Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic Monday, March 30

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While four out of ten inhabitants of the planet are now confined, Germany lives in fear of a recession and the United States of a paralysis. According to AFP, the pandemic has killed more than 34,000 people for more than 727,000 officially diagnosed cases of infection, including 400,000 in Europe. In Hungary, the government in place has expanded its powers.

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• Millions of Chinese masks arrive in France

The race against the epidemic continues on French soil. The military helicopter ballet continued in the East to relieve the resuscitation services of hospitals in the region, submerged for two weeks, while a cargo plane carrying several million medical masks landed from China.

Summoned by the opposition to explain himself about the shortage of equipment and the health strategy, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that he would meet on Thursday the presidents of political parties, heads of parliamentary groups and associations of elected officials to make a point on the epidemic.

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According to the OFCE, a month's confinement in France should cut GDP by 2.6 points over one year. For Xavier Ragot, its president, it is urgent to fight against corporate bankruptcies. Symbol of these economic difficulties, the Paris Motor Show, which was to be held in October in Paris, is canceled. Renault put 16,000 Ile-de-France employees on short-time work to adapt to the drop in activity.

In France, the barrier of 3,000 hospital deaths (3,024) was crossed this Monday, March 30 in France, including 418 recorded in the past 24 hours, the largest increase in number on a day since the start of the epidemic, according to the assessment posted online by the government. The total number of people hospitalized is now close to 21,000 (+1,592 since Sunday) including a very strong influx of heavy cases in intensive care (+ 424) where 5,056 patients are admitted to date.

• Encouraging signs in Italy

The country in the world most bereaved by the pandemic with 11,500 deaths, Italy is recording encouraging signs of contagion. After three weeks of confinement, 812 people have died in the past 24 hours. But the increase in new positive cases has never been lower with an increase of 4%, four times less than a fortnight ago.

In an interview with Corriere della sera , the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli warns that " some countries have not perceived the extent of the catastrophe that awaits us and do not realize the gravity of the situation for their own economies " A cry of alarm also uttered by the President of the Italian Council in a Spanish newspaper. " This is not an economic crisis that would affect countries that are less virtuous than others, it is a health crisis that has exploded (...), a historic challenge for all of Europe ", he explains. he.

• Spain: towards the end of the peak?

Spain recorded a slight decline in its daily death toll to 812 on Monday, after the sad record recorded on Sunday. In total, more than 7,300 people died from Covid-19 in Spain. But the number of new infections is slowing. Giving authorities hope to be close to the peak of the epidemic.

• German economy in decline

The Committee of Economic Sages, which advises the federal government, is formal: the German economy will contract significantly this year. According to the scenarios, gross domestic product (GDP) will fall from 2.8 to 5.4% in 2020.

• Almost unlimited powers for Viktor Orban

The Prime Minister of Hungary obtained the green light from the Parliament, granting him radically strengthened powers. The bill notably allows the Hungarian leader to legislate by ordinances, in a state of emergency regime without fixed duration on the grounds of fighting against the epidemic of coronavirus. The law, decried by the opposition, establishes up to five years in prison for spreading "false news" about the virus or government measures.

• Burglary in the midst of a pandemic in the Netherlands

A painting by Vincent van Gogh was stolen from the Singer Laren City Museum, which is currently closed due to the Covid-19. This is the painting Le jardin du presbytère de Nuenen au printemps .

• Post-Brexit negotiations victims of Covid-19?

According to diplomatic sources quoted by Reuters, the European Union expects the United Kingdom to request an extension of the transition period due to the coronavirus. This transition period should make it possible to define the framework for future commercial relations between the two parties. European negotiator Michel Barnier contracted the coronavirus, as did British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Minister of Health. Good news from the royal family: Prince Charles, diagnosed positive, is out of quarantine and is in " good health ".

• Putin calls on Muscovites to stay at home

The Russian president has decided to change his tone. After refusing last week to order any measure of containment, Vladimir Putin calls on the inhabitants of the capital to take seriously the confinement decreed for an indefinite period. Several regions should quickly take similar action. Officially, Russia has recorded 1,836 cases of infection, including 1,200 in the capital, and nine deaths.

• Netanyahu isolated as a precaution

It is a priori only a precautionary measure. The Israeli Prime Minister has been placed in quarantine. An employee of his services tested positive for coronavirus. The Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross has also started to deploy mobile screening clinics in Arab areas of Israel, at the request of opposition political leaders.

• The U.S. military in action

A 1,000-bed military hospital ship arrived in New York Harbor. He must come to relieve the establishments of the city confronted with an influx of patients of the coronavirus. This vessel is equipped with 12 operating rooms and 1,200 caregivers. It will receive patients requiring intensive care not linked to the virus to allow hospitals on patients with Covid-19. New York City, epicenter of the epidemic on American soil with more than 33,000 cases and 776 dead, must open another emergency hospital by Monday evening.

• The Brazilian left wants the departure of Bolsonaro

The main personalities of the Brazilian left publish a manifesto asking the far-right president to resign. " Enough!" Bolsonaro is more than a political problem, it has become a public health problem "can be read in the text signed in particular by several presidential candidates of 2018.

• Ceasefire in Colombia

Considered the last active guerrilla war in Colombia, the ENL announces a one-month unilateral ceasefire . " A humanitarian gesture " motivated by the pandemic explains a press release issued by elected officials favorable to a peace process with the armed group. A few days ago, the ICRC announced the release by the guerrillas of three hostages.

• Difficult implementation of containment in India

A hundred idle workers have been detained in India for defying the travel ban. The Prime Minister's announcement of general containment last week unleashed a veritable humanitarian crisis in the second most populous country in the world, with 1.3 billion people. The authorities in the capital even had to close the region's borders in an attempt to stop the departures and order the installation of shelters.

• Iran prepares for long-term battle

Among the most affected by the epidemic, with officially nearly 3,000 deaths, Iran has announced that the virus is now affecting more than 40,000 people. Authorities say they are preparing to fight the epidemic at least until early summer.

• A new date for the Tokyo Olympics

They were to start on July 24, 2020, but pandemic requires, the Tokyo Olympics will finally be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021 . The Paralympic Games will take place from August 24 to September 5.

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• Coronavirus
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