Arab League suspends summit over coronavirus fears

The Arab League said it will suspend its summit due late March in Algeria over fears of coronavirus.

 

The Arab Leagues’ secretary general Ahmed Abul Gheit said the meeting may be postponed to the end of June as the virus continues to spread to new countries.

 

Gheit said the exact date would be determined in coordination with Algeria as the host country.

 

The virus known as COVID-19 has spread to more than 45 countries with Qatar becoming the latest Middle Eastern country to report its first case of coronavirus.

 

In Europe, Italy has reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths, the most in Europe.

 

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the spread of the virus is “getting bigger”. More than 87,690 people have been infected worldwide and nearly 3000 died of the infection.

 

China, the epicenter of the deadly disease, reported on Saturday at least 47 new deaths, bringing to 2,835 the number of fatalities nationwide among 79,251 confirmed cases.