Cyprus Mail 23 March 2020 - Reuters News Agency
More countries imposed lockdown measures as coronavirus cases across the globe ballooned, led by a sharp rise in infections in Europe. Italy banned travel within the country, nearly one in three Americans were ordered to stay home and New Zealand said it will move to its highest alert level imposing self-isolation.
All the latest news in brief as it happens
02.56 Venezuela prohibits company layoffs and suspends credit collections
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Sunday a series of economic measures to address the financial fallout from the spread of the coronavirus in the country, including prohibiting layoffs while also suspending rent payments and credit payments.
“We have the conscience and the absolute decision to protect all jobs in the country, to protect the entire operation of all companies and businesses in the country,” Maduro said during a live appearance on state television.
02.04 Japan PM Abe says postponing Tokyo Olympics an option
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that postponing the Tokyo Olympic Games may become an option if holding the event in “complete form” became impossible.
02.01 UK scientists to track mutations in coronavirus to map spread
UK scientists are to track the spread of the new coronavirus and watch for emerging mutations by using gene sequencing to analyse the strains causing thousands of COVID-19 infections across the country, Britain said on Monday.
Researchers will collect data from samples from infected patients in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the government said in a statement.
01.58 Panama reports nearly 30% jump in new coronavirus cases
Panama health officials reported 68 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, up 28% from the previous day, bringing the total number of infected persons in the country to 313.
01.55 New Zealand reports 36 new coronavirus cases, total crosses 100
The number of coronavirus cases in New Zealand crossed the 100 mark on Monday as the country reported 36 new infections.
Of the new cases, two are related to community transmission, Ministry of Health’s Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said in a news conference.
00.08 Georgia locks down two regions
Georgia decided to lock down two southern regions in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the country’s prime minister said.
Giorgi Gakharia told a briefing that Marneuli and Bolnisi regions, bordering with Azerbaijan, would be locked down after a woman, who had contact with at least 90 people, after attending a relative’s death anniversary dinner, was diagnosed with a COVID-19.
Sunday, March 22
EUROPE
Italy banned travel within the country on Sunday as data showed a further 651 people had died from the disease, lifting the number of fatalities to 5,476.
Britain may need to impose curfews and travel restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus if people do not heed the government’s advice on social distancing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Sunday. Greece announced a lockdown on Sunday, restricting movement from Monday morning with only a few exceptions. T
The Spanish government sought to extend until April 11 a state of emergency that it has imposed to try to control Europe’s second-worst outbreak of coronavirus
Britain may need to impose curfews and travel restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus if people do not heed the government’s advice on social distancing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Sunday. Greece announced a lockdown on Sunday, restricting movement from Monday morning with only a few exceptions. T
The Spanish government sought to extend until April 11 a state of emergency that it has imposed to try to control Europe’s second-worst outbreak of coronavirus
AMERICAS
Nearly 1 in 4 Americans were under orders to close up shop and stay at home on Saturday. At least 23,941 cases of the virus have been reported in the United States and 306 people have died as of Saturday evening. The Canadian death toll from the outbreak jumped by more than 50% on Sunday, and officials threatened to punish people refusing to take precautions to fight the spread of the virus.
Panama health officials reported 68 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, up 28% from the previous day, bringing the total number of infected persons in the Central American country to 313.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has denied the country’s healthcare system will collapse next month, contradicting his own health minister as the number of deaths in the country jumped 39% and confirmed cases topped 1,500.
Panama health officials reported 68 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, up 28% from the previous day, bringing the total number of infected persons in the Central American country to 313.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has denied the country’s healthcare system will collapse next month, contradicting his own health minister as the number of deaths in the country jumped 39% and confirmed cases topped 1,500.
ASIA
New Zealand said on Monday it will move to its highest alert level imposing self-isolation, with all-non-essential services, schools and offices to be shut over the next 48 hours as the number of coronavirus cases more than double.
Mainland China saw a drop in its daily tally of new coronavirus cases on Sunday, reversing four straight days of gains, as the capital Beijing ramped up measures to contain the number of infections arriving from abroad.
South Korea on Monday reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases since the peak so far on Feb. 29 and the extended downward trend in daily infections that has boosted hopes that Asia’s largest outbreak outside China may be abating.
Australia started shutting down pubs, clubs, gyms and houses of worship on Monday after a jump in virus cases and after thousands disregarded social distancing advice and crowded beaches, bars and restaurants.
Mainland China saw a drop in its daily tally of new coronavirus cases on Sunday, reversing four straight days of gains, as the capital Beijing ramped up measures to contain the number of infections arriving from abroad.
South Korea on Monday reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases since the peak so far on Feb. 29 and the extended downward trend in daily infections that has boosted hopes that Asia’s largest outbreak outside China may be abating.
Australia started shutting down pubs, clubs, gyms and houses of worship on Monday after a jump in virus cases and after thousands disregarded social distancing advice and crowded beaches, bars and restaurants.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
Saudi Arabia will impose a nationwide curfew starting on Monday after reporting a jump of almost a quarter in coronavirus cases, while the United Arab Emirates will suspend all passenger and transit flights to and from the country.
War-ravaged Syria on Sunday confirmed its first case of the coronavirus after weeks of rejecting opposition allegations that the disease had already reached a country with a wrecked health system
Iraq’s government has extended a curfew on travel in and out of Baghdad until March 28 as part of strict measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, it said in a statement on Sunday.
Iran’s death toll has reached 1,685 with 129 deaths in the past 24 hours, the health ministry’s spokesman told state TV on Sunday, adding that the total number of infected people in Iran had reached 21,638.
War-ravaged Syria on Sunday confirmed its first case of the coronavirus after weeks of rejecting opposition allegations that the disease had already reached a country with a wrecked health system
Iraq’s government has extended a curfew on travel in and out of Baghdad until March 28 as part of strict measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, it said in a statement on Sunday.
Iran’s death toll has reached 1,685 with 129 deaths in the past 24 hours, the health ministry’s spokesman told state TV on Sunday, adding that the total number of infected people in Iran had reached 21,638.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
Partisan battles in the U.S. Senate stopped a $1 trillion-plus coronavirus response bill from advancing on Sunday, but talks continued over Democrats’ demands for more funding for medical care and state and local efforts to combat the pandemic.
Airlines cancelled more flights on Monday as Australia and New Zealand advised against non-essential domestic travel, the United Arab Emirates halted flights for two weeks and Singapore and Taiwan banned foreign transit passengers.
India’s biggest automaker Maruti Suzuki India and peers including Mahindra & Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) as well as Hyundai Motor Co said they will halt car production in the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak will put Europe into a recession but it should be transitory and the region should be back in positive GDP growth in the second semester, European Central Bank vice president Luis de Guindos said on Sunday.
Airlines cancelled more flights on Monday as Australia and New Zealand advised against non-essential domestic travel, the United Arab Emirates halted flights for two weeks and Singapore and Taiwan banned foreign transit passengers.
India’s biggest automaker Maruti Suzuki India and peers including Mahindra & Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) as well as Hyundai Motor Co said they will halt car production in the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak will put Europe into a recession but it should be transitory and the region should be back in positive GDP growth in the second semester, European Central Bank vice president Luis de Guindos said on Sunday.
