The number of confirmed cases of
coronavirus in the US has surpassed any other affected country’s on March 26.
With more than 86,000 positive tests, the US has overtaken China (81,782 cases) and Italy (80,589), according to the latest figures collated by Johns Hopkins University.
However, with almost 1,300
Covid-19-related fatalities, the US death toll lags behind China (3,291) and
Italy (8,215).
The grim milestone came as President
Donald Trump predicted the nation would get back to work “pretty
quickly”.
Asked about the latest figures at a
White House briefing on March 26, President Trump said it was “a tribute
to the amount of testing that we’re doing”.
VP Mike Pence said coronavirus tests
were now available in all 50 states and more than 552,000 tests had been
conducted nationwide.
President Trump also cast doubt on
the figures coming out of Beijing, telling reporters: “You don’t know what the numbers are in China.”
Later, the president tweeted that he
had had a “very good conversation” with China’s President Xi Jinping.
He said: “China has been through much & has developed a strong
understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much
respect!”
President Trump has set a
much-criticized goal of Easter Sunday, 12 April, for reopening the country.
That plan seemed to gather impetus on March 26 as it emerged an unprecedented
3.3 million Americans have been laid off because of the virus.
At March 26 briefing, he said: “They [the American people] have to go back to work, our country has to go back, our country is based on that and I think it’s going to happen pretty quickly.
“We may take sections of our
country, we may take large sections of our country that aren’t so seriously
affected and we may do it that way.”
He added: “A lot of people
misinterpret when I say go back – they’re going to be practicing as much as you
can social distancing, and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of
the things we talked about.”
President Trump promised more details next week.
In a letter to state governors on
March 26, President Trump said his team plans to release federal social
distancing guidelines that may advise some regions to loosen restrictions.
He wrote of a “long battle
ahead” and said “robust” testing protocols might allow some
counties to lift their safeguards against the coronavirus.
President Trump said the “new
guidelines” would create low, medium and high risk zones that would allow
the government to advise on “maintaining, increasing, or relaxing social
distancing and other mitigation measures they have put in place”.
On March 26, President Trump phoned
in to Fox News host Sean Hannity’s program and said he believed Iowa, Idaho,
Nebraska and parts of Texas could reopen earlier than other states.
The plan emerged as new research on
March 26 estimated Covid-19-related deaths in the US could top 80,000 over the
coming four months – even if people observe strict social distancing.
According to the study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, as many as 2,300 patients could be dying every day by April.
Russia has postponed a vote on
constitutional change that would allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in
power, because of coronavirus concerns.
President Putin said the public vote
– previously due to be held on April 22 – would be delayed until a “later
date”.
The proposed changes include
scrapping a ban on allowing Vladimir Putin to run for office again.
The changes have already been
approved by parliament and Russia’s constitutional court.
They would give Vladimir Putin – who
is serving his fourth presidential term and has dominated Russian politics for
two decades – the right to serve two more consecutive terms.
Later on March 25, Russia confirmed
the deaths of two people who had been diagnosed with the new coronavirus.
According to Ria Novosti, the 88- and 73-year-olds had pre-existing conditions.
Russia has a total of 658 cases.
President Putin said: “The absolute priority for us is the
health, life and safety of people. Therefore I believe that the vote should be
postponed until a later date.”
He also announced that Russians would not work next week “to slow the
speed” of the infection.
However, the Russian leader warned that it was impossible to prevent any
spread of the virus at all in Russia because of the country’s size.
The Russian economy was also under serious pressure because of the virus, he
said.
During their week off, employees would continue to be paid and key services
would continue, Vladimir Putin said.
The president also announced extended welfare support, including for families
with children and those who had lost jobs.
Russia has already taken measures such as 14-day quarantine for people
arriving from abroad, school closures and warning for elderly people in Moscow
to self-isolate.
It has also stopped cultural and sporting events and closed gyms, theaters
and nightclubs, although cafes and restaurants have been allowed to stay open.
Russia has so far stopped short of imposing the kind of lockdown seen in
some European countries.
There have been more than 435,000 confirmed cases worldwide. Europe is now the center of the global outbreak.
Prince Charles has tested positive for
coronavirus, Clarence House has announced.
The 71-year-old is displaying mild symptoms “but otherwise remains in
good health”, a spokesman said, adding that the 72-year-old Duchess of
Cornwall has been tested but does not have the virus.
Prince Charles and his wife are now self-isolating at Balmoral.
According to Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II last saw her son, the
heir to the throne, on March 12, but was “in good health”.
The palace added that Prince Philip was not present at that meeting, and
that the Queen was now “following all the appropriate advice with regard
to her welfare”.
A Clarence House statement read: “In
accordance with government and medical advice, the prince and the duchess are
now self-isolating at home in Scotland.
“The tests were carried out by
the NHS in Aberdeenshire, where they met the criteria required for testing.
“It is not possible to ascertain
from whom the prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements
he carried out in his public role during recent weeks.”
Prince Charles’s last public engagement was on March 12 – the same day he
last saw the Queen – when he attended a dinner in aid of the Australian
bushfire relief and recovery effort.
However, the prince has also been working from home over the last few days,
and has held a number of private meetings with Highgrove and Duchy of Cornwall
individuals, all of whom have been made aware.
A number of household staff at Birkhall – Prince Charles’s residence on the
Balmoral estate – are now self-isolating at their own homes.
A palace source said Prince Charles has spoken to both the Queen and his sons – Prince William and Prince Harry – and is in good spirits.
Senate leaders and the White House have agreed
on a stimulus package worth more than $1.8 trillion to ease the impact of
coronavirus.
The stimulus reportedly includes payments of $1,200 to most American adults
and aid to help small businesses pay workers.
Full details of the deal, which Congress is expected to pass, are not known.
Financial markets around the world rose on news of the deal.
President Donald Trump has said he hopes the US will shake off coronavirus
within less than three weeks.
However, the top US infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, warned that
“you have to be very flexible” about a timeframe for ending the
crisis.
Meanwhile, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned the illness was spreading
faster than “a bullet train” in his state, which is at the centre of
the pandemic in the US.
After 802 deaths and 55,225
confirmed infections, the US is more than midway through a 15-day attempt to
slow the spread of the virus through social distancing.
Around 19,000 people have died with
coronavirus across the planet since it emerged in China’s Wuhan province in
January, and more than 425,000 infections have been confirmed.
Southern Europe is now at the centre
of the pandemic, with Italy and Spain recording hundreds of new deaths every
day.
Governments around the world have
responded by locking down societies in the hope of slowing the spread of the
virus.
The stimulus agreement announced by
Democratic and Republican senator leaders at 01:30EDT on March 25 includes tax
rebates, loans, money for hospitals and rescue packages.
According to media, individuals who
earn $75,000 or less would get direct payments of $1,200 each, with married
couples earning up to $150,000 receiving $2,400 and an additional $500 per each
child.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell described the package as a “wartime level of investment” in
the US nation.
If passed, it would be the largest
government economic stimulus in US history.
The agreement must still be voted through the House of Representatives and
the Senate before President Trump signs it off but it enjoys cross-party
support.
One factor that may delay its passage is the question of how voting will be
conducted, given that some members of Congress are off with coronavirus or are
self-isolating having come into contact with infected people.
New York Governor Cuomo dismissed the plan as “terrible for the
state” and called the proposed $3.8 billion “a drop in the bucket, as
to need”.
The details of the stimulus bill have not yet gone to the House, making some
lawmakers wary of signaling their early approval.
If any member objects to unanimous consent, lawmakers will be asked to
return to Washington and vote over the course of an entire day, in order to
limit how many people are present on the House floor at one time.
President Trump said he hoped America could get back to normal by Easter,
which falls on April 12 this year.
He told Fox News: “We’re going to
be opening relatively soon…
“I would love to have the country
opened up and just rearing to go by Easter.”
However, the president later sounded more cautious, saying: “We’ll only do it if it’s good.”
President Trump added that re-opening could be limited to “sections” of the country such as “the farm belt”.
In his address, PM Modi also stressed
that the 21 day lockdown was “very necessary to break the chain of
coronavirus”. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation and said that
even developed countries had faced problems in combating it. He also said that
“social distancing was the only way to stop” the virus spreading.
The prime minister announced that
nearly $2 billion would be made available to boost India’s health
infrastructure.
He called on people not to
“spread rumors” and to follow instructions.
The prime minister’s announcement
came after several Indian states introduced measures of their own, such as
travel restrictions and the closure of non-essential services.
India has already issued a ban on international arrivals and grounded domestic flights. The country’s rail network has also suspended most passenger services.
“On Monday, the director general
of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the Covid-19
pandemic is ‘accelerating’.
“There are more than 375,000
cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is
growing by the hour.
“In the present circumstances and
based on the information provided by the WHO today [Tuesday], the IOC president
and the prime minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII
Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than
summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the
Olympic Games and the international community.”
The IOC had given itself a deadline of four weeks to consider delaying the
Games but there had been mounting pressure from a host of Olympic committees
and athletes demanding a quicker decision.
On March 22, Canada became the first major country to withdraw from both
events, while USA Track and Field, athletics’ US governing body, had also
called for a postponement.
International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said the
postponement was “the only logical option”.
Andrew Parsons added: “The health
and wellbeing of human life must always be our number-one priority and staging
a sporting event of any kind during this pandemic is simply not possible.
“Sport is not the most important
thing right now, preserving human life is. It is essential, therefore, that all
steps are taken to try to limit the spread of this disease.
“By taking this decision now, everyone
involved in the Paralympic movement, including all Para-athletes, can fully
focus on their own health and wellbeing and staying safe during this
unprecedented and difficult time.”
The Olympics have never been delayed in their 124-year modern history,
though they were canceled altogether in 1916, 1940 and 1944 during World War
One and World War Two.
Major Cold War boycotts disrupted the Moscow and Los Angeles summer Games in
1980 and 1984.
The Tokyo 2020-IOC joint statement continued: “The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present.
“Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.”
Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for coronavirus while in prison, according
to Michael Powers, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and
Police Benevolent Association.
The former Hollywood producer is now in isolation.
Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape and assault last month and
sentenced to 23 years in prison.
His lawyers have vowed to appeal against his conviction.
Harvey Weinstein is being held at Wende Correctional Facility near Buffalo
in upstate New York. Two prisoners at the facility tested positive for the
virus on March 22, an officer who did not wish to give his name told Reuters.
Michael Powers told Reuters that several members of staff had been
quarantined. He expressed concern for corrections officers who he claims lack
proper protective equipment.
A lawyer for Harvey Weinstein said his legal team had not been informed of
the coronavirus diagnosis.
Imran Ansari said: “Given Mr.
Weinstein’s state of health, we are of course concerned, if this is the case,
and we are vigilantly monitoring the situation.”
Before arriving at Wende, Harvey Weinstein had spent time at Rikers Island,
a prison in New York City and a hospital where he was treated for heart
problems and chest pains.
The former Hollywood mogul was found guilty of committing a first-degree
criminal sexual act against production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 and of
the third-degree rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.
New York jurors acquitted him of the most serious charges, of predatory
sexual assault, which could have seen him given an even longer jail term.
Dozens of women have come forward with allegations of misconduct, including rape, against Harvey Weinstein since October 2017.
Germany has extended its restrictions
on social interactions to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak, banning
public gatherings of more than two people.
People will not be allowed to form
groups of three or more in public unless they live together in the same
household, or the gathering is work-related. Police will monitor and punish
anyone infringing the new rules.
In a TV address, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel said “our own behavior” was the “most effective
way” of slowing the rate of infection.
The measures included closing hair,
beauty and massage studios. Other non-essential shops had already been shut.
Restaurants will now only be allowed
to open for takeaway service. All restrictions apply to every German state, and
will be in place for at least the next two weeks.
Shortly afterwards, Chancellor
Merkel’s office said she would quarantine herself.
A doctor who vaccinated Angela
Merkel on March 20 against pneumococcus, a pneumonia-causing bacteria, had
tested positive for coronavirus.
The 65-year-old chancellor will be
tested regularly in the next few days and work from home, her spokesman said.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy,
has so far confirmed 18,610 cases and 55 deaths from Covid-19, the disease
caused by the virus.
Chancellor Merkel urged citizens to
keep contact outside their own household to an absolute minimum and to ensure a
distance of at least 1.5m (5ft) from another person when in public.
She said: “The great aim is to gain time in the fight against the virus.”
Italy’s worst-hit region of Lombardy has
introduced stricter measures in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
Under the new rules announced on March 21, sport and physical activity
outside, even individually, is banned. Using vending machines is forbidden.
The move comes as Italy reported nearly 800 coronavirus deaths on March 21
and saw its toll for the past month reach 4,825, the highest in the world.
Lombardy is the worst-affected region in the country with 3,095 deaths.
The region’s President Attilio Fontana announced the new measures in a
statement.
Businesses have been asked to close all operations excluding “essential”
supply chains. Work on building sites will be stopped apart from those working
on hospitals, roads and railways.
Across Italy there have been 53,578 total cases to date, with about 6,000
people having recovered.
The region of Lombardy has been under a lockdown since March 8 and the
government had hoped to see results there first.
On March 21, Italian PM Giuseppe Conte ordered the closure of all
“non-essential” businesses in the country. However, the prime
minister did not specify which businesses would be considered essential.
Supermarkets, pharmacies, post offices and banks will remain open and public
transport will continue to run.
During a TV address to the nation, PM Conte said: “We will slow down the country’s productive engine, but we will
not stop it.”
He described the situation as “the most difficult crisis in our
post-war period”.
Despite the measures introduced so
far, the number of new cases and deaths in Italy has continued to grow.
Meanwhile, Spain’s health ministry
has reported a 32% spike in new deaths from Covid-19 with 1,326 confirmed
deaths, the second highest in Europe after Italy.
In a news conference on March 21, PM
Pedro Sánchez warned “the worst is yet to come” and that “very
difficult days lay ahead”.
The Spanish government has issued a
lockdown for some 46 million people who are only allowed to leave their homes
for essential work, food shopping, medical reasons or to walk the dog.
Global cases pass 300,000 with more than 13,000 deaths around the world; 92,000 people have recovered.
California governor has issued a
“stay at home” order to residents as the state tries to stem the
march of the coronavirus across the most populous US state.
Governor Gavin Newsom told residents
they should only leave their homes when necessary during the pandemic.
He earlier estimated more than half
of the 40 million people in his state would contract Covid-19 in just the next
two months.
Speaking from the state’s emergency operations centre in Sacramento – a
place that is normally used to coordinate the response to wildfires or
earthquakes – Governor Newsom called on people here to only leave their homes
if it was absolutely necessary, to get food, collect medicines, or care for a
friend or relative.
Citing
a model that state planners here have been using, the governor predicted that
more than half of California’s population will contract the virus over the
course of the next eight weeks – a staggering total of around 25 million
people.
Governor Newsom said that cases of the virus were doubling every four hours
in some areas, and – based on projections – nearly 20,000 more hospital beds
would be needed to deal with the effects of the outbreak than the state could
currently provide.
The virus has claimed 205 lives in the US and infected more
than 14,000.
Globally nearly 250,000 patients
have tested positive for the respiratory illness and more than 10,000 have
died.
Governor Newsom said on March 19: “This is a moment we need to make tough
decisions. We need to recognize reality.”
California is among the first states
to bring in blanket restrictions. Earlier this week Nevada said non-essential
businesses should close for 30 days.
The governor’s order will allow
residents to leave their homes to buy groceries or medicine, or walk a dog or
take exercise, but seeks to limit public interactions.
It will force businesses deemed
non-essential to close, while allowing others including grocery stores,
pharmacies, banks and petrol stations to stay open.
About half of California’s
population is already subject to similar stringent measures, including the city
of San Francisco.
Speaking at a press conference in Sacramento, Governor Newsom said the virus
“will impact about 56% of us – you do the math in the state of California,
that’s a particularly large number”.
The governor did not clarify how his officials had calculated that figure,
which would amount to nearly 22.5 million infected people.
However, his spokesman acknowledged the estimate did not take into account
the mitigation measures being implemented state-wide.
Governor Newsom is asking Congress for a billion dollars in federal funding to support California’s response to the crisis, and calling for a navy hospital ship to be deployed to the Port of Los Angeles to help deal with the anticipated surge in patients.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the global
coronavirus death toll has now exceeded 10,000.
There are 10,033 deaths from Covid-19 worldwide as of March
19.
Johns Hopkins University – which has been compiling its data
soon after the outbreak began late last year – says the number of confirmed
cases is fast approaching 250,000.
For the second day in a row, China has reported no new
domestic cases.
Meanwhile, Italy has overtaken China’s death toll with 3,405
victims.
Argentina has imposed a nationwide lockdown, the first Latin
American country to do so.
California is, nonetheless, one of the main centers of the coronavirus in
the US, and the state’s Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an order covering
virtually the entire population of 40 million people.
Speaking
from the state’s emergency operations centre in Sacramento – a place that is
normally used to coordinate the response to wildfires or earthquakes – Governor
Newsom called on people here to only leave their homes if it was absolutely
necessary, to get food, collect medicines, or care for a friend or relative.
Citing
a model that state planners here have been using, the governor predicted that
more than half of California’s population will contract the virus over the
course of the next eight weeks – a staggering total of around 25 million
people.
Governor
Newsom said that cases of the virus were doubling every four hours in some
areas, and – based on projections – nearly 20,000 more hospital beds would be
needed to deal with the effects of the outbreak than the state could currently
provide.
He
is asking Congress for a billion dollars in federal funding to support
California’s response to the crisis, and calling for a navy hospital ship to be
deployed to the Port of Los Angeles to help deal with the anticipated surge in
patients.
Ben McAdams and Mario Diaz-Balart became the first members of Congress to
test positive for the Covid-19.
The office of Congressman Ben
McAdams, a Utah Democrat, said on March 18 that he had tested positive for the
virus.
The representative said he developed
“mild cold-like symptoms” after returning from Washington DC on March
14.
Ben McAdams said he immediately
self-isolated at home, but “my symptoms got worse and I developed a fever,
a dry cough and labored breathing”.
According to the statement, his
doctor referred him on March 17 for a Covid-19 test, which came back positive
on March 18.
Ben McAdams, 45, said he would remain in self-quarantine until he had
recovered.
Mario Diaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, also announced on March 18 that he
had tested positive for coronavirus.
The 58-year-old tweeted from self-quarantine at his flat in Washington DC: “I’m feeling much better. However, it’s
important that everyone take this seriously.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has vowed the
US will achieve “total victory” over the coronavirus, describing himself
as a “wartime president”.
At a White House press conference, the president was asked by a reporter
whether he considered the country to be on a war footing in terms of fighting
the virus.
He said: “It’s a war.
“I view it as a, in a sense, a
wartime president.”
President Trump spoke as he revived a Korean War-era measure allowing the US
to ramp up production of vital medical supplies.
According to estimates, the US has more than 9,300 cases of Covid-19 and has
seen 150 deaths so far.
Globally there are some 220,000 confirmed cases and over 8,800 deaths.
President Trump has been holding daily briefings on the emergency this week
after being accused of playing down the outbreak in its early stages.
He said: “We must sacrifice
together, because we are all in this together, and we will come through
together. It’s the invisible enemy. That’s always the toughest enemy.
“But we are going to defeat the
invisible enemy. I think we are going to do it even faster than we thought, and
it’ll be a complete victory. It’ll be a total victory.”
President Trump announced he was signing the 1950 Defense Production Act,
which empowers the president to direct civilian businesses to help meet orders
for products necessary for national security.
However, the president said later on Twitter that he would only invoke the
measure “in a worst case scenario in the future”.
President Trump also described as an “absolute, total worst case
scenario” a warning by his Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, that the
pandemic could send US unemployment rocketing to 20%.
He said two US Navy hospitals ships would be pressed into service to help
alleviate an expected shortage of sick beds.
The USNS Comfort is expected to be sent to New York Harbor, though defense
officials said it is currently undergoing maintenance in Virginia.
The other vessel, USNS Mercy, is being prepared to deploy to a location on
the West Coast.
During the press conference,
President Trump again rejected suggestions that his use of the term
“Chinese virus” to describe Covid-19 was racist.
The US-Canada border, the world’s
longest, was effectively closed, except for essential travel and commerce.
President Trump also announced a new
crackdown on immigrants or asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border.
The president said his administration would invoke a statute that allows people to be blocked in order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
All 50 states in the US have been
hit by the deadly coronavirus as West Virginia reported its first case of the
infection on March 17.
Announcing the state’s first
Covid-19 patient, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said: “We knew this was coming.”
So far, there are 108 deaths in the
US from coronavirus and more than 6,300 confirmed cases nationwide.
Globally, there are 217,325 cases and
8,917 people have died as of March 18.
As the Trump administration seeks a $1
trillion stimulus package, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reportedly warned
Republican senators privately on March 17 that if Congress failed to act, US
unemployment could hit 20% – almost double the jobless rate during the Great
Recession after the 2008 financial crisis.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would decide within two days whether to
order the city’s 8.5 million residents to “shelter in place”.
Such a move could largely confine people to their homes, while allowing them
to make necessary trips to buy groceries or medicine, walk a dog or exercise as
long as they avoid public interaction.
The mayor said: “It’s a very,
very difficult decision.
“We’ve never been here before. I
have never heard of anything like this in the history of New York City.”
However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has suggested he would reject such a
plan.
Meanwhile, officials in the San Francisco Bay area have already ordered 6.7 million residents to stay home for all but the most crucial outings until April 7.
Governments from around the world have asked people to stay at home to help preventing and slowing down the spread of coronavirus.
Self-isolating means cutting
yourself off from the rest of the world.
From now on, if one person in a
household starts to display flu-like symptoms – defined as a fever of above 100F
(37.8C) or a persistent cough – everyone living there must stay at home for 14
days.
The person with the symptoms should stay in a well-ventilated room with a
window that can be opened, and keep away from other people in the home.
They should ask for help for groceries, other shopping or medication, which
can be dropped off on the doorstep by friends, family or delivery drivers.
The Covid-19 disease can cause a fever, cough and breathing problems. It
takes five days on average for people to start showing the symptoms.
What if someone self-isolating shares a home?
If someone is self-isolating and shares a kitchen, they should try to avoid
using it when other people are there and take meals back to their room to eat.
Clean all the surfaces at home with household cleaning products daily.
Although they might not be able to entirely separate themselves from family
members or flat-mates, the advice is to limit contact as much as possible.
If possible, stay at least 6ft from other people they live with and sleep
alone. Keep away from vulnerable people.
People living with someone in isolation should wash their hands often, using
soap and water for at least 20 seconds – especially after coming into contact
with them.
Other people shouldn’t share towels, toiletries or other household items
with someone in isolation, who should have a separate bathroom. If that is not
possible, the isolated person should use the bathroom last, cleaning it
thoroughly afterwards if they are able.
Any rubbish that the isolated person has been in contact with should be double-bagged and kept.
France has ordered the closure of all
non-essential places used by the public from March 14 midnight as the
coronavirus outbreak spreads.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the number of people in intensive care
was growing and earlier guidelines for the public were being ignored.
The measure applies to restaurants,
cafes, cinemas and nightclubs as well as non-essential businesses.
It would not, the prime minister
said, affect essential businesses which he listed as food shops, chemists,
banks, tobacco shops and petrol stations.
Edouard Philippe also asked people
to reduce their travel, especially between towns.
“The best way to slow down the epidemic is social
distancing,” he said.
“I say this gravely – we must all together show greater
discipline in the application of these measures,” the prime minister added.
However, local elections due on
March 15 would also still go ahead, he said. Religious buildings would remain
open but gatherings and ceremonies should be postponed.
France reported a sharp rise in
cases on March 14, from 3,661 to 4,499. It recorded 12 more deaths, bringing
the toll to 79.
Meanwhile, Spain has confirmed a 15-day lockdown as part of emergency
measures.
There will also be a reduction in
medium-distance rail traffic to stem the spread of people around the country,
and economic measures to support businesses and workers.
After a lengthy meeting of the
country’s government cabinet, Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said a partial lockdown
would be in place across the country, with the armed forces on standby to
assist with relief efforts.
All stores will be forced to close,
except for those selling food and other basic necessities.
Pedro Sánchez said the state of
emergency could be extended with congressional approval.
Authorities recorded 1,800 more
cases since March 13 – many in the capital Madrid.
This will be the second state of
emergency in the country since the transition to democracy began in 1975, the
first being a 2010 air traffic controllers’ strike.
With 191 deaths and 6,046 infections, Spain is the worst-hit European
country after Italy.
Rome declared a nationwide lockdown on March 16. More than 1,440 people have
died in Italy.
Meanwhile, the US is extending its
European coronavirus travel ban to include the UK and Republic of Ireland. The
ban will begin at midnight EST on March 16, VP Mike Pence announced.
On March 13, the World Health
Organization (WHO) said Europe was now the “epicenter” of the pandemic.
The WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urged countries to use aggressive measures, community mobilization and social distancing to save lives.
President Donald Trump has announced travel
restrictions on 26 European countries in a bid to combat the spread of the
coronavirus.
The travel ban applies to travelers from countries which are members of the
Schengen border-free travel area.
The UK, Ireland and other non-Schengen countries (e.g. Bulgaria, Croatia and
Romania) are unaffected. US citizens are also exempt.
The European Union condemned the measures, which it said were taken
“unilaterally and without consultation”.
The new rules go into effect on March 13 at midnight EDT and mark a major
escalation from President Trump, who has been accused of inaction over
coronavirus.
There are 1,135 confirmed cases of the virus across the US, with 38 deaths
so far.
President Trump said: “This is
the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in
modern history.”
Justifying the travel restrictions, Donald Trump accused the EU of failing
to take “the same precautions” as the US in fighting the virus.
The president’s speech said all travel from Europe would be suspended but a
presidential proclamation later said it would only apply to anyone who had been
in the EU’s Schengen border-free area in the 14 days before their arrival in
the US.
President Trump also said the suspension would also apply to cargo coming
from Europe into the US. He later tweeted to say that trade would “in no
way be affected”.
The speech included plans to provide billions of dollars in loans to small
businesses and the president urged Congress to free up more funds.
He said for most Americans the risk was “very, very low” adding
“no nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United
States”.
In its response, the EU said the coronavirus was “a global crisis, not
limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral
action.
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and European Council
President Charles Michel said in a statement: “The EU disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a
travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation.”
Senior Democrats said it was “alarming” that President Trump did
not address a shortage of coronavirus testing kits in the US.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in
a statement: “The best way to help
keep the American people safe and ensure their economic security is for the
president to focus on fighting the spread of the coronavirus itself.”
On the travel ban, Lawrence Gostin, a public health expert at Georgetown
University, tweeted: “Most of Europe
is as safe as US. This will have no impact on US … germs don’t respect
borders.”
Concern over the coronavirus outbreak rose after a number of new cases were
confirmed earlier this month.
Containment efforts have begun in earnest. Troops have been deployed to New
Rochelle, just north of NYC, where one outbreak is believed to have originated.
The National Guard will deliver food to some individuals who have been told
to self-isolate there.
The governor of Washington state has
also banned large gatherings in several counties. The north-western state is
the focal point of the outbreak in the US, accounting for 24 of at least 38
deaths across the country.
In an unprecedented move, the NBA
announced that it would suspend the season after the March 11 games. The
decision came after one player for the Utah Jazz tested positive for the virus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, told Congress that the outbreak is “going to get worse”,
and that depended on the ability to contain those infected.
High medical costs make the virus particularly problematic – many Americans
avoid visiting their doctor because of unaffordable charges. A lack of paid
sick leave is another concern, as are fears about the number of available
tests.
Vice-President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the task force co-ordinating the response to the crisis, has said that “any American can be tested, no restrictions, subject to doctor’s orders”, and that insurers had promised to offset the charges.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled
the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic.
WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the number of cases outside
China had increased 13-fold over the past two weeks.
A pandemic is a disease that is spreading in multiple countries around the
world at the same time.
However, the WHO chief said that calling the outbreak a pandemic did not
mean it was changing its advice about what countries should do.
Dr. Tedros called on governments to change the course of the outbreak by
taking “urgent and aggressive action”.
He said: “Several countries have
demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled.
“The challenge for many countries
who are now dealing with large clusters or community transmission is not
whether they can do the same – it’s whether they will.”
Governments had to “strike a fine balance between protecting health,
minimizing disruption and respecting human rights”.
He added: “We’re in this together
to do the right things with calm and protect the citizens of the world. It’s
doable.”
Earlier, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that up to 70% of the
country’s population – some 58 million people – could contract the coronavirus.
Angela Merkel said since there was no known cure, the focus would fall on
slowing the spread of the virus.
Some German virologists dispute the high figure. Former federal government adviser
on disease control, Prof. Alexander Kekulé, told German media he saw a worst
case scenario of 40,000 cases.
The number of confirmed cases in Germany has risen to 1,567 from 1,296, the
Koch institute for infectious diseases said.
In Italy, where there are 12,447 confirmed cases, PM Giuseppe Conte has
announced the closure of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues
across the country.
On March 11, Italian health officials said the death toll there had risen to
827 from 631. Nearly 900 people with the virus in Italy were in intensive care,
the WHO’s emergencies head Michael Ryan said.
Dr. Ryan said the situation in Iran – where there were 354 deaths among
9,000 cases – was “very serious”. The WHO had sent 40,000 testing
kits to Iran but there was still a shortage of ventilators and oxygen.
He said: “Iran and Italy are
suffering now but I guarantee you other countries will be in that situation
very soon.”
France said there had been 48 deaths in the country, an increase of 15 from
March 10. There are 2,281 confirmed cases. Coronavirus-linked restrictions have
been extended to two more areas, France’s health minister said.
In the western US, Washington state is banning some large gatherings in
certain areas and has told all school districts to prepare for possible
closures in the coming days. The governor of Seattle’s King County said he
expected a serious coronavirus outbreak within weeks.
In the eastern US, New York’s governor announced that troops would be sent
into New Rochelle, in an attempt to contain an outbreak of the virus, as the
total number of US cases passed 1,000 on March 11.
A one-mile containment zone was in force around the town north of Manhattan.
Some individuals have been quarantined.
A number of countries have imposed sweeping travel restrictions. India has
suspended most visas for foreigners until April 15. Guatemala is banning
European citizens from entering from March 12.
Music festivals and other major events in the US, including Coachella
festival in California, have been canceled or postponed. The E3 gaming show set
for Los Angeles in June is among those canceled.
Thousands of flights have been canceled worldwide as airlines struggle to
cope with a slump in demand.
UK health minister Nadine Dorries announced she had tested positive for
coronavirus and was self-isolating at home.
Several countries – including Sweden and Bulgaria, as well as the Republic
of Ireland – have recorded their first deaths, while the number of confirmed
cases in Qatar jumped from 24 to 262.
China – where the virus was first detected – has seen a total of 80,754
confirmed cases and 3,136 deaths. However, China recorded its lowest number of
new infections, just 19, on March 10.
Coronavirus has been seen in more than 30 countries. The newly
discovered virus can spread from person to person and health officials
recommend simple steps to avoid becoming infected.
So, how can you prevent spreading or catching a virus?
Avoid touching your
face, your mouth, your nose and your eyes as this is a possible route of the
virus to enter and cause infection.
If you cough or sneeze and you don’t put your hand to your mouth and you touch surfaces, the virus can survive for several hours outside the body.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
So it’s important that you wash your hands effectively.
How to wash your hands:
take some soap
create a lather
clean the back of your hands and in between your fingers, the end of your fingers, your thumb (germs are present around nail area and on the back of the hands). Again, your palms. Your wrist and the top of your hand again.
rinse the soap off with water
turn off the tap with a tissue to prevent cross-contamination
The Italian government is considering closing schools and
universities until mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak, local media
reports say.
The plan to close schools and universities across the country until mid-March
was reportedly discussed at a government meeting focusing on the introduction
of emergency measures for tackling the spread of coronavirus.
Responding
to the reports, Italian Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said that the
decision – reported by the Italian news agency Ansa and several local outlets –
had not yet been taken but would be decided “in the next few hours”.
Earlier officials reported a jump in cases and deaths from the virus.
Italy has reported a 50% jump in deaths in the past 24 hours, with the total
standing at 79. Most of the deaths are in Lombardy.
Meanwhile, World Bank announces $12 billion aid package for
developing countries struggling with the virus.
The emergency package includes low-cost loans, grants and technical
assistance.
The action comes as leaders around the world pledge to shield their
countries from the economic impact of the outbreak.
It follows warnings that slowdown from the outbreak could tip countries into
recession.
The aid is intended to help countries improve their public health response
to the crisis, as well as work with the private sector to reduce the economic
impact.
Authorities have confirmed more than 92,000 cases of the virus worldwide of which more than 80,000 are in China. More than 3,000 people have died globally, the vast majority in China.
The world should do more to prepare for a
possible coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
However, the WHO said it was too early to call the outbreak a pandemic but
countries should be “in a phase of preparedness”.
A pandemic is when an infectious disease spreads easily from person to
person in many parts of the world.
More cases of respiratory disease Covid-19 continue to emerge with outbreaks
in South Korea, Italy and Iran causing concern.
However, most infections are in China, the original source of the virus,
where 77,000 people have the disease and nearly 2,600 have died. The number of
new cases there is now falling.
More than 1,200 cases have been confirmed in about 30 other countries and
there have been more than 20 deaths. Italy reported four more deaths on
February 24, raising the total there to seven.
Worldwide stock markets saw sharp falls because of concerns about the
economic impact of the virus.
China said it would postpone the annual meeting of the National People’s
Congress in March, to “continue the efforts” against the coronavirus.
The meeting, which approves decisions made by the Communist Party, has taken
place every year since 1978.
The proportion of infected people who die from Covid-19 appears to be
between 1% and 2%, although the WHO cautions that the mortality rate is not
known yet.
On February 24, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain reported their
first cases, all involving people who had come from Iran. Officials in Bahrain
said the patient infected there was a school bus driver, and several schools
had been closed as a result.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief of the WHO, told reporters on February 24
that the number of new cases in recent days in Iran, Italy and South Korea was
“deeply concerning”.
However he added: “For the moment
we are not witnessing the uncontained global spread of this virus and we are
not witnessing large scale severe disease or deaths.
“Does this virus have pandemic potential?
Absolutely, it has. Are we there yet? From our assessment, not yet.”
“The key message that should give
all countries hope, courage and confidence is that this virus can be contained,
indeed there are many countries that have done exactly that,” he added.
“Using the word ‘pandemic’ now
does not fit the facts but may certainly cause fear.”
However, Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies program, said now was
the time to make “do everything you would do to prepare for a
pandemic”.
Passengers who tested negative for
the new coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship have begun leaving the
quarantined vessel in Japan amid heavy criticism over the country’s handling of
the outbreak.
According to a Japanese health
expert who visited the cruise ship at the port in Yokohama, the situation on
board was “completely chaotic”.
US officials said moves to contain
the coronavirus “may not have been sufficient”.
Passengers have described the
difficult quarantine situation on the cruise ship.
According to recent reports, at least
542 passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess have so far been infected by
the Covid-19 virus – the biggest cluster outside mainland China.
The Diamond Princess was carrying
3,700 people in total.
Meanwhile, several nations have
evacuated their citizens from the vessel as the number of confirmed cases
continues to rise.
On January 16, hundreds of American passengers were removed and placed in
quarantine.
The US, the UK, Canada and Australia will place all those released from the
Diamond Princess in another 14 days’ quarantine when they return home.
However, several experts have questioned the effectiveness of the quarantine
measures on the Diamond Princess.
Japan’s Kentaro Iwata, professor at the infectious diseases division of Kobe
University, described the situation on board as “completely inadequate in
terms of infection control”.
After visiting the ship, Prof. Kentaro Iwata posted a video to YouTube
stating that the quarantine measures he witnessed failed to separate the
infected from the healthy.
The professor reported:
Passengers and crew members were moving freely between the green zone, which is supposedly infection-free, and the virus-hit red zone;
People were eating together and sharing living quarters;
A failure to wear protective clothing, including among medical staff
No professional infection control specialist on board.
Prof. Iwata said he was more afraid of catching the virus on board than he had been working in the field in Africa during the Ebola epidemic and in China during the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak.
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