Countries tighten measures as global virus death toll nears 700,000

France and the Netherlands are gearing up for stricter mask-wearing guidelines to struggle the coronavirus as the global death toll from the pandemic neared 700,000.

Paris, Toulouse and different cities introduced that the sporting of masks can be obligatory in notably busy streets and squares. People already should put on them inside most personal companies and all public buildings.

A scientific committee advising the French authorities warned that the nation may lose management of its unfold “at any time.”

In the Netherlands, the identical mask-wearing measure will probably be utilized in Rotterdam and the well-known red-light district of Amsterdam from Wednesday.

And Ireland postponed the reopening of pubs and different nightspots on the recommendation of scientists, involved about rising infections.

In different developments, the Philippines positioned thousands and thousands of individuals again below lockdown. And the hunt for an effective treatment continued with the United States launching trials of an antibody therapy for COVID-19.

Philippines resumes lockdown

Millions of individuals within the Philippines have been ordered to remain house Tuesday in a bid to include the rising price of infections, and relieve stress on overwhelmed hospitals.

More than 27 million folks on the principle island of Luzon, together with the capital Manila, went again right into a partial lockdown.

People have been informed to remain house except going out to purchase important items, for train or for work, after the variety of recorded infections surged previous 100,000.

But with solely 24 hours’ discover of the shutdown, many individuals have been stranded in Manila, unable to get again to their hometowns after public transport and home flights have been halted.

More than 18 million folks worldwide have been contaminated with the virus because it first emerged in China late final yr.

The worst hit nation, the United States, had added 1,300 new deaths as of Tuesday night, bringing its toll to almost 156,000, in response to Johns Hopkins University. The caseload grew by 53,847 to almost 4.eight million, it mentioned.

Far from slowing down, the newest figures present that the speed of an infection is accelerating.

Brazil is driving a surge in Latin America and the Caribbean, the place infections handed 5 million on Monday.

South America’s largest nation has recorded greater than 2.75 million circumstances, and practically 95,000 deaths, practically half the area’s 203,800 deaths.

US proclaims scientific trials

The world’s hope of ending the present cycle of outbreaks and lockdowns rests on discovering a therapy.

The United States introduced Tuesday it had begun late-stage clinical trials right into a drug they hope will probably be an antibody towards the coronavirus.

The Phase three trial will initially enroll some 300 volunteers world wide who’ve been hospitalized with gentle to average COVID-19 with fewer than 13 days of signs.

On Monday, Russia mentioned it aimed to launch mass manufacturing of a vaccine in September and end up “several million” doses monthly by subsequent yr.

In response, the World Health Organization on Tuesday urged Russia to observe the established tips for producing protected and efficient vaccines.

Just a day earlier, the company’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus referred to as on nations to concentrate on primary suppression measures, such as contact tracing, sustaining bodily distance and sporting a masks.

“There’s no silver bullet at the moment—and there might never be,” he warned.

‘Extraordinarily widespread’

Despite the grim numbers in America, President Donald Trump adopted a resolutely optimistic tone.

“We’re seeing indications that our strong mitigation efforts are working very well, actually, especially to protect those who are most at risk,” he mentioned throughout a White House press convention addressing the pandemic.

In a morning tweet, he lashed out at his coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx after she warned the virus was “extraordinarily widespread” within the US.

Trump—angered by what he sees as overly pessimistic media protection of his much-criticized dealing with of the epidemic—accused her of giving in to stress to sound unfavourable concerning the new surge.

“Deborah took the bait & hit us. Pathetic!” Trump wrote on Twitter Monday.

Despite rising an infection numbers in Europe, some nations are pushing forward with plans to reopen faculties and discovering methods to maintain their battered tourism sectors functioning.

Angry Nadal withdraws from US Open

Fears over the virus led defending champion Rafael Nadal to announce on Tuesday that he is not going to play the US Open, which is because of begin in New York on August 31.

“The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don’t have control of it.” Nadal mentioned on Twitter.

“This is a decision I never wanted to take… for the time being I rather not travel.”

Women’s world primary Ashleigh Barty withdrew from the event final week citing “significant risks” from COVID-19.

© 2020 AFP