Coronavirus: Virus outbreak will slash global investment flows, says UN

Bangladesh on Sunday decided to scale down preparations for the birth centenary celebrations of its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, hours after three coronavirus cases were detected in the country. The year-long celebrations were scheduled to open amid massive festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on March 17.

Italy on Sunday recorded the second-highest coronavirus toll in the world, after reporting a sharp jump in deaths and overtaking South Korea on infections. The number of fatalities nearly tripled, rising from 133 to 366 Sunday, according to the civil protection agency, with most deaths occurring in the hard-hit Lombardy region in Italy's wealthy north.

The rapid spread of the deadly new coronavirus is expected to take a serious toll on foreign direct investments worldwide, with UN economists forecasting a drop of up to 15 per cent. A fresh report from the UN Conference on Trade, Investment and Development (UNCTAD) warned that regardless of how quickly the Covid-19 outbreak lasted it would significantly drag down global FDI, which is a measure of cross-border private sector investment.

Italy's death toll from the new coronavirus shot up by 133 to 366 Sunday while the number of infections rose by a single-day record of 1,492 to hit 7,375. Italy has recorded the most deaths of any country outside China and the second-most COVID-19 infections in the world.

A 33-year-old Murshidabad labourer who had returned from Saudi Arabia on Saturday with suspected symptoms of coronavirus and was admitted to the Murshidabad Medical College Hospital died, a day after his admission.

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of a nationwide contagion, has risen over the past day to 257 from 154, a local official said

A 60-year-old German tourist has died in Egypt, becoming its first fatality from the new coronavirus, the health ministry in Cairo announced on Sunday. The man was taken to hospital with fever after arriving in Hurghada from Luxor on March 6, and was placed in intensive care but refused to be transferred to a designated isolation hospital, the ministry said.

At least 400 people in Assam have been quarantined after they came in contact with an American tourist who tested positive for the new coronavirus in Bhutan after travelling through the state recently, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Sarma said tests for five persons have been done so far and results have come negative.

Americans, especially those who are vulnerable, may need to stop attending big gatherings as the coronavirus spreads through US communities, a top health official said on Sunday, adding that the possibility of large-scale quarantines cannot be ruled out.

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The Indian Medical Association (IMA) asked citizens of Thane to not panic and rush to buy masks in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Dr Vedhas Nimkar, Joint Secretary of IMA's Thane Chapter, said only those people who are advised to use masks by doctors should use them.

"The state has been put on high alert following confirmation of five coronavirus positive cases. Those returning from Covid-19 affected countries should immediately contact the health authorities," Vijayan said in a statement.

"Screening process has started & follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities. This is top priority and Indian Embassy in Iran is fully engaged on this," external affairs minister Jaishankar said

The samples of 258 people admitted in hospitals for suspected exposure to novel coronavirus in Maharashtra have returned negative and they have been discharged, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Sunday. Maharashtra has not reported any positive case of coronavirus so far, Tope said.

he number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United Kingdom has risen to 273, the Department of Health and Social Care said on Twitter on Sunday, up from 209 a day earlier. More than 23,500 people in Britain have been tested for the virus, the government said. So far two patients who have tested positive for coronavirus have died in Britain.

GoAir on Sunday said it will not charge any fee on cancellation or rescheduling of tickets booked till April 30 amid the coronavirus scare. This applies for all bookings made between March 8 and April 30 and for the travel period between March 8 and September 30, the airline said in a statement.

Twenty-seven people, who came into contact with a 45-year-old coronavirus patient in Tamil Nadu, have been placed under home surveillance, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said. The top official also said steps were afoot to set up more testing facilities in places including Theni, for the coronavirus.