British PM, minister test positive for virus as deaths surge in Europe
Kingdom cases reach 1,104, six in critical condition American doctors plead for more equipment
The UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he had tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and was selfisolating, but was working from home and will lead the “national fightback against” the virus.
Hours later his Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said he too had tested positive for COVID-19.
Saudi Arabia announced 92 new cases, 10 of whom are travelers from abroad who were quarantined immediately and 82 who had mixed with someone who already tested positive.
The Kingdom now has 1,104 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Most of those infected are medically stable, six are in critical condition, and no new deaths have been reported. Two people have so far recovered,
OPI NION
bringing the total number of recoveries to 35 since COVID-19 was first discovered in the Kingdom.
The British prime minister, 55, experienced mild symptoms of coronavirus on Thursday and was tested “on the personal advice of England’s chief medical officer, Prof. Chris Whitty,” a statement by Downing Street obtained by Arab News said.
Johnson posted a video on his Twitter account saying that he would still lead the British government’s response to the outbreak thanks to technology.
His aide, Hancock, tweeted that he tested positive for COVID-19 after taking a test. “Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I’m working from home & self-isolating,” Hancock wrote on Twitter.
Italy recorded its single biggest rise in deaths, with 969 more victims, to bring its total number of fatalities to 9,134. The country now has 86,498 cases, surpassing China to record the grim distinction of the second-most infections in the world, behind the US.
Spain’s Health Ministry reported another 7,800 infections overnight for a total of 64,059. Deaths climbed by 769 to 4,858 — the world’s second-highest total after Italy’s fatalities.
US doctors and nurses on the front lines of the outbreak pleaded for more equipment to treat a wave of new patients expected to swamp capacity, going so far as to ask President Donald Trump to invoke emergency powers.
Doctors have called attention to a desperate need for more ventilators, machines that help patients breathe and are widely needed for those suffering from COVID-19. Hospitals in New York, New Orleans and other hot virus spots sounded the alarm about a shortage of medicine, supplies and trained staff. “This is past a movie plot. Nobody could ever think of this, or be totally prepared for this. You’re going to have to wing it on the fly,” said Eric Neibart, infectious disease specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. “The scale is unbelievable.”
Wall Street fell on Friday, ending a massive three-day surge as doubts about the fate of the US economy resurfaced. US stock indexes trimmed deeper losses after the House of Representatives approved a $2.2 trillion aid package — the largest in American history.
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