Paris (AFP)
New assessments, new measures, highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.
- Contaminated political leaders -
In Bolivia, interim president Jeanine Añez, candidate for the September 6 presidential election, announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus and that she was fine.
In Venezuela, the number two of the regime Diosdado Cabello, president of the Constituent Assembly, announced Thursday that he had tested positive and placed himself in solitary confinement.
- Italy could extend the state of emergency -
The head of the Italian government, Giuseppe Conte, judged it possible on Friday that the state of emergency declared because of the pandemic and ending on July 31 would be extended.
- Barrier gestures: call for vigilance in France -
In France, the state of health emergency ends Friday evening. The Minister of Health Olivier Véran, who observed a "relaxation in behavior" aimed at limiting the transmission of Covid-19, called on the French to "daily vigilance", even if the circulation of the virus is at this stage "mastered".
- Belgium: towards wearing a wider mask -
Belgium must ratify Friday the widening of the compulsory wearing of the mask, which will have to be worn as of Saturday in stores, cinemas, places of worship or museums and libraries.
The mask was already compulsory in public transport or "when practicing professions with close contacts", as in hairdressing salons.
- Over 555,000 dead -
Since the end of December, the new coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 555,036 people worldwide, the largest number in the United States (133,291 deaths), followed by Brazil (69,184), the United Kingdom (44,602), Italy (34,926) and Mexico (33,526), according to a report by AFP from official sources, Friday at 11:00 GMT.
- Record of contamination in Israel -
Israel has recorded a record of infections with 1,464 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admitted the possibility that the deconfinement took place "too early".
- No deadly new virus, denies Kazakhstan -
Kazakhstan on Friday denied claims by the Chinese Embassy that a new virus, more deadly than Covid-19, is spreading in several regions of this gigantic country in Central Asia.
- "Time to act" to relaunch the EU -
European Council President Charles Michel on Friday urged action by the 27 EU countries due to meet on July 17 and 18 to adopt a broad plan to revive the European economy.
- Fewer Australians will be able to return -
Australia will cut in half, to 4,000 per day, the number of its nationals allowed to return from abroad, at a time when Melbourne is experiencing a resurgence of cases of new coronavirus.
- Hong Kong closes its schools -
Hong Kong will close its schools again on Monday, after a resurgence of local coronavirus transmissions, the territory's education minister announced Friday.
Hong Kong's public schools had already closed in January and gradually reopened from May.
- Tracing application in sight in Slovenia -
Slovenians tested positive or placed in quarantine will soon be required to use a mobile application for tracking their contacts, which does not yet exist in this country but which the parliament decided Thursday evening to make mandatory.
- F1: two new Grand Prix confirmed -
The promoter of the world championship of Formula 1 confirmed Friday the dates of two new Grand Prix of the 2020 season, in Mugello (Italy) on September 13 and in Sochi (Russia) on September 27.
burs-ang / cds / cac
© 2020 AFP