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Global infections on track to reach 350,000; over 15,000 deaths worldwide The number of global coronavirus infections is on track to reach 350,000 on Monday, according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The number of deaths worldwide has climbed to 15,308 after big overnight increases in Italy and Spain. Italy is the hardest-hit nation in the world in terms of total number of deaths, with its death toll reaching 5,476 deaths Monday as its health care system struggles to cope with outbreak. Numbers provided by the World Health Organization, which slightly differ, suggest more than 292,000 global infections and 12,784 deaths. Share this -







Chinese billionaire Jack Ma donates supplies to Africa A plane carrying 6 million face masks and other life-saving equipment donated by Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma arrived in Ethiopia on Sunday as Africa scrambles to contain a growing number of coronavirus cases, Ethiopia's prime minister tweeted. The shipment also includes over a million coronavirus testing kits, and 60,000 protective suits and face shields. Ma's foundation said the supplies would be distributed across Africa, going first to countries that were particularly vulnerable to the pandemic. Thank you @JackMa & the @AlibabaGroup for sending the first wave of #COVID-19 prevention materials. Support includes 1.1million testing kits,6million masks & 60,000 protective suits to be distributed throughout Africa. Distribution to other countries will begin as of tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/tHsiwoWFjY — Abiy Ahmed Ali 🇪🇹 (@AbiyAhmedAli) March 22, 2020 For several days, governments across the continent have imposed tough measures to restrict travel and close public spaces to curb the spread of the virus. The African region has so far registered 739 cases of coronavirus and 20 deaths, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization, but there are concerns about how well health care systems in Africa's developing nations could handle the coronavirus pandemic. Share this -







Harvey Weinstein tests positive for coronavirus Convicted rapist and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein tested positive for coronavirus, the head of the New York state corrections officers union told NBC News. Weinstein, 68, was transferred to Wende Correctional Facility, a maximum-security state prison east of Buffalo, NY, on Wednesday. There, he tested positive for coronavirus, Michael Powers, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, learned on Sunday and told NBC News Monday. Weinstein is currently in isolation at the prison, Powers said, and several staff at the facility have also been quarantined. Read the full report here. Share this -







Federal Reserve pledges asset purchases with no limit to support markets The Federal Reserve said Monday it will launch a barrage of programs aimed at helping markets function more efficiently in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Among the initiatives is a commitment to continue its asset purchasing program “in the amounts needed to support smooth market functioning and effective transmission of monetary policy to broader financial conditions and the economy.” Others include an unspecified lending program for Main Street businesses and the Term Asset-Backed Loan Facility implemented during the financial crisis. Markets reacted positively to the moves, cutting most of the losses in stock market futures that had once been “limit down” in overnight trading. Read the full story here. Share this -







Baghdad's coronavirus travel ban extended The Iraqi government has extended a ban on travel in and out of Baghdad to March 28 as it tries to stem the coronavirus outbreak. The move comes after hundreds of thousands of people defied coronavirus restrictions and attempted to visit a shrine sacred to Shiite Muslims in Baghdad over the weekend, forcing the Iraqi government to deploy troops to close the area. The government has also extended its ban on all flights in and out of the country’s airports. Iraq has so far recorded 233 cases and 20 coronavirus deaths, according to the country's heath officials. Share this -







What scams should I watch for during the coronavirus outbreak? The watchdog for the U.S. Health and Human Services Department has issued a fraud alert for coronavirus scams such as fraudulent testing kits and treatment across the country. A spokesperson for the HHS inspector general says telemarketers have been calling people offering fake coronavirus tests while other scammers have been looking to hire phony technicians to swab multiple people, charge them for tests, but never provide results. The inspector general's agents have also noticed an uptick in “door to door visits and social media ads about unapproved treatments.” Other scams have offered fake telemedicine as part of an identity theft scheme, the inspector general warned. The office has also found fake charities applying for grants to help people in the community who are needy. Share this -







Spain's coronavirus death toll tops 2,000 Spain's death toll from the growing coronavirus pandemic has now topped 2,000, only three days after its number of deaths hit 1,000. The country's health ministry said Monday there are now 33,090 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,182 deaths in the country. Spain, the second hardest-hit country in Europe after Italy, sought to extend its state of emergency Sunday by another two weeks until April 11. Announced on March 14, it was intended to last 15 days, and bars people from all but essential outings. The extension would need to be approved by Parliament. “We are at war,” the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told a news briefing. Share this -







Iran records more than 1,400 new cases in 24 hours Iran confirmed more than 1,400 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours on Monday as the country struggles to contain its coronavirus epidemic. Health officials also announced 127 new deaths, bringing the death toll to 1,812. There are now a total of 23,049 confirmed cases in Iran, one of the global hot spots of the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the U.S. offer to help in its fight against the virus, accusing U.S. leaders of being “charlatans and liars." Share this -





