Two million and counting...

Paris, April 15

The coronavirus count today crossed another dismal landmark when the figure of infected cases touched 20,34,523. The global death toll of 1,29,931 reflected the gruesome spread of the pandemic that is currently affecting 210 countries. It took 83 days to reach the first million cases worldwide and just 14 days for the second million. Though the disease started in China, the epicentre has moved to the United States, which now has the highest death toll. It has registered 6,09,240 cases, and 26,305 deaths till Wednesday.

Europe has emerged as the worst hit continent with 10,10,858 cases and 85,271 fatalities so far. Spain, Italy, France and Germany, however, are the only European countries with more than 1,00,000 infections. UK;s hospital death toll by 761 to 12,868 as of 1600 on April 14, the health ministry said. The true UK death toll far exceeds the hospital toll as people have also died in nursing homes and in the wider community, broader data showed on Tuesday. The official British death toll is the fifth-highest globally after the United States, Italy, Spain and France.

Scientists and opposition leaders have said they fear the United Kingdom could be the worst-hit country in Europe. Germany confirmed 285 fatalities in 24 hours, recording its highest daily death toll from the disease, health authorities reported. The spike in deaths comes despite a slowing infection rate which has prompted scientific advisers to call for a re-opening of schools ‘as soon as possible’.

The European Union moved to head off a chaotic and potentially disastrous easing of restrictions that are limiting the spread of the coronavirus, warning its 27 nations to move very cautiously as they return to normal life and base their actions on scientific advice.

With Austria, the Czech Republic and Spain already lifting some lockdown measures, the EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, was rushing out its roadmap for members of the world’s biggest trade bloc to coordinate an exit from the lockdowns, which they expect should take several months.

Denmark, too, is beginning to relax its strict lockdown measures by allowing some classes to return nationwide to school.

Meanwhile, the British government has hailed India-UK trade ties as the first consignment of 28 lakh packets of paracetamol from India is set to be distributed across the country’s supermarkets and retailers. — Agencies

99-yr-old WWII veteran beats virus in Brazil

Brasalia: A 99-year-old World War II veteran in Brazil was released from hospital with military honours after recovering from the coronavirus. Second Lieutenant Ermando Piveta, who served in the Brazilian artillery in Africa during the World War II, was brought out of Brasilia’s Armed Forces Hospital to trumpet music and applause. “It was a tremendous fight for me, greater than in the war. In war, you kill or live. Here, you have to fight in order to live, and you leave this fight a winner,” said Piveta.

Eurpean leaders’ Appeal to help Africa

Johannesburg: Nearly 20 European and African leaders have made a joint appeal for a massive international effort to boost Africa’s coronavirus response, saying that “only a global victory that fully includes Africa can bring this pandemic to an end.” The appeal signed by the leaders of France, Ethiopia, Germany, South Africa and other nations, calls for dramatic measures that include an immediate moratorium on all debt payments, public and private, until the pandemic is over. While virus cases among Africa’s 1.3 billion people total more than 16,000, health experts have said the continent is weeks behind the US and Europe in the pandemic and the rise in cases looks alarmingly similar to Europe’s.

Pak’s tally nears 6,000

Islamabad: The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan approached 6,000 after 272 new infections were reported, the health ministry said as PM Imran Khan extended the ongoing lockdown till April end to fight the pandemic. The number of coronavirus patients rose to 5,988. The Ministry of National Health Services said that Punjab reported 2,945 cases, Sindh 1,518, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 865, Balochistan 240, Gilgit-Baltistan 236, Islamabad 140 and PoK 46.