Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic on Saturday, April 18

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Some 2,281,334 cases of coronavirus have been recorded worldwide, 150,000 people have died, two thirds of them in Europe. In the United States, Republican President Donald Trump calls on his supporters to resist resistance to confinement in three American states led by Democrats.

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• In France, the Mulhouse hospital is preparing a plan to end the crisis

The new coronavirus epidemic has killed 19,323 people in France since March 1, including 642 in the past 24 hours, a figure down for the third consecutive day. The number of people hospitalized (30,639) was also down for the fourth day in a row. The situation has improved enough in the East, one of the main centers of the epidemic, for the Mulhouse hospital to prepare today a "plan to end the crisis". A new temporary morgue has been installed in the Paris suburbs. It can accommodate 800 bodies. The previous one is almost full.

The Ministry of the Armed Forces has published a final assessment of the tests carried out on board the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle :  1,046 sailors have been diagnosed positive. Almost 50% of cases are asymptomatic. Between 20 and 30 sailors are currently hospitalized. Two investigations were carried out on the management of the crisis by military supervision.

Overnight, the National Assembly voted a new budget which provides among other things 20 billion euros to recapitalize strategic companies in difficulty, especially in the air and automotive. Environmentalists deplore that there is no compensation in social and environmental matters.

While the "strictest confinement" is extended until May 11 , the question arises of what deconfinement will look like. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is preparing his response this Sunday afternoon at a press conference. He will be accompanied by his Minister of Health Olivier Véran and a panel of experts.

• Stable but slow decline in Italy, more than 20,000 dead in Spain

In Italy , 482 people have died in the last 24 hours. This is the lowest daily balance since April 12. The number of new cases (3,491) remained stable. The recession does not seem as rapid as some had hoped, while the population has been confined for six weeks. The country has recorded 23,227 deaths since the start of the epidemic. It is the second highest total in the world behind the United States. The number of confirmed cases is now 175,925.

While Spain has been under strict containment for five weeks, the death toll now stands at 20,043. The total number of confirmed cases stands at 191,726, after a slowdown in progression in recent days. The number of people healed exceeds 75,000. If the peak of the epidemic has passed, the authorities warn of any relaxation and have already warned that the return to normalcy would be extremely gradual. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announces that the confinement will continue until May 9 inclusive. Madrid's mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida said that no "  mass gathering  " such as concerts or sports meetings would take place in Spain "  this summer  ".

In Portugal , in an interview with the newspaper Expresso , Prime Minister Antonio Costa plans to make it mandatory to wear protective masks in public transport and to impose restrictions on the beaches during the summer. To date, Portugal has reported 19,685 confirmed cases of
coronavirus and 687 deaths. Portugal declared a state of emergency to stop the
spread of the coronavirus on March 18 and extended it Thursday
until May 2.

• Germany welcomes unaccompanied minors from Greek camps

After Luxembourg, Germany has just welcomed unaccompanied minors from refugee camps on the Greek islands. Forty-seven of them arrived this Saturday morning. A total of 1,500 unaccompanied minors are expected to arrive in ten European countries which have undertaken to take care of them.

In the UK , the epidemic has left 888 more dead in 24 hours in hospitals across the country, which now totals 15,464, the Department of Health announced. Out of the 357,023 tests carried out, 114,217 were positive. Queen Elizabeth II asked to cancel the traditional cannon shots for the celebration of her birthday on Tuesday.

The Irish noticed a dramatic drop in births statements to civil status, because of social distancing measures. Authorities estimate the number of unreported newborns at 4,000. New parents can now report online. Until now, you had to go to an administrative office with the child, in some cases with the other parent.

• Orthodox Easter Mass on TV

Passover is the biggest holiday of the year in countries where the Orthodox community is large. Confinement obliges, in Jerusalem, the ceremony of the “sacred fire” at the Holy Sepulcher took place only in the presence of a few religious dignitaries. But the fire was then sent, according to tradition, to a dozen Orthodox countries. This year, to avoid trips for family reunions, controls have been strengthened in these countries.

In Serbia, it is forbidden to leave your home, including shopping or going to the pharmacy. These strict rules will be extended until Tuesday. They are also applied in North Macedonia. In Bulgaria, the inhabitants of Sofia are not allowed to leave the capital while there is an increase in contamination in the country, yet the least affected in Europe. In Russia, Vladimir Putin has given up attending Mass for Christ the Savior, where he traditionally goes. The Russian president has asked his government to provide daily forecasts of the spread of the coronavirus after the country recorded nearly 5,000 cases yesterday. On Saturday, the official count of coronavirus infections in Russia was 36,793.

► Read also: Celebrate Easter in Greece at the time of the coronavirus 

• Donald Trump calls for protest against containment

While the United States is the first world focus of the pandemic, Donald Trump calls for not respecting the containment measures. "  Free Minnesota!"  ","  Free Michigan!  ","  Free Virginia!  "The American president tweeted, encouraging his activists to challenge the authorities of these democratic states by demonstrating in the streets. Several hundred people in New Hampshire also denounced the containment measures before Parliament. Many find them excessive in light of the relatively small number of cases in this New England state. The United States has more than 700,000 cases of contamination and 37,000 deaths this Saturday.

New York State remains the epicenter of the epidemic, with 2,000 daily hospitalizations and 540 additional deaths. Figures still down compared to previous days. "  We may have passed the peak of the epidemic, but let us remain vigilant,  " recommends Governor Andrew Cuomo. He believes it is too early to break out of confinement and recalls that large-scale tests are now "  the most important factor to consider  ".

The United States and Canada have decided to extend the closure of their common border by one month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Saturday. Donald Trump was in favor of his "  rapid reopening  ". In addition, 31 residents of a retirement home, left alone by their caregivers, died within a few weeks. Quebec Premier Francois Legault spoke of "  obvious negligence  ". 

• Stores reopen in Tehran

A week after the reopening of economic activities in the provinces, the Iranian government authorizes the partial resumption of economic activities in the capital Tehran, despite the fear of a revival of the epidemic. Cafes, restaurants, sports and cultural centers, large shopping centers and the Tehran Bazaar remained closed. The coronavirus has killed more than 5,000 people in the country.

The Emirate of Dubai announces the opening of a field hospital with a capacity of more than 3,000 beds to cope with a possible increase in patients. The United Arab Emirates in general have imposed strict containment measures and a night curfew. More than 6,000 cases of infections have been officially recorded in the Emirates, including 37 deaths.

• Public tribute to an imam in Bangladesh

In defiance of the confinement rules in force in Bangladesh where the number of contaminations is increasing sharply, tens of thousands of faithful attended this Saturday the funeral of a high Muslim dignitary. To limit the risk of contagion, the police had approved the presence of 50 people at this ceremony which took place in Sarail, in the east, after an agreement had been reached with the family of the deceased. But the police did not manage to contain the crowd went to pay a last tribute to Jubayer Ahmad Ansari, who died the day before at the age of 55.

In a televised speech to the nation , Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he would send a letter to the wealthiest twenty billionaires in the country, asking them "what  they plan to do to help their country and his health system in these times of crisis  ”. 

• Global concert at home and sea lions at the beach

The Rolling Stones are participating this Saturday evening in a long concert also bringing together Taylor Swift, Céline Dion, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Organized by Lady Gaga in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), this six-hour show is streamed. Maned sea lions, typical of the shores of southern Latin America, will not attend. They take advantage of the confinement imposed on humans to make themselves comfortable in the seaside resort of Mar del Plata, on the west coast of Argentina.

Our selection on SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

• Listen to Coronavirus Info , daily chronicle on the pandemic

• Explanation:  The origins of the Covid-19

• Analyzes:
→ What strategies to face the epidemic ?
→ What impact on conflict zones?

• Practical questions:
→ What we know about the mode of contagion
→ How do we treat the sick ?
→ What results for the ongoing clinical trials?
→ How the Institut Pasteur hopes to find a vaccine
→ How to make a mask and use it well

Find all our articles, reports, chronicles and programs on the coronavirus by clicking here .

See also the files of RFI Savoirs  on the Covid-19:
• Birth of a pandemic
• Everyday life to the test
•  The history of epidemics

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