In Europe, where infections are far from their peak in the spring, but local outbreaks are causing concern, European Union leaders from 27 nations haggled for the third day in Brussels over a proposed $ 2.1 billion EU budget and a coronavirus recovery fund.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there is “a lot of good will, but there are also many positions” in the talks, which have exposed fissures in the bloc about how the countries most affected by the pandemic, such as Italy and Spain, it must be helped and under what conditions. She said the talks, which were originally scheduled to end on Saturday, could still end without an agreement.
According to data collected by Johns Hopkins, global deaths confirmed by or with COVID-19 increased to more than 602,000. The United States tops the list with more than 140,000, followed by more than 78,000 in Brazil, 45,000 in the United Kingdom, and 38,000 in Mexico.
The number of confirmed infections worldwide has exceeded 14.2 million, with just 3.7 million from the United States. Brazil has witnessed more than 2 million, while India has registered more than 1 million. Experts believe the actual numbers worldwide are higher due to a paucity of evidence and data collection problems in some nations.
Infections have skyrocketed in U.S. states like Florida, Texas, and Arizona, with many blaming a sloppy approach to lifting the locks, as well as resistance by some Americans to wearing masks.
Even when the situation has been largely controlled, the new outbreaks continue to worry authorities and lead to the return of some restrictions.
After a recent spike in cases, Hong Kong made wearing masks mandatory in all public places and told nonessential public officials to work from home. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the situation in the Asian financial center is “really critical” and that she sees “no sign” that it is under control.
Police in Barcelona are limiting access to some of the city’s beaches because bathers are ignoring regulations amid a resurgence of the coronavirus. Authorities in Amsterdam are urging people not to visit the city’s famous red light district and have closed some of the narrow streets of the historic district because they are too busy.
Slaughterhouses have recorded several outbreaks. Vechta county authorities in northwest Germany said Saturday that 66 workers at a chicken slaughterhouse tested positive. That is much smaller than a recent outbreak in western Germany that prompted local authorities to order a partial closure.
Cases in the Australian state of Victoria re-emerged on Sunday, sparking a move to make masks a must in the Melbourne metropolitan area and nearby Mitchell district for people leaving their homes to exercise or shop. essential goods.
