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HEALTH-VIRUS-ASIA
Asia steps up virus efforts as second wave of infections strikes
HONG KONG, March 22, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – From Australia’s Bondi Beach to the
streets of New Delhi, authorities across Asia ramped up efforts this weekend
to stem the coronavirus amid fears of a second wave of infections in places
where outbreaks had appeared under control.
Tighter travel restrictions were imposed in several countries while
Malaysia deployed its army to enforce a lockdown as the number of cases in
the region soared past 95,000 — a third of the world’s infections, an AFP
tally shows.
Outside China — where the virus was first detected in December and
infected more than 80,000 people — South Korea is the hardest-hit country in
Asia with over 8,500 cases.
While the number of infections in China has been falling for weeks, other
countries are seeing the toll gather pace as the highly contagious virus
takes hold.
Cases rose by roughly a third in Thailand overnight to nearly 600, fueling
scepticism about claims in neighbouring Myanmar and Laos of zero infections.
Three doctors treating virus patients in Indonesia died, taking the
country’s death toll to 48 with 514 confirmed infections.
Most cases are in the capital of Jakarta where businesses have been ordered
to close for two weeks.
After shutting its borders to foreigners and non-residents, Australia has
told citizens to cancel their domestic travel plans too as the number of
cases topped 1,300.
Bondi Beach and several other popular swimming spots were shut to the
public after crowds of sunbathers defied a ban on large outdoor gatherings.
Pubs, casinos, cinemas and places of worship will be shuttered for up to
six months from Monday.
Pakistan suspended international flights in a desperate bid to prevent the
virus spreading in a country with more than 300 reported cases.
Millions of people in India were in lockdown Sunday as the government tests
the country’s ability to fight the pandemic that has killed nearly 13,000
worldwide.
Testing also has been expanded in the country of 1.3 billion people amid
concerns that the more than 320 reported cases vastly understate the true
scale of the health crisis.
– Second wave –
The World Health Organization has called for “aggressive” action in
Southeast Asia amid fears a major outbreak of the virus could cause some
decrepit health care systems in the region to collapse.
In places where outbreaks appeared to have been brought under control,
authorities are now dealing with a second wave of infections as people return
from abroad.
Singapore is banning all short-term visitors to the densely populated city-
state after a surge of imported cases took its total to 432 — including its
first two deaths on Saturday.
In Hong Kong, where the worst had appeared to be over, the number of cases
has nearly doubled in the past week as more people fly back to the financial
hub.
Infections in Malaysia hit 1,306 — more than half linked to an
international Islamic gathering held last month, with attendees later
returning to Singapore and Indonesia with the virus.
Prison guards opened fire on inmates in Sri Lanka’s north after they tried
to break out in protest over a ban on family visits to prevent the spread of
the virus.
Two convicts were killed and six others wounded.
Papua New Guinea, which has one confirmed infection, declared a 30-day
state of emergency and halted domestic flights and public transport for two
weeks.
Guam, which has 15 cases, confirmed a 68-year-old woman had died of COVID-
19 — the first virus-related death in the Pacific.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1747 hrs