A Timeline of the Coronavirus

by Misha Fabian

There is no doubt that people all over the world have heard about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), which has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic. The disease has affected about 160 countries, with about 219,000 infected and an estimate of 8,800 deceased globally. As of March 2020, numerous cities all over the world have been placed on lockdown in an effort to curb the number of people affected by the virus. See the timeline of how the disease came about and spread below.

DECEMBER 2020

There are reports of an unknown, respiratory illness found in some patients in Wuhan. The illness is likened to pneumonia, but medical professionals were still unclear on some of the properties of the disease.

JANUARY 2020

January 1, 2020

One of Wuhan city’s markets, the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, was closed. Some of those who were infected by the disease worked there.

January 7, 2020

Chinese officials and medical professionals had already ruled out the disease as the recurrence of the SARS virus. Instead, the disease became known as the 2019-nCoV, a new type of coronavirus.

January 11, 2020

The first death of this disease was announced. The patient was a 61-year old man who was a customer at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.

January 13, 2020

The first Coronavirus case internationally was found in Thailand: a woman who had travelled to the country from Wuhan.

January 16, 2020

Japan also confirmed having a patient infected with the Coronavirus. The man was also travelling from Wuhan. By this time, countries began implementing guidelines in order to better screen international passengers and up their safety protocols.

January 20, 2020

First Coronavirus case is confirmed in the USA.

January 23, 2020

Wuhan is placed under quarantine. At this point, more than 500 are already infected with the disease.

January 30, 2020

The World Health Organization declared the virus as a public emergency, and prescribed that nations all over the globe take stringent measures to prevent getting contaminated by the virus. India and the Philippines confirm their first cases.

January 31, 2020

Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom all confirm their first case.

FEBRUARY 2020

February 2, 2020

The first death outside China due to Coronavirus is recorded in the Philippines. Over the next few days, the number of infected people rose to above 20,000.

February 7, 2020

Li Wenliang, one of the first medical professionals who brought light to the 2019-nCov disease, passed away.

February 9, 2020

The death toll of the virus in China surpassed that of SARS, with a total of 811 deaths recorded. Most of the deaths were those of the elderly or people who already had pre-existing health conditions.

February 11, 2020

The World Health Organization released an announcement, naming the virus COVID-19.

February 12, 2020

South Korea began experiencing a rise of COVID-19 cases around the region.

February 14, 2020

Egypt records its first COVID-19 case, the first nation on the African continent to report the disease.

February 19, 2020

Iran’s cases began to rise drastically.

February 20, 2020

Italy’s cases began to rise drastically.

End of February 2020

Nearly all the remaining countries on the European continent confirmed their first COVID-19 cases.

MARCH 2020

March 11, 2020

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. People are advised to practice “social distancing”, and several Filipino public officials placed themselves on self-quarantine.

March 12, 2020

Community quarantine is declared on the whole of Metro Manila. No mass gatherings allowed. Classes would be suspended until April 12, 2020. Code Red Sublevel (2) has been raised for COVID-19.

March 14, 2020

Malls all over Metro Manila declared shorter service hours. The total number of cases in the Philippines hit 111.

March 15, 2020

Malls all over the Philippines were declared closed until further notice. Only groceries, banks, pharmacies, and food establishments were permitted to remain open. Curfews were imposed for most of the cities within Metro Manila. The death toll reached 11.

March 16, 2020

President Duterte placed Luzon under quarantine. Public transport was prohibited. Work in both public and private sectors became limited to work from home arrangements. There were restrictions placed on land, sea, and air travel.

March 19, 2020

Europe surpassed China with the amount of patients infected with COVID-19. Since the start of the outbreak, China has reported 0 new cases.

March 20, 2020

As of this day, there are 230 total cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, with the death toll at 18.

March 21, 2020

First cases in Cagayan and Palawan are confirmed.

March 22, 2020

Congress is asked to grant President Duterte special powers to handle the COVID-19 crisis.

March 23, 2020

“Bayanihan Act” (HB 6616) is approved by Congress.

March 24, 2020

Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics are postponed to 2021.

India declares a country-wide lockdown for 21 days.

March 25, 2020

President Duterte signs “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” into law which grants him additional powers to deal with the COVID-19 crisis and its repercussions.

Total COVID-19 cases around the world surpasses 400,000 individuals.

March 26, 2020

Cebu is placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine.

National total of COVID-19 cases hits 707, with 45 casualties.

Total number of recovered patients goes up to 28.

March 27, 2020

Oriental Mindoro gets its first COVID-19 case.

Bicol region also confirms its first 3 cases.

The United States surpasses China and Italy for the most number of COVID-19 cases. Their national total lists a little of over 81,000 known cases.

March 28, 2020

Laguna is placed on lockdown.

Number of US cases hits the 100,000 mark.

March 29, 2020

Tarlac is placed on lockdown.

March 30, 2020

DOH announces that 5 laboratories are certified to be COVID-19 testing centers and about 200 tests a day can be conducted.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics are set on July 23, 2021.

APRIL 2020

April 1, 2020

The World Trade Center, Philippine International Convention Center, Philippine Sports Complex and the Rizal Memorial Coliseum have been converted into quarantine facilities for COVID-19 PUIs.

National total of the Philippines hits 2,311.

April 2, 2020

Deceased COVID-19 patients in the Philippines reach 107.

April 3, 2020

Secretary Galvez announces mass testing begins on April 14, 2020.

The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide surpass the 1,000,000 mark.

April 4, 2020

National total of the Philippines surpasses 3,000. (Total number: 3,094)

New York announces 102,863 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the state.

April 6, 2020

All Philippine regions have at least one positive COVID-19 case.

Administrative Order No. 28 is put into action which grants special allowances to frontliners.

President Duterte says that Palace is inclined to extend the Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 30, 2020.

April 7, 2020

Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine extended to April 30, 2020.

21 Filipino doctors are reported to have passed away fighting COVID-19.

April 8, 2020

Wuhan lifts their lockdown after 76 days.

April 10, 2020

IMF head predicts that the economy will hit its lowest point since the Great Depression.

April 13, 2020

National total of the Philippines for COVID-19 patients is 4,932 with 315 casualties and 242 recoveries.

April 16, 2020

National total of the Philippines for COVID-19 patients is 5,660.

For the first time, the number of recoveries in the country exceeded the number of casualties. 435 people have recovered from COVID-19 while 362 people have passed away.

Total number of worldwide cases for COVID-19 surpasses 2,000,000. (2,062,485)

April 20, 2020

National total of the Philippines for COVID-19 patients is 6,459 with 428 deceased and 613 recoveries.

DILG Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya says that reports on total lockdown are untrue.