Coronavirus worldwide: the situation as it stands

Our update on the coronavirus situation around the world as it stands. The UK plans to enact measures to counteract the recent spread across the country.

The UK government has recently announced measures that would advise all people with mild symptoms to self-isolate for at least 2 weeks as part of new plans to try and limit the spread of coronavirus. A public health expert at Nottingham Trent University told The Sun that around half of all cases will most likely come during a three-week period overlapping Easter, describing a situation ‘like no other since World War Two.

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Meanwhile, two MP’s, including UK Health Minister Nadine Dorries, have been infected with the virus as the spread moves into the UK government. The total number of cases stands at 382, with 6 deaths as of Wednesday morning. The government expects the virus to ‘spread in a significant way in the coming days and weeks.’ Potential plans to order the public to work at home for at least three months are being considered to try and delay the virus until the summer months in the UK’s ‘containment’ phase that will try to reduce the workload for the NHS while other illnesses are prevalent.

What has happened in other parts of the world?

As it stands, there are over 115,000 cases of coronavirus cases worldwide, with far more expected in the coming weeks. According to Reuters, the number of global fatalities has increased by over 26% today compared to the same figure yesterday. In total, 4,296 cases have been registered to have been linked to the virus, with 119,000 total cases worldwide. The virus has taken a huge toll on global markets, with investors advised to expect large swings in investment values over the coming weeks as the world struggles to come to grips with the very real prospect of a global crash.

In Italy, the police have begun to force people to stay apart in cafes, queues and general public places to try to stop the spread. In Italy, the situation has become critical, with some 10,000 people testing positive for the virus. Many countries have now banned the entry of flights from Italy; British Airways and Air Canada have suspended all flights going to and from the country due to huge falls in demand and spreading fears.

Residents in Italy now face the prospect of being fined or jailed if the new regulations regarding travel anywhere in the country are broken. The Independent reports that one lady’s heart was ‘split in half’ when deciding whether to stay with her fiancé in the north or her family in the south.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is now warning of a situation similar to the 2008 financial crisis unless leaders work together to organise a contingency plan for the continent. Angela Merkel, in an address similar to that of Boris Johnson’s in recent days, mirrors the statement that up to 70% of the population will likely get coronavirus. Similarly, she aims to contain the virus and delay it’s spread while there is no cure.