As the new coronavirus continues spreading, South Korea is hopeful it can curb its outbreak but struggles to find enough hospital beds and companies worldwide halt business travel
These are some of the latest developments Wednesday:
SOUTH KOREA CITY RUNNING OUT OF HOSPITAL BEDS
A man wearing a face mask walks past an entrance sign for Bank underground train station backdropped by the Royal Exchange building in London, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. British authorities laid out plans Tuesday to confront a COVID-19 epidemic, saying that the new coronavirus could spread within weeks from a few dozen confirmed cases to millions of infections, with thousands of people in the U.K. at risk of death. (AP PhotoMatt Dunham)
The South Korean city of Daegu is short thousands of hospital beds for sick patients with the virus. Still, Prime Minister Chung Se-Kyun is expressing confidence that the the country can cope with the outbreak as new infection numbers Wednesday almost halved compared to the day before.
CONCERN OVER NORTH KOREA VIRUS NUMBERS
North Korea claims no one in the country is infected with the new virus, but experts aren't convinced. The reclusive nation shares a nearly 1,450-kilometer (900-mile) border with China, where the virus first appeared, and a dismal health system. The government views public reports on infectious disease to be a matter of state secrecy, raising concerns that North Korea might be hiding cases, harming global efforts to contain the outbreak
South Korean army soldiers wearing protective gears spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus on a street in Gyeongan, South Korea, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. (Kim Hyun-taeYonhap via AP)
CHINESE SCHOOLS HIT BY CENSORSHIP
With schools and universities across China shut because of the virus outbreak, many instructors are teaching online to keep courses going and students from falling behind. But China's pervasive internet censorship is hampering those efforts when the topics turn to subjects that are considered sensitive.
COMPANIES CURB BUSINESS TRAVEL
South Korean army soldiers wearing protective gears move to spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus in Gyeongan, South Korea, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. (Kim Hyun-taeYonhap via AP)
Many companies are cutting back on business travel, with some even stopping all staff trip. Online retailer Amazon told its 800,000 workers to postpone any non-essential travel, while Swiss food giant Nestle instructed its 291,000 employees to halt international travel until mid-March. Many companies and organizations are opting instead for virtual meetings and even making major announcements online about topics such as new product presentations.
LOUVRE REMAINS SHUT AMID WORKER FEARS
Workers at the Louvre museum in Paris stayed off work for another day Wednesday amid concerns about catching the coronavirus. The world-famous museum, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” painting, has been shut since Sunday while management tries to convince workers to return by pledging anti-virus measures such as distributing sanitizing gel more widely and scheduling more frequent rotations so employees have time to wash their hands.
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CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Saturday reiterated calls for structural changes in the U.N Security Council to grant Africa a larger role in shaping global decisions.
El-Sissi made the plea for a “more pluralistic” world order at a conference of the Russia-Africa partnership held in Cairo, which was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and ministers from more than 50 African countries along with representatives from several African and regional organizations.
“The voice of Africa should be present and influential in making global decisions given the continent’s human, economic, political and demographic weight,” el-Sissi said in a statement read out by his foreign minister at the plenary session of the conference. He added that international financial institutions need to undergo similar reforms to ensure Africa an equitable representation.
Since 2005, the African Union has been demanding that Africa be granted two permanent seats with veto powers in the Security Council, arguing that such reforms would contribute to achieving peace and stability on the continent, which has been struggling with wars for decades.
The Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, has not changed from its 1945 configuration: 10 non-permanent members from all regions of the world elected for two-year terms without veto power, and five countries that were dominant powers at the end of World War II are permanent members with veto power: the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.
In his statement, el-Sissi said that the Russia-Africa ministerial conference will develop a plan to consolidate the partnership ahead of next year’s summit of heads of state.
“We remain a reliable partner for African states in strengthening their national sovereignty, both politically and in matters of security, as well as in other dimensions,” Lavrov said at the the plenary session. “We’re committed to further unlocking the existing enormous potential of our practical cooperation.”
The forum has gained momentum after the 2023 summit in the Russian city of of St. Petersburg, where President Vladimir Putin sought support of African leaders and break the political and economic isolation imposed on Russia by Western countries following its invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has also expanded its military footprint in Africa, delivering sophisticated weaponry to sub-Saharan conflict zones, where a Kremlin-controlled military unit that replaced the Wagner mercenaries has been active.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, shakes hands with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, after their joint press conference at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaks during a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaks during a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
In this photo, provided by Egypt's presidency media office, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, front right, greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Egyptian Presidency Media Office via AP)
