MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2020) The death toll from the coronavirus infection in the world has surpassed 430,000, over 7.8 million cases of infection were detected, and more than 3.7 million of those patients recovered, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University, which tracks and compiles data from Federal and local authorities, media and other sources.
As of 18:00 GMT on Sunday, 7,838,833 people have been infected with COVID-19 across the world, including 3,735,193 recoveries and 431,141 fatalities.
The United States still has the highest case count in the world, with 2,081,296, including 115,521 fatalities and 556,606 recoveries. Meanwhile, the daily fatality rate in the state of New York � the worst-hit state � continues to decrease with 23 COVID-19 patients being recorded over the past 24 hours, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. As of now, 1,657 people are in hospitals, which marks the lowest number of hospitalized patients since March 20. The state's death toll stands at 24,527.
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection in Africa has reached 230,454 and 6,218 people have died from the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday. More than 106,000 people have recovered since the outbreak.
The majority of cases has been reported in South Africa � 65,736. It is followed by Egypt with 41,303 cases and Nigeria with 15,181 infections. Meanwhile the highest fatality rates � 1,423, 1,422 and 760 � have been registered in South Africa, Egypt and Algeria, respectively.
Tokyo reported 47 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, the highest daily rise since May 5, Governor Yuriko Koike said on Sunday during a press conference. After a downward trend in the second half of May when less than 10 new cases were confirmed per day on average, the infection rate started to increase in early June. Overall, the number of confirmed cases in the city reached 5,544, while the country-wide coronavirus tally increased to 18,220.
Singapore has recorded 407 new cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, up from 347 the day before, bringing the country's tally to 40,604, according to the Health Ministry. The death toll from the disease, meanwhile, stands at 26, over 28,000 COVID-19 patients have recovered.
In Indonesia, the number of COVID-19 cases has risen by 857 over the past day, down from over 1,000 the day before, to 38,277. The death toll has increased by 43 to 2,134. More than 14,500 patients have recovered since the outbreak.
The number of coronavirus cases in India has grown by 11,989 in a fifth consecutive day of more than 11,000 new cases to 320,922 taking India overall tally over that of Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, according to the Health Ministry. A total of 162,378 have so far recovered while 9,195 have died, an increase of 301 deaths from the previous day.
Israel has confirmed 83 new cases of the coronavirus infection over the past 24 hours bringing to country's tally to 19,055. Meanwhile, the death toll is standing at 300 for several days, according to the Health Ministry. As of now, there are 3,380 active cases with 33 people of those infected being in critical condition. As many as 15,375 patients have recovered so far.
The number of COVID-19 fatalities in Iran over the past 24 hours exceeded 100 for the first time since April 13, with the total toll is now at the level of 8,837, according to the country's Health Ministry. Over the past day, a total of 2,472 new cases were identified, and 107 people died from the disease. The overall number of coronavirus cases in Iran now amounts to 187,427, while over 148,000 people recovered from the disease.
Turkey's tally of COVID-19 cases has risen by 1,562 � the highest daily rise since May 16 � to 178,239, according to the health authorities. Another 15 patients have died over the past day, bringing the death toll to 4,807, while the number of recoveries has increased by 1,330 to 151,417.
Iraq has registered 1,259 new cases of the coronavirus over the past day � one of the highest increment per day since the outbreak � as upward trend continues, which brings the country's overall tally to 20,209. The death toll has increased to 607, while the number of recoveries has risen to 8,121.
Saudi Arabia has registered 4,233 new cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours � the highest daily increment since the outbreak � as restrictions are further being eased, bringing the country's tally to 127,541. Meanwhile, as many as 84,720 people have recovered, and 972 others have died from the disease.
One day before Uzbekistan is due to end its lockdown, the Central Asian country confirmed 97 new coronavirus cases, down from 128 on Saturday, and thus the overall tally reached 4,994, the Health Ministry said on Sunday. No COVID-19 carriers died over the given period, and the death toll remained at 19. At the same time, the number of recoveries reached 3,874. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan registered 78 new coronavirus cases in the past day, a noticeable jump compared to previous days where the daily infection rate hovered between 30 and 40. This brings the total infected in the Central Asian country to 2,285 of whom 438 are medical workers. The death toll now stands at 27 while 1,791 people have been discharged with recoveries.
The number of infections in Georgia has increased by 13 over the past 24 hours to 864, according to the country's authorities. Of those infected, 703 patients have recovered and 14 others have died.
The epidemiological situation in some European countries is gradually improving. In particular, Estonia has recorded no new cases of the coronavirus over the past day with the total toll of those infected standing at 1,973. As of now, 14 patients are in hospitals, and 69 others have died, according to the health authorities. The Czech Republic, in its turn, has not recorded any COVID-19 fatalities for the fourth day in a row. The country's death toll stands at 328. The number of COVID-19 cases, meanwhile, has grown by 53 over the past day to 9,991, with 2,444 of them being active. Of those infected, 7,219 have recovered from the disease.
Serbia has recorded only one fatality over the past day, which brings the death toll to 254. Meanwhile, 59 more people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, which confirms the ongoing downward trend in the daily increment, and now the country's tally stands at 12,310.
The United Kingdom's COVID-19 death toll has risen by 36 over the past 24 hours, marking the lowest number of fatalities since March 21, to 41,698, according to the health authorities. Meanwhile, 1,514 more people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 over the past day, up from 1,425 the day before, bringing the country's tally to 295,889.
Romania's COVID-19 tally has increased by 320 over the past 24 hours to 21,999, continuing the upward trend in the daily increment since early June. The death toll has grown by 16 to 1,410. Meanwhile, over 15,700 patients have recovered.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Moldova has increased by 281 over the past 24 hours to 11,740 confirming downward trend after hitting daily record of 406 earlier this week. The death toll has reached 406 with eight fatalities being recorded over the past day, and 6,623 have recovered.
Belarus has registered 732 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours as general downward trend continues in the country. The update brings the total number of those infected 53,973. The number of fatalities has risen by five to 308, while 30,103 have fully recovered from the disease.
Apart from this, several cases of COVID-19 have been detected in some countries' leadership. In particular, Kazakh Health Minister Yelzhan Birtanov said on Sunday that he tested positive for the coronavirus and was hospitalized, according to the official's Facebook account. The minister shows no symptoms of the disease.
Meanwhile, the Israeli presidential office said that President Reuven Rivlin's residence was disinfected after one of the employees was diagnosed with coronavirus on Saturday. The leader will return to work from his office on Monday. Apart from that, three security guards at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
In Uzbekistan, despite a step-by-step relaxation of coroanvirus-related restrictions starting April 30, the authorities decided to extend quarantine until August 1 in a bid to curb the pandemic. The authorities divided the country into red, orange and green zones depending on the epidemiological situation in regions. As of now, public transport, parks, stadiums, museums, churches, mosques, as well as food services resumed operations in regions with stable epidemiological situation.
RELAXATION OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
Starting June 15, Uzbekistan will resume air traffic with countries with improving and stable epidemiological situation, namely Japan, China, South Korea and Israel, the authorities said on Sunday, adding that export flights Russia will be further conducted.
Meanwhile, Spain will reopen its borders with the Schengen Area countries except Portugal starting from June 21, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday. Borders with Portugal will be officially reopen on July 1. Sanchez added that starting July 1, Spain will gradually reopen borders with third countries.
El Salvador is planning to launch a step-by-step relaxation of coronavirus-related restrictions starting June 16, according to the country's government. Under the five-phase plan, restrictive measures will be fully lifted by August 21. As part of the first phase, the work of the textile sector will resume, while shops and restaurants will work in the delivery mode. In addition, it will be possible to receive medical services and visits to beauty salons and hairdressers by previous appointment. During the second phase, restaurants and cafes will start operating on a limited basis, and public transport, the shoe and cosmetics industries, and a number of other sectors will resume work. At the third stage, retail and wholesale trade will fully resume, shopping centers, gyms, churches and places of religious ceremonies will open. During the fourth phase, domestic and international tourism will be restored, all cultural and entertainment institutions will open. At the final stage,
all economic activities will resume.
Egypt will gradually resume air traffic with other countries, which was suspended over the spread of the coronavirus, starting July 1, Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Manar Anba said on Sunday.
Starting Sunday, Israel allowed residents to hold weddings and religious ceremonies with the participation of up to 250 people in closed places, provided that social distancing measures are respected.
POSSIBILITY OF SECOND WAVE IN BEIJING
According to Zeng Guang, chief scientist with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing will not become the second Wuhan � the city where the outbreak originated � due to a new outbreak of COVID-19 in the largest wholesale market of the city, though a weak form of the second wave is possible.
Concerns of the second wave have been raised after the Xinfadi wholesale market was temporarily closed on Saturday following the detection of the new coronavirus on an cutting board for imported salmon as a result of an epidemiological investigation. On Saturday, the city authorities reported that 46 asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers related to the market were recorded over the day, and in order to prevent the situation from getting out of control, a wartime regime was introduced in the Fengtai area where the market is located. On Sunday, 36 new cases linked to the market were registered.
"While there is no quantitative concept as to what the second wave is, this is only a conditional concept. Whether there will be a second wave depends largely on our preventive measures. For example, in the future, the number of cases may increase for several days, then the spread of the virus will be taken under control, this is a weak form of the second wave, this probability is very high. But Beijing will not become the second Wuhan when the virus spread to other cities across the country and we had to close the city," Guang told reporters.
The scientist also recommended to refrain from eating raw salmon, because at the moment, while the source of the virus is unknown, people need to eat fish only after heat treatment.
As of now, in four districts of Beijing, the level of the epidemiological threat has been raised from "low" to "medium."
Meanwhile, Wang Hongcun, an inspector of the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau said that Bejing was steadily supplied with essential goods, despite the closure of the city's largest wholesale agricultural market over the outbreak of COVID-19. However, the official added, due to restrictive measures in certain markets and in stores, prices of vegetables rose, there was even a lack of vegetables in some areas.
