VIRUS CASES top 1 million in Russia.
EU warns Hungary about closing border to only foreigners
MOSCOW — Russia’s tally of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 1 million on Tuesday as authorities reported 4,729 new cases.
With a total of 1,000,048 reported cases, Russia has the fourth-highest caseload in the world after the U.S., Brazil and India. Authorities say 17,250 people with the virus in Russia have died, a significantly lower reported toll than in the other three countries.
As of Tuesday, Russia has lifted most lockdown restrictions in the majority of the country’s regions.
Meanwhile, the European Union warned Hungary that it cannot close its borders to all foreigners and allow only its own citizens back in as the Hungarian government intro- duced those new measures Tuesday in response to what it said was a second wave of coronavirus infections in Europe.
Hungarians returning from abroad will now need to quarantine for two weeks unless they twice test negative for coronavirus. Gergely Gulyas, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, said foreigners now cannot enter the country, except in “justified cases.” He did not elaborate on what those cases are.
Hungary, an EU nation of 9.7 million people, has reported only 616 confirmed virus-related deaths and, unlike France or Spain, is not seen as a current virus hot spot in Europe.
In India, many states eased lockdown restrictions on Tuesday, allowing more businesses and public areas to reopen to reduce economic pain caused by the coronavirus, even as the country’s new daily infections remain the highest in the world and its confirmed cases near 3.7 million.
Unemployment is soaring, with millions left jobless. Hoping to avoid more economic damage, India is gradually relaxing restrictions and has announced that urban metro trains can resume service on Monday.
India has been reporting the highest single-day caseload in the world for nearly three weeks. On Tuesday it recorded 69,921 new coronavirus infections. More than 65,000 people have died.
On Tuesday, India held competitive college exams despite demands from students that they be postponed. Students and many opposition parties say they fear the exams will result in a surge in infections.
In the Philippines, fitness gyms, barber shops and internet cafes were allowed to reopen partly in the country’s capital of Manila on Tuesday as the government further eased quarantine restrictions despite the country having the most coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia.
President Rodrigo Duterte, however, placed the southern city of Iligan under a mild lockdown after a rise in community infections.
Hong Kong began voluntary mass-testing for coronavirus to try to break the chain of transmission for covid-19. More than half a million residents registered in advance for the effort taking place at more than 100 testing centers in the city.
Chinese students began a full return to regular classes Tuesday after two weeks without new cases of local transmission in the country. About 75% of students had already returned to school.
Temperature checks, social distancing and masks were reportedly used, but rules varied by region. Those returning to class included students in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the global coronavirus epidemic that underwent months of lockdown but has not reported new cases of local transmission for weeks. Life has largely returned to normal in Wuhan.
South Korea reported 235 new cases, mostly from the greater capital area, where officials have restricted dining at restaurants and shut down churches, nightspots, fitness centers and after-school academies to fight a viral resurgence.
Australia’s hard-hit Victoria state on Tuesday reported its lowest daily tally of new covid-19 cases since June as a lockdown continues to slow infections. The health department reported 70 new infections and five deaths in the latest 24-hour period. A six-week statewide lockdown is due to end Sept. 13. The government will outline its plans to reopen the economy Sunday.