No new fatalities in China, deaths increase in Spain

WASHINGTON: China on Tuesday reported no new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January, while Spain reported a spike in cases after days of slowing fatalities

The pandemic has killed more than 76,000 people worldwide, the majority of them in Europe, since it emerged in China in December.

Spain’s daily Covid-19 death toll shot up to 743 on Tuesday after falling for four straight days, lifting the total to 13,798, the health ministry said. However, it emphasised that the rise was due to weekend deaths being tallied and that the overall “downward trend” is continuing.

The new figure represents a 5.7% increase over the 637 deaths recorded on Monday, the lowest number of fatalities since March 24 in the world’s second hardesthit country after Italy in terms of deaths.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for a period of about one month to fight new Covid-19 infections in major population centres and unveiled a $990 billion stimulus package he described as among the world’s biggest to soften the economic blow.

The US was set to cross a grim milestone of 11,000 deaths, casting a pall over the first signs of optimism about the outbreak’s trajectory. The United States has emerged as one of the world’s worst-hit nations, with a steadily mounting number of fatalities and millions facing the possibility of economic ruin.

Over 3 6 7 , 0 0 0 people are infected with the Sars-cov-2 infection in the country. There was a glimmer of hope, however, in New York, where there have been more than 4,750 deaths statewide and 130,000 cases.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday the death rate had been “effectively flat” for two days.

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