8:51 am – Russia. Unprecedented number of fatalities
Russian health authorities reported on Thursday 13,754 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and 286 deaths, an unprecedented daily number since the start of the pandemic.
8:30 am – Germany registers new daily maximum of infections
Germany has registered 6,638 people infected with the new coronavirus in the past 24 hours, a record since the start of the pandemic, according to official data.
The information came just hours after the announcement of new restrictions in the 16 regional states, with the aim of preventing the resurgence of the pandemic.
The highest daily contamination number was March 28, with 6,294 cases.
The authorities’ balance sheet also added 33 deaths in the same period of time and increased the number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 9710 and cases to 341,223, of which 284,600 were reported as recovered.
Especially worrying is the situation in large cities, many of which, like Berlin, have already surpassed the mark of 50 contagions per 100 thousand inhabitants in a week.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Wednesday evening the introduction of new, more restrictive measures, after a meeting with officials from the 16 regional states.
8:00 am – G20 extends moratorium on debt of poorer countries
The G20, which brings together the leaders of the 20 main economies, extended the moratorium on the debt of the poorest countries in a pandemic situation for six months until June 30, 2021.
The G-20 leaders had decided, in April, to suspend the debt service of the countries most vulnerable to the health crisis until the end of this year.
The extension of the moratorium was announced by the finance ministers and heads of the central banks of the G20, after a virtual meeting organized by the group’s current president, Saudi Arabia.
However, the joint declaration admits the extension of the moratorium until the end of 2021, a decision to be taken at the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as a restructuring of this debt.
7h48 – State of play
Mainland Portugal has been in a state of disasters since midnight. The decision was taken on Wednesday by the Government at the meeting of the Council of Ministers.
The number of cases and hospitalizations has been increasing and the situation will be re-evaluated within 15 days.
The Prime Minister, António Costa, acknowledged yesterday that the evolution of the pandemic shows a “serious situation”.The National Data Protection Commission have reservations regarding the mandatory use of the StayAway Covid application. The organization recalls that the World Health Organization itself raises ethical questions about the mandatory use of apps.
From now on, security forces will have the power to enforce enforcement and fines can reach up to 10,000 euros.
In this new phase, gatherings with more than five people on the street, restaurants and commercial spaces are prohibited.
Family gatherings, such as weddings and baptisms, are limited to 50 people for those who schedule events starting this Thursday.
Academic celebrations or praxis in Higher Education will also be prohibited.
It is recommended to use the StayAway Covid application and the mask on the public road. Despite reservations raised by the Data Protection Commission, the Minister of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, guarantees that privacy issues are safeguarded in this app.
–
The picture in Portugal
Between Wednesday and Thursday, Portugal exceeded two thousand daily cases of infection with the new coronavirus. There were an additional 2072 infected people and seven fatal cases from Covid-19.
–
It is the highest number of infected people since the beginning of the pandemic.
957 people are hospitalized. There are 41 more compared to Wednesday. Of these, 135 are in intensive care units – three more.
The international framework
The Covid-19 pandemic has already caused more than one million and eighty-seven thousand deaths and more than 38.2 million cases of infection worldwide, according to the balance sheet permanently updated by the agency France Presse.
In France, a state of emergency was declared.
The curfew is in effect throughout the Paris region and eight other cities. From 9:00 pm to 6:00 am, those who live in the areas in question are prohibited from going to restaurants, cafes, or visiting friends.
–
The restrictions do not apply, however, to the use of public transport for those returning or going to work, for example.
France is one of the European countries most affected by the pandemic, with more than 32,000 dead. In the past two weeks, hospitalizations for critically ill patients with Covid-19 have doubled.
This Thursday is a health strike day. Protesters claim more beds in French hospitals. Professionals also demand a revaluation of salaries and more hiring.
– .
