Coronavirus Pandemic: LATEST UPDATES
More than 13,000 dead
At least 13,444 deaths have been recorded since the virus first emerged in December, according to an AFP tally compiled at 1200 GMT yesterday based on official sources. There have been more than 308,130 infections reported in 170 countries and territories. Italy has recorded 4,825 deaths out of 53,578 cases, with more than 6,000 recoveries. China has 81,054 cases, including 3,261 fatalities and 72,244 people recovered. The worst affected countries after Italy and China are Spain with 1,720 deaths, Iran with 1,685 deaths, France with 562 deaths, and the US with 340 deaths.
Toughening measures
Italy stops all non-essential production to guarantee the supply of essential goods, and tightens the rules of confinement with the closure of all its green spaces. Australia, having already shut its borders to foreigners and non-residents, tells citizens to cancel their domestic travel plans. In France more traffic restrictions are imposed and curfews are issued in several southern cities. In Thailand the government steps up its efforts, shuttering most public spaces, from shopping malls and beauty parlours to golf courses and swimming pools. Millions of Indians go into lockdown as the country experiments with a curfew. In also slapped a transportation ban. Nigeria tightens its rules, restricting religious and social gatherings in some places to 50 people.
More borders shut
The Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso close their borders this weekend, as do Rwanda and the Republic of Congo. Brazil will shut its borders as of Monday to all visitors from Europe, Australia and several Asian countries. Cuba will close its borders to non-residents on Tuesday. Romania bars most foreigners from entering the country. Pakistan and Singapore ban all international flights.
Russia sends medics to Italy
Russia sends the first of nine military planes which are to take a total of 100 army virus experts and medics to Italy to help fight the coronavirus pandemic there. The Russian defence ministry said the aid mission was agreed by President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. They spoke on the phone Saturday evening, the Kremlin said.
China starts clinical trial for vaccine
China has started the first phase of a clinical trial for vaccine. It comes after US health officials said last week they had started a trial to evaluate a possible vaccine in Seattle. The Chinese effort began on March 16 -- the same day as the US announcement -- and is expected to continue until the end of the year, according to a filing in the country's Clinical Trial Registry, dated March 17. The 108 participants, aged between 18 and 60, will be tested in three groups and given different dosages. They are all residents of the central city of Wuhan.
Obligatory confinement in LatAm
A host of countries across Latin America have started obligatory confinement -- Venezuela, Argentina, El Salvador and Bolivia. On Tuesday Colombia will do the same. In Brazil the state of Sao Paulo as of Tuesday will be under 15-day quarantine.