(COVID-19)Novel Coronavirus Update
Online John Hopkins CSSE Coronavirus Dashboard
WHO Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) website
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Novel coronavirus in China page
LOUISIANA
Please go to http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus/ for official information on Presumptive Positive Test Results and locations. It is updated at 9 am and 5:30 pm daily. Below is current info.
As of last report there are 28 of 64 parishes with reported cases with 537 cases of COVID-19 and 14 deaths across the state. LDH officials reported the following:
HAVE NOT SEEN UPDATES YET BUT FORWARD INFO AS SOON AS I DO.
On Friday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the US-Canada border will close to all nonessential travel from 23:59 (local time) on Friday until Monday, April 20. The measure, intended to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), was originally announced on Wednesday, March 18. Trade between the two countries will not be impacted. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the US and Mexico will also close their shared border to nonessential travel. The president did not announce a start date for the closure but stated that lawful trade and commerce between the two countries will not be affected. As of March 20, there have been more than 1085 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 12 associated fatalities. In the US, there have been 19,924 confirmed infections and more than 200 associated deaths. Mexico has recorded more than 164 cases of COVID-19 to date. Additionally, New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a state-wide stay-at-home order, effective Sunday, March 22, due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. All non-essential businesses have been ordered to close, and residents are being requested to limit movement until further notice. Civil fines and mandatory closures for businesses that don’t comply with the new mandate will be enforced. Public gatherings have also been banned. Cuomo added that a moratorium on evictions, both residential and commercial, will be implemented for 90 days; it was not immediately announced when the moratorium would come into effect. Food delivery service and public transportation will remain operational throughout the state. At least 7000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in New York with 46 related deaths. And in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a statewide “stay at home” order on Friday, asking all 12 million residents to leave the house only when necessary. All nonessential businesses must also stop operating under the order, which is effective at 5 p.m. Saturday. Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans also issued a stay-at-home order on Friday, asking the city’s 390,000 residents to go out for “critical needs only.” States and localities announced the new rules as the death toll in the United States surpassed 200, and as Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., recorded their first deaths. There have now been deaths in more than half the states, with the most in Washington State, New York and California.
The number of cases worldwide continues to climb. According to health officials, there have been 275,452 confirmed cases of COVID-19. More than 88,258 people have recovered, and 11,402 people have died. Young people are not immune from coronavirus and must avoid socializing and communicating it to older, more vulnerable people, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. The choices made by the young can be “the difference between life and death for someone else”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. The WHO chief’s remarks follow reports that young people in many countries are being complacent about health warnings, because of the greater susceptibility to the virus among older patients.
Spain with 21,571 confirmed cases passed a grim milestone on Friday when it became the second European country to report over 1,000 coronavirus deaths (1093), a mark that Italy passed a week ago, with the country’s doctors warning that the health system may soon be overwhelmed, just as in Italy. Across Europe, where there have been well over 100,000 cases and nearly 6,000 deaths, nations are preparing in the face of the growing crisis — shoring up hospital resources and planning for an influx of new cases in the coming days. Taking an emergency economic measure that would have been unimaginable just weeks ago, the European Commission on Friday announced that it had triggered the so-called “general escape clause,” a panic button that lifts stringent spending rules and allows countries to run big deficits to respond to a crisis. It is the first time in the history of the European Union that the clause has been used, throwing out the window the strictures of fiscal orthodoxy that stipulate low deficits and small debts.
In Italy, the government has now agreed that the military can be used to help enforce the lockdown. Soldiers were being drafted in to help enforce the nationwide lockdown on Friday as officials announced 627 new deaths, the largest single-day toll anywhere in the world since the coronavirus outbreak began. Desperate scenes have unfolded in the north of the country, particularly the hard-hit Lombardy region where infections first exploded last month, as hospitals struggle to treat thousands of cases. And Chinese medical experts helping Italy deal with the crisis have said the restrictions imposed in Lombardy are “not strict enough.” The disease has taken the greatest toll on Italy’s elderly population. Figures released Thursday by the Health Institute of Italy indicated that 86% of fatalities were among those aged over 70. People aged 60 to 69 made up a further 10% of the deaths. Italy now has 47,021 confirmed cases and 4032 deaths due to COVID-19.
While China reports no new locally-transmitted cases for third consecutive day, South Korea continues to take action to stop the spread. South Korea, authorities announced that all travelers arriving from Europe will be tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) as of Sunday, March 22, in efforts to prevent further domestic spread of the virus. As of Friday, March 20, there are 8652 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 100 confirmed deaths nationwide in S. Korea.
In Mexico, Interjet Airlines announced that it will temporarily suspend all its international routes as of Tuesday, March 24, until further notice to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). This comes after several countries enacted travel restrictions leading to a decrease in passenger demand. Interjet will however continue to operate flights within Mexico. On Saturday, March 14, the Education Ministry announced that school and university Easter breaks will be extended for all. The break will now take place between Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, April 19. The Health Ministry has advised the government to cancel gatherings of greater than 5000 people. Few other measures, such as entry restrictions, have been implemented to control the spread of the virus. As of March 21, there are 164 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country.
In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced nationwide lockdown measures on Friday, March 20, to prevent further spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Per the directive, cafes, pubs, bars, and restaurants have been ordered to shut down as of Friday evening (local time). Restaurants will be permitted to provide takeout and delivery services. The mandate also applies to cinemas, concert halls, casinos, museums, spas, fitness centers, and a number of other non-essential businesses. Schools in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will also close until further notice. The measures will be in place for an initial period of 14 days. Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled an “unprecedented” rescue package for jobs that will see the government pay 80 per cent of wages up to £2,500 a month. Any employer in the country – small or large – will be eligible for the scheme and there is no limit to the funding available. The Chancellor also announced that VAT payments will be deferred for this quarter, and both universal credit and working tax credits will increase by £1,000. The government continues to advise the elderly and those at a ‘high risk’ to self-isolate for up to four months. Supermarket giant Tesco announced it was creating 20,000 new jobs to help cope with shoppers panic-buying. To date, there have been over 4014 confirmed cases of COVID-19 resulting in 177 deaths in the country.
In UAE, Emirati authorities announced that residents of the United Arab Emirates will be barred from entry as of Thursday, March 19, for a two-week period. The temporary entered into effect at 14:00 (local time) on Thursday. On Wednesday, March 18, the government announced that foreign visitors will not be allowed entry to the country and citizens will be barred from traveling abroad. Those that did enter as of Thursday, March 19 are under mandatory self-isolate for 14 days. As of Friday, March 20, there are 140 COVID-19 cases.
In Bahrain, authorities announced that all arrivals into the country will be tested and required to self-isolate for 14 days including those without symptoms. Those showing symptoms upon arrival or those that have visited Iran, Iraq, or Lebanon within 14 days will be subject to further quarantine measures.
The government previously suspended visas on arrival across all entry points until further notice, effective Wednesday, March 18. Travelers must obtain a visa in advance, either online or from an embassy. Gulf Air is set to operate just 13 of its 49 destinations on reduced service, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Dubai. Domestically, gatherings of over 20 people have been banned and restaurants are now required to offer takeout and delivery services exclusively. Businesses closures were also announced, including gyms and cinemas, though retail and grocery stores remain open given that social distancing recommendations are implemented. The government also advised nationals and resident to avoid all but essential travel. As of Friday, March 20, there are 298 COVID-19 cases in the country.
In India, Maharashtra authorities announced the closure of many shops and offices in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur until Tuesday, March 31, in efforts to prevent further domestic spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The restriction does not apply to banks and shops selling essential commodities. As of Friday, March 20, there are 250 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3 confirmed deaths nationwide.
In Indonesia, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan declared a state of emergency in the capital city for two weeks over the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Starting on Monday, March 23, nonessential businesses such as bars, spas, and cinemas will be closed and public transportation will be limited. The governor also urged companies to allow staff to work from home. Religious activities, including Islamic Friday prayers and Christian services, were suspended for 14 days earlier in the week. To date, there have been more than 369 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia, including at least 32 associated fatalities. In Jakarta alone, there have been more than 200 confirmed infections and 18 related deaths.
In Australia, Sydney police have temporarily closed Bondi Beach after crowds exceeded Australia’s outdoor gathering limit. The country has banned outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people. However, large crowds of people are still flocking to beaches across Sydney, flouting advice to stay inside. Police were called to Tamarama beach after a large number of people refused to leave, despite being asked by lifeguards. Health Minister Greg Hunt said the beachgoers’ behavior was “unacceptable” and called on local councils to step in to ensure people are complying with the social distancing advice. To date, there have been over 791 confirmed cases of COVID-19 resulting in 6 deaths in the country.
CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to the following destinations. Most foreign nationals who have been in one of these countries during the previous 14 days will not be allowed to enter the United States.
- China
- Iran
- Most European Countries
- United Kingdom and Ireland
- South Korea (Level 3 Travel Health Notice)
CDC recommends that older adults or those who have chronic medical conditions consider postponing travel to the following destinations: Global Outbreak Notice (Level 2 Travel Health Notice)
The US State Department has issued a “Do Not Travel” health advisory. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.
With the information currently available for the novel coronavirus, WHO, CDC, and EURCDC currently advises that measures to limit the risk of exportation or importation of the disease should be implemented. To reduce the general risk of transmission, staff are advised to abide the following measures:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick. Keeping a sick child at home prevents the spread of illness in the school and community and allows your child an opportunity to rest and recover.
- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities and their home governments.
