- Spain reported a second day of more than 1,000 coronavirus infections, the highest since the nation lifted its blockade in June.
- The Libyan government, recognized by the United Nations in Tripoli, announced that it will impose a total closure in the areas of the country it controls, after an increase in cases of COVID-19.
- More than 17.2 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus. More than 10 million patients have recovered, and at least 671,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Here are the latest updates:
Friday, July 31
01:53 GMT – US epicenter shifts to midwestern states
Coronavirus infections appear to be on the rise in the Midwestern United States, the White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator said, as the state of Ohio reported a record day of cases and the Wisconsin governor ordered the use of masks.
The coronavirus outbreak is “moving” to southern Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska “due to vacations and other travel reasons,” Deborah Birx told Fox News.
01:19 GMT – Pleas from Iranian prison officials for virus help ignored
According to Amnesty International, the Iranian government ignored repeated requests from senior prison officials for help to contain the coronavirus in the country’s overcrowded prisons.
The human rights group said it reviewed copies of four letters to the health ministry signed by officials from the Iranian Prison Organization, “raising the alarm about the serious shortage of protective equipment, disinfectant products and essential medical devices.”
The ministry “did not respond, and Iran’s prisons are still not catastrophically equipped for outbreaks,” Amnesty said.
Leaked official documents obtained by Amnesty International reveal that the Iranian government ignored repeated pleas from top officials responsible for managing Iran’s prisons to obtain additional resources to control the spread # COVID19 and treat infected prisoners. https://t.co/7GF6ajrfT7
– Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) July 30, 2020
00:50 GMT – Vietnam reports 45 new cases
The Vietnam Health Ministry reported 45 new coronavirus infections related to a recent outbreak in the central city of Da Nang, representing the largest daily increase since the first cases emerged in the country in late January.
The new patients, aged between 27 and 87, are linked to four hospitals and a hotel in Da Nang. The total number of infections since the virus resurfaced reached 93, the ministry said in a statement.
Vietnam has registered 509 cases of the virus in total, with no deaths. The country had recorded 100 days without a case of local transmission before the virus reappeared.
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COVID-19 spreads in Vietnam after an outbreak at a tourist spot (1:59) |
00:42 GMT – Bolsonaro from Brazil says he has “mold” in his lungs
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he was taking antibiotics for an infection that left him feeling weak, laughing in an online video about “mold” in his lungs, after spending weeks in isolation after contracting the new coronavirus.
“I just did a blood test. I was feeling a little weak yesterday. They also found a little infection. I’m taking antibiotics now,” Bolsonaro said in a live video, without giving details of the infection.
“After 20 days indoors, I have other problems. I have mold on my lungs,” he said, referring to the nearly three weeks he spent at the official presidential residence.
He tested positive for the coronavirus on July 7 and then negative last Saturday.
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Latin America: Millions at risk of famine as COVID-19 cases increase (2:34) |
00:05 GMT – Botswana re-establishes the blockade in the capital
Botswana’s capital city Gaborone returned to a two-week lockdown to halt its latest surge in coronavirus infections.
Under the new rules for the capital and surrounding areas, only essential workers could leave home to work, while others could only leave the house to buy groceries. All meetings will be banned and hotels, restaurants, gyms and schools will be closed.
“Over the course of the week, the disease has taken an unprecedented turn, which now requires us to block the Gaborone region to allow our containment measures to be supported,” said Kereng Masupu, coordinator of the workforce team. COVID-19. in a televised briefing.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continued coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. I am Zaheena Rasheed in Male, Maldives.
You can find all the key developments from yesterday, July 20, here.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
.
