Covid-19 Spreads South In Italy To Tuscany And Sicily, Bordering Countries Report New Cases
In recent days, Covid-19 cases have been increasing dramatically in some countries outside mainland China.
As of Wednesday (26 Feb), Italy reported 322 Covid-19 cases and 11 death.
While previous cases appear to be rather contained in the northern region of Lombardy and Veneto, the new coronavirus is showing signs of spreading south.
Neighbouring countries like Austria and Switzerland also uncovered new Covid-19 patients on the same day.
Italy has highest number of Covid-19 cases in Europe
The bulk of Italy’s cases are still from Lombardy and Veneto, northern regions that house famous cities like Milan and Venice.
With the sudden spike in numbers, city officials took the extra precaution to shut cities down in an attempt to curb the spread.
Despite so, Tuscany and Sicily – regions south of Lombardy and Sicily – reported their first cases on Tuesday (25 Feb).
This puts Italy at the top of the list for the most number of Covid-19 cases outside Asia.
Covid-19 cases increasing across Europe
Coincidentally, neighbouring countries have also confirmed their first Covid-19 cases.
On Tuesday (25 Feb), 2 patients tested positive for Covid-19 in the Austrian province of Tyrol.
The patient worked as a receptionist at an Innsbruck hotel and authorities swiftly shut down the entire building in an attempt to contain the virus.
On the same day, Switzerland also reported its first case in the Ticino — the region shares a border with Italy.
The patient is a 70-year-old who attended an event near Milan, according to the Swiss health ministry.
Other European countries that are already dealing with Covid-19 cases also include the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, and Belgium.
WHO believes it is not a pandemic yet
According to the WHO, Covid-19 is not a pandemic as of yet as it is “still possible to contain”.
However, it does have “pandemic potential” in its ability to spread on a global scale.
Hence, as the outbreak of Covid-19 starts gaining momentum outside Asia, governments around the world have to be extra alert in the containment of the virus to prevent the worst from happening.
Featured image adapted from AOL
