Nations lock down as rates of death go up

Worldwide coronavirus infections have surpassed the 660,000 mark, with more than 30,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Spain says it has hit a new daily record for coronavirus deaths, with 838 fatalities in the last 24 hours for a total of 6,528, the world’s second-highest death count behind Italy.

Yesterday’s number is slightly up from Saturday, when 832 people were reported to have died from the virus.

The number of infections rose by more than 6,500 from Saturday to yesterday for a new total of 78,797. The rate of that increase in infections, however, continues to decrease.

Spain has been in lockdown for two weeks under a national state of emergency. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez’s cabinet approved a new decree to tighten those controls and discourage workers from commuting to work in all industries unrelated to healthcare and food production and distribution, for two weeks.

Australia has announced public gatherings will be limited to two people, down from 10, and has enacted a six-month moratorium on evictions for those who cannot pay their rent.

Prime minister Scott

Morrison announced the new measures last night after earlier in the day flagging a $1.1 billion Australian (£546 million) welfare package.

Australia had 3,966 confirmed cases of the virus as of Sunday, including 16 deaths.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi apologised to the public yesterday for imposing a three-week national lockdown.

The unprecedented lockdown order, which came into effect on Wednesday to keep India’s 1.3 billion people at home for all but essential trips, is meant to prevent the spread of the virus from surging and overwhelming India’s already strained healthcare system.

Health officials have confirmed 867 cases of coronavirus, including 25 deaths.

New Zealand has reported its first death from Covid-19. Health authorities said yesterday the victim was a woman in her 70s.

The country has reported 514 cases of Covid-19. Last Wednesday, New Zealanders began a strict four-week lockdown.

However, Wuhan in Hubei province, the city at the centre of China’s coronavirus outbreak, has reopened tube trains and long-distance train services in another step towards ending restrictions that confined millions of people to their homes.