Daily US Times: The global pandemic coronavirus hits Australia’s minister for home affairs, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife and Chelsea soccer player are among new cases of the virus that has infected almost 135,000 people and killed nearly 5,000 people.
Governments and central banks readied more emergency measures to tackle the economic impact of the coronavirus on Friday. As the virus became a global pandemic, more and more major events were canceled or postponed.
The White House and US lawmakers are about to reach an agreement on a coronavirus economic aid package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she hoped to announce a deal on Friday.
The number of infected people globally reached 135,000, but experts warn that due to a lack of testing and unreported cases, many more people may be affected by the outbreak.
The virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan and from now on, it has spread more than 100 countries.
Authorities across the globe are expecting more people to be infected.
The chief medical officer for Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state government said they are anticipating 20% of the population in the first wave to be affected.
With more than 7 million residents, NSW is the most populous state of Australia.
Mr Chant said the state authorities anticipated 5% of the state’s population – some 350,000 people – would need hospital treatment as a result of coronavirus.
Australia has reported 160 coronavirus cases so far. One of the highest-profile government ministers, Peter Dutton, is among the infected. Mr Dutton is in charge of home affairs.
Actor Tom Hanks revealed on Thursday that he and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for coronavirus.
In an Instagram post, Tom Hanks said they had felt ill while in Australia before being tested, alongside a picture of a surgical glove in a bin.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office confirmed his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau has been tested positive for coronavirus. Trudeau said his wife was “experiencing uncomfortable symptoms” and would “be back on my feet soon”. He also announced he would be in isolation for two weeks.
Canada has reported 145 cases, a three-fold increase from a week ago. The country had reported one death.
Major sporting events have been closed or postponed due to the outbreak. Australian Formula One Grand Prix scrapped and Players Championship golf halted, while Nepal closed Mount Everest to climbers.
Calls grew in Britain for the Premier League season to be stopped as the news that Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive. To evaluate the situation, the Premier League is due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday.
The soccer club said all of its first-team players and coaching staff would self-isolate.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Coronavirus hits NBA too. This season NBA has been suspended until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus, T-he National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Wednesday.
The news of the player being tested positive revealed shortly before the Jazz were due to play the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The match was then scrapped. It is reported the player was Jazz center Rudy Gober and he was not in the arena when the match was rejected.
“The NBA is suspending gameplay following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the league said, “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine the next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
ESPN reported citing sources that the players who have played with Jazz in the past 10 days were told to self-quarantine.
UK health minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus. The minister said she has been self-isolating at home.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who had met Ms Dorries is asked to do the same.
According to the Department of Health, Nadine Dorries first showed symptoms on Thursday, the same day she had attended a program hosted by prime minister Boris Johnson.
It is not known yet how many meetings Ms Dorries had attended in her constituency and at Westminister in recent days. But it is confirmed that she attended an event at Downing Street last Thursday to mark International Women’s Day.
According to Steven Dixon, chair of the Mid Bedfordshire Conservative Association, she also held a surgery in her constituency on Friday morning which was attended by up to 12 people.
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