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Global coronavirus infections have reached 25 million, as countries around the world tightened restrictions further to try to stop the devastating pandemic.
John Hopkins University reports that the current number of coronavirus cases globally is 25,009,250.
The university says that more than 842,000 people have died from Covid-19 worldwide, with the highest number of deaths reported in the US at nearly 183,000.
According to an AFP count, an additional one million Covid-19 cases have been detected worldwide roughly every four days since mid-July, with India today setting the record for the highest increase in cases in a single day at 78,761. .
The surge in India, home to 1.3 billion people, came as the government further lowered lockdown restrictions over the weekend to help ease pressure on the faltering economy.
Even nations like New Zealand and South Korea, which had previously controlled their outbreaks to a great extent, are now battling new clusters of infections.
On the other side of the world, Latin America, the most affected region, was still struggling with its first wave, with deaths from Covid-19 in Brazil exceeding 120,000, second only to the United States.
Brazil’s curve “has now stabilized, but at a very dangerous level: almost 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day,” said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at the Fiocruz public health institute.
“And Brazil has not yet passed the top.”
Without a vaccine or effective treatment yet available, governments have been forced to resort to some form of social distancing and lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus.
The masks will be mandatory starting tomorrow on public transport and flights in New Zealand, which spent more than 100 days without local broadcast before the current group emerged.
And strict restrictions against the virus began yesterday in South Korea, which is also battling new groups, including in the Greater Seoul region, home to half the country’s population.
Despite the disappointing numbers, there has been consistent opposition to lockdowns and social distancing measures in many parts of the world, often due to their crushing financial cost.
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But resistance has also come from the far left and right of the political spectrum, as well as conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccine activists.
Yesterday in Berlin, around 18,000 people gathered to march against coronavirus restrictions, but the police later stopped the demonstration because many were not respecting social distancing measures.
Protesters waved German flags and shouted slogans against Chancellor Angela Merkel who is often used by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Many carried banners promoting widely discredited conspiracy theories about vaccines, masks and 5G communications. Similar protests were also held in London and Zurich.
The pandemic has disrupted economies and societies around the world and brought to a halt most large gatherings, from sports and music to religion and politics.
The Tour de France left yesterday from the French Riviera, two months later than planned and without the French Sports Minister ruling out the cancellation of the event due to the coronavirus.
Under Tour rules, a team with two positive tests in its entourage would be expelled. A virus test cell will travel with the teams throughout the race.
The world’s major sporting, cultural and musical events face the challenge of hosting spectators and reducing the risk of virus transmission.
But yesterday there was some joy in New York, once among the largest coronavirus hot spots in the world.
Visitors raised their arms, clapped and lined up for tickets as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York reopened to the public in a festive mood after a six-month shutdown.
Tracy-Ann Samuel, who came with her four and nine-year-old daughters, said she couldn’t wait to be “surrounded by fine arts” again.
“It means there is a semblance of normalcy,” he said.
“The Met has been a part of New York history for more than 150 years … So this is a great first step.”
AFP of additional reports
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