Chinese Research Team: "Global Confirmed Cases Could Increase Tenfold Every 19 Days"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] Amid the rapid global surge in confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a study has suggested that the number of cases could increase tenfold every 19 days.

On the 8th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a medical paper by a research team led by Jin Li, Vice President of Fudan University in China and a geneticist, stated that if bold measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 worldwide are not implemented, the number of confirmed cases could increase tenfold every 19 days. The research team predicted the spread using a simple linear model and data collected until the end of last month.

The research team said, "Within a few months, the number of COVID-19 infections worldwide could surpass the number of cases within mainland China," adding, "The situation is dangerous. The entire world must take strong public health measures."

The spread of COVID-19 is progressing at a very rapid pace. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on the 5th that the number of confirmed cases outside China was 14,768, which is more than 21 times the 683 cases reported on February 16, just fifteen days earlier.

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