Shomporko Desk:-The number of global cases of infection caused by the novel coronavirus surpassed 10 million on Sunday, denoting a major milestone in the spread of the respiratory disease that has so far killed practically a large portion of a million people in seven months.
The figure is generally twofold the number of serious flu diseases recorded yearly, according to the World Health Organization.
The United States, the hardest-hit country, has surpassed 2.5 million cases alone, as efforts to reopen the world’s economic powerhouse were set back by a jump in new infections in states such as Florida.
On Saturday alone the U.S. recorded more than 43,000 new cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. U.S. deaths now exceed 125,000, approximately one-quarter of the world total of almost 499,000.
Across the Atlantic, the EU on Saturday pushed back a decision on a list of “safe countries” from which travellers can visit Europe — a list which could exclude the U.S.
In India, densely populated cities have been particularly hard hit. The country set a daily record Saturday with 18,500 new cases and 385 deaths. Total infections are at 509,000, with more than 15,600 deaths.
In the Middle East, the governor of Bethlehem announced that the Palestinian city would temporarily close due to rising infections.
Iran, which has struggled to curb its outbreak even as it gradually lifted restrictions from April, has launched a mask-wearing campaign.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned Saturday that Iran’s economic problems would worsen if the coronavirus spreads unchecked.
The disease also continues to rampage through Latin America, with Peru topping 9,000 deaths Saturday.
Brazil — the second hardest-hit country after the U.S. — recorded 990 deaths on Saturday, the highest toll in the world that day, while Mexico recorded the second-highest at 719.
Global events have had to be curtailed because of the virus.
Fifty years on from the first Pride march, the LGBTQ community and their supporters took many of their events online Saturday for Global Pride, a 24-hour online event broadcast live, although there were some small marches.
The virus has also thrown world sports into turmoil. Pakistan’s cricket board announced it would leave 10 players off its tour of England after they tested positive.
Photo credit: Vindobona.org
News source: AFP
