The Intelligence from The Economist Mitigating circumstances: coronavirus spreads
Feb 25, 2020
Miranda Johnson, Southeast Asia correspondent for The Economist, discusses the political landscape in Malaysia amid rising COVID-19 cases. She explores the persistent ethnic divides and the tumult following Dr. Mahathir's resignation, emphasizing the uncertainty in the country's governance. The conversation also touches on the divergent global responses to the pandemic, highlighting lessons learned from places like South Korea and China. Additionally, public transport issues in Israel are examined as they intersect with the nation's coming elections.
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Pandemic Planning
- The World Health Organization urges governments to prepare for a potential coronavirus pandemic.
- Different governments are taking varied approaches to reporting and managing the outbreak.
Iran's COVID-19 Challenges
- Iran faces challenges in confirming COVID-19 cases due to economic sanctions impacting medical supply imports.
- The Iranian government's transparency is questioned amid public skepticism.
South Korea's Transparency
- South Korea's transparent approach includes closing off the city of Daegu, the epicentre of the outbreak.
- Alerts are sent to phones when near a place with a confirmed case, tracking infected people's movements.