Quarter of the world in lockdown
With more than a quarter of the world’s population now living in lockdown, the coronavirus pandemic has infected about 450,000 people and killed more than 20,000. About 110,000 people have recovered so far, mostly in China.
Here is the latest on the situation from around the globe:
HUNGARY
Foreign minister Peter Szijjarto says the border with Romania will be opened soon to those who work in the neighbouring country. He said the arrangement for people living within 19 miles of the border – similar to one announced recently with Slovakia – is meant to protect the economy.
CANADA
The House of Commons has passed emergency legislation to free up 82 billion Canadian dollars to help residents. The bill will go to the Senate, where prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government is hoping for a quick passage to sign the measures into law.
AUSTRALIA
Two Australians infected aboard cruise ships have died on consecutive days, taking the nation’s death toll to nine and focusing attention on the health threat posed by cruises. Queensland Health said a 68-year-old man died in hospital in Toowoomba yesterday and had a serious underlying medical condition. The man was a passenger aboard the cruise ship Voyager of the Seas that docked in Sydney on 18 March.
A 77-year-old woman who died on Tuesday arrived in Sydney a day later aboard the Ruby Princess. Its 2,700 passengers were allowed to disembark without health warnings because the 11-day cruise to New Zealand was considered low risk.
That ship has become Australia’s largest source of infections, with at least 133 passengers testing positive.
UKRAINE
Prime minister Denys Shmyhal announced a nationwide state of emergency, which is effective until 24 April and could be extended. Ukraine has reported 113 cases of the coronavirus and four deaths.
JAPAN
Tokyo has asked its residents to stay home this weekend to slow the spread of the coronavirus after new daily cases in the capital rose to 41.
Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike said the city is on the verge of an explosive increase in infections.
VATICAN
Pope Francis has reaffirmed the need to protect all life, rallying Christians around the world to pray together for those sick with the coronavirus and the medical personnel who are caring for them. Francis presided over a global prayer in which he begged for God’s mercy amid the pandemic.
SLOVAKIA
New prime minister Igor Matovic said a government plane with 100,000 badly needed high quality respirators from Turkey has landed, and they will be immediately