Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic on Friday, March 27

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The Covid-19 has killed more than 25,000 people worldwide. Italy, which had its worst death toll in 24 hours, of nearly 1,000 deaths, remains the country most affected by the epidemic, with more than 9,000 deaths and 86,000 cases.

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France extends confinement until at least April 15

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced on Friday afternoon March 27 the renewal of the two-week confinement until April 15 and warned that it could be further extended. In the morning, he spoke of the " difficult " situation that France would have to face in the coming days given the " extremely high wave " of the coronavirus epidemic. Ile-de-France hospitals are likely to be saturated within 48 hours, while the Grand Est region must evacuate 48 patients this weekend to New Aquitaine. The latest official report at midday was nearly 1,700 dead and 30,000 people infected.

UK : Boris Johnson tested positive for coronavirus

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 , with " mild symptoms ". " I remain confined but I will continue to lead the government's response by videoconference as we fight the virus, " he wrote on Twitter. If ever the health of the leader deteriorates, it is expected that Dominic Raab, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will take over, reports our correspondent in London, Muriel Delcroix . UK Health Minister Matt Hancock has also tested positive.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.

I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government response via video-conference as we fight this virus.

Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri

Italy : 1000 dead in 24 hours, fears for the south

The Covid-19 crisis " will explode dramatically " in Campania, the region of Naples, which " will live in the next ten days a real hell, " warned the governor of this region. The epidemic has not yet peaked in the country, according to the director of the Italian Higher Institute of Health. Italy remains the country most affected by the epidemic, with 9,134 deaths, including nearly 1,000 in the past 24 hours, and more than 86,000 cases, according to civil protection. However, the rate of contagion would continue to slow.

Record number of deaths in Spain in one day

A record 769 dead in 24 hours in Spain. The total is 4,858 deaths since the start of the epidemic. After Madrid, the second most affected city is Barcelona, ​​in Catalonia.

Russia : closing of restaurants and shops throughout the country

After the city of Moscow, the whole country will close its non-food businesses from this Saturday, March 28, announced Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Michoustine. A non-working but paid week was decreed from March 28 to April 5 . Russia, which has just over a thousand cases, has not ordered compulsory confinement.

Poland strengthens border measures

From this Friday, and until April 11 at least, the more than 200,000 Poles working in the surrounding countries will also have to go through a quarantine of two weeks , as soon as they return to Polish soil, according to our correspondent in Warsaw, Thomas Giraudeau . They were exempt from it until then.

Panic over lack of respirators in the United States

US President Donald Trump on Friday March 27 called in an angry tweet on automakers Ford and General Motors to " immediately " start producing respirators to respond to the coronavirus epidemic. " General Motors must immediately open its stupidly abandoned factory in Lordstown, Ohio, or another factory, and start producing respirators now, " he tweeted.

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW !!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST !!!!!! @GeneralMotors @Ford

The United States has documented more than 83,000 cases of coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University, and has recorded 1,300 deaths. In addition, the House of Representatives was to vote this Friday, March 27, a historic aid plan of 2.2 trillion dollars , supposed to allow the American economy to avoid plunging into a lasting recession. In Washington, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conceded that the world economy had " now entered into recession ".

Latin America exceeds 10,000 cases

The countries most affected are Brazil (2,915 cases including 77 deaths), Ecuador (1,403 cases, 34 deaths) and Chile (1,610 cases, five deaths), according to WHO and local governments.

In Chile, chloroquine rush

Many people in Chile have run into chloroquine , a drug that is raising as much hope as controversy around the world for the treatment of coronavirus. Patients who used to take this medication for conditions other than Covid-19 fear that they will find themselves without treatment, found our correspondent in Santiago, Justine Fontaine . Ana Victoria Nieto, who chairs the order of pharmacists of Chile, asked the Chilean government to react. " At this moment, the health authorities are preparing to modify the conditions of access to the drug, to curb this misuse, and that it be dispensed only on prescription, with tighter control ," she said. .

Argentina closes its borders

Argentina, already in general confinement for a week, announced the closure of its borders from this Friday and at least until March 31, in an attempt to stem the epidemic of coronavirus. In Argentina, the number of reported cases of Covid-19 is 589, including 12 deaths.

China closes to foreigners

The decision will take effect on Saturday March 28 from midnight. Beijing claims to be forced to temporarily suspend travelers' visas due to a rise in “ imported ” contamination cases, according to our regional correspondent Stéphane Lagarde .

India : the poorest on the front line

The Indian Central Bank announced on Friday March 27 a cut in its main key rate in an attempt to mitigate the economic repercussions of the coronavirus. The country of 1.3 billion inhabitants is stationary, in confinement for three weeks. Millions of poor workers find themselves without income and some have started a long exodus from the cities to reach their villages of origin , testifies our correspondent in New Delhi, Sébastien Farcis .

Pakista : crowds at Friday prayers

Attendance was important for Friday prayers in many mosques in Pakistan, despite fears of the spread of the coronavirus in this country of 200 million inhabitants. Pakistan currently lists 1,252 Covid-19 patients. Nine people died. Despite fears of seeing the health system overtaken by the pandemic, the authorities have chosen not to close the mosques, unlike other public places.

A crazy bet in Dubai

A couple of South Africans living in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, will run a 42.2-kilometer marathon on their 19-meter-long balcony to encourage confined people to temporarily divert their minds from the new coronavirus. The challenge must start this Saturday.

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• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine
• Containment

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