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Saturday, April 18, 2020, 17:29
New infections in Germany rise by the most in 7 days
By Agencies
Saturday, April 18, 2020, 17:29 By Agencies

A banner from the city of Berlin advises residents on the coronavirus pandemic on April 17, 2020, on Kurfürstendamm Avenue in Berlin, Germany. (PHOTO / BLOOMBERG)

NEW YORK / MONROVIA / TUNIS / MINSK / DUBLIN / KHARTOUM / WARSAW / PARIS / MOGADISHU / MEXICO CITY — Global COVID-19 deaths surpassed 150,000 on Friday afternoon, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

A total of 150,948 people have died of the disease as of 3:30 pm (1930 GMT) among 2,214,861 cases worldwide, the CSSE data showed.

The United States suffered the most fatalities at 34,575 as its total cases topped 683,000. Italy recorded 22,745 deaths and Spain reported 19,613 deaths. France and the United Kingdom also reported over 10,000 deaths, according to the CSSE.

Germany

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased at a quicker rate for a third day and by the most in seven days as the nation prepares for a relaxation of some restrictions on public life.

There were 3,699 new infections in the 24 hours through Saturday, taking the total to 141,397, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The pace of increase in new cases had declined steadily for six days until Thursday from a peak of 5,633 on April 9.

The number of German fatalities rose by 300 to 4,352, while 83,114 people have recovered from the disease.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday announced tentative steps to begin returning Europe’s biggest economy to normal, while leaving most of the restrictive measures brought in last month in place for the time being. Some smaller shops will be allowed to start serving customers again next week, and schools will gradually reopen in early May.

Merkel has singled out the reproduction factor -- known by epidemiologists as R-naught -- as an important means of gauging how successful countries have been at keeping the virus in check.

Germany’s latest R0 was unchanged at 0.7 as of Friday, according to a daily situation report from the country’s public health authority. This means that each person with the virus infects an average of 0.7 other people, down from 0.9 on Wednesday.

A health care worker speaks to a man outside a COVID-19 testing site aiming at low income communities, targeting people over 65 or with preexisting conditions at Gotham Health on April 17, 2020 in New York. (PHOTO / AFP)

US

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 700,000 as of 9:10 pm local time Friday (0110 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

A total of 36,822 people have also died of the disease in the country, according to the CSSE.  

US President Donald Trump on Friday announced a 19-billion-US-dollar relief program to help farmers and ranchers hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The so-called coronavirus food assistance program will provide 16 billion dollars in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted by the pandemic, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Nigeria

Abba Kyari, one of the closest advisers to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, died Friday after contracting the novel coronavirus, becoming the highest-profile casualty of the virus in Africa’s biggest economy.

Buhari named Kyari, a former chief executive officer of United Bank for Africa Plc, as his chief of staff in August 2015, and renewed his appointment after winning a second term in office. Behind the scenes, he was regarded as one of the powerful politicians in the country of more than 200 million people.

Kyari tested positive for the virus after returning from a trip to Germany, the presidency said in a statement.

Hailing from the northeastern state of Borno, Kyari had worked at companies including Unilever Nigeria Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp’s Nigerian unit, and held degrees from the University of Cambridge and University of Warwick in law and sociology.

ALSO READ: Trump unveils 3-stage process for states to end virus shutdown

Italy

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed 22,745 lives in locked-down Italy, bringing the total number of cases, including fatalities and recoveries, so far to 172,434, according to the latest data released by the country's Civil Protection Department on Friday.

Addressing a televised press conference, Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli said the virus has claimed another 575 lives over the past 24 hours, bringing the country's death toll to 22,745 since the pandemic first broke out in northern Italy on Feb. 21.

Borrelli explained a record high was registered in the daily number of people cured -- 2,563 more recoveries, taking the total to 42,727.

"It (the daily increase) is the highest figure ever registered since the beginning of the emergency," the official stressed.

A total of 355 new active coronavirus infections were also registered, bringing the nationwide total to 106,962.

Of those infected, 2,812 patients are in intensive care -- down by 124 compared to the previous day, another 25,786 are hospitalized -- down by 1,107, and 78,364 are isolated at home because of asymptomatic or light symptoms.

France

Despite a rising COVID-19 death toll in France, the number of people being hospitalized fell for a third straight day, offering a glimmer of hope, said Director General of Health Jerome Salomon on Friday.

The death toll in France climbed to 18,681 on Friday, representing a daily rise of 761 compared with 753 registered a day before, said Salomon at a daily briefing on the pandemic.

Salomon said that the number of people in hospitals had fallen for the third day in a row, to 31,190, down by 115 in the last 24 hours.

A decrease of 243 patients needing intensive care was registered on Friday, taking the total number of patients in ICUs down to 6,027.

Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced new financial measures to help the energy sector hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said his government will also provide 750 million Canadian dollars as emission-reduction fund to help energy companies reduce methane gas emissions.

As of Friday afternoon, there were 31,642 COVID-19 cases and 1,310 deaths across the country, according to CTV.

UK

Another 847 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died in hospitals in Britain as of Thursday afternoon, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 14,576, the Department of Health and Social Care said Friday.

As of Friday morning, 108,692 people have tested positive for the virus, marking a daily increase of 5,599, said the department.

Ireland

Over 60 percent of the COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland were from long-term residential care facilities, a health official said here on Friday.

Anne O'Connor, Chief Operating Officer of the Health Service Executive, a state agency responsible for public health service in Ireland, told local media that out of all the 486 COVID-19 related deaths reported in the country as of Thursday, 302 people, or 62.12 percent, were from the long-term residential care facilities.

There are now a total of 13,980 confirmed cases with 530 fatalities in the country, according to the Irish Department of Health.

Sweden

The Swedish government said Friday it will significantly expand COVID-19 testing to ensure that key workers outside the healthcare system will also be able to get access.

Johan Carlson, director-general of Sweden's Public Health Agency, and minister for health and social affairs, Lena Hallengren, at a joint press conference outlined the new strategy, which extends testing to police, emergency service personnel and other key workers.

An additional 67 COVID-19 deaths were registered in Sweden in the past day, bringing the death toll to 1,400. Total number of confirmed cases in the country now stands at 13,216, out of which, over 1,000 have been treated in intensive care.  

Switzerland

The epidemic curve of COVID-19 in Switzerland fell and flattened recently, but the country is "far from out of the risk zone," a health official said on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference held in Bern, Daniel Koch, delegate of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for COVID-19, said although the increase in infections in Switzerland is not as steeply as feared, there is a real risk that more people become infected.

According to the latest figures from the FOPH, a total of 27,078 confirmed cases have been recorded by Friday, while the death toll in the country has reached 1,059.

Poland

Poland reported Friday evening a daily record of 461 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the country's total to 8,379, with 332 deaths.

The new figures came out one day after the government announced plans to gradually ease restrictions, starting with the re-opening of parks and forests to the public on Monday.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz, it is unlikely schools will be able to operate normally before the end of the school year.

North Macedonia

Authorities in North Macedonia imposed a nationwide 85-hour lockdown during the Easter holiday, Media Information Agency (MIA) said here on Friday.

A nationwide ban on movement is enforced during the Orthodox Easter holiday starting from Friday 4 pm to 5 am on Tuesday, according to MIA.

According to the government orders, movement and gatherings in parks, forests or in recreation areas are strictly prohibited during the lockdown.

Belarus

Belarus reported 575 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the country's tally to 4,779.

According to the country's health ministry, 342 patients have recovered, while 42 have died of COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, nearly 87,000 tests for coronavirus infection had been conducted in Belarus.

Libya 

Liberian Senate on Friday approved an extension of the state of emergency across the country to 90 days, among other measures taken by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

The Senate said that it was important to extend the state of emergency as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is surging in the country, which rose to 76 on Friday with seven deaths.

Tunisia

Tunisian National Security Council decided on Friday night to extend the nationwide COVID-19 quarantine without specifying the extension period.

"The government will assume the maximum period for it," according to an official statement.

The quarantine was imposed on March 20 for a period of two weeks and then extended for two more weeks till April 20.

As of Friday, Tunisia registered a total of 864 confirmed coronavirus infections with 37 deaths.

Sudan

Sudan on Friday reported one new COVID-19 case and one more death from the novel coronavirus, bringing the total confirmed cases to 33, including seven deaths.

"One new coronavirus infection has been recorded together with one death case," Sudan's Health Minister Akram Ali Al-Tom said in a statement.

He noted that the suspected cases with the coronavirus in the country increased to 300 at all the quarantine centers.

Morocco

In Morocco, the Health Ministry announced 281 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number in the country to 2,564, which include 135 deaths and 281 recoveries.

This was the biggest single-day rise in the new cases since the outbreak of the pandemic in the North African country on March 2.

Egypt

Egypt confirmed 171 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 2,844. Nine more patients died from the virus, taking the death toll to 205.

Egypt is currently under a nationwide 10-hour curfew for two weeks until April 23 over COVID-19 concerns.  

Algeria

Algeria on Friday reported 150 new coronavirus cases and 16 more deaths, bringing the total COVID-19 cases in the country to 2,418. 

Djamel Fourar, head of the COVID-19 detection and follow-up commission, told reporters that the 16 death cases were reported between April 8 and 16, adding the death toll has increased to 364.

"No death case has been reported in the past 24 hours," he said, adding 846 have been cured of the disease so far.

The majority of infections and deaths are reported in the capital Algiers and its adjacent province of Blida, according to Fourar.

The Algerian government has imposed a 24-hour lockdown in Blida, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the North African country, while partial lockdown is being observed in the rest of the country until April 19.

Kenya

Kenyan government said Friday it will intensify enforcement measures in an effort to limit the communal spread of COVID-19 amid a surge in cases.

Fred Matiang'i, interior cabinet secretary, said the government will intensify measures without fear or favor to help curb the spread of the disease.

The remarks follow the confirmation of 12 new COVID-19 cases on Friday bringing to 246 the total number of confirmed cases in the country.

Somalia 

Somalia said it is putting in place measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country, urging citizens to comply with the ministry of health guidelines to curb the spread of the pandemic.

Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire also said national COVID-19 emergency response committee is working hard to support the Somalis economically.

Khaire said COVID-19 medical centers would be expanded and testing capacity enhanced so that many people can be tested for the virus.

Somalia, which has confirmed 80 cases, five deaths and three recoveries, has also closed schools, banned large gatherings and suspended international and domestic passenger flights to contain the possible spread of COVID-19.

A night curfew took effect on Wednesday in Mogadishu to help enhance measures of combating COVID-19 amid fears the disease could spread fast given the country's fragile health systems.

Chile

The Chilean Ministry of Health reported on Friday that the country has registered 9,252 cases of COVID-19, with 116 deaths.

Chilean Vice-Minister of Health Paula Daza said that 3,621 people have recovered from the virus.

READ MORE: Coronavirus travel: What happens to planes grounded by COVID-19

Mexico

Mexican health officials reported on Friday 578 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 60 new deaths, bringing the country’s total to 6,875 cases and 546 deaths.

Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said on Thursday the country might have nearly 56,000 people infected with the fast-spreading coronavirus.

Citing government models, Lopez-Gatell has said many who are infected likely did not have symptoms or were not diagnosed.

Brazil

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday called for the reopening of the country’s borders, as he pushes to restart South America’s largest economy, but conceded he may be blamed if the new coronavirus outbreak worsens as a result.

Bolsonaro fired his health minister on Thursday after clashing with him over lockdown measures, which the president argues are overly damaging to the economy and should be rolled back.

But the right-wing populist conceded on Friday that it is not up to him to decide whether or not social distancing measures should be relaxed in states and cities after the supreme court ruled that governors and mayors are responsible for the decisions.

The borders, however, are Bolsonaro’s to control. He said on Friday he had discussed the possibility of reopening land borders, particularly those with Uruguay and Paraguay, with Justice Minister Sergio Moro.

Brazil has 33,682 confirmed cases, with some 200 fatalities per day in the last four consecutive days, bringing the death toll to 2,141 as of Friday, according to Health Ministry data.

Russia

Russia has registered a daily record of 4,785 COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, with the total number jumping to 36,793 as of Saturday, official data showed.

The death toll climbed to 313 from 273 the previous day, while 3,057 people have recovered, including 467 in the last 24 hours, Russia's coronavirus response center said in a statement.

Moscow, the worst-hit city across the country, confirmed 2,649 new cases over the last 24 hours, reporting 20,754 cases so far.


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