Lockdowns under review
Countries worldwide are wrestling with when and how to ease the restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus amid rising unemployment. Spain, which imposed one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe in midmarch, announced it will start easing restrictions on children.
In the US, 17 governors whose states are home to about half the country’s population have joined one of three regional pacts meant to smooth the eventual reopening of their economies. Adding to the pressure are protests against stay-at-home orders organised by small-government groups and Trump supporters.
An all-star streaming and TV special aimed at fighting the pandemic featured the likes of Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Paul Mccartney, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey and Billie Eilish at the weekend.
Hundreds of people denouncing pandemic lockdown measures opposed by President Jair Bolsonaro snarled traffic in major Brazilian cities yesterday.
Queen Elizabeth does not want a gun salute for her birthday. The British monarch, who turns 94 on Tuesday, local time, decided not to publicly mark the occasion in any special way, including the artillery salute she traditionally gets on her birthday. British authorities reported 888 more coronavirus-related hospital deaths on Saturday, bringing the total to 15,464.
France’s national health agency says the number of virus patients in intensive care dropped for the 10th straight day, while the number of overall virus hospitalisations has fallen for three consecutive days. Health officials say confinement is ‘‘stopping the viral spread.’’
The total number of deaths in France from Covid-19 reached 19,323, and nursing home deaths amount to more than one third of the total.
Sri Lanka’s government has announced it will start relaxing a countrywide curfew. The government has instructed that only one third of state workers should report to their offices in Colombo. In other areas 50 per cent of the state workers will be required to report to their offices. Sri Lanka has so far reported 248 Covid-19 patients with seven deaths, while 86 have recovered.
The Health Ministry in Italy says there were 3491 new coronavirus cases, nearly identical to the previous day increase in confirmed infections.
There were 482 more deaths, raising the official toll to 23,227 in Italy, which has Europe’s highest number of deaths.
The country is approaching the end of its sixth week of nationwide lockdown, with people allowed out of their homes only for essential work or buying food and tending to family members. Overall, Italy has nearly 176,000 confirmed cases.
Turkey’s health minister says 121 more people have died of Covid-19, with total deaths at 1890. Minister Fahrettin Koca said 3783 more people were infected with the novel coronavirus. The number of confirmed infections is 82,329.
Sweden has reported total deaths at 1511 with 13,822 confirmed infections. Africa surpasses 20,000 cases, with more than 1000 deaths. – AP