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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Pakistani Doctor Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 19 Mar 2020 -- Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota today announced a federal criminal complaint against Muhammad Masood, 28, charging him with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 59 WHO 19 March 2020
• UN Chief: Virus Could Kill Millions Globally Without Joint Response VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- The U.N. secretary-general warned Thursday that millions of people could die globally from the coronavirus outbreak without a coordinated global response.
• UN chief: If not controlled, coronavirus pandemic could kill 'millions' worldwide Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- The United Nations secretary general warns that the new coronavirus pandemic could end up killing "millions" of people worldwide if allowed to spread unchecked.
• COVID-19 cases top 200,000 globally, death toll over 8,000: WHO People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- More than 200,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally to the World Health Organization (WHO), among which more than 8,000 people have lost their lives, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said here Wednesday.
• UN experts: 40% of world's population unable to protect themselves against corona Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- UN experts have warned that some three billion people across the globe lack the most basic hygiene necessities such as soap and running water to shield themselves against the coronavirus pandemic.
• 'Solidarity, hope' and coordinated global response needed to tackle COVID-19 pandemic, says UN chief UN News 19 Mar 2020 -- As public fear and uncertainty grow around the COVID-19 pandemic, "more than ever before, we need solidarity, hope and the political will to see this crisis through together," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday in his first virtual press conference.
• COVID-19: WHO working on supply pipeline for protective equipment and tests UN News 19 Mar 2020 -- For the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak began last December, China has reported no domestic cases of the disease, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday, calling it "an amazing achievement".

United States

• Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing The White House 19 Mar 2020
• Remarks by President Trump and Vice President Pence in a Video Teleconference with Governors on COVID-19 The White House 19 Mar 2020
• Lt Gen Place, Director, Defense Health Agency, and Rear Admiral Gillingham, Surgeon General of the Navy, Discuss COVID-19 Response DoD 19 Mar 2020 -- Army Lieutenant General Ronald Place, Director, Defense Health Agency; Navy Rear Admiral Bruce Gillingham, Surgeon General of the Navy
• Chief of the National Guard Bureau Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel Press Briefing on COVID-19 Response DoD 19 Mar 2020 -- Chief of the National Guard Bureau Air Force General Joseph L. Lengyel
• Defense Health Officials Detail COVID-19 Aid Effort DoD News 19 Mar 2020 -- Senior Defense Department health officials detailed what the department is doing to support the whole-of-government assault on the coronavirus pandemic.
• Military Hospital Ships' Core Staff Report for COVID-19 Duty VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Key medical staff for the USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort hospital ships have reported for duty to get the ships ready to deploy to areas overwhelmed with coronavirus cases, said the military officer in charge of putting the teams together.
• Hollowed-Out Pentagon Brass Braces for Major Role in Combating Coronavirus VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- As U.S. President Donald Trump and government leaders across the country turn to the military to help combat the coronavirus pandemic, the Pentagon is short several highly important leadership positions that are being filled with temporary appointments of "acting" brass.
• Cyber Threat Increases as More Americans Telework VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- The race to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the United States is placing an unprecedented burden on the country's cyber infrastructure, potentially making it as vulnerable as it has ever been.
• National Guard Ramping Up COVID-19 Response DoD News 19 Mar 2020 -- About 2,050 National Guard soldiers and airmen in 27 states have been activated to support COVID-19 response efforts, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said.
• Trump signs relief package to expand paid leave, ensure free testing amid COVID-19 People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill to expand paid sick leave, enhance unemployment insurance, and ensure free testing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
• US health workers say grappling with lack of protective equipment amid fight with coronavirus Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- US healthcare workers say they desperately grappling with shortages of masks, gowns and other equipment they need to protect themselves while working at hospitals to take care of patients suffering from the highly contagious coronavirus infection.
• Trump invokes wartime powers over corona as virus reaches Congress Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has signed into law an emergency relief package, while announcing new military-related measures in what he called "war" against the coronavirus pandemic.
• Nation's Most Visible Mass Gathering During Coronavirus? US Congress VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives announced late Wednesday they have tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting a question that once would have been unthinkable: Why can't Congress work remotely?
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Mandating Businesses That Require in-Office Personnel to Decrease In-Office Workforce by 75 Percent New York State 19 Mar 2020
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 19 Mar 2020

China

• World Depends on China for Face Masks But Can Country Deliver? VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Phones have been ringing off the hook lately for Brian Edwards, a sales manager of a small medical supply company in California. And he has to say "No" to all the people who called.
• Probe report on 'whistleblower' Li Wenliang reveals warning process in early stage of epidemic in Wuhan Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- The report released by China's top supervisory body on Thursday about the matter related to the death of Li Wenliang, the "whistleblower" doctor from Wuhan after a 42-day investigation has revealed the initial warning process in the early stage of combating the coronavirus outbreak in the city.
• Beijing cuts infection channels from abroad Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- With more than 200,000 infections across the globe, Beijing, as a hotspot for international communications and the political center of China, is threatened by the spike of COVID-19 cases from overseas, leading the municipal government to further tighten management measures for overseas personnel entering Beijing starting from Thursday.
• No new local infection reported in the Chinese mainland as of March 18 Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- After two months of arduous efforts, it seems that China finally welcomes a turning point in the fighting against the COVID-19 epidemic as no new confirmed cases were reported either from Central China's Hubei Province, the area hit hardest by the outbreak, or from other provinces of the mainland on Wednesday.
• Zero new confirmed cases reported in Hubei as of March 18 Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- There have been no new confirmed cases in Central China's Hubei Province, the area hit hardest by the coronavirus, as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, no new local infections were reported within the Chinese mainland.
• Wuhan police urged to revoke virus 'whistleblower' Li Wenliang's reprimand order following probe Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- China's top supervision body on Thursday urged police in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, to revoke a reprimand order against Li Wenliang, the "whistleblower" doctor who died from COVID-19, for alleged rumormongering, after more than 40 days of an investigation.
• Top epidemiologist warns of blind spots in epidemic control in Wuhan Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- The Chinese central government has called for attention to community epidemic prevention and control work in epidemic-stricken Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan despite apparent improvements in those places, while China's top e
• China's Wuhan marks no new coronavirus case, success of strict measures People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- No new infections of the novel coronavirus were reported on Wednesday in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, marking a notable first in the city's months-long battle with the deadly virus and sending a message of hope to the world gripped by the pandemic.
• Beijing reports 21 imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- Beijing reported 21 newly confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from other countries Wednesday, the municipal health commission said Thursday.
• Hong Kong reports 14 confirmed COVID-19 cases, mostly imported infections People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- A total of 14 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 and another eight were preliminarily tested positive for novel coronavirus as of Wednesday noon, most of whom had overseas travel history, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) said, reiterating warning about the remarkable increase of imported infections.
• Chinese mainland reports zero increase in domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- No new domestically transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported on the Chinese mainland Wednesday, according to data from Chinese health authority Thursday.
• Wuhan's neighboring city Huanggang cleared of confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- Huanggang, a neighboring city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, discharged its last two COVID-19 patients Wednesday as confirmed cases were reduced to zero, local authorities said.
• New confirmed COVID-19 case in Wuhan from fever clinic People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- The sole newly confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in central China's Wuhan on Tuesday was from a fever clinic, the city's health commission said.
• Xi calls for cooperation in virus fight People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- China will strengthen international cooperation on novel coronavirus epidemic control and continue to provide assistance within its ability to countries affected by the epidemic, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said on Wednesday.
pidemiologist has warned of possible blind spots in communities as new confirmed cases keep popping up in community clinics.
• China reports zero local transmissions for 1st time, other countries struggling still Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- China has for the first time reported no new locally transmitted cases of the new coronavirus at its epicenter since the country started recording infections in January.
• Hong Kong Expert Withdraws Article Blaming China For Coronavirus Radio Free Asia 19 Mar 2020 -- A top medical adviser in Hong Kong has withdrawn an article in which he said there was nothing wrong with calling the coronavirus the "Wuhan virus," a view that is anathema to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which is waging a propaganda campaign to distance itself from the virus.
• China reports zero new cases in original coronavirus epicentre Hubei SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- China has reported no new cases of coronavirus in Hubei, the original epicentre of the outbreak, and zero locally transmitted cases across China over the past day, for the first time in the past eight weeks, according to dpa.
• Wuhan Reports No New Coronavirus Cases for First Time VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Chinese city at the center of the coronavirus pandemic reported for the first time Thursday that there were no new cases on Wednesday, while the death toll in Italy surpasses that in all of mainland China.

Europe

• UK deaths rise to 137, PM says 12 weeks needed to beat coronavirus Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that the country can "turn the tide" in fight against the coronavirus in 12 weeks as another 33 more people have died across the UK.
• London prepares for 'lockdown' amid coronavirus pandemic Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- London is preparing for a virtual lockdown as the city faces the prospect of greater restrictions over concerns that residents are not heeding advice about the coronavirus pandemic, media reports say.
• UK Prime Minister Johnson's Spokesman Rules Out Total Lockdown in London Due to COVID-19 Sputnik 19 Mar 2020 -- The UK government is not planning to enforce a total ban on travel to and from London and the capital's transport system will continue to operate despite a reduction in service, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday.
• Military stands up COVID Support Force UK MOD 19 Mar 2020 -- The Defence Secretary announces new measures to put service personnel and Reservists on standby to support public services in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Switzerland Reports Coronavirus infection Cases increased to 3,888 with 33 deaths SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Swiss Ministry of health announced today that the number of cases contracting coronavirus increased to 3888 in Switzerland and Lechtenchtein Luxembourg while deaths reached 33.
• Irish Health Department Reports First Coronavirus Death SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Health department announced today the first Coronavirus death in North Ireland of an old man who was suffering from chronic diseases in Belfast.
• Croatia Announces First COVID-19 Death SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Croatian authorities announced today the first death in the country of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19).
• Spain's coronavirus death toll climbs by over 200 overnight SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- Spain's health ministry said on Thursday the death toll from the coronavirus epidemic soared by 209 to 767 fatalities from the previous day as the total number of coronavirus cases climbed by a quarter to 17,147 on Thursday, according to Reuters.

Russia

• Russia Announces 52 Cases of COVID-19 SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Russian authorities announced that 52 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are registered in the past 24 hours.
• Putin on Coronavirus Situation: We Have to Be Ready for Any Turn of Events Sputnik 19 Mar 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that it was important to be ready for any turn of events amid the global coronavirus outbreak.
• On Moscow's Outskirts, A Town Braces For New COVID-19 Hospital RFE/RL 19 Mar 2020 -- A fleet of excavators, graders, and dump trucks are busily leveling a large field outside this village on the southwestern outskirts of greater Moscow. If all goes according to the city's plan, a brand-new 500-bed hospital for patients with COVID-19 -- the illness caused by the new coronavirus -- should open its doors in about a month.

India

• Text of Prime Minister's address to the nation on combating COVID-19 India PIB 19 Mar 2020
• PM addresses nation on combating COVID-19 India PIB 19 Mar 2020 -- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the nation on combating the challenge of COVID-19. On the occasion of 'Navratra', Prime Minister made nine requests to the people.
• High level Group of Ministers reviews current status, and actions for prevention and management of COVID-19 India PIB 19 Mar 2020
• India Cautiously Braces Itself to Tackle the Second Stage of Coronavirus Spread Sputnik 19 Mar 2020 -- The first case of coronavirus in India was recorded in the southern state of Kerala on 30 January. Since then, the number of infected people has risen to 149 with four deaths.
• India suspends int'l flights to land in its territories for one week, effective March 22 SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The government of India decided today to suspend all international commercial flights to land in its territories for one week, effective March 22, 2020, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Iran

• COVID-19 infects 50 Iranians every hour IRNA 19 Mar 2020 -- About 50 Iranians are being infected by the deadly COVID-19 per hour, a senior official at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education r said on Thursday.
• Iran ready to help US to contain COVID19: Official IRNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Iran's Deputy Health Minister Ali-Reza Raeesi expressed readiness to help the US to control coronavirus outbreak there and said Washington should remove anti-Iran sanctions if its sincere with its claim of helping Iran.
• Coronavirus death toll hits 1,284 in Iran IRNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Iran's Deputy Health Minister Ali-Reza Raeesi said on Thursday that the cases of COVID-19 infection reached 18,407 and its death toll mounted to 1,284 in the country.
• Zarif: Coronavirus outbreak in Iran exposed reality of cruel sanctions to world IRNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Iranians celebrate Nowruz concurrent with the arrival of Spring while the country is faced with multiple and historic challenges and stressed the coronavirus outbreak in Iran exposed the reality of the US sanctions to the world.

South Korea

• S.Korea to offer 39 bln USD of financial aid package for small businesses over COVID-19 People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- South Korea decided Thursday to offer 50 trillion won (39 billion U.S. dollars) worth of emergency financial aid package for small businesses amid rising worry about the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak.
• S.Korea reports 152 more COVID-19 cases, 8,565 in total People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- South Korea reported 152 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of midnight Thursday local time, raising the total number of infections to 8,565.

Saudi Arabia

• Coronavirus-Infected Cases are 238 with Recovery of 8 Cases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Health Ministry reports SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The committee concerned with following up the health situation of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) affirmed the importance of continuation of applying and enhancing all precautionary measures in all entry ports.

Taiwan

• Next 14 days critical to Taiwan's COVID-19 response: Tsai CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Thursday that the next 14 days will be critical to Taiwan's COVID-19 prevention efforts, and called on the public to take three steps to assist the government's response, after a one-week period in which Taiwan's confirmed cases have more than doubled to 108.
• Taiwan starts clinical trials of remdesivir on COVID-19 patients CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Clinical trials of the antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 have already started in Taiwan, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) expert Chang Shang-chun (張上淳) said Thursday.
• Taiwan reports eight new COVID-19 cases; total rises to 108 CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Eight new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Taiwan on Thursday, bringing the total number in the country to 108, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said.
• Taipei, New Taipei seek to expand provision of 'quarantine hotels' CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Taipei and New Taipei cities are in talks with a number of local hotels to become "quarantine hotels" serving those required to undergo quarantine, after the four current hotels became fully booked following the introduction of new border controls amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
• Taiwan, EU discuss joint efforts to fight COVID-19 CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Academia Sinica, Taiwan's top research institute, said Wednesday that it hosted a video conference with European Union (EU) officials that day to discuss possible collaborative efforts to fight COVID-19.
• Nearly 40% of returning travelers report start of home quarantine CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Nearly 40 percent of the approximately 16,000 people who returned to Taiwan March 5-14 from overseas areas deemed as high-risk for the COVID-19 coronavirus disease have reported to local district offices that they have started home quarantine, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday.
• Arriving passengers wait in long lines at Taoyuan airport CNA 19 Mar 2020 -- Arriving travelers waited in long lines outside Taoyuan International Airport for a specialized "epidemic prevention transport service" to head for home quarantine Thursday, as Taiwan began to impose strict border controls to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19.
• Taiwan facing risk of infection wave due to flawed control effort: experts Global Times 19 Mar 2020 -- The island of Taiwan's epidemic control efforts against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are seriously flawed and Taiwan is facing the risk of another wave of COVID-19 infections, as the island's authority previously only focused on preventing cases from the Chinese mainland but not those from the rest of the world, multiple experts from the island said on Wednesday.

Other Countries

• Africa CDC: Continent 'Must Be Prepared' as Coronavirus Causes 'Havoc' VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Three African countries account for most of the continent's coronavirus cases, but the deputy director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the entire continent must be ready for the virus.
• Daily COVID-19 updates on March 19 People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- Countries around the world have been beefing up measures to contain the COVID-19 spread, as more than 200,000 cases have been reported globally, with the tally of deaths exceeding 8,000.
• Saudi Arabia bans prayers outside holy mosques over coronavirus Press TV 19 Mar 2020 -- Saudi authorities have tightened restrictions on religious gatherings outside two main mosques in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as they struggle to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus in the country.
• Authorities in Tibetan Capital Lhasa Arrest 10 for Breaching Coronavirus Protocol Radio Free Asia 19 Mar 2020 -- Authorities in the Tibet Autonomous Region's capital Lhasa have arrested 10 people for violating government rules meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but critics say the charges are merely a guise for politically motivated harassment detentions.
• Protesters Say Egypt Is Exposing Political Prisoners to Coronavirus VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Egyptian police released the 63-year-old mother of a jailed activist Thursday night after she and three other prominent Egyptian women staged a bold protest at the entrance to the Council of Ministers building, calling on authorities to free political prisoners vulnerable to coronavirus.
• New Zealand enters lockdown by closing borders due to COVID-19 concerns People's Daily 19 Mar 2020 -- New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country's borders will be closed to any visitors except citizens and residents from 11:59 p.m. Thursday due to COVID-19 concerns.
• Cambodia Shuts Border With Vietnam Citing Virus Fears After Similar Measure From Hanoi Radio Free Asia 19 Mar 2020 -- Cambodia's government on Thursday announced it is temporarily closing the country's checkpoints along its border with Vietnam as part of a bid to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19.
• Lack of COVID-19 Info Under Myanmar's Internet Ban Could Doom Rakhine Refugees: NGO Radio Free Asia 19 Mar 2020 -- Myanmar's government must lift its ban on internet service in war-ravaged Rakhine state to permit tens of thousands of displaced civilians to access information about the coronavirus, a civil society group demanded this week, warning of mass deaths if crowded refugee camps became infected.
• COVID-19: One Iranian 'Dying Every 10 Minutes'; Romania Urges Expats To Stay Away RFE/RL 19 Mar 2020 -- The global coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 220,000 people worldwide, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
• Lebanese Health Ministry Announces 16 Corona-Infected Cases SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Lebanese Public Health Ministry affirmed that the Coronavirus (COVID-190 total number of laboratory-confirmed cases has reached 149, including 16 new cases in the past 24 hours.
• UAE Reports 27 Coronavirus Cases SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates announced today 27 cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) covering various nationalities.
• Palestinian Government Confirms Three Cases of Coronavirus SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- Spokesman of the Palestinian government Ibrahim Melhem confirmed that there are three new infections with the new Coronavirus (COVID-19).
• Tunisia halts flights to evacuate its country mates from abroad due to coronavirus SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- Tunisia announced today it has decided to finally stop flights arranged to evacuate its country mates from all Arab and European countries, starting tomorrow, Friday March 20, 2020.
• Iraq Confirms 11 New Coronavirus Cases, Bringing Total Infections to 177 SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced today that 11 Coronavirus-infected cases are confirmed, bringing the total infections to 177 cases.
• Indonesia confirms 82 new coronavirus cases, biggest daily rise SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- Indonesia announced on Thursday 82 new coronavirus cases, marking the biggest daily rise for the Southeast Asian nation and taking the total number of confirmed cases to 309, a health ministry official said. Achmad Yurianto, the health ministry official, said the total number of confirmed deaths from coronavirus rose by six to 25, the majority of which were reported in Jakarta, according to Reuters.
• Panama Suspends All International Flights for 30 Days Starting 22 March Over COVID-19 Pandemic Sputnik 19 Mar 2020 -- Originating in China, the virus has swiftly spread around the globe, prompting the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March.
• Number of Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Turkey Rises by 168 to 359 – Health Minister Sputnik 19 Mar 2020 -- The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Turkey has increased by 88 percent to 359 within the past 24 hours, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
• Six new coronavirus cases in Kuwait SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- Six new cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, were discovered in Kuwait within the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 148.
• Three New Recoveries from Coronavirus in Kuwait SPA 19 Mar 2020 -- Kuwaiti Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basel Al-Sabah has announced the full recovery of three additional patients from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of recovered cases in the country to 18.
• Analysts Praise Saudi, Israeli Approaches to COVID VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Analysts say they see some Middle Eastern countries adopting strong measures to combat COVID-19 even as it continues to spread, while others are maintaining a cloak of secrecy about the infection rates. From the closure of Muslim pilgrimages and sweeping state of emergency declarations, coronavirus has introduced unprecedented changes, upending the region's daily life.
• Peru Bans Private Vehicles in Bid to Slow Virus VOA 19 Mar 2020 -- Peru is banning the use of private vehicles, beginning Thursday, in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.