Sunday 29 March 2020

World Coronavirus Dispatch: Iran sees Covid-19 scare lasting 1-2 years

From a prisoners’ riot in Thailand to Iran’s fears and China’s comfort – here’s a digest of international reports on Covid-19 to bring you up to speed with what’s happening around the world
Medical staff of the Intensive Care Unit of the Casalpalocco COVID-19 Clinic in the outskirts of Rome tend to patients. Photo: PTI
Europe is botched up, with deaths and new coronavirus cases continuing to rise. Spain on Sunday recorded 838 fatalities, bringing its toll to 6,528 – second only to Italy, which had on Friday confirmed a one-day record of 969. The US, too, seems far from recovery. The number of cases in that country climbed to 8,238 overnight. President Donald Trump has said he is considering putting the New York region under quarantine, along with New Jersey and Connecticut. Meanwhile, South Africa, the epicentre of the virus spread in the continent, is now under a lockdown. Most of the 59 million people in the country will self-isolate for the coming three weeks. Also, New Zealand has reported its first coronavirus death.
Let’s take a look at the global statistics (at 10 pm IST on March 29):
Total confirmed cases: 685,623
Change over the previous day: 39,266
Total deaths: 32,137
Total recovered: 149,215
Nations with most cases: US (125,313), Italy (92,472), China (82,122), Spain (78,797), and Germany (58,247)


Prisoners’ riot in Thailand: On Sunday, prisoners at a facility in northern Thailand rioted and set on fire parts of the complex over concerns that they might catch the coronavirus due to proximity with inmates. The prison houses 2,000. Read more here. Outbreak could last 1-2 years: Iran, which has seen its death toll rise sharply to 2,640, might not see complete recovery from the coronavirus anytime soon. President Hassan Rouhani said the spread of coronavirus had slowed in some provinces, “but the country may have to learn to live with the disease for one or two years”. Read more here. No domestic transmission in China: The national health ministry of China, where the coronavirus originated, has said that “domestic transmission has basically been stopped”. There were only 45 new cases reported on Saturday, down from 54 the previous day. Parts of Wuhan, where the virus originated, have also been opened for travel. Read more here

No comments:

14th BRICS summit to review current global issues, reach key agreements

  At the   14th BRICS summit   which is to be hosted by China in a virtual mode on 23-24 June, the member nations will review the current gl...