According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of people infected with the coronavirus worldwide has exceeded 3 million; more than 200,000 people have died from this infection.
Speaking outside his Downing Street residence in London, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stressed that the country was nearing the peak of the outbreak and urged people not to lose patience and to comply with strict isolation measures.
Johnson, who recently recovered from the coronavirus and returned from the hospital, reiterated that the government has no intention of easing the strict quarantine measures at this time, but promised to announce a plan for further action in the coming days.
“We are beginning to reverse the course of the epidemic,” the Prime Minister reassured, promising that in the coming days, hospitals will resume admitting patients who have had to postpone scheduled procedures and doctor visits due to the epidemic. This is especially true for patients whose lives and health are at risk.
According to the latest data from the UK, another 360 people have died from coronavirus in the last day, bringing the total to 21,092. Among the deceased are 82 health care workers and 16 social service workers, all of whom died in hospitals. The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK does not include people who died at home, in residential care or nursing homes.
Meanwhile, the National Health Service has issued an urgent warning to therapists: in the past three weeks, the number of children admitted to hospitals with unusual inflammation has risen sharply. “There is growing concern that children in the UK are developing a new Covid-19-related inflammatory syndrome, or that it may be another unidentified pathogen,” says the alert sent to doctors. The syndrome can be so severe that children are admitted to intensive care. Therapists are urged to report any child with similar symptoms.
Several countries continue to ease quarantine measures. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday that the country has successfully controlled the spread of the coronavirus. “In New Zealand today, there is no mass untraced spread of the virus. We have won that battle,” she said. Ardern noted that this result was achieved thanks to the coordinated actions of citizens. Strict quarantine measures were put in place in New Zealand early on, when there were only a few dozen infected people in the country.
Jacinda Ardern’s government was praised for its early implementation of quarantine measures. On March 26, beaches, offices and schools were closed. Restaurants and cafes were not even open for takeout. Experts also note that New Zealand’s geographic location helped in the fight against the virus. The island nation was able to easily close its borders and control immigration. On Monday, the country moved from the fourth level of quarantine to the third. This means that most businesses will be able to return to work. However, New Zealanders will still need to follow the rules of social distancing, and children will not be able to return to school yet.
“Quarantine measures are in effect in Great Britain for the seventh week.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work Monday. He stated that Britain is beginning to win the coronavirus epidemic. However, the Prime Minister warned of the risk of prematurely easing quarantine conditions, which could lead to a second wave of the virus epidemic. The Prime Minister called for patience from entrepreneurs who are losing money due to the closure of many companies, especially in the service sector. According to him, the second wave of the epidemic would be a disaster for the economy. In late March, Johnson was diagnosed with coronavirus. He spent a week in St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, including three nights in intensive care. The prime minister of Italy, where the coronavirus has killed more people than any other European country, released a detailed plan Monday for exiting quarantine.
The Prime Minister of Italy announced a plan to end the quarantine. From May 4, Italians will be allowed to visit their relatives, but only with masks and under the condition of respecting the social distance rule. The government will allow the opening of parks in the cities, but the final decision will rest with the mayors. Religious ceremonies will still be banned, but funerals will be allowed. Starting June 1, bars and restaurants will open in the country, but with certain restrictions. Customers must keep a distance of one meter and tables must be two meters apart. Staff must wear masks and gloves. In addition, hair and beauty salons will open on June 1. The plan presented by Giuseppe Conti does not mention the opening of nightclubs, theaters and bookmakers.
In Germany, 5,750 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic, far fewer than in Italy, Spain, France or the United States. As of Monday, residents of all 16 German states must wear masks in public places and on public transportation. Different countries have different rules about wearing masks. In Berlin, for example, it is possible to go into shops without a mask. Bavaria has the strictest rules. The talk is not about medical masks. You may wear any mask that covers your mouth and nose. A homemade cloth mask is also acceptable. In Germany, 5750 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic, far fewer than in Italy, Spain, France or the USA.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the European Union’s statement that Chinese government agents are conducting disinformation campaigns about the coronavirus on social networks. Ministry representative General Shuang said at Monday’s briefing that China opposes the spread of misinformation by individuals or institutions. Earlier, the European Union published a report on disinformation in the global media, which found that the authorities of certain countries contribute to the spread of fake news. Reuters later published correspondence suggesting that Beijing had tried to prevent the report’s publication, but an EU official denied that on Monday.