Unstoppable COVID-19 Spread... Louvre Closure in France and Consecutive Cancellations of International Events

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues unabated worldwide. As a large number of confirmed cases have emerged in Europe, centered on Italy, the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, a world-famous landmark, has closed, and the first death from COVID-19 has occurred in the United States. Major events around the world have been consecutively canceled.

According to CNN and other sources on the 1st (local time), the number of countries infected with COVID-19 has increased to a total of 61, including 60 countries counted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Dominican Republic, where confirmed cases have since been reported.

The region where confirmed cases are noticeably increasing worldwide is Europe. In Italy, 34 people have died from COVID-19 as of this day, and confirmed cases have risen from 1,128 to 1,694. In France, which shares a border with Italy, confirmed cases increased from 100 to 130, and in Germany, the number of confirmed cases doubled in one day to 129. In the United Kingdom, confirmed cases rose to 36, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson stating, "More confirmed cases are expected." The first confirmed case was also reported in Scotland.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), told CNBC, "We may see more confirmed cases in Europe, such as in Italy," and said that since there is a strong organization in Europe to handle this issue, various measures can be taken depending on the situation.

The U.S. administration under Donald Trump, which has been focusing on blocking anxiety caused by COVID-19, is moving urgently after the first COVID-19 death occurred in the U.S. on the 29th of last month. On the 1st, President Trump announced on Twitter that travelers coming from high-risk countries and regions for COVID-19 would undergo medical examinations twice: once before departure from the respective country and once upon arrival in the U.S. Considering that Vice President Mike Pence mentioned that President Trump had instructed coordination of medical examinations for individuals coming from South Korea and Italy to the U.S., it appears that these countries are included in the list.

Vice President Pence also revealed in an interview with Fox News on the same day that President Trump wanted to issue a Level 4 travel advisory recommending travel bans for certain areas in South Korea and Italy.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Due to the spread of COVID-19, world-famous landmarks are closing. The Louvre Museum closed on this day and implemented enhanced health measures. The museum expressed regret for the inconvenience caused but did not specify the duration of the closure. The Louvre is scheduled to hold an internal meeting on the 2nd, drawing attention to whether the closure will be extended. La Scala, one of the world's top opera houses in Milan, Italy, announced on its official website that all performances and events will be canceled until the 8th.

Major events scheduled to take place worldwide have also been consecutively canceled. The multinational energy conference 'CERAWeek,' which was scheduled to be held from the 9th to the 13th in Houston, Texas, with over 4,000 attendees, was canceled due to the impact of COVID-19. The event organizer, market research firm IHS Markit, announced, "This decision was made considering the health and safety of representatives, speakers, our partners, and colleagues from various countries." The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and the American Physical Society (APS) also canceled the 'Qatar Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP)' and their regular general meeting, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.