2020 marks the year the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic, a virus that has killed over 1.77 million people, with 81.2 million cases globally.
To recap what we have been through, here are some key milestones:
31 December 2019 - first public message about the virus
China’s World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Office picked up a media statement by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission from their website on cases of ‘viral pneumonia’ in Wuhan.
9 January – coronavirus confirmed by Chinese authorities
WHO reported that Chinese authorities have determined that the outbreak is caused by a novel coronavirus.
11 January – first death
The first death from the virus was reported by the Chinese media. The 61-year-old man was a regular customer at the Huanan Seafood Market, Wuhan and had underlying health condition
24 January – first case detected in Malaysia
Eight Chinese nationals were quarantined at a hotel in Johor Bahru on Jan 24 after being in close contact with an infected person in Singapore. Three of them were confirmed to be infected on Jan 25 and later quarantined at the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor.
5 February – passengers aboard the Diamond Cruise Ship quarantined
The Japanese Government asked 3,600 passengers aboard the Diamond Princess Cruise ship to undergo a 14 day quarantine at the Yokohama port after a passenger was tested positive. The news attracted global attention as more and more passengers tested positive.
By Feb 23, 691 cases of the COVID-19 infection had been confirmed among passengers.
7 February – the death of Chinese whistleblower, Li Wenliang.
A Chinese doctor who tried to issue the first warning about the deadly coronavirus died after contracting the virus while working at Wuhan Central Hospital.
11 February – COVID-19 official name
WHO announced an official name for the coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19.
In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, it was referred to as '2019 novel coronavirus' or '2019-nCoV.'
March 11 – the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrities getting COVID-19
WHO announced that the COVID-19 can officially be described as a pandemic due to the rapid increase in the number of cases globally
At the same time, Tom Hanks announced that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, caught the virus while travelling for work, marking Hollywood’s first high-profile case of the outbreak.
Throughout the year several artists have also joined the list including Idris Elba, Pink, and Ellen DeGeneres along with athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Mo Salah and Lewis Hamilton.
March 12 – first Malaysian linked to Tabligh Cluster
Malaysia experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases following a four-day Tabligh Jamaat event that was held at Kuala Lumpur's Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling between Feb 27 and March 1, with over 16,000 attendees.
The first Malaysian linked to the cluster was detected on March 12 and by the end of the month, nearly half of the country's COVID-19 cases had been linked to the Sri Petaling tabligh cluster.
The second biggest cluster in Malaysia ended on July 8, after 3,375 people tested positive and 34 deaths.
March 16 – announcement of Movement Control Order (MCO)
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government would be imposing a nationwide lockdown known as the Movement Control Order (MCO) starting March 18.
The MCO brought out the best with Malaysians helping the needy and also frontliners by sewing personal protective equipments and making face shields under the motto #KitaJagaKita
It also introduced us to the official COVID-19 drink, the Dalgona coffee.
March 17 – first deaths in Malaysia
Malaysia reported its first two deaths from COVID-19, a 60-year-old priest from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Kuching, Sarawak and a 34-year-old from the Tabligh cluster
March 24 – Tokyo Olympics postponed
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed.
The games are now scheduled to open July 23, 2021, and close Aug 8, 2021.
March 27 – World leaders tested positive
Boris Johnson was among the first notable world leaders to have tested positive for the virus.
Others include, Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro, France’s president, Emmanuel Macron and United States president Donald Trump.
April 2 – cases hit one million
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide hits one million with more than 51,000 confirmed deaths.
April 18 – One World Concert
Performers joined hands for a star-studded event, One World: Together At Home, a virtual concert curated by Lady Gaga celebrating healthcare workers on the frontline.
23 April – vaccine trials
The first human trial in Europe for a COVID-19 vaccine began in Oxford. Two volunteers were injected, the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study.
1 May – Malaysia implements several lockdown measures
A gradual easing of restrictions was implemented with the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on May 1, which allows most businesses to open, followed by a Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) from 10 June.
In October, the government reintroduced the CMCO to several states following a third wave of COVID-19 infections.
May 15 – death toll continues to rise
The official global coronavirus death toll passes 300,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, with 4.4 million confirmed cases worldwide.
1 July – egg-cellent news
Malaysia reached a milestone when it reported zero COVID-19 local transmissions since March on July 1 and again on July 8.
15 July – COVAX facility
The COVAX Facility established by WHO to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide have secured engagement from more than 150 countries.
16 August – D614G type mutation detected
Malaysian Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that the D614G type mutation was detected.
The D614G strain, emerging first in Europe, is said to replicate faster and is more transmissible than the virus, originating in China that spread in the beginning of the pandemic.
28 September – One million deaths
The world reached one million recorded deaths from COVID-19 with the United States, Brazil and India making up nearly half of the total, according to Johns Hopkins University.
1 October – “third wave” outbreak from Sabah
Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that 118 of the 260 new cases reported had occurred in Sabah while 31 cases reported in other Malaysian states were linked to travel in Sabah.
Travels were widespread in the region due to the Sabah state election that occurred on September 26. Many criticised the handling of the election that led to the latest wave of COVID-19 infections in the country.
By October 24, Malaysia recorded a record-breaking 1,228 cases, the highest at the time, 889 of which were from Sabah.
13 October – Malaysia announced MoU with China
The government announced that it will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China to ensure Malaysia will be among the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from the country once it is successfully developed.
16 November – Malaysia’s biggest cluster yet
Several COVID-19 cases were detected in one of the Top Glove dormitories in Klang and were subsequently put under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) for two weeks.
By November 27, more than 4,000 cases were linked to the Top Glove’s Teratai cluster, making it the biggest recorded cluster in the country.
18 November – a vaccine is on its way
US’ Pfizer announced its COVID-19 vaccine has 95% efficacy and is safe for use. Several other vaccines such as UK’s Oxford–AstraZeneca and Russia’s Sputnik V have also announced high efficacy.
28 November – 30% of Malaysians expected to be vaccinated
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that a total of 9.6 million people or 30% of Malaysia’s population are expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 next year.
The Malaysian government has made a preliminary purchase agreement with Pfizer for 12.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to cover 20% of the population and a pact with COVAX to cover another 10%.
8 December – vaccine rollout begins
90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first patient in Britain and the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine as the UK began its mass inoculation programme.
Other countries such as the United States, Canada, Russia, Israel as well as the European Union followed suit.
16 December – new strain of COVID-19
The UK has identified a new variant of the coronavirus that appears to spread more quickly, prompting countries to ban travel from the UK.
22 December – Malaysia expected rollout in February 2021
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that Malaysia will begin administering Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine as early as February and expected to procure enough vaccines to cover more than 80% of the population.
Earlier, the government has also signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to procure 6.4 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for 10% population, on top of the Pfizer and COVAX deal.
26 December – Malaysia highest daily case
Malaysia recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic with 2,335 infections, the highest being in Kuala Lumpur with 728 cases.
Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
Thu Dec 31 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 1.77 million people, with 81.2 million cases globally. - Astro AWANI
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Lapan aksi pramusim digunakan untuk uji sistem VAR - Stuart
Liga Bolasepak Malaysia (MFL) akan menggunakan lapan aksi pramusim bermula Isnin depan hingga 4 Mei ini untuk menguji sistem Video Bantuan Pengadil (VAR) dalam Liga Malaysia (Liga-M) musim ini.
Tumpuan Sabtu - 20 April 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Empat wakil negara mara ke separuh akhir kelayakan Kejohanan Skuasy Dunia
Empat wakil negara berjaya melangkah ke separuh akhir Kelayakan Kejohanan Skuasy Dunia Zon Asia yang berlangsung di Pusat Skuasy Jalan Duta hari ini.
Malaysia pantau situasi terkini di Asia Barat, minta semua pihak terlibat supaya bertenang
Malaysia memantau dengan rapi perkembangan terkini di Asia Barat dan menyeru semua pihak yang terlibat supaya bertenang dan terus berusaha mencari jalan penyelesaian diplomatik.
3,850 ibu bekerja di selangor terima insentif MamaKerja RM1,000
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari berkata ibu pekerja tersebut merupakan sebahagian daripada keseluruhan 5,595 permohonan yang diterima kerajaan negeri setakat Mac lalu.
Pemandu bas rempuh 11 kenderaan direman empat hari
Perintah reman terhadap lelaki berusia 51 itu dibenarkan Majistret Suhaila Shafi'uddin bagi membantu siasatan mengikut Seksyen 42 Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987.
Mahkamah Persekutuan tetap 3 Mei putuskan rayuan berkaitan status agama Islam wanita
Mahkamah Persekutuan telah menetapkan 3 Mei depan untuk memutuskan rayuan seorang wanita berusia 37 tahun bagi mengetepikan keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan yang mengembalikan status agamanya sebagai Islam.
Jangan abai peruntukan untuk pembangunan sukan - Hannah
Kerajaan negeri dinasihatkan untuk tidak 'menganaktirikan' atau menganggap agihan peruntukan bagi tujuan pembangunan sukan tidak penting dalam belanjawan negeri.
Empat pelari yang memenangi acara separa maraton Beijing dilucutkan pingat
Penganjur acara separa maraton Beijing mengumumkan pada Jumaat bahawa empat pelari yang terlibat dalam perlumbaan kontroversi pada Ahad lepas telah dilucutkan pingat.
Hamilton optimis kedudukan lebih baik di GP China
Lewis Hamilton melihat potensi kedudukan yang lebih baik dalam saingan Grand Prix yang kembali ke China buat pertama kali dalam tempoh lima tahun, hujung minggu ini.
'Selfish!' - Fasha Sandha sedih raya di Perlis tak jadi gara-gara dijangkiti COVID-19
Fasha berkata dia mula melakukan pemeriksaan COVID-19 selepas berasa tidak sihat badan dan mengalami bersin tidak henti sejak Raya pertama.
Kes COVID-19 catat penurunan ketara pada ME 14/2024 - KKM
Jumlah kes COVID-19 menurun 97.1 peratus kepada 493 kes pada Minggu Epidemiologi ke-14 (ME 14/2024) iaitu bagi tempoh 31 Mac hingga 6 April lepas berbanding 17,256 kes pada ME 1/2024.
China jadikan pengalaman pencegahan COVID-19 untuk hadapi pandemik masa depan
China akan menjadikan pengalaman dalam pencegahan dan kawalan COVID-19 untuk membuat persediaan yang lebih proaktif untuk menghadapi pandemik masa depan seperti "Penyakit X".
Negara berdepan ketirisan subsidi diesel serius - Amir Hamzah
Negara kini sedang berdepan isu ketirisan subsidi diesel yang serius dan wujud kemungkinan terdapat pihak yang tidak layak masih menikmati subsidi itu, kata Menteri Kewangan II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah.
Kematian akibat kemalangan jalan raya lebih tinggi daripada COVID-19 - Anthony Loke
PDRM akan mengeluarkan data mengenai kemalangan jalan raya pada setiap hari, bukan setahun sekali seperti diamalkan sebelum ini.
Ismail Sabri ziarah lapan beradik yatim piatu akibat COVID-19
Ismail Sabri tiba kira-kira jam 2 petang di kediaman lapan beradik itu di Taman Adenium, Bukit Beruntung pada Selasa.
Teori konspirasi 'Penyakit X'
Ahli teori konspirasi AS sekali lagi membuat 'keuntungan' selepas PBB memberi amaran tentang wabak lebih berbahaya iaitu 'Penyakit X'.
Reformasi dasar, kukuhkan perlindungan, produktiviti pekerja tidak formal
Reformasi dasar perlu dilakukan dalam usaha meningkatkan perlindungan dan produktiviti pekerja tidak formal di Malaysia.
Lebuh raya perlu ada sistem pemberitahuan Smart Lane lebih berkesan - Ahmad Maslan
Semua lebuh raya perlu mewujudkan satu sistem pemberitahuan Smart Lane yang lebih berkesan, bagi mengurangkan kesesakan lalu lintas khususnya ketika cuti perayaan.