FOLLOW US

America March 6, 2020 5 mins read

Coronavirus hits 110,000+ cases and is growing fast!

America ı By Catherine Davis

0 Comments

Airport

Crossing more borders, the new coronavirus hit a milestone Friday, infecting more than 110,000+ people worldwide as it wove itself deeper into the daily lives of millions, infecting the powerful, the unprotected poor and the vast masses in between.

The virus, which has killed nearly 3,400 people, edged into more and more U.S. states, popped up in at least four new countries and even breached the halls of the Vatican. It forced mosques in Iran and beyond to halt weekly Muslim prayers. It brought Israeli and Palestinian authorities together to block pilgrims from Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem. And it upended Japan’s plans for the Olympic torch parade.

“Who is going to feed their families?” asked Elias al-Arja, head of a hotel owners’ union in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where tourists have been banned and the storied Church of the Nativity shuttered.

Questions swirled around whether Iran could control its outbreak, as the number of reported infections jumped beyond 4,700 on Friday, with 124 deaths. Iran planned to set up checkpoints to limit travel, urged people to stop using paper money and had firefighters spray disinfectant on an 18-kilometer (11-mile) length of Tehran’s most famous avenue.

“It would be great if they did it every day,” grocery store owner Reza Razaienejad said after firefighters sprayed outside his shop. “It should not be just a one-time thing.”

The 100,000 figure of global infections is largely symbolic but dwarfs other major outbreaks in recent decades. SARS, MERS and Ebola affected far fewer people but had higher mortality rates.

The economic impact grew along with the number of infected people. World stocks and the price of oil dropped sharply again Friday. A sharp drop in travel and a broader economic downturn linked to the outbreak threatened to hit already-struggling communities for months to come.

The head of the U.N.’s food agency, the World Food Program, warned of the potential for “absolute devastation” as the outbreak’s effects ripple through Africa and the Middle East.

India scrambled to stave off an epidemic that could overwhelm its under-funded and under-staffed health care system, with not nearly enough labs or hospitals for its 1.3 billion people.

Yet even as COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, reached new territory, it was retreating in China, where it first emerged late last year, and slowing in South Korea, another major epicenter.

More than half of those who contracted the virus have now recovered, and U.S. health officials said they expect a far lower death rate than the World Health Organization’s international estimate of 3.4% — a high rate that doesn’t account for mild cases that go uncounted.

The fear and the crackdowns that swept through China are now shifting westward, as workers in Europe and the U.S. stay home, authorities vigorously sanitize public places and consumers flock to stores for household staples.

“The Western world is now following some of China’s playbook,” said Chris Beauchamp, a market analyst at the financial firm IG.

The spectacle of a cruise ship ordered to stay at sea off the California coast over virus fears replicated ones weeks ago on the other side of the globe in which hundreds of people were infected on a ship even during a quarantine. Thailand on Friday blocked a separate cruise ship from docking, worried that it carried dozens of passengers from Italy, the center of Europe’s epidemic, which has 148 virus deaths. No one on that ship was known to be infected.

In the U.S. the number of cases passed 230 people scattered across 18 states. President Donald Trump canceled a trip to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta even as he prepared to sign a $8.3 billion bill for vaccines, tests, potential treatments, and to help state and local governments.

China reported 143 new cases Friday, the same as a day earlier and about one-third what the country was seeing a week ago. Just a month ago, China was reporting several thousand new cases a day. The problem has now flipped, with the outbreak moving to Europe — where Italy, Germany and France had the most cases — and beyond.

South Korea reported 505 additional cases Friday, down from a high of 851 on Tuesday.

The new virus has spread to about 90 countries. The Netherlands reported its first virus death Friday while Serbia, Slovakia, Peru and Cameroon announced their first infections. Even Vatican City was hit, with the tiny city-state confirming its first case Friday but not saying who was infected. The Vatican has insisted that 83-year-old Pope Francis, who has been sick, only has a cold.

The new coronavirus is known to affect the elderly more than other groups.

And in the United States, officials in Washington state are so concerned about having space to care for the sick they were expected to close a $4 million deal Friday to take over a roadside motel. The plan to turn the 84-room EconoLodge into a quarantine facility was not sitting well with everyone, including the police chief.

To the south, cruise passengers awaited test results aboard the Grand Princess ship. The vessel, with 3,500 aboard, was ordered to stay at sea after a traveler from its previous voyage died of the coronavirus and at least four others were infected. The cruise line said samples were collected from 45 passengers and crew members and results were expected later Friday.

The Grand Princess is operated by the same line as the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined at a Japanese port last month. More than 700 people on board were infected.

In a sign of hope, a woman infected with the virus gave birth to a girl in Qom, the Iranian Shiite holy city particularly hard-hit by the virus.

Previous Article

Cardinal Health to pay $8 million to settle its alleged violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Read More
225 Posts

Catherine Davis

Catherine Davis is a contributor to the USA Herald. She covers politics and reports on issues of the times.

Discussion

No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!

Don’t Miss It
America November 06, 2026 Jay Rockefeller, Former West Virginia Governor, dies at 89 By – Rachel Moore
America November 6, 2026
2 People found shot in the…

A deadly shooting inside a Manhattan senior housing facility has…

By – Rachel Moore
America November 6, 2026
Tesla to end Cybertruck production as…

Tesla’s futuristic Cybertruck, a stainless-steel electric pickup that once promised…

By – Rachel Moore
America November 6, 2026
Federal Court Rejects LendingTree Arbitration Clause…

Key Legal Findings That Could Affect Millions of Online Contracts…

By – Samuel Lopez
America November 6, 2026
DOJ Launches Super Intelligence Task Force…

Inside Washington’s New Super Intelligence Crackdown The Justice Department is…

By – Samuel Lopez
America November 6, 2026
Hackers Target French Blood Banks In…

By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald A cyberattack targeting blood-storage…

By – Samuel Lopez
America November 6, 2026
“You’ll Know Soon Enough”: Trump Says…

Trump says he may "have to" destroy the rest of…

By – Derek Johnson
America November 6, 2026
Newsom Commutes All 548 California Death…

Gov. Gavin Newsom will commute all 548 California death sentences…

By – Derek Johnson
America November 5, 2026
Stock Market Reverses Post-Election Rally as…

NEW YORK — The Stock Market suffered a dramatic reversal…

By – Jackie Allen
America November 5, 2026
AI Stock Selloff Erases $2.5 Trillion…

NEW YORK — Wall Street suffered a massive AI stock…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
‘Golden Age’ Playbook Fails Its Own…

AUBURN – Tommy Tuberville wants Alabama to believe that smaller…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
Artemis II Left a 3,100-Mile Atmospheric…

NASA’s Artemis II mission produced upper-atmosphere disturbances extending more than…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
Hegseth Impeachment: Massie Demands Resignation or…

WASHINGTON — Rep. Thomas Massie says he will revive his…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
Trump Allies Break Ranks After Midterm…

WASHINGTON — Trump allies are publicly blaming the president’s decisions…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
Victoria’s Secret ‘PINK’ US TM Case:…

Victoria’s Secret has secured a significant legal victory in its…

By – Rachel Moore
America November 5, 2026
Netflix Releases  True-Crime Thriller Into Top…

By Jackie Allen | USA Herald A disturbing true-crime story…

By – Jackie Allen
America November 5, 2026
AI Flagged Bias in Trump Climate…

WASHINGTON — Researchers on a Trump climate panel asked Microsoft…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
Russell Brand Convicted of Rape, Taken…

LONDON — Russell Brand was convicted of rape and three…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 5, 2026
Bomb Threats Disrupt 25 Flights Across…

Could autonomous AI agents, compromised systems, or malicious instructions left…

By – Samuel Lopez
Breaking News November 6, 2026
Paraguay’s President Resigns as Ueno Bank…

President Santiago Peña resigned after Ueno Bank's collapse locked nearly…

By – Derek Johnson
America November 5, 2026
Dallas Cowboys Face  Crisis After Crushing…

By Jackie Allen | USA Herald The Dallas Cowboys are…

By – Jackie Allen
America November 5, 2026
Sister Wives Shake-Up: Janelle Brown Reveals…

By Jackie Allen | USA Herald Janelle Brown’s latest revelation…

By – Jackie Allen
America November 4, 2026
Mars: Newly Discovered Volcanic Activity Raises…

New findings from a European Space Agency spacecraft suggest that…

By – Jackie Allen
America November 4, 2026
WNBA: DeWanna Bonner Makes Emotional Admission…

ATLANTA — The WNBA Finals ended in heartbreak for the…

By – Jackie Allen
America November 4, 2026
3M $7.35 Billion PFAS Settlement Targets…

3M Co. is committing $7.35 billion over nine years to…

By – Rachel Moore
America November 3, 2026
Supreme Court Takes Up Colorado Preschool…

What the Justices Must Decide Colorado says every publicly funded…

By – Samuel Lopez
America November 2, 2026
California Botox Doctor Gets 15 Years…

What the Medicare Records Revealed A California doctor billed more…

By – Samuel Lopez
America October 31, 2026
A New 2026 Twin Study Revives…

Three Takeaways Identical twins and triplets were separated through adoption…

By – Samuel Lopez
America October 28, 2026
Michigan Double-Digit Health Insurance Hikes Set…

Michigan residents are facing another costly year for health coverage,…

By – Tyler Brooks
America October 28, 2026
Miyoko Plant Butter Recall Sparks Food…

A plant-based butter product distributed across 10 states is being…

By – Rachel Moore
America October 28, 2026
Pentagon Ketamine Contract: $41M Deal Under…

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has awarded a Singapore-based pharmaceutical company…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America November 4, 2026
Inés Gómez Mont Arrested by ICE…

MIAMI —  Inés Gómez Mont, a former television personality who…

By – Jackie Allen
America October 31, 2026
Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson Reportedly End…

Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson reportedly ended their romantic relationship…

By – Jackie Allen
America October 29, 2026
Brewers Beat Rays to Win First…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Milwaukee Brewers won their first…

By – Michallie K Harrison
America October 23, 2026
Connor Hellebuyck Traded to New Jersey…

The New Jersey Devils have made a major move to…

By – Tyler Brooks
America October 19, 2026
Information Ecosystem: Five Tools to Detect…

The information ecosystem is increasingly vulnerable to misinformation. There are…

By – Jackie Allen
America October 19, 2026
An Airman Died After a Pregame…

By Michallie K. Harrison | Opinion Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson’s…

By – Michallie K Harrison

No posts found.

No posts found.

Signup for the USA Herald
exclusive Newsletter