• There were now more than 209,839 confirmed cases (16,556 new) globally, and 8,778 people (828 new) have lost their lives as of CET 00:00 March 19, according to the daily COVID-19 situation report released by the World Health Organization. 

• The WHO Director-General said on Thursday, “For the first time, China has reported no domestic cases – an amazing achievement.”

• A total of 39 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland Thursday, according to the National Health Commission Friday. There were no new domestically transmitted cases and all of them were imported ones.

• From 21st March, Chongqing updates the list of severe epidemic countries, Australia, Malaysia, Greek, Czech, Finland, Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia are added, totaling the number to 24. All travelers from the 24 countries need to take 14 days of medical quarantine and nucleic acid tests.

• A total of 39 districts and counties in Chongqing, including Liangjiang New Area, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, and Chongqing High-Tech Zone, have resumed diagnosis and treatment services at primary medical institutions, according to Thursday's press conference on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Chongqing- As of 24:00 local time on March 21, Chongqing had reported no confirmed cases currently hospitalized, no severe case or critical case, six deaths, and 570 discharged patients after recovery, according to the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission Saturday. All those cases had totaled 576 confirmed cases infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of the end of Saturday in Chongqing.

Friday had no newly established case in Chongqing for the 25th consecutive day. A total of 23,788 people who had close contacts with COVID-19 patients have been traced, 23,675 people have been released from medical observation, and 113 people are under medical observation.

8 more countries are listed on the severe epidemic areas

According to Friday's press conference on COVID-19 prevention and control, from 21st March, Chongqing updates the list of severe epidemic countries, Australia, Malaysia, Greek, Czech, Finland, Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia are added, totaling the number of the countries to 24. All travelers from the above 24 countries need to take 14 days of medical quarantine and nucleic acid tests. The city is taking tight measures to prevent new COVID-19 cases from aboard. 

It's known that a total of 39 districts and counties (including Liangjiang New Area, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, and Chongqing High-Tech Zone) have resumed diagnosis and treatment services at primary medical institutions. In addition, two districts and counties are gradually resuming outpatient and clinic services.

Zhou Lin, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission, said," The risks of COVID-19 importation and transmission cannot be ignored, as the rapid spread of the pandemic overseas and the large-scale population movement brought about by the resumption of economic activities.” Chongqing will continue to strengthen quarantine at entry ports, strictly prevent overseas pandemic importation and local infection, and implement region-specific and multi-level prevention and control measures.

WHO chief: China has reported no domestic cases – an amazing achievement

There were now more than 209,839 confirmed cases (16,556 new) globally, and 8,778 people (828 new) have lost their lives as of CET 00:00 March 19, according to the daily COVID-19 situation report released by the World Health Organization (WHO). Seven new countries/territories/areas have reported cases of COVID-19, according to the report.

At the Mission briefing on COVID-19 on Thursday, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “For the first time, China has reported no domestic cases – an amazing achievement.” The WHO had shipped Personal Protective Equipment to 68 countries and 1.5 million diagnostic kits to 120 countries. “We have a list of agreed suppliers in China now, and they have permission to export to WHO. We’re now finalizing the arrangements,” said the WHO chief. He concluded, “This (COVID-19) is a common enemy. Let’s keep that solidarity up. We’re one human race, and that suffices actually. This is an invisible enemy against humanity.”

According to the regular press conference of the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, local governments in China have donated masks, protective gowns, nucleic acid test reagents, and other medical supplies to their sister cities in the ROK, Japan, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Pakistan, Iraq, Malaysia, Laos, Algeria, Tunisia, France, Peru, Angola, Switzerland, and Germany. Local enterprises in China also provided medical supplies such as masks and protective suits to local governments and Red Cross organizations in the ROK, Iran, Italy, and Germany as well as their diplomatic missions in China.

The National Health Commission said it received reports of 39 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Thursday, all of which were imported, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) Friday. No new domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 were reported on the Chinese mainland Thursday. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,967 by the end of Thursday, including 6,569 patients who were still being treated, 71,150 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,248 people who died of the disease. By the end of Thursday, 208 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 17 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 108 in Taiwan including one death. A total of 98 patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macao and 26 in Taiwan had been discharged from the hospital after recovery.