With 32,000 deaths, UK overtakes Italy

London, May 5

Britain on Tuesday became the first country in Europe to confirm more than 30,000 coronavirus deaths and it surpassed Italy as Europe’s hardest-hit nation. According to figures supplied by the government, 28,734 people had died in UK hospitals and nursing homes. Italy has reported 29,079 fatalities.

However, tallies from both the countries are likely to be underestimated because these only include people who tested positive and testing was not widespread in Italian and British nursing homes until recently.

Weekly figures from Britain’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) added more than 7,000 deaths in England and Wales in the week to April 24, raising the total for the United Kingdom to 32,313. The statistics, which go up to April 24, show that deaths were a third higher than the government count.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to soon detail a route out of the nationwide lockdown that began March 23. His Conservative government is facing mounting criticism over the country’s high death toll.

Many European countries that have relaxed strict lockdowns after new infections tapered off were watching their virus numbers warily.

In the US, some states began halting steps to lift the lockdown restrictions being blamed for throwing millions out of work even as thousands of new infections and deaths were being reported daily in the US.

Widely seen as a success story, South Korea reported only three new cases of the virus, its lowest total since February 18. Schools will be reopened in phased steps, starting with high school seniors on May 13, but the on highlight Tuesday was the baseball season.

Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have also suppressed their outbreaks, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, which has had zero new cases for two days.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said overcoming the pandemic will require massive public health effort in history since it is an interconnected world where “none of us is safe until all of us are safe”. His remarks came as the world leaders pledged $8.2 billion to support the research. — AP

India gives 2 lakh HCQ kits to Myanmar

Yangon: India provided 2,00,000 hydroxychloroquine tablets to Myanmar to aid its fight against the deadly coronavirus. Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Saurabh Kumar handed over the medical supplies to the officials of the Ministry of Health and Sports at Yangon Airport. Besides antimalarial hydroxychloroquine tablets, the medical supplies include surgical gloves, body bags, minor surgical sets and thermal scanners.

US report projects 3K deaths daily till June 1

Washington: The number of coronavirus deaths in the US will jump to over 3,000 and new cases to about 200,000 per day till June 1, an internal draft report has said, even as more than two dozen American states announced to open up their economy amid the health crisis. The US is the worst-hit country from the pandemic.The country’s economy has come to a standstill and over 30 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits.

Russia reports over 10K cases for 3rd day

Moscow: The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has risen by 10,102 over the past 24 hours, compared with 10,581 the previous day. This brought Russia’s nationwide tally to 1,55,370, the country’s coronavirus crisis response centre said on Tuesday. It also reported 95 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total death toll in Russia to 1,451. More than 4.4 million lab tests for COVID-19 have been conducted across the country so far.