Health

Washington records fresh outbreak of COVID-19 cases amid protests

Washington, June 1 (efe-epa).- The District of Columbia, where Washington is situated, on Monday announced a fresh outbreak in the number of COVID-19 cases, taking the figures to 8,857, amid the protests that have continued in the city for last few days, leading to delays in second phase of reopening.

According to authorities, “a new peak was detected in the data, resetting the District’s Phase One count.”

The statement said the US capital, with an estimated population of 705,749, on Sunday added 56 new positive novel coronavirus cases which has claimed 468 lives and affected another 8,857 people.

COVID-19 has severely affected the African-American communities, which included 4,119 positive cases – 47 percent of the total number of infections – and the hispanic groups which has reported 2,336 COVID-19 cases.

The increase in the number of cases was reported soon after the long weekend in the US, due to the Memorial Day Celebrations on May 25, which traditionally marks the beginning of summer in the country and during which families enjoy outdoor activities.

The district had imposed Phase One of reopening from May 29 onwards with a reinvention of its public spaces to facilitate restaurants and other businesses to share sidewalks and other areas with passer-by and buyers.

Apart from some sports, the measure affected businesses such as hair salons, that will now attend clients only through appointments along with reinforced safety measures.

On Monday, US recorded 1,808,291 confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with more than 105,003 deaths, according to data released by John Hopkins University.

Several cities of the country have witnessed protests following the death of 46-year-old Africab-American George Floyd – who had been detained in the midwestern city of Minneapolis for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a supermarket – late last month in police custody. These gatherings, where social distancing measures were not maintained, led to warnings of several experts. EFE-EPA

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