Covid-19 has infected every continent except Antarctica

SHANGHAI/SEOUL: Asia reported hundreds of new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including an American soldier stationed in South Korea, as the US warned of a pandemic, the disease spread in Europe and Brazil confirmed Latin America’s first infection.

And for the first time, more new cases were reported outside China than inside, according to the World Health Organisation. Chinese officials on Tuesday reported 411 new infections; in the rest of the world, the number was 427. The total number of cases globally has now reached 80,980 and nearly 3,000 have died.

“The sudden increases of cases in Italy, Iran and the Republic of Korea are deeply concerning” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. The virus now has a toehold on every continent but Antarctica. In Africa, Algeria confirmed its first case on Tuesday. Egypt has also reported a case. Australia has confirmed a total of 22 cases as of Saturday.

South Korea, which with 1,261 cases has the most outside China, reported 284 new ones including a US soldier. Brazil reported the first case in Latin America — a 61-year old who had visited Italy. Pakistan, too, reported its first two cases of the coronavirus.

There have been nearly 50 deaths outside China, including 11 in Italy and 19 in Iran, the most outside China. Kuwait said new cases, all linked to travel to Iran, took its tally to 25, while Bahrain said its infections had risen to 26.

In Europe, Italy has become a front line in the global outbreak with 322 cases. Italians or people who had visited the country, have tested positive in Algeria, Austria, Croatia, Romania, Spain, North Macedonia and Switzerland. France, with 17 cases, reported its second death.