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HEALTH-VIRUS
Italy virus toll leaps as global deaths pass 6,000
PARIS, March 16, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Italy on Sunday recorded its biggest
daily death toll from the novel coronavirus, which has now claimed over 6,000
lives worldwide, forcing European governments to further tighten controls.
The number of fatalities in Italy shot up by 368 to 1,809 — more than half
of all the cases recorded outside China.
The Vatican took the drastic step of cancelling Easter week celebrations as
northern Italian leaders warned they were running out of beds and artificial
respirators.
Pope Francis left Vatican City on Sunday “on foot, as if on a pilgrimage”
to pray in one of Rome’s cathedrals for victims of the coronavirus pandemic,
the Vatican said.
Across France and Spain, which have also become European virus hotspots,
cafes, shops and restaurants closed.
France had ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses, while Spain
went a step further, banning people from leaving home except to go to work,
get medical care or buy food.
Cases also spiked in Germany which will introduce border controls with
France, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Denmark from Monday.
– Chaos at US airports –
The United States imposed a travel ban on countries in Europe’s Schengen
free-movement area last week, and has since added Britain and Ireland to the
list.
The new restrictions threw airports into disarray, with passengers
complaining of massive queues as staff battled with the new entry rules and
stipulations on medical screening.
US President Donald Trump tested negative for the disease, having come into
contact with several members of a Brazilian presidential delegation who have
since tested positive.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday the impact of the pandemic
was producing a “slowdown” in the American economy, but he did not expect a
full-blown recession.
The number of officially recorded novel coronavirus cases globally stood at
163,930 with 6,420 deaths, across 141 countries and territories at 1700 GMT
Sunday, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources.
The death toll in Europe passed 2,000 on Sunday.
The disease has now hit all global regions, ripping up sporting and
cultural calendars, shaking the stock markets and businesses — particularly
airlines — and prompting often contradictory responses from governments.
– China to quarantine international travellers –
China — excluding Hong Kong and Macau — where the epidemic was declared
in late December, has to date declared 80,844 cases, for 3,199 deaths, with
66,911 people recovered.
The country declared 20 new cases and 10 new fatalities between Saturday
and Sunday, a fraction of the latest Italian figures.
China is now imposing its own crackdown on international travellers — all
will be put into quarantine on arrival — after linking most of its new
infections to those coming from abroad.
In Iran, where the overall death toll stands at 724, the world’s third-
worst toll after China and Italy, officials urged people to avoid public
gatherings.
Britain cancelled local elections and hinted that it would follow most
other affected European nations and ban mass gatherings.
On the other hand, France allowed municipal elections to go ahead on Sunday
even as officials imposed a drastic nationwide shutdown on all non-essential
businesses and promised to progressively restrict long-distance travel.
The risk from voting for the elderly was no greater “than going shopping”,
insisted Jean-Francois Delfraissy, chairman of France’s coronavirus science
council.
The French luxury group LVMH said it would begin producing sanitising hand
gel at three of its perfume and cosmetics sites in France, for distribution
to hospitals fighting the virus pandemic.
– Dutch close cannabis cafes –
The Dutch government ordered the closing of all schools, bars, restaurants,
sex clubs and cannabis cafes in a bid to fight the spread of the new
coronavirus.
Several countries have announced bans on foreigners entering their
countries.
Austria banned gatherings of more than five people on Sunday, telling
citizens to stay in unless absolutely necessary.
Norway announced it would shut ports and airports with international
connections on Saturday before retreating a day later and saying although
foreigners would be turned away the facilities would remain open.
Portugal announced it was limiting gatherings to no more than 100 people in
a bid to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The spread of the virus has spooked even those countries without
significant outbreaks. Australia and New Zealand have said that anyone
arriving from overseas must self-isolate for two weeks.
In Africa, which has been spared the worst of the disease, half a dozen
countries announced new infections over the weekend.
The announcements sparked restrictions on gatherings in Rwanda, panic-
buying in the Seychelles and furious recriminations in Zimbabwe — a country
yet to register a single case.
“Coronavirus is the work of god punishing countries who imposed sanctions
on us,” said Zimbabwe’s defence minister Oppah Muchinguri on Saturday.
Kenya unveiled a series of strict measures, blocking entry to the country
to all except citizens and residents and shutting schools as the number of
confirmed cases rose to three.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the closure from
Wednesday of the country’s borders to all foreign nationals from countries
hit badly by the outbreak.
Latin America has also recorded only small clusters of infections, but
Colombia shut its border with Venezuela over a rise in cases there.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1001 hrs