Spain Surpasses South Korea in COVID-19 Cases... Europe Exceeds 60,000 (Summary)

Nearly 10,000 Cases in Spain, 4th Highest Worldwide
US Cases Surpass 4,000, 'Statue of Liberty' Also Closed
CDC Staff Infected

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] On the 16th (local time), the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in four European countries?Italy, Spain, France, and Germany?surpassed 50,000. In Spain, nearly 2,000 new cases were reported in a single day, surpassing South Korea's cumulative confirmed cases for the first time. In the United States, confirmed cases also exceeded 4,000. Meanwhile, in Wuhan, China, the initial epicenter of COVID-19, the number of new confirmed cases dropped to just one for the first time since the outbreak began. The National Health Commission of China (NHC) explained on the 17th that 21 patients were reported in Wuhan, of which 20 were confirmed cases imported from outside.

According to foreign media including the AP on the 16th (local time), the total confirmed cases in the four European countries reached 51,536. From 42,718 cases the previous day, the number surged past 50,000 due to a rapid increase in Italy and Spain. Italy alone saw an increase of 3,233 confirmed cases in one day, bringing the cumulative total to 27,980. In Spain, confirmed cases rose by 1,929 in a single day, increasing the cumulative total to 9,682. Spain surpassed South Korea's cumulative confirmed cases (8,236) on this day, becoming the country with the fourth highest number of confirmed cases worldwide after China, Italy, and Iran.

The cumulative confirmed cases in Germany and France were recorded at 7,241 and 6,633, respectively. As a result, the number of European countries with more than 5,000 confirmed cases increased to four. According to the real-time international statistics site Worldometer, when including other European countries such as Switzerland with 2,353 cases, the United Kingdom with 1,543 cases, and the Netherlands with 1,413 cases, the total number of COVID-19 infections in Europe reached 64,140.

In various European countries, border controls and city lockdowns are being implemented. Following Germany, Spain and France announced on this day that they would control their borders, and Russia decided to completely ban the entry of foreigners from the 18th of this month until May 1. Serbia declared a state of emergency and deployed troops at major border points to strengthen border security. Following Italy, Spain, and France, Germany and Switzerland also implemented strict measures to close all stores except those selling daily necessities and pharmaceuticals, such as supermarkets and pharmacies. Leaders of each country, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, appealed to their citizens in national addresses to refrain from traveling and to stay at home.

The COVID-19 outbreak is also rapidly escalating in the United States. After the number of confirmed cases surpassed 3,000 on the 15th, the cumulative confirmed cases exceeded 4,000 within a day, triggering a nationwide emergency. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. increased to 4,455 as of this day. CNN reported that the CDC also disclosed that a CDC employee who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently in self-quarantine. The Statue of Liberty, a landmark in New York, also suspended operations due to the COVID-19 situation. The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) announced that it would halt operations of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in southern Manhattan, New York City, as well as Ellis Island adjacent to Liberty Island.

While the spread of COVID-19 continues in Europe and the United States, China, the initial epicenter, has entered a stabilization phase. The NHC announced that as of midnight on this day, the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in China was 21, and the newly reported deaths were 13.

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