France has surpassed 50 COVID-19 cases amid a worsening situation in neighboring Italy and rising numbers across Europe and globally. This outbreak is increasingly resembling a pandemic.
Over the past few days, confirmed cases in France have quadrupled to 57 cases and 2 deaths. Notably, 18 cases are in Oise department. This surge aligns with a cluster in northern Italy. On February 28, 2020, Health Minister Olivier Véran announced entry into Stage 2 of the epidemic.
Stage 2 indicates the virus is circulating at a local level in France. Enhanced guidelines include keeping children returning from risk areas out of school and avoiding handshakes. Masks remain unnecessary for healthy individuals.
As reported by the South China Morning Post on February 29, global figures stood at 85,162 confirmed cases and 2,923 deaths, with 36,444 recoveries. While slowing in China, South Korea leads new cases at nearly 3,150 total with 16 deaths and 813 added that Saturday.
Italy (889 cases, 21 deaths) and Iran (593 cases, 42 deaths) see sharp rises. New European cases in Switzerland (5), Croatia (4), Greece (4), Romania (3), Austria (2); first cases in Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus.
Elsewhere, imported cases hit New Zealand, Brazil—the first in South America—Mexico (2), and Nigeria (third in Africa after Algeria, Egypt), raising concerns for resource-limited regions.
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