Risk of new lockdowns rises
LONDON (Reuters) — Fears of a second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections shut six major food markets in Beijing on Friday, while India, which opened up last week, recorded a record daily increase and half a dozen American states said their hospital beds were filling up fast.
Health officials worldwide have expressed concerns in recent days that some countries grappling with the devastating economic impact of lockdowns may lift restrictions too swiftly, and that the coronavirus could spread during mass anti-racism protests.
“We must be ready to roll back relaxation of measures if needed,” the European Union’s health commissioner Stella Kyriakides said after urging its 27 members to plough ahead with testing the population as they reopen schools and businesses.
In China, where the new coronavirus originated, two new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the capital. Authorities closed part or all of six big wholesale food markets, which the two men had recently visited, but it was not known how they had been infected.
India opened most public transport, offices and malls this week after nearly 70 days even though health officials said it was weeks away from flattening the rising infection curve.
The official death toll, at 8,884, is relatively small, but the health ministry said registered cases rose by 11,458 yesterday, a new single-day record, with many in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the head of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, one of India’s biggest mosques, ordered a halt to congregations until the end of the month.
“What is the point of visiting mosques at a time when the virus is spreading so fast?” he said.
In Turkey, the top medical association said the easing of restrictions on June 1 had come too soon, although the daily death toll has fallen in recent weeks to about 20.
“There is talk of when the second wave will hit, but we have not yet been able to overcome the first wave,” Cavit Isik Yavuz, who is part of the coronavirus research team at the Turkish Medics Association, said.
While new infections are slowing in most of Europe, health experts see a moderate to high risk that postlockdown rises may warrant new restrictions.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) predicted a moderate acceleration across Europe in the coming weeks, which could place health care systems under stress if not checked rapidly. –