COVID-19 News: Italy, France report biggest spike of COVID-19 cases since outbreak

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Italy has seen its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak broke out in the north of the country on Feb. 21.

In its daily update, Italy's civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to at least 5,883.

Italy has now reported more deaths from COVID-19 than both Iran and South Korea, the leading two hot-spots for the outbreak after China. Another 36 people also died as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, taking the total to 233.

Officials said people in intensive care with ailments other than coronavirus in the hardest-hit region of Lombardy would be transferred to neighbouring regions, all of which have greater availability of hospital beds.

The number of people in France diagnosed with COVID-19 jumped by 336 to 949 on Saturday. That's the biggest daily increase France has recorded. French health authorities said another seven people have died, taking the total to 16. Most have been over 70 years of age.

The head of the national health agency said that French hospitals are preparing emergency measures, including eventually bringing in retired doctors and students to help with growing demand if needed.

Some 101 countries have reported Covid-19 cases

Geneva, Mar 8 (Prensa Latina) World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Fadela Chaib reported on Sunday that 101 countries and regions have confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Chaib explained that of the total of 105,427 confirmed patients worldwide, 3,583 died. However, the international body said the day before that the experiences of China and other countries show that the spread of the virus can be slowed down and its impact reduced through universally applicable actions.

The Iraqi Health Ministry has announced two more deaths and six new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases to 60 in the country, of whom up to six have died.

Egypt confirmed its first death as a result of the coronavirus in the country after a German citizen died from the disease on Sunday, according the health ministry officials.

The 60-year-old German citizen showed symptoms of a high fever when he arrived from Luxor to Hurghada. The patient then went to Hurghada General Hospital on Friday to receive medical care. Necessary tests confirmed he had tested positive for the new coronavirus on Saturday and he was then placed in intensive care.

The U.K. confirmed 46 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 209 — England has 184 cases, Wales has two, Northern Ireland has seven and Scotland, 16.

Switzerland is one of the ten countries most affected by the coronavirus worldwide, with more than 280 cases and two confirmed deaths. On Thursday, a 74-year-old woman with chronic health problems, who had been hospitalised in Lausanne, died as a result of the disease. On Sunday, a 76-year-old man with pre-existing medical conditions died in Liestal hospital in canton Basel Country.

Two patients diagnosed separately with coronavirus in the Netherlands died in their hospital beds this weekend, health agency RIVM confirmed. In the past 24 hours, another 77 have tested positive for the Covid-19 strain of the virus making the country's total number of patients 265, a 41 percent increase.