Now for the latest from China, where a senior Chinese medical adviser said on Thursday that the global coronavirus pandemic could be over by June if countries mobilise to fight it.
China declared the peak had passed there as new cases in Hubei fell to single digits for the first time on Thursday.
“Broadly speaking, the peak of the epidemic has passed for China,” said Mi Feng, a spokesman for the National Health Commission. “The increase of new cases is falling.”
Zhong Nanshan, the government’s senior medical adviser, told reporters that
as long as countries take the outbreak seriously and are prepared to take firm measures, it could be over worldwide in a matter of months.
“My advice is calling for all countries to follow WHO instructions and intervene on a national scale,” he said. “If all countries could get mobilised,
it could be over by June.”
Speaking to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President Xi Jinping similarly expressed confidence, state television reported.
“My estimate of June is based on scenarios that all countries take positive measures.”