news" websites that reported alleged Coronavirus-related deaths in Hungary, which is so far free of reported infections from the deadly virus.

BOOM has been actively debunking misinformation surrounding the virus.