A medical staff collects a nasal swab of a man with a Rapid Antigen Test kit for the COVID-19, at a testing centre in Ghaziabad on July 23, 2020. India. (PHOTO / AFP)

GAZA / ANKARA / YANGON - India’s coronavirus cases crossed the four-million mark as the novel pathogen continues to ravage the nation that’s rapidly closing in on Brazil to become the second worst-hit country.

Now the world’s new virus epicenter, India added 86,432 infections in 24 hours, pushing the total tally to 4.02 million, according to data released by India’s health ministry Saturday. Over 69,500 people have died from the novel pathogen, making it the third-largest by number of COVID-19 deaths.

As it crosses yet another grim milestone, India’s virus curve is showing no signs of flattening out with the pandemic threatening to overwhelm an already-overworked health care system. The stealthy pathogen is now penetrating the India’s vast rural hinterland where the majority of its 1.3 billion population lives amid sparse medical resources.

India imposed the world’s biggest lockdown as early as March but began relaxing it in phases from June after the strict measures pushed millions into poverty, destroyed jobs and forced a mass migration of daily-wage laborers on foot. As economic and social activities returned, infections surged to new heights.

The Indian government said a record 1.17 million tests were conducted within 24 hours on Thursday, taking the total number of tests past 45.5 million. But in a country of 1.3 billion people, this still amounts to one of the lowest testing rates among places with the worst outbreaks.

India has conducted around 32 tests per 1,000 people, compared to 253 tests per 1,000 in the US and almost 255 per 1,000 in Russia -- which means that its epidemic is likely much bigger than what the official figures are showing.

An elderly woman walks wearing a Palestinian flag as a face cover and a hat in the colours of the flag along a road in Gaza City on Sept 1, 2020, (PHOTO / AFP)

Gaza 

Gaza has reported hundreds of coronavirus infections since the first case emerged in the general population last week, and a UN aid group warned that a lack of key medical items including ventilators could make it hard to treat the disease effectively.

Widely impoverished and densely populated, the Islamist-ruled Palestinian enclave has been on lockdown since authorities confirmed four infections from a single family on Aug 24. It was the first time the virus was detected outside quarantine zones set up for people returning from abroad.

Since then, 603 new cases have been recorded, nearly all among the general population, with four deaths since Aug. 24, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The Gaza Strip is home to two million Palestinians in cities, towns and refugee camps squeezed within an area of 360 square km, with its borders sealed off by neighbouring Israel and Egypt.

“Gaza is probably the most densely populated place on the face of the earth so measures to contain a virus as violent as COVID-19 are always extremely difficult to put in place,” said Tamara Alrifai, spokeswoman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) devoted to Palestinian refugees.

Israel and Egypt restrict movement over Gaza’s borders, citing security concerns over its ruling Hamas movement, deemed a terrorist organisation by Israel and the United States.

Alrifai, in a virtual briefing for reporters streamed from Geneva, said Israel had not hindered humanitarian assistance to Gaza since the coronavirus crisis began and that whatever has been needed to fight COVID-19 “has been well facilitated.”

“The real challenge in Gaza is the unavailability of needed items such as ventilators and other medical items,” she said.

UNRWA is asking for US$94 million in contributions from countries so it can continue COVID-19 containment efforts.

Turkey

Surging coronavirus cases in Ankara are stretching hospitals to the limit and Turkish authorities need to impose a fresh lockdown to bring the virus under control, doctors in the Turkish capital say.

The city is now the epicentre of Turkey’s COVID-19 outbreak, the government announced this week, and although authorities say there is no plan for a lockdown as yet officials privately say new measures may be needed soon.

“A 10-14 day lockdown should be imposed. Health capacity may be exceeded,” geriatrics professor Mustafa Cankurtaran at Ankara’s Hacettepe medical faculty tweeted on Wednesday, urging the government to open all medical centres, including private health units.

Two officials told Reuters the number of cases in Ankara was rising faster than anticipated, and current measures including mask-wearing and social distancing were not having the results they anticipated.

“The daily positive cases are high enough to cause discomfort now, and everyone has started seeing daily new cases in their close circles,” said one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“If new measures are not taken, it appears it will be more difficult to prevent new problems,” the official added, saying some “city-based” steps could be taken.

Australia

Victoria state, the epicenter of Australia’s pandemic, reported a slowdown in new cases in the past 24 hours and will this weekend outline a path out of a strict lockdown that’s been in place for two months.

There were 76 new Covid-19 infections in the country’s second-most populated state and 11 deaths, Victoria’s health department reported Saturday via Twitter, down from 81 new cases the previous day and a peak of 687 on Aug. 4. Across the state, people have been ordered to stay at home except for essential work, medical care, provisions, or exercise. The state capital, Melbourne, is under even tighter restrictions, with a nighttime curfew and large parts of its retail and manufacturing sectors shuttered.

The state government will announce a “roadmap” out of the restrictions on Sunday, State Premier Daniel Andrews told a media briefing, but emphasized that a re-opening had to be done in a “steady and safe way.” Decisions on timelines would be finalized following meetings on Saturday, Andrews added.

“At 76 new cases that is still a significant challenge for us,” Andrews said at a media briefing. “To open up with those numbers would of course see the total number of coronavirus infections explode.”

Signs the Victoria outbreak is easing come after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday that most state and territory leaders have recommitted to opening up the economy by December, although he failed to secure an immediate agreement to lift border restrictions that are hampering the recovery.

The economy contracted by the most on record last quarter, falling into its first recession in almost 30 years due to a nationwide lockdown to contain the virus. Activity is now returning to normal across most of the country, but restrictions remain in Melbourne, the nation’s second-largest city with about 5 million people, delaying the economy’s recovery.

New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, reported five new cases on Friday. Four of those came from a cluster in the city’s central business district which has grown to 61 people, while the other case was a returned traveler in hotel quarantine.

Myanmar

Myanmar reported 45 new laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday morning, raising the tally of infections to 1,216, said a daily release from the Health and Sports Ministry.

Of the newly confirmed cases, 38 patients are from Yangon region while the rest are from Bago region, Rakhine and Shan states, the ministry's release said.

The death toll of COVID-19 stands at seven while 359 patients have recovered from the disease so far.

The United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday announced 612 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 72,766.

At the same time, 490 more patients have recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 63,158, the UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said.

It has reported no death from COVID-19 during the past 24 hours. The nationwide death toll stands at 387.

The UAE was the first among the Gulf countries to report COVID-19 cases.

Iran

Iran's total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 382,772 on Friday with the addition of 2,026 new infections; Meanwhile, Iraq reported 5,036 new cases in its highest daily increase.

Iran's death toll climbed to 22,044, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education. A total of 320,308 people have recovered, while 3,695 remain in intense condition.

Schools and universities officially reopened in Iran on Saturday as President Hassan Rouhani said the return of pupils to classrooms is a “big test” for the country.

School hours have been reduced and authorities are allowed to host students in classes on alternating days as part of measures to reduce the risk of contracting the virus, the president said on state TV. The new academic year began two weeks earlier than usual following the nationwide closing of schools and universities in February. 

Israel

Israel's ministry of Health reported 1,712 new coronavirus recoveries on Friday, bringing the total recoveries in the country to 100,357.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Israel reached 126,419, with 1,964 new cases, while the number of active cases rose to 25,069.

The number of death cases increased to 993, with eight new deaths, while the number of patients in serious condition rose from 423 to 426, out of 830 patients currently hospitalized.

Lebanon

Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased on Friday by 527 cases to 19,490 while the death toll went up by four to 183, the Health Ministry reported.

Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan said on Friday that some private hospitals are still not receiving COVID-19 patients, while Suleiman Haroun, President Syndicate of Hospitals in Lebanon, urged all private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients.

Lebanon has been also using field hospitals offered by foreign countries following Beirut port's explosions in testing and treating COVID-19 patients.

Nepal

The Nepali government on Friday reported record high COVID-19 cases in the second consecutive day as the country confirmed 1,354 new cases.

"With the addition of 1,354 new cases in the last 24 hours, the total COVID-19 cases in Nepal reached 44,236," said Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population at a press conference.

After Nepal lifted the nearly four-month long lockdown in late July, there has been a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases. The Nepali authorities blamed ignoring the health protocol as a major reason behind the surge in the cases.

Singapore

Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 40 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 56,948.

Of the new cases, three are imported cases, none are community cases and the rest are linked with the dormitories of foreign workers.

Of the new cases on Friday, 93 percent are imported or linked to known cases or clusters, while the rest are pending contact tracing. A total of 39 new cases are asymptomatic, and were detected from the proactive screening and surveillance, and one is symptomatic.

On Friday, 146 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 56,174 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities, the ministry said.

New Zealand

New Zealand reported three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, said the Ministry of Health in a statement.

Of the three new cases, one was an imported case in a managed isolation facility. Two were defined as community transmitted cases, said the ministry.

According to the ministry, both community cases have been epidemiologically linked to the wider Auckland August cluster. The one imported case was a child linked to a previously identified case who arrived from India on Aug. 23.

There were two COVID-19 patients in the hospital on Saturday, including one in ICU.

The total number of active cases in New Zealand was 112, as the total reached 1,416, which was the number the country reported to the World Health Organization, said the ministry.

The number of COVID-19 related deaths in New Zealand was 24, as the ministry confirmed on Saturday a second death in the last two days.

South Korea

South Korea recorded 168 new coronavirus cases as of midnight Friday, posting the lowest daily tally in three weeks after imposing stricter social distancing rules to blunt a second wave of infections.

The total infections rose to 21,010, with 333 deaths, according to the data published by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday.

Friday’s new cases were the lowest since a major outbreak emerged from a Christian church whose members attended a large political rally on Aug 15.

The daily tallies have been hovering below 200 over the past three days after peaking at 441 late last week, a sign that tougher social distancing curbs implemented last Sunday have begun taking effect.

The measures included an unprecedented step of curbing the operation of eateries in the Seoul metropolitan area, where the current spread is concentrated, banning onsite dining after 9 pm and limiting coffee and bakery franchises to takeout and delivery all day.

The government on Friday extended the rules until Sept 13, saying more time is needed for sharper drops in new infections.

“The numbers are indeed on a downward trend but it’s too early for us to be at ease,” Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a meeting on Saturday.

The efforts to dampen the ongoing outbreak have been complicated by a strike of some 16,000 interns and resident doctors who oppose the government’s plans to reform the medical sector to better handle future epidemics.

The country’s top medical body agreed on Friday with the government to end the walkout, only to face an immediate backlash from trainee doctors who rejected the deal and continued the strike.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged the doctors to accept the deal and return to work during a visit to a COVID-19 treatment centre in Seoul on Saturday.

The trainee physicians are expected to hold a meeting to discuss next steps as early as Monday.