Globalrestrictionsare easedbutcasesrise in India and Pakistan
PEOPLE in many parts of the world are emerging from their homes as coronavirus-related restrictions begin to ease and springtime temperatures climb.
The global pandemic, however, took a turn for the worse in other places, with India yesterday reporting more than 2,600 new cases, its biggest single-day jump.
That followed record increases in neighbouring Pakistan and Russia the previous day. There was also worrying news from Afghanistan, where about a third tested positive in a random test.
Masks were worn widely around the world, from runners in Spain to beach-goers in the southern US.
In New York City’s Central Park, joggers moved past each other without a glance on Saturday and a steady stream of people left tips for a trio working their way through a set of jazz standards alfresco.
Neighbouring New Jersey reopened state parks, though several had to turn people away after reaching a 50% limit in their parking lots.
In Spain, many had ventured out on Saturday for the first time since a lockdown began on March 14.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez asked citizens to remain vigilant. Covid-19 has caused more than 25,100 deaths in the country.
“Until we have a vaccine, we are going to see more outbreaks,” Mr Sanchez said. “What we need to guarantee is that these outbreaks do not put our national health system in danger.”
The divide in the US between those who want lockdowns to end and those who want to move cautiously extended to Congress.
The Republican-majority Senate will reopen today while the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives stays shuttered.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell’s decision to convene 100 senators gives President Donald Trump, a Republican, the imagery he wants of America getting back to work, despite health worries and a lack of testing.
The number of confirmed cases in India neared 40,000 as the country of 1.3 billion people marked the 40th day of a nationwide lockdown that has upended lives and millions of jobs. The official death toll reached 1,301.
Afghanistan’s health ministry said on Sunday that 156 people were confirmed positive out of 500 randomly tested in Kabul, the capital.
Ministry spokesman Wahid Mayar called the results concerning and said more cases would surely be found if the government was able to conduct more tests.
French Health minister Olivier Veran said people travelling into France, including French citizens returning home, will be placed in a 14-day quarantine as part of new extended proposals to limit the spread of the virus.
Russia announced 9,633 new cases on Saturday and Pakistan nearly 1,300, both one-day highs.
The virus has killed more than 240,000 people worldwide, including more than 66,000 in the United States and more than 24,000 each in Italy, Britain, France and Spain, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Health experts warn a second wave of infections could hit unless testing is expanded dramatically.