Ag Agencies

LAHORE: At a juncture when the United States has registered at least 732 confirmed Coronavirus cases and has witnessed 27 deaths till date, the White House has asserted that President Donald Trump does not need any test.

More than 114,300 people have been infected by the coronavirus globally and over 4,000 have died across

the world, reported foreign media. The “CNN” has reported: “The White House insists President Donald Trump doesn't need a coronavirus test, despite several members of his political circle self-quarantining after they came into contact with a man later diagnosed with the disease. They include Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, who rode in "The Beast" limousine with Trump in the Sunshine State on Monday, before climbing up the steps of Air Force One behind the President.”

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that Trump was not tested because "he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms."

The premier American media house has added: “Incoming White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is also staying home until Wednesday despite his test coming back negative. Another Trump friend, Rep. Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican, was pictured shaking hands with the President on Friday. Revelations that the disease was only one step removed from the President himself underlined how its advance could put any American at risk and are unlikely to quell public anxiety.”

President Donald Trump on Monday doubled down on downplaying the crisis, blaming the news media and the Democratic Party for hyping the outbreak and repeating that the risk is still "low to the average American."

"The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, 'The risk is low to the average American," Trump tweeted Monday morning before the markets opened.

Later, about an hour after the markets plunged, Trump continued to engage in a confused narrative about the crisis, downplaying the situation and often putting him at odds with the messaging that his own health experts are trying to get across.

"So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!" the president tweeted, appearing to attempt to calm fears as the global markets plummeted.

High-profile global personalities infected with the deadly virus:

Media reports have surfaced that Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, who leads the Army component of US European Command in Germany, may have been exposed to the coronavirus. The three-star general in charge of soldiers in Europe and some of his staff will start working remotely after they may have been exposed to the novel form of coronavirus that’s been making headlines, the American Army secretary said.

In Iran, as British newspaper “The Guardian” has revealed, about 8 per cent of the Iranian parliament’s MPs have tested positive for the Coronavirus as the country has announced plans to mobilise 300,000 soldiers and volunteers against the deadliest outbreak of the epidemic outside China.

While China, where the virus originated, expressed hopes it was winning its battle and the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it could be contained. Iran’s deputy speaker, Abdul Reza Misri, confirmed on Tuesday that 23 MPs had caught the illness.”

The media outlet holds: “The government announced a death toll of 77 and a total of 2,336 confirmed cases in Iran, 835 more than the previous total. Experts fear the country’s high ratio of deaths to infections – about 3.3% – may mean the actual infection figure is far greater. Two senior Iranian officials have already died from the virus and several more are infected. Semi-official news agencies on Tuesday reported that the head of the country’s emergency medical services, Pirhossein Kolivand, was now also ill.”

Meanwhile, 46-year old French Culture Minister Franck Riester has also been infected by the coronavirus outbreak. "The minister tested positive today" after displaying symptoms, the Cultural Ministry in Paris said.

French media house “France24” has stated: “Riester spent several days last week at the country's lower house National Assembly, where five virus cases were confirmed earlier. The prime minister's office said that the rules for ministers with the virus "are the same for all French people" including acting with caution and taking measures to minimize the chances of the disease spreading. Having banned large public gatherings at the end of February, France will see its first match with no fans in 10 years at PSG’s stadium on Wednesday.”

The “BBC News” has gone on to write: “Italy has extended its emergency coronavirus measures, which include travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings, to the entire country. On Monday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered people to stay home and seek permission for essential travel.”

The “Al-Jazeera Television” has maintained: “Coronavirus kills 54 people in Iran in a day, raising death toll to more than 290, as Morocco confirms 1st death. Coronavirus killed 54 more people in Iran in the past 24 hours, the highest toll in a single day since the start of the outbreak in the country.

The whole of Italy - a country of some 60 million people – was placed under quarantine as the government stepped up efforts to tackle the coronavirus outbreak that has killed 463 people and affected more than 9,000.”

Meanwhile, five new cases of coronavirus were detected in Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number of cases to 20, the country's Ministry of Health reported.

Meanwhile Saudi Arabia had confirmed five new cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number of infections to 20.

Laboratory tests showed that the infected people were carrying the new coronavirus and they were then transferred to a quarantine ward in a hospital in the eastern province.

While the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Tuesday confirmed 15 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in the country. This brings the total number of infected people in the country to 74. As many as 12 cases have so far recovered.

In a statement, the health ministry said the cases involve three Italians, two Emiratis, two from UK, two from Sri Lanka, two Indians, a German, a South African, a Tanzanian and an Iranian.

Dubai's Global Village on Tuesday announced that it will be postponing all its remaining concerts for this season. The steps are being taken to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus at crowded areas. Normal operations at Global Village will continue.

The Ajman Public Transportation Authority (Apta) has asked cab and bus drivers to wear masks and sterilise vehicles every day, as part of precautionary measures against Covid-19.