ALTHOUGH the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus a pandemic with no place safe from its effects, a handful of countries worldwide have escaped it so far, reported the Anadolu Agency.

After first emerging in Wuhan, China, last December, 788,000 confirmed Covid-29 cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll reaching nearly 38,000, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

However, 16 countries, some Pacific nations and others in Africa and Asia, have no confirmed cases.

In Africa, Lesotho, South Sudan, Yemen, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Malawi, as well as the Western Sahara region, has not reported any coronavirus cases to date.

In Asia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and North Korea also have no reported cases. 

There are also some Pacific Island nations, popular tourist destinations during normal times, which are apparently untouched by the virus, thanks to their isolation and remoteness.

These countries and regions include Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Niue and Tuvalu.

The Covid-19 virus has spread to at least 178 countries and regions around the globe.

In all, more than 166,700 people diagnosed with the virus have recovered from the disease. – Bernama, March 31, 2020.