New York State Has First Positive Test: Virus Update

The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus outbreak surged past 3,000 as the infection reached more than 65 nations and New York state reported its first positive test.

Cases in Italy surged 50% and France added 30 on Sunday, while two patients in Seattle fell ill a day after another man became the first U.S. casualty. Cases were also still rising at the virus’s epicenter, with China reporting that its total number of infections had climbed to 80,026.

Meanwhile, the offshore yuan retreated after data showed China’s manufacturing contracted sharply last month, highlighting the economic hit from the outbreak.

There were also new cases reported in North African nations, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

The U.S. State Department upgraded its advisory for the Italian regions that include Milan and Venice to “do not travel,” due to “the level of community transmission of the virus and imposition of local quarantine procedures.”

Those regions include the country’s finance hub, Milan, and Venice. The rest of Italy is still ranked “reconsider travel.” Italy has reported more than 1,100 confirmed cases of the infection.

The U.S. also issued a Level 4 “do-not-travel” warning for the Daegu region of southeastern South Korea.

Japan raised its travel advisory for Daegu city and Cheongdo county in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do to level 3, or do-not-travel.　Ministry of Foreign Affairs also raised the alert for Italy’s Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna regions to level 2 from 1.

The number of cases in the U.K. increased to 35, with 33 of those in England, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. The government announced 12 new infections as of 9 a.m. local time. The cases are all being investigated and contact tracing has begun, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said in a tweet.