The number of people infected with the new coronavirus worldwide has surpassed 3.5 million as of Monday, with over 248,000 dying from the disease, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University in the United States
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2020) The number of people infected with the new coronavirus worldwide has surpassed 3.5 million as of Monday, with over 248,000 dying from the disease, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
As of Monday, the United States remains the worst-hit country in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases, with more than 1.1 million cases, including over 180,000 recoveries and over 67,700 fatalities. On Monday, the country has registered 25,501 new cases of the disease and 1,313 fatalities.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Canada, the number of infections is approaching 60,000 with 2,696 cases being recorded over the past 24 hours. The death toll in the country has reached 3,766 so far.
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in European countries, though the daily number of new patients is slowly decreasing. Germany has confirmed 679 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, which is the lowest number since March 12, taking the total to 163,175. Switzerland has registered 76 new cases of the disease over the past 24 hours, bringing the country's tally to 29,981.
Meanwhile, the UK has registered 288 new death from the coronavirus, marking the lowest daily record since late March and bringing the total death toll to 28,734. The country's tally has reached 190,584. France, in its turn, has confirmed 306 new fatalities bringing the total death toll to 25,201. The number of patients in intensive care units continues to decline, and tho total number of infections since the outbreak has surpasses 131,000.
Moldova's tally has reached 4,248 with 127 cases being recorded over the past 24 hours. The death toll stands at 128.
Among Balkan countries, in Greece, a total of 2,632 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since the outbreak, while the death toll has reached 146, with six new cases and two fatalities being registered over the past 24 hours. Serbia has registered over 9,500 cases of the disease, including 197 fatalities and 1,574 recoveries. Over the past day the country confirmed 93 new cases and four more deaths.
Russia has registered 10,581 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 145,268. The country's COVID-19 death toll has increased by 76 (58 yesterday) to 1,356, while the number of recoveries has risen by 1,456 to 18,095.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia has increased by 121 to 2,507, while the death toll has grown by four to 39. In neighboring Georgia, the authorities confirmed four new COVID-19 cases, and the tally reached 593. The coronavirus-related death toll there remains at nine. At the same time, the number of recoveries reached 223. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has recorded 52 new cases bringing the country's total toll of those infected to 1,984.The death toll has increased to 26. Over 1,400 patients have recovered.
In Central Asia, Uzbekistan's number of COVID-19 cases has risen by 11 over the preceding 24 hours to 2,160, marking a significant drop from the previous reports. The death toll remains at 10, and 1,319 people have been discharged. Kyrgyzstan has confirmed 35 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, and the overall COVID-19 tally reached 830 with the COVID-19 death toll remaining at 10. Tajikistan, meanwhile, has recorded 102 new cases, bringing the country's tally to 230,including three fatalities.
Turkey, so far, has registered 127,559 cases of the disease with 1,614 of them � the lowest daily record over a month � being confirmed over the past 24 hours. The death toll has reached 3,461, and 68,166 patients have been cured since the outbreak. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 patients in Afghanistan has risen by 190 to 2,894, while the death toll has increased by five to 90. So far, 397 patients have recovered.
Morocco's tally has risen to 5,000, including over 1,500 recoveries and 177 deaths. Egypt has confirmed 348 new cases of the disease bringing the country's tally to 6,813. Over the past day, 70 patients were discharged, which brings the number of recoveries to 1,632. The death toll has reached 436. Meanwhile, Sudan has confirmed a total of 678 cases of the disease, including 61 recoveries and 41 fatalities. Among those infected is Transport Minister Hashim Ibn Auf, who is in self-isolation now and feels good.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has exceeded 11,500 as of Monday, including 864 fatalities and 1,954 recoveries. A total of 395 new infections and 19 deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours in the country.
On Monday, Serbia has started gradually easing coronavirus-related restrictions, allowing public and rail transport to operate, cafes and restaurants to open, while observing social distancing. On Wednesday, the parliament will consider the decision to lift the state of emergency and then the curfew. From May 8, shopping centers will open while limiting the of visitors. From May 18, the country will resume the air traffic.
The Albanian government, amid the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases and a stable epidemiological situation, announced the gradual relaxation of restrictions starting from May 11. Hairdressers, dental offices, shops and shopping centers will be the first in the country to resume operations, while ensuring the availability of protective equipment and maintaining social distance. From May 18, bars and restaurants will open in Albania, but only those that have terraces and platforms on the street. Cultural, sports and other events involving more than five people will remain banned.
Meanwhile, the Finnish government announced that starting May 14, restrictions on cross-border traffic would be lifted to allow traffic within the Schengen area. From June 1, the gradual opening of public catering enterprises, museums, theaters, libraries, swimming pools, as well as sports competitions and championships will begin. In addition, mass events with up to 50 people will be allowed starting June 1.
The Czech Republic will resume international bus and rail transport starting from May 11,the country's government said on Monday.
Slovakia allowed museums, hairdressers and cafes to resume operations staring Wednesday due to the improving epidemiological situation in the country. In addition, it would be allowed to briefly accommodate people in hotels, open beauty salons, conduct worship services and weddings, as well as use a taxi starting Wednesday. It will be also allowed to open shops and service enterprises with the condition of allocating at least 25 square meters per visitor, external terraces of catering facilities, while the tables should be located at a distance of two meters from each other. Museums, galleries, libraries and exhibition halls will also resume their work.
In addition, Germany's hairdressers started operating on Monday upon condition that their staff and clients will wear protective masks and appointments should be arranged in advance to avoid long lines and crowds.
The head of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Andrea Ammon, said on Monday that the EU member states would expand the scale of testing their residents for the coronavirus, which would help in the process of lifting quarantine in these countries.
In addition, the EU hosted on Monday the international pledging conference to raise funds to launch global efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Over about three hours, countries across the world allocated a total of 7.4 billion ($8 billion) euros to help kick-start unprecedented global cooperation. This aims at further supporting the most vulnerable countries and financing activities of diverse research organizations on developing vaccines against the virus and therapeutics.
Apart from countries, the European Commission will donate one billion euros as part of a pledging effort to fund the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ursula von der Leyen said.
