Paris (AFP)

New assessments, new measures, highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic, which killed more than 26,000 people worldwide.

- Italy: nearly a thousand dead in 24 hours -

Italy has announced almost a thousand new deaths in 24 hours, a toll that no country in the world has reached so far, according to official data from the Civil Protection.

For the Higher Institute of Health, the peak is still not reached and could be in the coming days. Contagion continues to slow, however.

- The United States, first affected country -

With more than 97,000 cases according to Johns Hopkins University, the United States is now the first in the number of officially declared cases in the world. Almost 18,000 cases were identified in one day.

To prevent the country from plunging into a lasting recession, the House of Representatives adopted the largest aid plan ever adopted in the United States, which will mobilize $ 2,000 billion.

- More than 570,000 cases worldwide -

The pandemic has killed at least 26,621 people worldwide since its onset in December in China, according to an assessment by AFP from official sources Friday at 7:00 p.m. GMT. Over 572,040 cases of infection have been diagnosed in 183 countries and territories.

Italy has 9,134 deaths for 86,498 cases. The other countries most affected are Spain with 4,858 deaths for 64,059 cases, mainland China with 3,292 deaths (81,340 cases), Iran with 2,378 deaths (32,332 cases), and France with 1,995 deaths (32,964 cases).

- "Dramatic evolution" in Africa -

The regional director of the World Health Organization for Africa has alerted to the "dramatic evolution" of the epidemic in Africa, where now some 40 countries are affected against only one a month ago.

- "Imminent threat" -

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "the global chronic shortage of personal protective equipment" for caregivers posed an "imminent threat".

- Containment -

South Africa has entered a three-week containment period, joining the more than 3 billion people already called to stay at home around the world.

In France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who warned against "the extremely high wave" of the "surging" epidemic, announced the continuation of the confinement for at least two more weeks, until April 15.

In Belgium too, confinement was extended by two weeks until April 19.

Argentina, already in general confinement for a week, announced the closure of its borders at least until March 31.

- The pope alone on Saint-Pierre square -

Pope Francis presided, alone on the deserted forecourt of St. Peter's Basilica, a prayer in the face of the "storm" of the pandemic, urging the "frightened and lost" world to reconsider its priorities and reconnect with faith.

- Boris Johnson contaminated -

After Prince Charles, heir to the British crown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he had been infected, becoming the first leader of a great power to be infected.

Health Minister Matt Hancock said he too tested positive.

- Cancellations -

The Parisian men's ready-to-wear week and the haute couture week planned for June-July are canceled.

Milan men's fashion week parades are postponed from June to September.

- A cat carrying the coronavirus -

A cat was infected with the new coronavirus in Belgium, contaminated by its owner who was sick, according to Belgian health authorities, which exclude any risk of contamination from animals to humans.

burs-acm / cds / mm

© 2020 AFP