The number of novel coronavirus or COVID-19 infections in China is said to be declining. The Chinese National Health Commission said the number of infections in Wuhan fell by 55 percent on Saturday (2/22/2020) when compared to previous days.
It is known, the number of infections on Friday (2/21/2020) there were 889 cases, while the next day new infections only existed at 397 cases.
Spokesperson for the Chinese National Health Commission, Mi Feng, explained the data he had. The number of infections still being treated in Wuhan on Friday was 38,020, the figure fell on Saturday to 36,680.
In Hubei, the infection rate also showed a decrease on the same day, from 13,886 to 10,967 cases. While nationally, the decline was also seen from the original 9,141 cases to 5,637.
“This change indicates the strengthening of national prevention and control that continues to have an effect. Positive progress has also been found in medical treatment, and the infection rate has been observed to have decreased,” Mi Feng was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.
With the decline in infection rates, the city which was originally isolated and totally closed due to being the Center of the spread of the virus, has now slowly begun to open and gradually return to normal.
Soaring Outside of China
But on the contrary, the increasing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 virus infection actually occurs in other countries, such as South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran.
In these countries, viral infections originating from Wuhan have actually risen from epidemic to pandemic levels.
This is in accordance with what was said by a professor from the Department of Communicable Diseases and Public Health, City University, Hong Kong, Dirk Pfeiffer.
He said, the decrease in cases in China does not mean the virus has been controlled. Therefore, it is not impossible then this virus will become a pandemic in many other countries.
“Unfortunately, I believe that we cannot stop the spread of the virus, it cannot be avoided in the next few weeks or months. Cases of infection will be seen in many countries in the world. This will be a pandemic,” he said.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of South Korea, said the number of infections more than doubled on Friday, from 204 to 433 cases.
The infection rate then jumped to 556 from the last update. While the victim died 4 people. Most cases of infection occurred in a hospital in the Cheongdo region and Daegu City in the southeast.
Japan currently records 751 people in its region infected with the coronavirus. The majority of them are officers or passengers on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship resting in Yokohama. The victims died of COVID-19 in Japan 3 people.
In Italy, dozens of cities were closed after two people died. And 79 others were infected with the corona virus in the past 24 hours.
The more alarming, because the increase in Italy is stated that the sufferers do not have a direct relationship with the source of the outbreak.
While, the Iranian Health Authority reports that there are 28 cases of coronavirus infection with 6 fatalities.
To date, 78,724 cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed from all over the world since it was first discovered at the end of December 2019. Of that number, 23,092 were successfully cured, and 2,462 others died.