(Copenhagen) Masks and passenger checks to fight COVID – 16 are becoming generalized in Europe, where the WHO said on Friday it was “worried” about the resurgence of the epidemic in some countries in the region, even if the American continent remains by far the most affected.
Posted on 19 July 2020 at 15 h 48
Marc PRÉEL in Stockholm and Claire DOYEN in Paris, with AFP offices around the world
France Media Agency
Belgium broke a sad record on Friday: a three-year-old girl died of COVID – 16 a few days ago, announced the health authorities, making her the youngest victim of the virus in this country which is experiencing an increase in contamination, with 64 847 case.
In England, the obligation to wear the mask in shops and supermarkets has come into force. The same goes for supermarkets in Vienna, as well as in post offices, banks and medical centers.
Andreas Poschenreither, who does his shopping in a supermarket, believes that wearing a mask should have remained mandatory after the lifting of confinement in the country. “It was a mistake,” he says.
On Friday, the European branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) called on European countries to remain responsive and lift restrictions “carefully” or even reintroduce them if necessary.
“The recent resurgence of COVID cases – 19 in some countries after the 'Relaxation of distancing measures is certainly a cause for concern,' said a spokeswoman.
Europe totaled Friday 207 118 deaths for more than 3 million cases, according to a count compiled by AFP.
Several countries in the region have stepped up checks on travelers.
Germany offers free tests to travelers returning to the country, and France, where viral circulation is “sharply increasing” according to health authorities, has made testing mandatory for travelers arriving from 16 countries, including United States and Algeria.
Prime Minister Jean Castex also recommended that the French “avoid” going to Catalonia, in the north-east of Spain, where the government ordered the closure of nightclubs and bars on Friday. to increased infections.
Norway has again imposed restrictions on travel with Spain, where the epidemic is on the rise again.
In tents
In total, 633 711 people have died from COVID – 19 around the world. And it is on the American continent that the situation remains the most worrying.
In the United States, the milestone of 4 million official cases is now exceeded, 847 new deaths were recorded on Friday.
After several large groups welcoming the public like Walmart, it is McDonald's turn to force all its customers in the United States to wear a mask from 1 st August.
Long accused of denial in the face of the pandemic, US President Donald Trump has renounced the Republican convention, scheduled for the end of August in Florida, which was to induct him as the Republican party's candidate for the November presidential election.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the threshold of four million cases has also been crossed. Brazil alone now has more than 2.2 million cases.
Sao Paulo has decided to postpone its carnival sine die, and Rio de Janeiro is considering this option.
This did not prevent Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, infected with the coronavirus, from riding his motorcycle on Thursday and chatting, without a mask, with sweepers near his residence in Brasilia.
The situation is particularly dramatic in Peru, where the health system in the country's second city, Arequipa, is totally saturated. Some infected people have been seen sleeping in tents outside hospitals, others in their cars, hoping to get beds and treatment.
In Nicaragua, the masks will also be for beauty queens: the competition for the crown of Miss Nicaragua 2020 will take place, behind closed doors , the authorities refusing to order containment measures.
Fear lurks
According to the Red Cross, the devastating economic toll of the pandemic also risks triggering new waves of migration once the borders are reopened.
“We are seeing more and more, in many countries, the side effects of the pandemic on livelihoods and the food situation”, said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Societies of the Cross -Red and Red Crescent (IFRC).
Elsewhere in the world, the figures also continue to increase.
In India, 711 new deaths attributed to COVID – 16 were listed in 19 hours, according to an official report on Friday. With 30 000 deaths, the country becomes the sixth with the most deaths, behind the United States, Brazil, Great Britain, Mexico and Italy.
Several countries have chosen to re-impose partial containment measures.
The few 07 millions of inhabitants of Tokyo have been invited to stay at home since Thursday, the first day of a long public holiday weekend in Japan.
And in South Africa, public schools closed their doors for a month, in this country which has seen an increase of nearly 60% of the total number of natural deaths in recent weeks.
At the “Casa Serena” retirement home in Johannesburg, the economic capital, 10 of 60 residents died after contracting COVID – 19 and fear lurks today among the living.
“We expected that people would die like every year during the (southern) winter, but this is a concentration of death”, sighs Mario Serra, who runs the establishment.
