The milestone of 10,000 coronavirus deaths was exceeded on March 20, 2020. – MICROSOFT
Nearly 250,000 cases, more than 10,000 dead and 179 countries affected: relentlessly, the pandemic of coronavirus continues to spread around the world and slow the planet down. Italy has become, in front of China, the country most mourning in the world by the coronavirus, which could cost “millions” of lives, warned the UNO, for lack of solidarity with the poor countries.
This Friday morning, the number of deaths exceeded 10,000 (10,041, according to the Worldometer count, which is more regularly updated than that of the hospital John Hopkins). And the results keep getting worse: in the past 24 hours, 427 patients have died in Italy, 169 in Spain, 149 in Iran, 108 in France … pushing the authorities strengthen containment measures, at the risk of weighing a little more on the economy and people’s morale.
The containment measures in Italy will be “extended to their expiration” on April 3, according to the authorities, which also plan to ban outdoor activities such as jogging or walking. In France too, an extension of confinement beyond the 15 days planned will be “probably necessary”, according to the authorities. In the United States, California has imposed statewide containment, with nearly 40 million people affected.
Italy overtakes China over deaths
A week after the start of widespread containment, Italy has 3,405 deaths, the highest number in the world, and the peak of the pandemic does not appear to have been reached.
In the past 48 hours, the peninsula has recorded more than the daily death toll at the peak of the disease in the city of Wuhan, the birthplace of the Chinese epidemic.
China, where 3,245 people died, did not report any new local contamination on Thursday, a first since the start of the epidemic in December in this country. However, 34 “imported” cases were counted.
Iran, the third most affected country in terms of death, with 1,284 victims, is considering tougher measures to limit the contamination. In the meantime, nearly 10,000 prisoners will be pardoned, in order to reduce the pressure on the prisons. In Spain, which deplores 767 dead, the authorities have ordered the closure of all hotels in the territory.
Almost no country spared
No part of the world has been spared: the first coronavirus has died in sub-Saharan Africa, Burkina Faso in Russia, and first cases in Fiji, Niger and Haiti. THE virus continues to gain ground in Uruguay and Argentina, where the president has imposed “compulsory” confinement for two weeks.
In an attempt to limit the spread of the virus, restrictions on freedom of movement are increasing and more than half a billion people around the world are being called upon by their authorities to remain confined to their homes. According to Unesco, schools for almost half of the world’s pupils and students are closed. British schoolchildren will join them on Friday.
Brazil closed all land borders except for Uruguay on Thursday for 15 days. And the city of Rio de Janeiro will close its famous beaches and restaurants. The United States, which has passed the 10,000 case mark, has urged the Americans to stop traveling abroad.
Concern for poor countries
The concern is in the poorest countries, where containment will be impossible, as in the huge Asian slums. In addition, three billion people do not even have the most basic weapons against the virus, running water and soap, alarm UN experts.
“Millions” of lives are at stake if the world is not united, especially vis-à-vis the least wealthy countries, warned on Thursday UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
12 to 18 months before a vaccine, the June G7 by videoconference
Multinational pharmaceutical companies pledged on Thursday to provide a vaccine for Covid-19 disease, available “anywhere in the world”, within 12 to 18 months.
For his part, Donald Trump hailed the “encouraging” results of the antimalarial chloroquine for treating the sick, promising that it would be available soon. Health officials said they would first verify that it is “safe and effective.” The President, who again used a belligerent tone towards Chinese officials, canceled the G7 summit scheduled for June at Camp David. The leaders of the seven countries concerned will exchange views by videoconference.
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