Countries on lockdown as cases soar
● Desperate new measures in world response to Covid-19 pandemic
The number of cases of Covid-19 in Italy has surged higher again.
Some 3,590 more cases of the coronavirus were reported in a 24-hour period, nearly 100 more than the increase as the day before. The additional infections reported yesterday represent the country’s biggest day-to-day increase.
Italy’s civil protection chief Angelo Borrelli announced the latest number of cases, bringing the total number of people with the new coronavirus to 24,747. The number of deaths increased by 368 to 1,809.
Singapore has announced that all travelers arriving from south-east Asian countries, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom or with a travel history to these countries within 14 days upon arrival will have to self-isolate under new efforts to battle the coronavirus.
The health ministry said the measure will also apply to Singapore residents. Southeast Asian visitors will also be required to submit information on their health for approval before their travel.
Health authorities in Spain say deaths from the coronavirus have more than doubled in 24 hours, while total infections approached 8,000.
The health ministry said Spain has recorded 288 deaths since the start of the pandemic, up from 136 on Saturday. The European Union nation has 7,753 infections, up from 5,700 on Saturday, with around half of them concentrated in the capital of Madrid.
The jump comes a day after Spain’s government declared a state of emergency and took extraordinary measures to limit movement to commuting to work and necessary errands. It has also closed restaurants, bars, most retail shops and reduced public transport.
The Vatican says all Holy Week ceremonies will take place without the “physical presence of the faithful” because of the health emergency over the coronavirus.
The Vatican tweeted yesterday citing an announcement by the office of the pontifical household said that until 12 April, Easter Sunday, all the general audiences on Wednesday as well as Pope Francis weekly Sunday noon prayer will be streamed by the Vatican.
Brunei says it will ban its citizens and residents from traveling abroad starting today in a drastic move to stem further cases of Covid-19. The tiny oil-rich sultanate has been hit by 50 cases in just a week since it confirmed its first case on March 9. This included ten new cases reported yesterday.
Austria is further tightening restrictions on public life, closing restaurants and sports facilities and halting flights to a number of countries in an effort to fight the coronavirus.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced the new measures in a parliamentary session yesterday. The Austria Press Agency reported that he announced flight bans for Britain, Ukraine and Russia.
South Korea’s president has declared south-eastern parts of the country hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak as “special disasters zones”, a designation that makes residents there eligible for emergency relief, tax benefits and other state financial support.
The Daegu city and some areas in the south-eastern Gyeongsang province were declared disaster zones. It’s the first time South Korea has declared any area a special disaster zone due to an infectious disease. South Korea has so far reported 8,162 coronavirus cases and 72 deaths.