Coronavirus claims more than 80 dead and more than 2700 infected

Coronavirus claims more than 80 dead and more than 2700 infected

Coronavirus claims more than 80 dead and more than 2700 infected, including 50 outside China, Cambodia spared for the moment

The death toll from the Wuhan originated coronavirus has topped 50 in China with another 2700 suspected to be infected.

In addition, more than 50 have been infected outside China in 13 countries while China struggles to make its containment strategy, which has affected some 60 million people throughout the country.

China’s health minister, Ma Xiaowei said that people can spread the virus before symptoms show and that this severely complicated efforts to contain the outbreak.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sunday announced that it is immediately committing $5 million in emergency funds and corresponding technical support to help front-line responders in China accelerate their efforts to contain the spread of 2019-nCoV.

The foundation is already working with a range of Chinese public and private sector partners to accelerate national and international cooperation in areas of critical need, including efforts to identify and confirm cases, safely isolate and care for patients, and accelerate the development of treatments and vaccines.

Partners include the National Health Commission and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and various research institutes affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen University and Sinopharm China National Biotec Group.

An expatriate doctor in Phnom Penh, speaking on conditions of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter said “It is a wonder and sheer good luck Cambodia has not been inflicted yet or no cases has been detected, given the number of passengers who travel to and from China, especially since the coronavirus broke out was first reported.”

“We are deeply concerned about the development of the current epidemic and express our high respect to those who are fighting on the front lines,” said Yinuo Li, director of the Gates Foundation China.