AS the number of global cases of the novel coronavirus rose to almost 1.6 million cases today (10.4.2020) with over 95.000 deaths, and Thailand recording an additional 50 cases and one more death, fear gripped Saudi Arabia after around 150 members of the Saudi royal family got infected with the deadly virus.
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman — the 34-year-old heir widely considered the real power behind the throne — and his ministers have been placed in quarantine for safety near the Red Sea, while his father, King Salman, 84, is in precautionary isolation near the city of Jeddah, New York Post quoted the New York Times as saying.
King Salman’s nephew Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is confirmed to be in intensive care after contracting the deadly illness, according to the paper, which cited doctors and people close to the family. The 70-year-old is the governor of Riyadh.
This health calamity likely played a role in the country’s decision to announce a ceasefire in Yemen on Thursday, according to the Times.
Up to 500 beds have been prepared for the royals and people close to them at the elite King Faisal Specialist Hospital as the pandemic rages, a memo cited by the paper says.
Meanwhile in Thailand Dr Thaweesilp Wisanuyothin, the spokesperson of the Anti-Covid-19 Pandemic Committee, announced at 11.30 a.m. that 50 more people fell sick with the deadly virus taking the total to 2,473 cases, spread over 68 provinces, with 1,013 having recovered while one more person died pushing the death toll to 33, Sanook.com reported.
A 43-year-old woman who was a trader by profession and suffered from the autoimmune disease SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus ) died in Chachoengsao province. She had sought treatment and doctors found that her lungs were badly damaged and she died on April 7, however the lab test result confirming Covid-19 infection only came out on April 9.
The nine Thai provinces that have not reported any coronavirus patients are Kamphaeng Phet, Chai Nat, Trat, Nan, Bueng Kan, Phichit, Ranong, Sing Buri and Ang Thong
As of 7.40 a.m. in Beijing today (6.40 a.m. in Thailand) there were at least 1,595,350 cases across the world and global deaths totaled at least 95,455, CNBC quoted Johns Hopkins University as saying
Countries with the most reported cases are United States (461,437), Spain (153,222), Italy (143,626), France (118,781), Germany (118,181).
New York state now has more coronavirus cases than any other country outside the US, according to latest figures obtained by BBC.
The state’s confirmed caseload of Covid-19 jumped by 10,000 on Thursday to 159,937, placing it ahead of Spain and Italy. The US as a whole has recorded 462,000 cases
China, where the virus emerged last year, has reported 82,000 cases.
Its death toll (7,000) lags behind Spain (15,500) and Italy (18,000), though it is more than double the official figure from China (3,300). The US as a whole has nearly 16,500 deaths.
Meanwhile Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, has been released from intensive care, where he had been admitted for the coronavirus earlier this week, CNN reported.
CAPTON:
Mourners attend a funeral in Brooklyn, New York, as the city’s coronavirus death toll hit a record high for a third day. Photo: Reuters published by BBC
By Nina Suebsukcharoen
