No new Coronavirus infections reported in Wuhan for the first time
The city of Wuhan in China's Hubei province reported no new Coronavirus Disease infections for the first time. This breakthrough comes two months after the port city of Wuhan first reported cases of the Coronavirus Disease or COVID-19 to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019. At that time, the virus was still unknown and the cases were only referred to as severe pneumonia.
Although the new infections in Hubei have gone to zero, experts warn of a possible second wave of infections in China since imported cases have increased rapidly, especially in its capital Beijing. The National Health Commission reported 34 new cases as of March 18, and all of the patients have brought the disease from other countries.
The latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO) states that, as of March 18, there are already 191,127 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide. And, the total death toll has risen to 7,807. Among the hardest-hit countries are China, Italy, Spain, Iran, South Korea, and the U.S.A.
Currently, a candidate vaccine developed by biotech company Moderna has begun clinical trials in the U.S., but the world may have to wait for another 18 months before it becomes available since it has to be first proven effective and safe.