The World Health Organization states that the epidemiological situation in the world is worsening. The United Kingdom lifts mandatory quarantine for most arrivals. The tourism industry in Spain is concerned that mandatory masks will deter tourists. The latest news about the Covid-19 pandemic is in the daily selection of the Russian service of the BBC.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the coronavirus pandemic is not under control in most countries and the situation is worsening. He noted that the number of cases worldwide has doubled in the past six weeks. In the world’s most affected and populous countries – the U.S., Brazil and India – the pandemic shows no signs of slowing, Gebreesus said. He also noted that the success of different countries in combating Covid-19 is not necessarily related to the development of their healthcare systems: “The virus has caused colossal damage to the healthcare systems of some of the richest countries in the world, while countries with very modest capabilities are successfully managing the situation. According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of people infected worldwide now stands at nearly 12.3 million, with 555.4 thousand deaths. At the same time, 6.7 million people have recovered.
In the United Kingdom, a two-week quarantine for arrivals from 75 countries was lifted on Friday. The decision to impose mandatory self-isolation for anyone crossing the British border was made in late May and came into effect on June 8. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. Episodes End of story: Podcast Advertising. However, after French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to London, Boris Johnson’s government promised to look into the possibility of creating so-called air bridges with a number of countries. Most European countries, British overseas territories, Australia, Canada, Japan, and others made the “visa-free” list. The only post-Soviet country to make the list was Lithuania, while restrictions remain for other states, including Russia. Scotland maintains the quarantine rule for countries where the infection transmission rate exceeds the Scottish indicators. One such country is Spain, where approximately 330 people per 100,000 are infected, compared to 28 people in Scotland. As of Friday, wearing masks in shops is also mandatory in Scotland. There is no such requirement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In addition, the governments of several countries are warning their citizens not to visit Great Britain, the country most affected by Covid-19 in Europe: 289,000 infections, 44.6 thousand deaths.
In Russia, 6635 new cases of Covid-19 infection have been identified in the last 24 hours, and 174 people have died. On Friday, Rosstat published statistics according to which 18,375 more people died in the country in May this year than in any month last year. Of these, 7444 deaths are directly related to the coronavirus. According to the Russian authorities, since the beginning of the pandemic in Russia, 713.9 thousand people have been infected with Covid-19, and more than 11 thousand have died. In Ireland, the R value (the average number of people infected by one person) has returned to above 1.0. This indicator is recognized worldwide as one of the most important criteria for assessing the epidemiological situation in a given country. A value below one is considered favorable. Six people have died from coronavirus in Ireland in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 1743. The country’s authorities say they are ready to tighten security once again.
Authorities in several popular tourist regions of Spain are being urged to lift the mask requirement for beachgoers. On Friday, the Business Association of the Balearic Islands announced that the mandatory wearing of masks in public will discourage the tourists that Spain needs to at least partially overcome the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. The Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca, and others, as well as the region of Catalonia, are the most touristy areas of Spain. Recently, everyone except children under the age of six was required to wear masks on the streets and in public places. The fine for violation is 100 euros. However, under pressure from tourism industry lobbyists, the government may waive this rule for beachgoers and those engaged in outdoor physical activity. Latin America remains one of the regions of the world where the coronavirus is actively spreading. Four countries on the continent (Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico) are among the top ten countries with the highest number of infected individuals.
In Mexico, the pandemic has exacerbated poverty. This is a line for free food in Mexico City. Brazil ranks second in the world in terms of morbidity and mortality, with 1,755.7 thousand and 69.1 thousand, respectively. The incumbent president of Bolivia, Jeanine Añez, has been diagnosed with a coronavirus. She announced that she is feeling well, but will go into self-isolation for 14 days. Since the epidemic began in Bolivia, at least seven government ministers, including the Minister of Health, have fallen ill. All are either under medical observation or recovering at home. Bolivia is one of the countries with the worst statistics in terms of per capita infection rates: more than 42,000 infected and 1,638 deaths. Áñez is the second leader of a Latin American country to be infected with Covid-19. Previously, the virus was detected in the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. Rwandan police have arrested four people who escaped from a special center for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. The center is located on the grounds of a school in one of the eastern regions of the country. The fugitives were searched for about 24 hours. The police released their photos, and soon residents of a nearby settlement reported seeing the fugitives. Authorities are now tracking the circle of people the Covid-19 carriers have been able to contact.
Hospitals in South Africa are overwhelmed and large military tents are being used as temporary hospitals. During the epidemic in Rwanda, 1210 people fell ill and only two people died, according to official figures. Authorities in many African countries have tightened control of the situation as infection and mortality statistics on the continent began to rise rapidly. The situation is worst in South Africa, where more than 13.5 thousand new cases were detected in one day. This is the highest daily figure during the entire spread of the virus. However, the country’s authorities note that the largest number of tests were conducted in the past day. The epicenter of the epidemic became the province of Gauteng, where almost half of the new cases were detected. On Friday, Covid-19 was also diagnosed in the premier of the province. Since the beginning of the epidemic, 238.3 thousand people have been infected in South Africa, and 3720 patients have died. Iran reports 2262 new cases of Covid-19 detected in the past day, with 142 deaths. According to the Ministry of Health, there are currently 3319 critically ill patients in Iranian hospitals. Several provinces have declared a “red” level of epidemiological threat, and residents of other regions are advised not to visit infected areas. According to Johns Hopkins University, 252.7 thousand people have been infected in Iran since the beginning of the epidemic, and 12.4 thousand have died. The Hong Kong Education Bureau has announced that all secondary schools will be closed as of Monday due to a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases.
International schools in Hong Kong have already begun their summer vacation. And most schools in the so-called Asian cluster, where education is based on the Chinese Secondary Education Program, have been closed since January. These are several schools that have decided to continue face-to-face learning after a survey of parents and students in February revealed that many students find it difficult to learn online for a variety of reasons. According to the survey results, 70% of students from low-income families do not have a computer at home and 28% do not have Internet access. On July 10, Hong Kong reported 38 new cases of coronavirus, 32 of which were due to transmission among residents of the territory.