Global COVID-19 infections yesterday soared past 25 million as countries around the world further tightened restrictions to try to stop the rampaging pandemic.
One million additional cases have been detected globally roughly every four days since the middle of last month, according to an Agence France-Presse tally, with India yesterday setting the record for the highest single-day rise in cases with 78,761.
The surge in India, home to 1.3 billion people, came as the government further eased lockdown restrictions over the weekend to help ease pressure on the economy.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Even nations such as New Zealand and South Korea, which had previously brought their outbreaks largely under control, are now battling new clusters of infections.
On the other side of the world, Latin America — the worst-hit region — was still struggling with its first wave, with COVID-19 deaths in Brazil crossing 120,000, second only to the US.
Brazil’s curve “has stabilized now, but at a very dangerous level: nearly 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day,” said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at public health institute Fiocruz. “And Brazil still isn’t past the peak.”
Nearly 843,000 people have died of COVID-19 globally, and with no vaccine or effective treatment available yet, governments have been forced to resort to some form of social distancing and lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus.
Masks are to become mandatory from today on public transport and flights in New Zealand, which went more than 100 days without local transmission before the current cluster emerged.
Tightened virus curbs kicked in yesterday in South Korea, which is also battling fresh clusters — including in the greater Seoul region, home to half the country’s population.
The pandemic has upended economies and societies around the world, and halted most large gatherings — from sport and music to religion and politics.
The Tour de France set off from the French Riviera on Saturday, two months later than planned and with the French minister of youth affairs and sports not ruling out the cancelation of the event because of the coronavirus.
Under the Tour rules, a team with two positive tests in its entourage would be expelled. A virus testing cell is to travel with the teams throughout the race.
The world’s top sport, culture and music events are struggling with the challenge of hosting spectators while reducing the risk of virus transmission.
However, there was some cheer on Saturday in New York City, once among the world’s biggest coronavirus hotspots.
Visitors raised their arms, clapped and lined up to get tickets as the Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its doors to the public in a festive atmosphere after a six-month closure.
Tracy-Ann Samuel, who came with her daughters aged four and nine, said she could not wait to again be “surrounded by beautiful art.”
“It means that there is some semblance of normalcy,” Samuel said. “The Met has been a part of New York history for over 150 years... So this is a big first step.”
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