Global COVID cases continue to surge
BANGKOK (AP) — Governments and businesses are ramping up precautions as coronavirus case numbers rise to dire new levels in parts of the US and around the world, potentially wiping out two months of progress.
Indonesia is expected to pass the 50,000 mark for confirmed infections today. In the Indian capital of New Delhi, which has reported more than 70,000 cases, authorities said they would conduct house-tohouse screening over the coming two weeks. India reported a record high 16,922 cases yesterday, taking the national total to 473,105, with nearly 15,000 deaths.
The actual numbers of cases everywhere, are thought to be far higher due to a number of reasons including limited testing.
In China, where the virus first appeared late last year, an outbreak in Beijing appeared to have been brought under control. China reported 19 newly confirmed cases nationwide amid mass testing in the capital. Case numbers both nationally and in Beijing were up by only single digits from Wednesday.
South Korea was still struggling to quell an outbreak there, reporting 28 new cases yesterday, mostly associated with nightlife, churches, a huge e-commerce warehouse and door-to-door sales.
While some governments are considering more aggressive action to stem fresh outbreaks, in other places such precautions are being unwound.
Meanwhile, American hospital administrators and health experts warned Wednesday that politicians and a public tired of being cooped up are letting a disaster unfold.
The 34,700 COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday returned the US to near its late April peak of 36,400 new cases in one day, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The virus has been blamed for over 120,000 US deaths — the highest toll in the world — and more than 2.3 million confirmed infections nationwide.