- The coronavirus has spread to more than 150 countries since it was first identified in China in December.
- An animated map shows the outbreak’s progression as confirmed cases were reported in more places around the world.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The coronavirus has spread to more than 150 countries since it was first identified in Wuhan, China, at the end of last year.
The Chinese government shut down Wuhan and many other cities in the Hubei province in late January, but cases had already been exported to other regions of China and to other countries.
This animated map shows which countries confirmed coronavirus patients – and when – after China reported its first case.
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic last Wednesday because of its rapid and sustained global spread and the severity of the disease the virus causes, COVID-19.
As the rise in new COVID-19 cases has slowed in China, outbreaks in other countries have grown. More people outside of China than inside have now caught the coronavirus.
On the morning of January 20, the virus had spread to four countries: China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. The US reported its first case later that day.
By February 15, 28 countries had reported cases of COVID-19, and the death toll had surpassed that of 2003's SARS epidemic.
By March, more countries had cases than didn't.
Italy announced on March 9 that all 60 million residents would be placed under lockdown. By the next day, cases of the virus had been reported in 109 countries, including Afghanistan, Colombia, Jordan, and Mexico.
As of Tuesday, more than 197,000 coronavirus cases had been reported worldwide, and at least 7,900 people had died. Italy had the highest number of cases and deaths outside of China: More than 31,000 people there have gotten sick, and 2,500 people have died.
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