Alwaght- Life with the new coronavirus must be considered a new normal until vaccination or effective treatment is developed for the disease caused by the pathogen (COVID-19), the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
Takeshi Kasai, the WHO’s regional director for the Western Pacific, said at an online press conference on Tuesday that people had to be ready for a new way of living with the virus.
“At least until a vaccine, or a very effective treatment, is found, this process will need to become our new normal,” Kasai said.
He added that any lifting of lockdown measures around the world had to be done carefully and in stages, warning about a resurgent, potentially overwhelming outbreak if restrictions were eased prematurely.
Northwest China sees return of viral cases
China’s northwestern province of Shaanxi on Tuesday reported its first coronavirus cases in about three weeks, all of them of Chinese nationals returning from abroad.
The new cases included 21 new infections as well as seven cases with no clinical symptoms. They had been on board a commercial flight from Moscow that landed in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi, on Monday.
Mainland China has recorded 82,758 cases and 4,632 deaths as of Monday, according to the country’s National Health Commission.
Thailand records lowest daily coronavirus count
A health official in Thailand said on Tuesday that the country had registered 19 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, the lowest daily count in over a month.
Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, also reported that a 50-year-old taxi driver had died of COVID-19.
Thailand has reported a total of 2,811 cases and 48 deaths so far.
Germany’s cases jump by 1,785
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany jumped by 1,785 to 143,457, while the death toll increased by 194 to 4,598, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia to ban praying in the two Holy Mosques in Ramadan
Saudi Arabia on Monday extended the suspension of praying in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s holiest places, during the fasting month of Ramadan, which will begin later this month.
The number of cases in the six Arab states in the Persian Gulf region has exceeded 28,000, with more than 170 deaths, despite curfews and other restrictions, including the suspension of passenger flights.
Kuwait prolongs curfew
A Kuwaiti government spokesman said on Monday that Kuwait would extend the suspension of work in the public sector, including at government ministries, until May 31 and prolong a nationwide curfew for 16 hours.
The 4 pm to 8 am curfew would go into effect at the start of Ramadan.
Qatar to lift restrictions on infection hotspot
Qatar said it would lift a lockdown imposed since March 17 on a large section of a densely-populated working-class industrial zone that emerged as a hotspot for the outbreak in the country, gradually starting Wednesday.
A government spokeswoman said the decision was made after about 6,500 workers were moved into quarantine between April 14-17 as a precautionary step although they showed no clear symptoms of COVID-19.
Erdogan announces lockdown in 31 Turkish cities
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that a four-day lockdown would be imposed in 31 cities starting Thursday.
Similar measures were imposed in Turkey over the past two weekends.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Monday that confirmed coronavirus cases in Turkey had increased by 4,674 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 90,980, and 123 more people had died, taking the toll to 2,140.
An aerial picture shows a general view of iconic Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue, main shopping center of Istanbul on April 19, 2020, as Turkish government announced a two-day curfew to prevent the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. (Photo by AFP)
Mexico sees deadliest day of violence amid outbreak
In Mexico, the coronavirus outbreak has not reined in typical violence, with 105 murders being reported on Monday despite the quarantine measures imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the disease.
According to official data, Sunday was Mexico’s deadliest day this year after the homicide toll surpassed the latest high of 104 people on April 4, 2020.
“We are addressing the issue of the coronavirus, but unfortunately we continue to have problems with homicides,” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday.
“Once we get through this difficult situation,” he said in reference to the epidemic, “we are going to give (the criminals) options, alternatives so that they can rejoin public life, be good people.”
