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HEALTH-VIRUS
Quarter of Italians on lockdown as virus sweeps globe
ROME, March 9, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – A quarter of Italy’s population was in
lockdown Sunday as the government announced a spike in deaths, with
infections soaring past 7,000, overtaking South Korea as the country with the
highest number of cases after China.
Italy’s COVID-19 death count nearly tripled from 133 to 366 and infections
rose by a single-day record from 1,492 to 7,375.
The outbreak has now killed nearly 3,792 people and infected more than
109,000 in 99 countries and territories.
Italy’s measures, in place until April 3, bar people from entering or
leaving vast areas of the north, according to a decree published online.
Sunday saw Rome forced to close its blockbuster exhibition marking 500 years
since the death of Renaissance master Raphael.
The head of the southern Puglia region pleaded with anyone thinking of
travelling there from areas in lockdown to “stop and turn around … Don’t
bring the epidemic to Puglia.”
The lockdown, however, does allow for the return home of those who were in
the affected areas but live elsewhere, including tourists.
Football matches also took place behind closed doors — Italian
Footballers’ Association president Damiano Tommasi tweeted that “stopping
football is the most useful thing for our country right now” as “the teams to
cheer are playing in our hospitals, in emergency rooms.”
Germany, with some 850 declared cases to date, Sunday banned gatherings of
more than 1,000 people, as did France, where 19 have now died. Greece
indicated it would follow the closed door approach to sporting events.
Neighbours Austria and Switzerland said they were monitoring the situation
closely with both announcing the suspension of some transport links — though
borders remain open.
Italy’s quarantine zones are home to more than 15 million people and
include the regions around Venice and financial capital Milan.
A further ramification of the virus saw inmates revolt at four Italian
prisons over new rules introduced to contain the outbreak, including a ban on
family visits, prison officers union Osapp said.
– ‘Bold, courageous’ –
The World Health Organization praised Italy for its “bold, courageous
steps”, according to a tweet by its boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Pope Francis expressed solidarity with the virus victims in his first
livestreamed prayer and message from the Vatican.
“I join my brother bishops in encouraging the faithful to live this
difficult moment with the strength of faith, the certainty of hope and the
fervour of charity,” he said.
– Air and sea –
Iran earlier reported 49 new deaths, its highest toll for a single 24-hour
period, taking the number of fatalities there to 194, one of the highest
tolls outside of China. The virus has spread to all of Iran’s 31 provinces
with 6,566 confirmed cases.
Iran Air announced the suspension of all its flights to Europe until
further notice.
Egypt reported a first confirmed death — also Africa’s first — with the
health ministry saying a German citizen had died in a tourist resort.
In the US, the contagion has spread to 30 states, killing at least 19
people.
Passengers on the US cruise ship Grand Princess, on which 21 of the 3,533
on board tested positive for the disease, will remain confined to their
cabins in waters off San Francisco until Monday, when the vessel is due to
dock in Oakland.
Another cruise ship, the Costa Fortuna, with around 2,000 aboard, was
turned away by Malaysia and Thailand, an official said.
– ‘Sombre moment’ –
A report from the UN Conference on Trade, Investment and Development
(UNCTAD) meanwhile warned that the virus spread could hit foreign direct
investments worldwide by as much as 15 percent as international business
reels.
In Russia, where 17 cases have been reported to date, authorities warned
Moscow residents that anyone not respecting quarantine measures risked five
years jail if such a violation resulted in a death.
South Korea currently has some 7,313 cases, and Sunday said its rate of
infection was slowing.
And in China itself, the number of new cases reported Sunday was the
lowest in weeks, with nearly all 44 of them in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei
province and epicentre of the outbreak.
The only infections in China beyond Hubei were imported from abroad,
including arrivals from Italy and Spain in Beijing.
Authorities said on Sunday that at least 10 people had died in the
collapse of a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine facility in Quanzhou, in
eastern China.
Stock markets in the energy-dependent Gulf region plunged to multi-year
lows Sunday after OPEC’s failure to agree oil output cuts with its allies,
especially Russia.
– Sport struck –
As well as the increasing disruption to European football, The Asian
Champions League was put on temporary hold on Sunday, while organisers of
Bahrain’s Formula 1 Grand Prix scheduled for March 22 said the race would go
ahead without spectators.
The Shanghai Grand Prix, slated for April 19, has already been postponed
although the season-opening race in Australia on March 15 is set to go ahead
as planned.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0901 hrs