COVID-19 Update: Foreign Nationals Infected with COVID-19 Should Be Treated Before Paying Cost

• There were 1,914,916 confirmed cases (70,082 new) globally, and 123,010 people (5,989 new) have lost their lives by 10:00 CET April 15, according to the daily COVID-19 situation report released by the World Health Organization.

• At the media briefing on COVID-19 on April 15, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We regret the decision of the President of the United States to order a halt in funding to the World Health Organization.”

• The Chinese mainland reported 46 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, according to the National Health Commission on April 16. And 34 of them were imported cases, bringing the total number of its kind to 1,534. Also on Wednesday, 64 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported on the mainland.

• Xinhua reported that authorities have made it clear in a notification that foreign nationals on the Chinese mainland confirmed or suspected of being infected with COVID-19 should be treated before paying for medical expenses.

• According to the regular press conference of the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, China will continue to support WHO's important role in advancing the global public health cause and in the global fight against the pandemic.

Xinhua reported that authorities have made it clear in a notification that foreign nationals on the Chinese mainland confirmed or suspected of being infected with COVID-19 should be treated before paying for medical expenses. The notification stated that confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients from foreign countries will need to pay for medical expenses on their own if they are not covered by China's basic medical insurance system. For those covered by the system, their medical expenses will be covered partly by insurance, with the remainder to be shouldered by the patients themselves. The notification also said that foreign individuals will have to pay for the costs at isolation centers.

There were 1,914,916 confirmed cases (70,082 new) globally, and 123,010 people (5,989 new) have lost their lives by 10:00 CET April 15, according to the daily COVID-19 situation report released by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the report, no new country/territory/area reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

The Chinese mainland reported 46 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) April 16. And 34 of them were imported cases, bringing the total number of its kind to 1,534. Also on Wednesday, 64 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported on the mainland, while six were confirmed of being infected with the virus and 49 were discharged from medical observation, according to the NHC. A total of 1,032 asymptomatic-infected patients were still under medical observation. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 82,341 by the end of Wednesday, including 1,107 patients who were still being treated, altogether 77,892 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,342 people who died of the disease. By Wednesday, altogether 1,016 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 45 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 395 in Taiwan including six deaths. A total of 459 patients in Hong Kong, sixteen in Macao and 137 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery.

At the media briefing on COVID-19 on April 15, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We regret the decision of the President of the United States to order a halt in funding to the World Health Organization. When we are divided, the virus exploits the cracks between us.” He also mentioned that this Saturday, some of the biggest names in music are coming together for the One World: Together at Home concert, to generate further funds for the Solidarity Response Fund. "But not just to raise funds, to bring the world together, because we’re one world, one humanity fighting a common enemy," said the Director-General.

At the regular press conference on April 15, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, “China is gravely concerned about the US announcement of suspending funding to WHO.” He noted that as the most authoritative and professional international institution in global public health security, WHO plays an irreplaceable role in responding to global public health crises. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it has, under the leadership of Director-General Tedros, actively fulfilled its duty and played a central coordinating role in advancing global anti-pandemic cooperation, winning recognition and plaudits from the international community. “China will continue to support WHO's important role in advancing the global public health cause and in the global fight against the pandemic,” said the spokesperson.