India’s virus count surges into No 2 spot amid easing of curbs
Metro trains run again to spur economy; Israelis face new curfews
NEW DELHI — India on Monday overtook Brazil as the country with the second-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases. Its elevation to behind only the United States in the infections count came as metro train lines reopened in cities in a bid to boost the South Asian nation’s battered economy.
With its nationwide tally of 4.2 million, India is adding more cases each day than any other country this year since the outbreak of the pandemic. As of Monday, 90,802 cases were recorded, along with 1,016 deaths.
Despite logging over 2 million new cases in the past month and the virus spreading through the country’s smaller towns and villages, the Indian government has continued relaxing restrictions to try to resuscitate the economy. Gross domestic product in India has shrunk faster than in any other major nation, plunging nearly 24 percent in the last quarter.
On Monday, the Delhi Metro — a rapid transit system that serves India’s sprawling capital New Delhi and adjoining areas — resumed operations after five months of shutdown.
Authorities imposed strict rules on passengers, with masks, social distancing and temperature checks mandatory.
India’s economic pain dates to the demonetization of the nation’s currency in 2016 and a hasty rollout of a goods and services tax the next year.
But the harsh coronavirus lockdown that started on March 24 further exacerbated the country’s economic woes.
Experts said there is no sign of a peak as cases surge in the secondmost populous country, both in major cities such as New Delhi and the financial hub of Mumbai, and rural areas that have limited access to health services.
“It’s becoming a double burden now,” said Rajib Dasgupta, a professor of community health at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in the capital. “The urban areas are not slowing down and rural areas are picking up.”
Globally, COVID-19 deaths surpassed 880,000 on Sunday, with more than 26,951,838 cases, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
In Brazil, despite warnings and surging numbers of confirmed cases, quarantine-weary Brazilians headed to beaches and other recreational spots for the Independence Day holiday weekend.
The health ministry reported that 14,521 cases of infection were detected in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 4,137,521.
Nearly 200,000 vehicles took the highway that connects Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America, with beaches, according to the highway administration.
40 cities, towns hit
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced curfews on some 40 cities and towns hit hard by the coronavirus, but backed away from reported recommendations for full lockdowns after an uproar by politically powerful religious politicians.
The curfews was due to go into effect on Monday at 7 pm and last until 5 am. It was not known how long they will remain in place. People will not be allowed to venture more than 500 meters from their homes, and nonessential businesses will have to close.
Netanyahu also said “educational institutions” would be closed with the exception of special education centers, and gatherings limited to 10 people in closed spaces and 20 outdoors.
Overall, Israel has recorded nearly 130,000 cases of the virus.
Palestine on Sunday reported four new fatalities from the virus, raising the death toll in the Palestinian territories to 203.
762 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, raising the total number to 34,012, said Health Minister Mai al-Kaila. Palestine has 10,882 active cases.
In Europe, Britain recorded its highest daily number of new cases since May, with 2,988 infections announced on Sunday.
The increased number of cases comes as British schoolchildren return to class, a milestone in the resumption of normal life.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday that the rise is “concerning”, but the government was still in control of the pandemic.
“The rise in the number of cases we’ve seen in the last few days is largely among younger people,” Hancock said.
Asked if the government had lost control, he said: “No, but the whole country needs to follow the social distancing because we can only do this as a whole society.”