France has confirmed its second COVID-19 death and 18 cases total, heightening concerns amid Italy's outbreak. The virus spreads to new European nations and South America, while South Korea battles a rapid escalation.
On February 26, 2020, France reported its second COVID-19 fatality, according to France Bleu. This marked the first French national victim, following the death of a Chinese tourist from Wuhan on February 14. The 60-year-old victim was a teacher at a college in Crépy-en-Valois, Oise, who was urgently tested the day before passing. An investigation is underway, as he had no travel history from a risk area, aiming to trace contamination sources and potential local spread.
France has now recorded 18 cases since the epidemic began: 12 patients have recovered, 4 remain hospitalized, and 2 have died. The government has launched a toll-free hotline (0800.130.000) for public inquiries.
France's worries intensify due to Italy's crisis, where several cities are under semi-lockdown, events canceled, and cases hit 447 with 14 deaths, per TV5 Monde. New European countries—Croatia, Austria, Greece, Switzerland, and North Macedonia—report initial cases, mostly Italian travelers.
Africa saw its first case in Egypt a week prior; Algeria has now confirmed one in an Italian traveler. Limited healthcare resources heighten fears of rapid spread across the continent.
As La Croix reports, Latin America confirmed its first case: a 61-year-old Brazilian from São Paulo returning from Italy's Milan region. Iran reports 245 cases and 26 deaths—the highest outside China. The U.S. has a 60th case. Globally, over 82,000 infections, 2,800 deaths, and 32,000 recoveries.
Emerging hotspots—Italy, Iran, and South Korea—raise alarms beyond China. South Korea's latest figures show 1,766 cases and 13 deaths, with over 500 new cases in 24 hours, vaulting it to second globally.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a sect with hundreds of thousands of followers, is at the epicenter. Chinese authorities are aiding investigations; Hubei's province (home to Wuhan) has 200 members, and China tracks about 20,000 nationwide for testing, per the South China Morning Post.
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