More than three billion people across the world have been asked to stay home to break the chain of infection in the Covid-19 pandemic, AFP ...
More than three billion people across the world have been asked to stay home to break the chain of infection in the Covid-19 pandemic, AFP reported on Wednesday. The pandemic has now infected 4,70,973 people globally, and killed 21,276 people across 173 countries or territories, according to an estimate by Johns Hopkins University. As many as 1,14,012 people have recovered.
The World Health Organization has recommended social distancing as a key measure to curb the spread of the infection. Countries like India, Argentina, Britain, France, Italy, South Africa, Panama as well as many US states have enforced lockdown. Some others have imposed curfew and mandatory quarantine. However, access to medical assistance and essential items like groceries are exempted in most countries.
India began its 21-day lockdown on Wednesday, when its number of confirmed cases rose to 606. Of these, 553 are active cases, 42 patients have recovered, 10 have died and one has left the country. At least three more deaths have been confirmed by local authorities but not central officials.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that only a concerted global effort could stop the spread of the virus. “Covid-19 is threatening the whole of humanity – and the whole of humanity must fight back,” Guterres...
