Spike in China and South Korea figures as Germany feels lockdown tensions
CHINA and South Korea reported new spikes in coronavirus cases, setting off fresh concerns in countries where outbreaks had been in dramatic decline, and new protests against pandemic restrictions erupted in Germany despite the easing of many lockdowns in Europe.
In the United States, former President Barack Obama harshly criticised his successor Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as an “absolute chaotic disaster”.
The United States has seen 1.3 million infections and nearly 80,000 deaths in the pandemic, the most in the world by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide, health officials are anxiously watching to see just how much infection rates rise in a second wave as nations and states emerge from varying degrees of lockdown.
China reported 14 new cases yesterday, its first double-digit rise in 10 days, saying 12 of them were domestic infections and two from abroad.
Eleven of 12 domestic infections were in the northeastern province of Jilin, which prompted authorities to raise the threat level in one of its counties, Shulan, to high risk, just days after downgrading all regions to low risk.
Authorities said the Shulan outbreak originated with a 45-year-old woman who had no recent travel or exposure history but spread it to her husband, her three sisters and other family members.
Train services in the county were being suspended.
“Epidemic control and prevention is a serious and complicated matter, and local authorities should never be overly optimistic, warweary or off-guard,” said the Jilin Communist Party secretary, Bayin Chaolu.
Jilin also shares a border with North Korea, which insists it has no virus cases, much to the disbelief of international health authorities.
No new virus deaths have been reported in China for almost a month and the number of people in treatment for Covid-19 nationwide fell to 148, with another 798 under isolation.
China has reported a total of 4,633 total death 82,901 cases. The jump in new cases could fuel concerns over how quickly to lift strict social distancing measures and reopen schools and other public institutions.
South Korea reported 34 more cases as new infections linked to nightclubgoers threatens the country’s hardwon gains against the virus.
Officials on Friday said they detected at least 15 infections linked to a 29-year-old man who had visited three Itaewon clubs before testing positive on Wednesday.
It was the first time South Korea’s daily infections were above 30 in about a month.
South Korea’s caseload had been waning for weeks, prompting authorities to relax their social distancing rules.
President Moon Jae-in said citizens must neither panic nor let down their guard, but warned that “the damage to our economy is indeed colossal as well”.
“The infection cluster which recently occurred in entertainment facilities has raised awareness that, even during the stabilisation phase, similar situations can arise again anytime, anywhere in an enclosed, crowded space,” President Moon Jaein said.
He added: “We must never lower our guard regarding epidemic prevention.”
But he also said “there’s no reason to stand still out of fear”.
Mr Moon said South Korea has “the right quarantine and medical systems combined with experience to respond quickly to any unexpected infection clusters that might occur”.
Figures released yesterday by the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention increased national totals to 10,874 with 256 deaths.
The agency said 9,610 people have recovered and 10,128 others were undergoing tests to determine whether they have contracted the virus.
Across Europe, many nations were easing lockdowns even further today even as they prepared to clamp down on any new infections.
Germany, which managed to push daily new infections below 1,000 before deciding to loosen restrictions, has seen regional spikes in cases linked to slaughterhouses and nursing homes.
By Saturday, the country’s public health authority said new infections were above 1,000 again.
German officials have expressed concerns about the growing number of large demonstrations, including one in the south-western city of Stuttgart that drew thousands of participants.
Police in Berlin stepped in on Saturday after hundreds of people failed to respect social distancing measures at anti-lockdown rallies in the German capital.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the governors of Germany’s 16 states last week cleared the way for restaurants, hotels and remaining stores to reopen.
The country’s football league resumes next week, despite a number of professional players testing positive for Covid-19, and more students are returning to school beginning on Monday.
France, which has a similar number of infections as Germany but a far higher death toll, is also letting some younger students return to school today after almost two months out.
Attendance will not be compulsory right away, leaving parents to make the difficult decision of whether it is safe to send their children back to school or not.
Residents in some Spanish regions will be able to enjoy limited seating at bars, restaurants and other public places beginning today but Madrid and Barcelona, the country’s largest cities, will remain shut down.