Saudi Arabia extends 24-hour curfew, British PM Johnson in intensive care
Saudi Arabia extended a 24-hour curfew on Monday, the UAE reported its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in intensive care in hospital.
The Saudi curfew already in effect in parts of Jeddah will now operate throughout the governorate, as well as Riyadh, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran, Hofuf, Taif, Qatif and Alkhobar.
Residents may leave home only between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. to buy food or visit health facilities, and only in their own neighborhoods.
Saudi Arabia reported 203 new virus cases on Monday, bringing the total to 2,605, and four more deaths, raising the toll to 38.
In the UAE, the number of cases surged by 277 to more than 2,000, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began. One more patient died, raising the total to 11.
Kuwait, which has reported 665 virus case and one death, placed two districts under full lockdown and extended a public holiday until April 26.
Worldwide there have been more than 1.3 million cases of infection, and nearly 74,000 people have died.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been in hospital since Sunday night after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms, was moved to an intensive care unit on Monday when his condition worsened.
Earlier Johnson had said he was “in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team.”
In Spain and Italy, which account for over 40 percent of the world’s fatalities, the death rate is declining and public discussion has turned to easing weeks of lockdown.
Daily deaths in Spain fell from Thursday’s peak of 950 to 637 on Monday, for a total of more than 13,000. Italy reported 525 deaths, the lowest in more than two weeks, for a total of more than 16,000.
In the US, by contrast, twice as many people a day are dying as in Spain or Italy, and hospitals report chaotic shortages of beds, ventilators and protective gear.
“It’s going to be … unfortunately, peak death week,” said Admiral Brett Giroir of the White House coronavirus task force.
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