Israeli Who Visited Italy Tests Positive for Coronavirus

 Governments worldwide ramped up measures on Thursday to battle a looming global pandemic of the coronavirus as the number of infections outside China, the source of the outbreak, for the first time surpassed those appearing inside the country.

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– Haaretz Weekly Ep. 65

Israel’s ready for corona – but not for women in powerHaaretz Weekly Ep. 65

The coronavirus has infected more than 80,000 people and killed nearly 2,800, the majority in China. Much remains unknown about the virus but it is clear the ramifications of the world's second-biggest economy in lockdown for a month or more are vast.

The rapid spread of the virus in different places – notably Italy, Iran and South Korea – in recent days has met the definition for a pandemic, and raised alarm.

There is no cure for the virus that can lead to pneumonia, and a vaccine may take up to 18 months to develop.

There have been 3,246 cases outside China, including 51 deaths, according to a Reuters tally. China reported 433 new cases on Thursday, against 406 a day earlier.

A rash of countries have reported their first cases in the past couple of days with the latest being Denmark, in a man who returned from a ski holiday in Italy, and Estonia, in a man returning from Iran, media reported.

Many of the cases appearing in the Middle East have been linked to Iran, which has had 141 cases and 22 deaths, the most outside China.