Global coronavirus cases top 7 million as cities like New York face ‘big test’
- United States leads the world as it approaches the 2 million mark
- New Zealand appears to have completely eradicated the coronavirus
More than 402,000 deaths were recorded worldwide, according to tally of official figures – a number that has doubled in the past month and a half.
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While almost half of the deaths have been recorded in Europe, the United States remains the hardest-hit nation with more than 110,000 deaths, followed by Britain, whose toll exceeds 40,500.
Late Sunday, the US daily death toll, at 691, was the lowest it had been in a week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The United States has recorded 1,942,363 cases since the virus was first detected in China late last year.
The tallies, using data collected from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Many countries are testing only symptomatic or serious cases.
With the virus in check for now, New York on Monday was easing restrictions that shut down schools, businesses and much of city life in March.
Construction, manufacturing, wholesalers and previously “non-essential” retailers can resume work, with restrictions. Retailers can reopen for delivery and pickup, though customers can’t yet browse inside.
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It’s an inflection point as the city tries to get back to business after becoming the epicentre of the US coronavirus outbreak, suffering a surge that killed more than 500 people a day at its early-to-mid-April peak. Overall, more than 21,000 people citywide have died of confirmed or probable Covid-19.
Commuters will find subway schedules back to usual Monday, with signs showing people how far apart to stand -or try to – on platforms.
“It’s going to be a big test,” said Dr Bruce Polsky, a city resident who is chairman of medicine at NYU Winthrop Hospital in suburban Mineola.
In Europe, countries are slowly working towards a post-pandemic normal, and trying to revive tourist sectors in time for the summer and return to business.
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The UK government said Sunday it would reopen places of worship for individual prayer on June 15.
But British Airways and the low-cost carriers easyJet and Ryanair launched legal action against government plans to force foreigners arriving in Britain to self-isolate for two weeks.
In a joint statement, they said the measures would devastate tourism and destroy even more jobs.
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WHO says world now seeing over 100,000 new Covid-19 cases a day
The European Union said it could reopen borders to travellers from outside the region in early July after some countries within the bloc dropped restrictions on other European visitors.
The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia surpassed 100,000 on Sunday, the health ministry said, amid a new surge in infections just weeks ahead of the start of the haj.
The total number of infections rose to 101,914 – the highest in the Gulf – while the death toll climbed to 712, the ministry added.
The kingdom has seen infections spike as it eases stringent lockdown measures, with the number of daily cases exceeding 3,000 for the second day in a row on Sunday.
India reopens shopping malls and restaurants, a day after record surge in virus cases
On Friday, the kingdom announced a renewed lockdown in the city of Jeddah, gateway to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, to counter the jump in cases.
Authorities were yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year’s haj, scheduled for the end of July, but have urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage.
India reported 9,971 new coronavirus cases on Sunday in another biggest single-day spike, a day before it reopened shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.
Agence France-Presse, Associated Press and Reuters
