Outside China - where the virus was first detected in December and infected more than 80,000 people - South Korea is the hardest-hit country in Asia with over 8,800 cases. While the number of infections in China has been falling for weeks, other countries are seeing the toll gather pace as the highly contagious virus takes hold. Cases rose by roughly a third in Thailand overnight to nearly 600, fueling scepticism about claims in neighbouring Myanmar and Laos of zero infections. Pakistan suspended international flights in a desperate bid to prevent the virus spreading in a country with more than 600 reported cases. In places where outbreaks appeared to have been brought under control, authorities are now dealing with a second wave of infections as people return from abroad.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 22, 2020 09:33 UTC