Coronavirus crackdown

New York: The city of Philadelphia and several large US states yesterday announced strict new limits on social gatherings and commercial activity to tamp down a coronavirus surge threatening to overwhelm healthcare systems and claim thousands more lives in the coming weeks.

New Jersey, California, Ohio and Pennsylvania's largest city joined a growing list of states and local jurisdictions reimposing tough measures.

More than 70,000 Americans were in hospital for treatment of Covid19 as of yesterday, the most at any time since the pandemic began, according to a tally of public health figures.

Health experts warn the coming holiday travel season and the onset of colder weather will only exacerbate the trend. — Reuters