Largest single day rise in Covid-19 cases

The World Health Organisation yesterday reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases by its count, at more than 183,000 new cases in the past 24 hours.

The UN health agency said Brazil led the way with 54,771 cases tallied and the US next at 36,617. More than 15,400 came in in India.

Experts said rising case counts can reflect multiple factors including more widespread testing as well as broader infection.

Overall in the pandemic, WHO reported 8,708,008 cases — 183,020 in the past 24 hours — with 461,715 deaths worldwide, with a daily increase of 4743. More than two-thirds of those new deaths were reported in the Americas.

In Spain, officials ended a national state of emergency after three months of lockdown, allowing its 47 million residents to freely travel around the country for the first time since March 14. The country also dropped a 14-day quarantine for visitors from Britain and the 26 European countries that allow visa-free travel. But there was only a trickle of travellers at Madrid-Barajas Airport, which on a normal June day would be bustling.

Brazil’s Health Ministry said the total number of cases had risen by more than 50,000 in a day. President Jair Bolsonaro has been downplaying the risks even as his country has seen nearly 50,000 fatalities, the secondhighest death toll in the world.

South Africa reported a one-day high of almost 5000 new cases on Sunday and 46 deaths. Despite the increase, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a further loosening of one of the world’s strictest lockdowns. Casinos, beauty salons and sit-down restaurant service will reopen.

In the US, the virus appears to be spreading across the West and South. Arizona reported more than 3100 new infections, just short of Saturday’s record, and 26 deaths. Nevada also reported a new high of 445 cases.

In Europe, a single meatpacking plant in Germany has had more than 1000 cases, so the government issued a quarantine for all 6500 workers, managers and family members.

In Asia, China and South Korea reported new coronavirus cases yesterday in outbreaks that threatened to set back their recoveries. Chinese authorities recorded 25 new cases — 22 in Beijing. In the past week, Beijing tightened travel controls by requiring anyone who wants to leave the Chinese capital to show proof they tested negative for the virus.

In South Korea, nearly 200 infections have been traced to employees at a door-to-door sales company in Seoul, and at least 70 other infections are tied to a table tennis club there. South Korean officials are reluctant to enforce stronger social distancing to avoid hurting the economy.