CORONAVIRUS: Italy’s death toll surges past 2,500 as S’Africa records 23 new cases in one day

The death toll occasioned by the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus also known as COVID-19 in Italy has surged past 2,500 cases with 345 new deaths recorded in the country over the last 24 hours.

Health authorities say the latest update is an increase of 16 percent as the total number of cases in Italy rose to 31,506 from a previous 27,980, up 12.6 percent – the slowest rate of increase since the contagion came to light on February 21.

Similarly, authorities in South Africa have recorded 23 new cases of coronavirus in one day, the highest increase of any 24-hour period since the country confirmed its first case of the deadly virus.

READ ALSO: American singer, Keri Hilson reveals why COVID-19 is less prevalent in Africa

South Africa’s health ministry said eight of the new cases involved local transmissions, the first confirmation of internal transmissions after erroneously reporting a case on 12 March.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize admitted there had been a “debate with clinicians, epidemiologists, virologists on when we, as government must release results to the public.” Local media speculate that this debate was why the announcement wasn’t made until Tuesday evening.

This comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) described the coronavirus pandemic as the “defining global health crisis of our time”, and urged countries to test all suspected cases of COVID-19.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now