English pubs reopen but little relief in rest of world
Pubs and movie theatres across England reopened on Saturday as part of Britain’s biggest step toward postoutbreak normal, while South Africa signalled anything but — reporting another record daily high in confirmed coronavirus cases.
“Let’s not blow it now,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as some in England rushed to restaurants or barbers for the first time in more than three months.
More than 11 million people around the world are known to have been infected since the pandemic began, 2.8 million of those in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University data. With shortages of testing materials, the real number of cases is unknown. More than 525,000 people have died.
In South Africa, a growing hot spot as the pandemic picks up speed in parts of Africa, confirmed cases have climbed to more than 177,000, with a record 9063 reported in the most recent 24-hour period. India also reported its highest single-day spike, with 22,771 new confirmed cases for a total of more than 648,000, including 18,655 deaths.
Russia marked a milestone as the death toll rose above 10,000. The national coronavirus task force also reported 6632 new infections, raising the total for the outbreak to 674,515.
Russia’s caseload is the world’s third largest behind the United States and Brazil, but its reported deaths are lower than many other countries. Officials have denied speculation that the figures are being manipulated.
Authorities in northeast Spain ordered the lockdown of El Segria´ county around the city of Lleida, home to over 200,000 people, after health officials recorded a jump in cases in 24 hours.
And Tokyo confirmed 131 new cases, exceeding 100 for the third day in a row, prompting Governor Yuriko Koike to ask residents to avoid nonessential out-of-town visits.
France said it is sending medics to its South American territory of French Guiana, where infections have surged as the virus swept neighbouring Brazil.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said that “the way our country reacted to the pandemic has largely proved to be right”.
The country has over 190,000 confirmed cases and five times fewer deaths than Britain
Determined to enjoy a holiday from months of uncertainty, thousands of tourists waited at the Bulgaria-Greece border for up to five hours under the scorching sun after setting off for Greece’s beaches.— AP