Important Updates on COVID-19 (11th March 2020)

1. According to the latest data this morning from the National Health Commission of China, on 10^th March, 24 new confirmed cases (including 13 in Wuhan, 1 outside Hubei, 10 imported from overseas), 31 new suspected cases (including 6 in Hubei), 1,578 cured and discharged cases (including 1,471 in Hubei) and 22 deaths (including 17 in Hubei) were newly reported in China’s mainland.

2. Xi vows victory over coronavirus in Wuhan.

On 10^th March, President Xi Jinping said that prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak remains the top priority and most important task, even amid the recent positive signs. Xi made the remark during his inspection tour in the outbreak’s epicenter, Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.

The spread of the novel coronavirus has been basically curbed in Hubei and Wuhan, Xi said, adding that initial success has been made in stabilizing the situation and turning the tide in Hubei and Wuhan.

Xi encouraged local residents and front-line workers to make firm, solid and meticulous prevention and control efforts to defend Hubei and Wuhan and resolutely fight for victory in the war against the disease.

He praised local medical workers, medical teams from other provinces, People’s Liberation Army commanders and soldiers, community workers, police officers, officials and volunteers for their bravery and hard work in the prevention and control of the disease.

3. Hubei relaxes personnel control as the number of COVID-19 cases drops.S

Hubei province, the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Central China, announced on 10^th March it will adopt a differentiated personnel control policy, allowing healthy people from medium- and low-risk areas to travel within the province.

Via a mobile app, each resident of the province will be granted a colored QR health code. A red code indicates the holder is a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case, a yellow one indicates a close contact, while a green one means the holder has no contact with any cases.

The green code holders from the medium- and low-risk areas will be given green light across the province to promote operation resumption of enterprises while ensuring the safety of the personnel, according to a circular issued by the provincial COVID-19 control headquarters. The green code holders from high-risk areas should follow the specific travel rules of local authorities. The yellow code holders will not be allowed to travel and those carrying red codes must be quarantined and treated, said the headquarters. The colors of the health codes may switch based on the health conditions of the holders.

As of 9^th March, Hubei had seen no new confirmed COVID-19 cases for five consecutive days in its 16 cities and prefectures outside its provincial capital of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

4. FM spokesperson: we stand ready to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with African countries.

When asked about SADC Ministers of Health meeting in a regular press conference on 10^th March, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said, the Extraordinary Meeting for SADC Ministers of Health have spoken highly of China’s epidemic response. We are touched in particular to see some African countries offering us funds or goods despite their own limited resources. This is the best embodiment of the brotherhood the two sides share through thick and thin and the joint efforts towards building a more closely-knit community with a shared future. African countries are now facing high risks of imported cases and some of them have seen confirmed cases. While shoring up our own line of defense, we stand ready to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with African countries, support and help them to the best of our capabilities, and jointly contribute to safeguarding regional and global public health security.

5. WHO Chief: China is Bringing Its Epidemic Under Control.

At a press briefing on COVID-19 on 9^th March, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus said that China is bringing its epidemic under control. WHO has consolidated its guidance for countries in four categories based on different epidemic scenarios. Dr. Tedros called for global solidarity to overcome the challenge.

Dr. Tedros said it is troubling that over the weekend, we crossed 100,000 reported cases of COVID-19 in 100 countries. The threat of a pandemic has become very real, but we are not at the mercy of the virus.

He noted that with decisive, early action we can slow down the virus and prevent infections. This is an uneven epidemic at the global level. Of all the cases reported globally so far, 93% are from just four countries. Different countries are in different scenarios, requiring a tailored response.

According to Dr. Tedros, of the four countries with the most cases, China is bringing its epidemic under control, and there is now a decline in new cases being reported from the Republic of Korea. Both these countries demonstrate that it’s never too late to turn back the tide on the virus. Italy is taking aggressive measures to contain its epidemic, and we hope that those measures prove effective in the coming days.

At the end of his opening remarks, Dr. Tedros appealed to the world:

Let hope be the antidote to fear.

Let solidarity be the antidote to blame.

Let our shared humanity be the antidote to our shared threat.