ASIA: Taiwan confirmed its
first death from the COVID-19 virus on Sunday (Feb 16). The deceased is a Taiwanese man in his mid-60s who had a history of hepatitis B and diabetes and no history of travelling abroad. The country also confirmed
two additional cases of the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases on the island to 20.
Japan reported
76 new cases of the virus, hiking up the countrywide total to 414 cases.
South Korea confirmed
one new case of COVID-19, an 82-year-old South Korean man, bringing the total number of infections there to 29. The
United Arab Emirates announced an
additional case of the coronavirus, bringing the country total to nine cases. No other countries in the region reported new cases of COVID-19.
EUROPE: Italy announced that the government is planning to
evacuate 35 Italian citizens who are aboard the
Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. A flight will be departing soon to bring the Italians back, but no further details were released. The country currently has
three confirmed cases of COVID-19. Meanwhile, British passengers on the
Diamond Princess feel "
forgotten" as other countries plan evacuations for their citizens. The
United Kingdom, which currently has
nine confirmed cases of the virus, has not said whether they would be bringing their citizens back from the cruise ship. No other countries in the region reported new cases of COVID-19.
AMERICA: A large group of Americans who were onboard the
Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan have
boarded a chartered flight at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo, bound for the
United States. The
Defense Department confirmed on Sunday (Feb 16) that two charter planes with around 400 Americans from the cruise ship will be arriving at two military bases: Travis Air Force Base, California and Kelly Field/Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. They will be tested and placed under a 14-day quarantine.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters in Senegal that "we all need to be mindful of the serious nature of the threat that is posed” by the spread of the coronavirus, adding that he was especially worried about countries “where there is not significant capable healthcare infrastructure". The US has
15 confirmed cases of the virus.
Canada has also announced that it is
evacuating its citizens from the
Diamond Princess cruise
ship. The plane will bring citizens to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, and then to NAV Canada Training Institute in Cornwall, Ontario where they will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine. No timeline for the evacuation has yet been given. The country has
eight confirmed cases of COVID-19. No other countries in the region reported new cases of COVID-19.
AUSTRALIA: The Australian government has
contacted its citizens who are on the
Diamond Princess cruise ship and is making plans to remove them and bring them back into the country.
Australia’s confirmed cases are at
15 in total, and
New Zealand still has no cases of the virus in the country.
