Global COVID-19 Cases Top 100,000

The WHO chief calls for swift action as universities in multiple countries shut down and researchers report kids can become infected.

Written byLisa Winter

| 3 min read

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On Thursday (March 5), confirmed global cases of COVID-19 have topped 100,000, according to Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering. The milestone coincided with a number of developments in the response to the outbreak, including an emergency spending bill and the closure of a major university in the US and new, preliminary findings on the pathology of the virus.

“This is not a drill,” Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at a briefing on Thursday. “This is not a time for excuses. This is a time for pulling out all the stops.”

“This epidemic can be pushed back, but only with a collective, coordinated and comprehensive approach that engages the entire machinery of government,” Tedros continued. “We are calling on every country to act with speed, scale and clear-minded determination.”

Emergency Spending Bill

Today (March 6), President Donald Trump ...

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Meet the Author

Lisa Winter
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Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.
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