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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Analysts: Russia Using Virus Crisis to Sow Discord in West VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- Russia is very likely behind a disinformation campaign on coronavirus in the Western media, intended to fuel panic and discord among allies, experts tell VOA.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 60 WHO 20 March 2020
• WHO Emergencies Press Conference on coronavirus disease outbreak - 20 March 2020 WHO
• Another 'tragic milestone': Reported cases of COVID-19 pass 200,000, says UN health chief UN News 20 Mar 2020 -- It took three months to reach the first 100,000 cases of COVID-19 but only 12 days to double that, to reach over 200,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
• Humanitarian workers push for continued life-saving access during COVID-19 pandemic or 'virus could cycle back' UN News 20 Mar 2020 -- As the global humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues at breakneck speed, UN assistance remains critical for some 100 hundred million people living in emergency situations, and life-saving food aid is essential for 87 million people across the world.
• Global Coronavirus Death Toll Passes 10,000 VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- The coronavirus global death toll has surpassed 10,000 and more than 244,500 people have been infected, the World Health Organization said Friday.
• Global COIVD-19 deaths surpass 10,000: Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- The total deaths linked to COVID-19 around the world have topped 10,000 as of 11:30 p.m. local time on Thursday (0330 GMT on Friday), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• Daily COVID-19 updates on March 20 People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- As the number of COVID-19 infections continues to rise worldwide, more regions and countries announced state of emergencies and called for supplies of personal protective equipment and diagnostic kits.
• No New COVID-19 Cases in Wuhan Provides Hope for World - WHO Chief Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- The fact Wuhan has not recorded any new cases of COVID-19 for the first time since the outbreak began gives hope to the rest of the world, World Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus said Friday.

United States

• Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the C oronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing The White House 20 Mar 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Approves New York Disaster Declaration The White House 20 Mar 2020
• Army Employs All-Out Effort to Combat COVID-19 DoD News 20 Mar 2020 -- Army researchers are working to rapidly develop and test experimental vaccines to combat COVID-19, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said.
• COVID-19 Guidance on Impacts to Transition Assistance Program and Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program Events DoD 20 Mar 2020 -- The Department of Defense Military-Civilian Transition Office is closely monitoring impacts to Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP) events as a result of the outbreak of the respiratory illness caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, known as COVID-19.
• Remarks by General Wolters in a Press Briefing via Teleconference on COVID-19 Response DoD 20 Mar 2020 -- General Tod Wolters, Commander, U.S. European Command
• 2019 Pandemic Wargame Revealed US Not Ready for Infectious Disease Outbreak - Report Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- The development comes as the death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 10,000. In the United States alone, the number of confirmed cases has more than doubled and now stands at 14,000, while more than 200 people have died in the country.
• US National Lockdown is Not Under Consideration at This Time - Trump Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said earlier in the day that he would enforce an order directing residents to stay indoors to the greatest extent possible in order to slow down the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
• US coronavirus cases surge past 14,000; deaths hit 200 Press TV 20 Mar 2020 -- The US death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has reached 200 and the number of cases surged past 14,000, forcing the state of California to order a state-wide lockdown.
• NY State Moving to Total Telework for Non-Essential Businesses VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is ordering non-essential businesses to move workers completely to telework by late Sunday, in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus in his state.
• California Governor Issues Lockdown as Coronavirus Spreads VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- California Governor Gavin Newsom Thursday ordered the 40 million residents of the U.S. West Coast state to stay home as part of the state's battle against COVID-19.
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Signs The 'New York State on Pause' Executive Order New York State 20 Mar 2020
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 20 Mar 2020

China

• Wuhan Residents Take 'Zero Cases' Claim With Pinch of Salt Radio Free Asia 20 Mar 2020 -- Health authorities in China are reporting no new infections in the central city of Wuhan where the COVID-19 epidemic first emerged, but local residents said they fear there could be a resurgence of new cases amid an ongoing official cover-up.
• Has China Really Stamped Out Its Coronavirus Crisis? RFE/RL 20 Mar 2020 -- Words like "draconian" and "Mao-style social controls" have been used to describe Chinese officials' restrictions on society in central China in their battle against the deadly new coronavirus.
• No new cases in Hubei; 34 added nationally, all imported People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Zero new case of COVID-19 was in Hubei for the second day, and 39 added across Chinese mainland were all imported from oversea, according to data released by the National Health Commission on early Friday.
• China calls for targeted measures to curb cross-border COVID-19 transmission People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Chinese authorities on Thursday required targeted measures to curb cross-border transmission of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and proactively promote work resumption in an orderly manner.
• China's zero increase in coronavirus infection a positive sign for world People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- China's report of no new local infections of the novel coronavirus in the mainland for the first time is a positive sign amid the news of sharply increasing infections worldwide.
• China's Tianjin reports its first imported COVID-19 case People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- North China's Tianjin Municipality reported the city's first confirmed imported case of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Friday.
• Beijing reports 6 imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Beijing reported six newly confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the United Kingdom Thursday, the municipal health commission said Friday.
• China's Wuhan reports zero increase in COVID-19 cases for 2 days People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- No new infections or suspected cases of the novel coronavirus were reported on Thursday in Wuhan, marking two days in a row of zero report at the epicenter of the epidemic in a months-long battle with the deadly virus.
• Shanghai reports 8 imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Shanghai reported eight newly confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from other countries Thursday, the local health authority said Friday.
• China rejects US accusation of acting inadequately when outbreak began Press TV 20 Mar 2020 -- China has rejected an accusation by US President Donald Trump that it acted inadequately when its outbreak of the new coronavirus began in December last year.
• Trump blames China again for coronavirus pandemic Press TV 20 Mar 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has blamed China again for the global coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19, using the term "Chinese virus" again despite growing criticism that it is racist and anti-Chinese.
• No Cases of Internal COVID-19 Transmission Registered in China in 24 Hours, 39 Imported Cases Added Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- The new coronavirus disease was first identified in China's Wuhan and has rapidly spread to more than 160 countries, according to the latest data provided by John Hopkins University.
• China Exonerates Late Whistleblowing Doctor Li Wenliang Radio Free Asia 20 Mar 2020 -- China has exonerated late whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang, who was hauled in for questioning by police, who accused him of "spreading rumors" when he tried to alert the authorities about the emerging coronavirus epidemic in the central city of Wuhan.
• Probe findings on Li Wenliang mark start of reflection, holding accountability Global Times 20 Mar 2020 -- Wuhan police on Thursday revoked a reprimand order against Li Wenliang, the "whistleblower" doctor in Wuhan who died from COVID-19, and two police officers involved in handling Li's case were punished for dereliction of duty, following recommendations of a closely-watched investigation by China's top supervisory body.

Europe

• PM statement on coronavirus: 20 March 2020 Gov.UK 20 Mar 2020 -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement on coronavirus.
• Spain "close to peak" of contagion as COVID-19 cases exceed 17,000 People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Spain is approaching the peak in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, the country's Minister for Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services, Salvador Illa, said on Thursday.
• Italy records more deaths as total infections top 41,000 People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- A total of 427 COVID-19 patients had died in 24 hours in Italy, taking the country's death toll to 3,405, according to new data released on Thursday by the Civil Protection Department.
• Virus death in Europe nears 5,000 as Italy overtakes China Press TV 20 Mar 2020 -- Spain says its death toll from the coronavirus epidemic soared Friday to 1,002 from 767 on the previous day, while Italy overtook China for the highest death toll yet.
• France in Talks to Buy Masks From Several Countries, Including China, to Cope With COVID-19 Crisis Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- At the moment, the number of those infected in France is nearing 11,000, while over 370 people have succumbed to the coronavirus in the country.

Russia

• Russia to quarantine all arrivals from abroad for two weeks People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Russian health authorities on Thursday ordered the country's regions to ensure a 14-day isolation period for everyone arriving from abroad to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• With Europe In Lockdown, Skeptical Russians Are Told: 'No Reason To Panic' RFE/RL 20 Mar 2020 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout China, Western Europe, and the United States, threatening to paralyze major economies and subjecting much of the world's population to state-enforced lockdowns. Leaders are warning of disruptions to economies and lifestyles.
• Entire Russian Territory Now on High Alert Regime Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- Russia's Republic of Ingushetia has declared a high alert regime to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which means that the regime is now active across the entire Russian territory, in all the 85 regions.
• Moscow Being Shut Down Not Currently on Agenda - Kremlin Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- Several media outlets previously claimed that the Russian capital was on lockdown or would be closed soon amid coronavirus fears, but the reports were later debunked.

India

• PM interacts with all CMs to combat COVID-19 India PIB 20 Mar 2020 -- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today interacted with Chief Ministers of all states via Video Conferencing to discuss measures to combat COVID-19.

Iran

• Coronavirus death toll hits 1,433 in Iran IRNA 20 Mar 2020 -- Iran's Deputy Health Minister Ali-Reza Raeesi said on Friday that the cases of COVID-19 infection reached 19,644 with death toll having mounted to 1,433 in the country.
• Health minister assures statistics on coronavirus authentic IRNA 20 Mar 2020 -- Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said on Thursday that updates about coronavirus declared in Iran is one of the most sincere ones in the world.
• Virus cases fall in 13 Iranian provinces but sanctions mar fight Press TV 20 Mar 2020 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says US sanctions against Iran have hampered the country's access to medicine and medical equipment amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

South Korea

• S.Korea reports 87 more COVID-19 cases, 8,652 in total People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- South Korea reported 87 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of midnight Friday local time, raising the total number to 8,652.
• South Korea's Coronavirus Battle Isn't Over Yet VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- Even though South Korea has drastically reduced its number of new coronavirus infections, public health officials and analysts are warning it is too soon to declare victory against what is likely to be a long-term pandemic.

Australia

• Australian PM announces stricter limits for indoor gatherings over COVID-19 People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday announced stricter restrictions on non-essential indoor gatherings, which had already been limited to 100 people.
• Australian authorities urge passengers of cruise ship to self-isolate after 3 COVID-19 cases detected People's Daily 20 Mar 2020 -- Australia's New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Friday that three people among the 4,000 passengers and crew onboard a cruise ship were tested positive for COVID-19.
• Australia Closes Borders in Response to Coronavirus Crisis VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- Australia is becoming a fortress. It is banning foreign travelers beginning Friday as it tries to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. International tourists are scrambling to leave Australia asconcerns mount over flight cancellations and border closures. Australia now has more than 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministers of Health, Finance Hold Joint Press Conference, on Challenges of Coronavirus Crisis SPA 20 Mar 2020 -- Minister of Health Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah and Minister of Finance, who is also the acting minister of economy and planning, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, held here today a joint press conference, on the health and economic challenges, facing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, due to the coronavirus crisis.
• With More Than SAR 120 bn: Government of Saudi Arabia Implements Urgent Measures to Mitigate the Impact of Coronavirus on Economic Activities and Private Sector SPA 20 Mar 2020 -- The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is moving decisively to address the unprecedented effects and consequences of the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic crisis, and is taking immediate measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents, and to address its fiscal, financial and economic impact, the Minister of Finance, Acting Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, stated that the government has taken precautionary and strong measures to protect citizens and residents in the Kingdom, and to ensure the availability of immediate financial resources which will guarantee that all direct preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus and address this pandemic crisis' consequences, as well as protect government facilities and agencies and ensure the continuity of their work.
• Official Source at Ministry of Interior: Suspending All Domestic flights, Buses, Taxis and Trains For A Period of 14 Days Starting at 6 A.M, Saturday Morning SPA 20 Mar 2020 -- An official source in the Ministry of Interior has stated today that in completion of the preventive and precautionary measures recommended by the competent health authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of their unremitting efforts to control the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), along with the keenness on protecting the health of citizens and expatriates and ensuring their safety, and based on the World Health Organization's announcement of the COVID-19 as a global pandemic due to its outbreak in more than 170 countries so far.
• Official Spokesperson for the Two Holy Mosques: Suspending presence and praying in the squares of Two Holy Mosques starting tomorrow SPA 20 Mar 2020 -- The Spokesperson for the General Presidency for the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Hani bin Hosni Haider, stated that the Presidency and the security and health authorities decided to suspend the presence and prayers in the outer squares of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque starting tomorrow, Friday, as part of precautionary and preventive measures to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.
• Saudi Customs: Export of medicines, pharmaceuticals, medical devices stopped SPA 20 Mar 2020 -- Saudi Customs issued today a circular to all its land, sea and air customs ports to stop the export of medicines, pharmaceutical and medical devices, in implementation of the recommendations of the ministerial committee to take precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) that includes stopping the export of these products.
• Saudi Arabia Suspends All Domestic Flights, Buses, Taxis, and Trains for Two Weeks - Report Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- The Kingdom has recently initiated a series of measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19, including the suspension of prayers outside Mecca and Medina holy mosques and the cancellation of the Jeddah Season festival.

Taiwan

• CECC imposes highest travel warning on all overseas destinations CNA 20 Mar 2020 -- Taiwan will place all foreign countries and territories under its highest Level 3 travel warning starting Saturday, but the move became largely symbolic after a 14-day home quarantine was imposed on all inbound travelers starting Thursday.
• Taiwan adds 27 new COVID-19 cases; total rises to 135 (update) CNA 20 Mar 2020 -- Twenty-seven new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Taiwan Friday, bringing the total number around the country to 135, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said that day.
• Taiwan records second COVID-19 death CNA 20 Mar 2020 -- Taiwan confirmed a second death from COVID-19 Friday, after an elderly man died from complications caused by the coronavirus disease.
• Equipment for 32 mask production lines to be fully delivered soon CNA 20 Mar 2020 -- The equipment needed for 32 new surgical face mask production lines in Taiwan is expected to be fully delivered soon, the chairman of the Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA) said Friday.

Argentina

• Argentina Imposes Mandatory Quarantine on Citizens Until 31 March Over COVID-19 Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- The Argentine authorities have imposed a mandatory quarantine on all citizens in the country until 31 March amid the COVID-19 pandemic, President Alberto Fernandez said.
• Argentinians Quarantined Until End of March VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- The president of Argentina says the South American nation is going into a mandatory quarantine for 11 days, in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Haiti

• Haiti Imposes Curfew After Two First Cases of Coronavirus Registered Sputnik 20 Mar 2020 -- Governments around the world have stepped up measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease, as the global number of cases has surpassed 240,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
• Haiti Confirms its First Coronavirus Cases VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- The coronavirus pandemic has now arrived in Haiti.

North Korea

• North Koreans Put Out of Work by COVID-19 Resort to Drug Trafficking Radio Free Asia 20 Mar 2020 -- North Korean restrictions on business activities and social movement to prevent the spread of coronavirus have driven already struggling traders to take up meth trafficking, sources in the isolated country told RFA.
• More Efforts Directed to Preventing COVID-19 in DPRK KCNA 20 Mar 2020 -- The emergency anti-epidemic headquarters at all levels in Pyongyang and local areas of the DPRK have directed greater efforts to preventing COVID-19.

Other Countries

• Panic Grips Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh over Coronavirus Concerns Radio Free Asia 20 Mar 2020 -- Panic hit Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh on Thursday after an international charity's report highlighted that the government had no resources to test for the deadly coronavirus, rights groups and officials said.
• COVID-19: Central Asia Employs Additional Measures; Armenia Suspends Exports Of Medical Items RFE/RL 20 Mar 2020 -- The global coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 246,000 people and killed over 10,000 worldwide, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
• Virus? What Virus? Turkmenistan Seals Off Capital, Restricts Travel, But Doesn't Mention COVID-19 RFE/RL 20 Mar 2020 -- Turkmenistan has sealed off its capital, Ashgabat, ostensibly due to the coronavirus without any public announcement by authorities or state media in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation.
• Kuwait Reports 11 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 20 Mar 2020 -- The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health reported here, during the past 24, 11 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the number of infections to 159.
• African Nations Try to Overcome Shortage of COVID-19 Test Kits VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has surpassed 800, an eightfold increase from just one week ago. But a shortage of test kits in many African countries means the number of infected is likely far higher.
• Singapore a Rare Lodestar in Coronavirus Fight VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- On Jan. 23 Singapore became one of the first countries after China to report a case of the new coronavirus – a 66-year-old man who had brought the deadly pathogen with him three days earlier from the Chinese city of Wuhan.
• South Korea, China and Japan Share Pandemic Information VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- South Korea, China and Japan are sharing information on the coronavirus pandemic and exploring how to prevent the disease from spreading further while maintaining economic and social exchanges.
• Vietnam Readies for Tentative Economic Rebound as Coronavirus Caseload Stays Low VOA 20 Mar 2020 -- Vietnamese officials are preparing for a limited economic revival as their coronavirus caseload stays low.
• Local Economies Suffer in Cambodia as Thailand Closes Border to Stop Spread of Virus Radio Free Asia 20 Mar 2020 -- Citizens of Cambodia living along the country's border with Thailand are struggling to make ends meet as authorities close checkpoints between the two nations to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), prompting calls for a government bailout.