Health

Daily COVID-19 pandemic roundup: April 27

(Update: Adds US, EU, Russia, Latin America)

Miami Desk, Apr 27 (efe-epa).- Here’s a roundup of stories around the world related to the novel coronavirus pandemic:

WORLD: The Johns Hopkins University reported Monday that more than 2.9 million people have tested positive for Covid-19 so far and at least 206,000 have died, more than 55,000 of them in the United States.

US: In the US, some 980,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus and 55,637 have died, according to the latest figures released by The Johns Hopkins University. Belgium has the largest mortality index, with 15.4 people of every 100 testing positive having died, while in the US that figure stands at 5.7 percent.

US: President Donald Trump said Monday that he will keep US borders closed to travel from Europe until the coronavirus situation improves there, calling the impact of the pandemic in Spain and Italy “tragic.” Trump closed US borders to European travel on March 14 for 30 days, a period that has been extended and could be again as long as Trump considers it to be necessary.

US: Democratic lawmakers and party leaders in Florida on Monday called the management of the coronavirus crisis by President Donald Trump and his political ally, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, “chaotic.” Florida Democratic Party chair Terrie Rizzo said, “After months of ignoring experts, shirking responsibility, and failing to rapidly scale testing, Trump has sadly shown us that we cannot trust him to lead in this pandemic.”

US: The state of Florida on Monday reported more than 600 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total official number to 32,138, 1,066 of whom have died. There are currently 5,010 people hospitalized with Covid-19 in the state, according to the state health department.

EU: The European Commission predicts that the coronavirus pandemic will plunge the European Union into a “deep” recession this year that will cause the bloc’s total GDP to contract by between 5-10 percent.

RUSSIA: Russia says it is confident that it will be able to start lifting home confinement measures implemented to limit the spread of the coronavirus in mid-May, the country’s top health official, Anna Popova, announced Monday. So far, Russia has reported 87,000 confirmed virus cases, putting it ahead of China in the number of cases.

BRAZIL: On Monday, Brazilian health authorities reported 338 deaths from Covid-19, bringing the death toll so far during the pandemic to 4,543, with 66,501 confirmed cases diagnosed nationwide.

BRAZIL: The Brazilian state of Amazonas is awaiting authorization from the national government for the shipment by air of 2,000 coffins to prevent the collapse of the funeral sector in the state capital of Manaus. Amazonas has registered 3,833 coronavirus cases and 304 deaths, but the real figures could be much higher given the marked rise in burials in Manaus.

MEXICO: Mexican Public Administration Secretary Irma Erendira Sandoval has tested positive for Covid-19, the first cabinet official in the Andrew Manuel Lopez Obrador administration to become infected with the coronavirus, authorities announced Monday.

MEXICO: Mexico City estimates that it will spend about 2 billion pesos (about $80.6 million) to deal with the Covid-19 health emergency, according to capital Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum.

GUATEMALA: Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei said Monday that “the worst is yet to come” in the Central American country regarding the coronavirus health crisis. The president – a physician and surgeon by training – told a local radio station that experts anticipate a spike in Covid-19 cases in Guatemala during the first two weeks of May. “It takes off on Day 40” from the first reported infection, and Guatemala has just passed that milestone, thus leading experts to forecast a rising curve. A total of 500 confirmed cases have been detected here so far, with 13 of them having proved fatal.

BOLIVIA: Bolivia’s interim president, Jeanine Añez, on Monday in a specially taped video called for a day of family “fasting and prayer” on Tuesday to combat and overcome the coronavirus pandemic, saying that “For God, nothing is impossible.” The video was posted on Anez’s accounts on the main social networks, the first time the government has set a specific day for religious observations in the home to deal with the pandemic.

EL SALVADOR: El Salvador reported 25 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, the highest daily number since the pandemic erupted. President Nayib Bukele said that the country is currently “in the community transmission phase,” during which “the risk of infection is extremely high.”

ECUADOR: Ecuadorian Government Minister Maria Paula Romo on Monday reported that 23,240 confirmed coronavirus cases have been detected in the country and 663 people have died, but she added that an additional 1,138 people are suspected of dying from the disease, although they were never tested and confirmed to be infected. She also said that Quito is considering extending for 60 days the state of emergency declared in March and due to expire in mid-May.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Prague Zoo reopened some of its outdoor enclosures to visitors under strict safety restrictions for the first time since 13 March, having been closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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