Global COVID-19 Updates

As of March 23, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has reached 190 countries and resulted in a total of 332,935 confirmed cases and 14,510 confirmed deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Global officials are asking for everyone to stay up-to-date regarding local developments in their area, to practice social-distancing, to practice self-isolation if possible, and to self-quarantine if exhibiting symptoms.

Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.

Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for Global COVID-19 Updates

Links

“Coronavirus disease 2019”
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

“March 23 coronavirus news”
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-23-20-intl-hnk/index.html

“Countries Roll Out Restrictions to Curb Coronavirus”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/countries-roll-out-restrictions-to-curb-coronavirus-11584954209

“U.S. Has Fourth-Highest Number of COVID-19 Cases After China, Italy And Spain”
https://www.newsweek.com/u-s-now-has-third-highest-number-covid-19-cases-after-china-italy-1493618

“China’s approach to containing coronavirus cannot be replicated”
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/china-approach-coronavirus-replicated-200323080154581.html

“China sees drop in new coronavirus cases; all of them imported”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china/china-sees-drop-in-new-coronavirus-cases-all-new-cases-imported-idUSKBN21A014

“Wuhan eases coronavirus lockdown as restrictions intensify outside China”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/wuhan-eases-coronavirus-lockdown-as-restrictions-intensify-outside-china

Assessment

• Writing: Describe the recent spread of COVID-19, otherwise known as the Coronavirus. How has government response varied from country to country? What policies can governments implement to reduce community spread? Will some of these policies suspend individual civil liberties?
• Debate: China’s relative success at keeping domestic cases down can be attributed to China’s authoritarian governmental system. This system cannot be replicated in other countries.
• Poll: Given what you know about this pandemic, are countries doing enough to prevent the virus from spreading?
• Short Answer: Why has Italy been hit so hard by skyrocketing cases and deaths?

Current events quiz:

1) As of March 23, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has reached how many countries?  

a. 175  
b. 180
c. 190
d. 195

2) Which city was the epicenter of the pandemic?     

a. Hubei
b. Beijing
c. Hong Kong  
d. Wuhan

3) As of March 23, 2020, which of the following states had state-wide “stay-at-home” orders?

a. Washington
b. Florida
c. Louisiana
d. Texas

4) Spain is now considered the new epicenter of the outbreak with 1,4000 reported deaths over the weekend (T/F)

5) The U.S. has the fourth-highest number of COVID-19 cases. (T/F)

6) China plans to reduce lockdown restrictions (T/F)

Answers:

1) C

2) D

3) A

4) False

5) True

6) True

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