The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria on Wednesday said daily cured cases of COVID-19 surpassed new confirmed ones for the first time, which stood at 1,749.
According to a newsletter on “Fighting 2019-nCoV” by the Embassy in Abuja, there have been no new confirmed COVID-19 cases in several Chinese province, which include Qinghai, Ningxia, Jilin, Xizang (Tibet).
“As of 24:00 on Feb. 18, the National Health Commission received 74.185 reports of confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland, including 2,004 deaths and 14,376 patients cured and discharged from hospital.
“There still remained 5,248 suspected cases; so far 145,881 are now under medical observation, which have been identified as having had close contact with infected patients.
“The number of confirmed infections in the China’s Hong Kong is 62, including 1 death, 4 cured and Macao 10, including 5 cured.
“Special administrative regions and Taiwan province 22, including 1 death, 2 cured, had risen to 94 in total, according to the commission.”
The state quoted the World Health Organisation, saying that sustained local transmission of COVID-19 has not yet been seen outside China, except in specific circumstance like Diamond Princess Cruise ship.
It said efforts by scientists were in place to ensure effective and rapid response, not just to identify pathogen behind outbreak of the disease, but reduce impact and share results transparently.
It further said that medical experts had refuted rumours of Novel Coronavirus to have been initiated by genetically engineered virus.
“What people should stay alert to is the common practice of certain western media to exaggerate fear and fan up social discrimination.
“The reason for such phenomenon is their inability to keep pace with time, privileges of civilisation and zero-sum games,” it added.
It noted that more Chinese Small Retailers, foreign companies and other enterprises had opened for business amid epidemic in that country, as fights against the novel coronavirus pneumonia continues.