Latest numbers

AS of press time Thursday, China had 78,497 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with 2,744 deaths and 32,495 recoveries.

As the source of the virus, Hubei’s confirmed cases and deaths are 65,596 and 2,641, respectively.

Schools closure

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that the government will ask all elementary, junior-high and high schools to temporarily close beginning March 2, a couple of weeks ahead of the spring break, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Pilgrimages banned

SAUDI ARABIAN Government has banned foreigners from entering the country for religious visits. The ban includes visits to the two holiest sites in Islam — Mecca and Medina.

New cases in S. Korea

A TOTAL of 505 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in South Korea on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,766. according to local authorities. On the same day, South Korea and the U.S. decided to postpone their upcoming joint military exercises over the growing health concerns from the COVID-19 outbreak.