BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The global tally of COVID-19 cases swelled to 1 million on Thursday, posing a tough test for the human race.
As the pandemic is raging around the globe, China has been joining hands with the international community to fight the virus by donating medical supplies, sharing anti-coronavirus experience and sending professional medical teams to epidemic-stricken countries.
"This is, indeed, the most challenging crisis we have faced since the Second World War," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday.
SOARING INFECTIONS
A total of 1,002,159 cases have been reported across the world, with a death toll of 51,485, an interactive map maintained by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering showed on Thursday afternoon.
The bruising pandemic has further rampaged in the United States, where over 244,000 cases have been reported with more than 5,900 deaths, according to the tally.
Some 40 U.S. states have ordered residents to stay at home unless necessary, including the heavily hit New York, New Jersey, Michigan, California, and Louisiana.
Non-essential businesses, such as theaters, museums, gyms, and shopping malls are largely shut down, and restaurants and bars are asked to avoid in-person dining, effectively paralyzing the consumption-driven U.S. economy.
The fast-moving coronavirus has also haunted Europe.
In locked-down Italy, the pandemic has claimed close to 14,000 lives, and the caseload surged to 115,242 by Thursday, according to the latest data released by the country's Civil Protection Department.
In neighbouring France, hospitals registered a one-day loss of 471 coronavirus patients, taking the death toll to 4,503, while some 900 dependant elder people living at nursing homes had died of the virus since the epidemic began, a health official said on Thursday.
In Spain, more than 110,000 cases and 10,096 deaths have been reported.
Speaking on Spanish radio station RNE on Thursday morning, Jose Luis Abalos, minister of transport, mobility and urban agenda, said the coronavirus had presented the government with a "double challenge," and that Spain had to "fight the epidemic and to avoid the economic activity being swept away."
The outbreak has been rampant in the Middle East. Iran's tally surged past 50,000 cases on Thursday, while Turkey's approached 20,000.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went into isolation for the second time in a week after Health Minister Yaakov Litzman was diagnosed with COVID-19. Netanyahu, 70, will stay in self-quarantine until Wednesday.
CHINA'S EFFORTS
Ten days after Iran reported its first confirmed case on Feb. 19, a medical team sent by the Red Cross Society of China arrived in Tehran. At that time, China was in the thick of battle against the disease.
Upon their arrival, the experts immediately engaged in exchanging experience on combating COVID-19 with their Iranian counterparts and promoting bilateral cooperation on medicine and health.
On March 7, a Chinese team of seven health experts arrived in Baghdad to provide guidance and medical assistance to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Iraq.
In addition, a charter flight carrying a 9-member Chinese aid team arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport on March 12, as part of China's efforts to help Italy contain the outbreak.
Also, the Chinese government has sent tons of medical supplies to Greece after Athens' urgent request.
On March 18, 1 million face masks were flown from China to Belgium en route to France. The medical supply was mobilized by two Chinese charities to help combat the spread of COVID-19.
On Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference that the Chinese government has provided 120 countries and four international organizations with surgical masks, N95 respirators, protective suits, nucleic acid test kits, ventilators and other supplies.
Many experts have said that China's efforts to contain the spread of the virus worldwide show how the country works together with the international society to build a community of a shared future for humanity in the face of this global public health challenge.
According to the National Health Commission, China has so far shared its experience with more than 100 countries and over 10 international and regional organizations.
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