Global virus toll tops 750,000
The number of deaths around the world linked to the coronavirus topped 750,000 yesterday as many countries toughened curbs and expanded their quarantine lists following an alarming surge in infections.
A total of 750,371 deaths have been recorded, out of 20,651,113 cases across the globe, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.
Almost half of the deaths reported worldwide were in the four worst hit countries: the United States (166,118), Brazil (104,201), Mexico (54,666) and India (47,033).
In total, the number of people killed by the virus has doubled since June 2, while 100,000 people have died in the last 17 days alone.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 18,600 deaths have occurred in the past week, ahead of Canada and the United States at over 8,000, Asia at 7,800, Africa with nearly 2,700 and Europe with almost 2,600.
Italy imposed mandatory testing for all travellers arriving from Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain, and bans all visitors from Colombia, in a bid to rein in new infections.
Health authorities worry in particular that Italians returning from vacations abroad may be bringing home the virus and passing it on when people are crowding outdoors, on beaches, at festivals or parties during the summer.
A ban on smoking on streets and restaurant terraces when social-distancing cannot be guaranteed came into effect in Spain's northwestern region of Galicia yesterday, with other areas mulling similar restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Greece reported its first infection in its Vial asylum seeker camp, on the island of Chios. Some 3,800 people live inside the camp, over three times nominal capacity.
Several non-fatal cases have surfaced in Greek camps on the mainland but this is the first case involving an island camp, which suffer from the worst overcrowding.
NEW ZEALAND SEEKS SOURCE
New Zealand was scrambling to trace the source of its first coronavirus outbreak in more than three months, reporting 13 new community infections yesterday, after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had sought to eradicate the virus with a hard lockdown.
Ardern said it was a positive sign that all 13 new community cases were linked back to one infected family in Auckland, either via work or broader family connections, and that all were being transferred into quarantine facilities.
She said that experience showed "things will get worse before they get better", and more cases were likely to be reported in coming days.
India reported another record jump in its surging coronavirus cases yesterday with 66,999 new infections, among them a religious leader who shared a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a ceremony to launch construction of a grand temple.
Nritya Gopal Das, an 82-year-old Hindu priest, was the latest public figure to test positive after a string of Modi's top cabinet colleagues were stricken with Covid-19, including interior minister Amit Shah.
BIG DROP IN AUSTRALIA
Australia's virus-hit Victoria state reported a major drop in new cases yesterday, but officials warned against complacency amid a "worrying" spread of the disease in regional areas outside Melbourne.
Just 278 new cases and eight deaths were detected in Victoria -- a low not seen in weeks -- while a smaller outbreak in neighbouring New South Wales produced 12 additional cases and one death.
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