Corona deaths exceed 200,000 .. Saudi Arabia partially lifts ban except for Mecca and Johnson returns to his office to face a tragedy

The number of new corona virus (Covid-19) deaths in the world exceeded 200,000 on Saturday, while a Reuters statistic predicted that the number of confirmed cases of the virus will reach three million within the coming days.

While some countries have begun to partially lift the isolation measures, the number of victims is escalating in the United States and Britain, whose prime minister will return to work tomorrow, Monday, after recovering from the virus that is spreading to his country.

According to the latest official statistics, on Saturday evening, there were 200,736 deaths worldwide, while HIV infections exceeded 2.86 million and were recovering by 773,000.

The death rate has increased worldwide by 4% per day during the past ten days, although the rate has slowed since the beginning of this month.

The United States, Spain and Italy recorded more than half of the deaths worldwide. The United States returned to record high numbers of casualties after retreating the previous day.

According to figures published yesterday evening, Johns Hopkins University, the states recorded 2494 deaths during the past 24 hours, as the number of deaths in the country reached 53,511, as well as 936,293 confirmed cases of the virus. 

In Britain, the death toll from Corona in hospitals on Saturday exceeded 20 thousand, which was considered by Home Secretary Pretti Battal "very tragic", but she called on the population to "show strength" to continue with the stone.   

This comes at a time when British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will return to his office tomorrow, Monday, after recovering from the virus.

During the last 24 hours, there were 813 additional deaths in Britain, bringing the total to 20,319 deaths.

Criticism of the British government has been mounting over its handling of the emerging epidemic of the Corona virus, with an increase in the total number of deaths.

Britain has the fifth highest official death toll from the virus in the world, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France. Scientists said that the death rate will not begin to decline quickly within a few weeks.

Beyond Corona
In Italy, the authorities announced on Saturday plans to put an end to the prices of facial masks and increase antibody tests, as it approached the end of the longest national closure period to contain the emerging Corona virus.

The Mediterranean country is awaiting a fateful decision at the end of this week regarding choosing the restrictions that will be lifted when the current closure period expires on May 3.

Italians are more likely to be allowed, with the start of next month, to leave their homes freely for the first time since 9 March.

Spain, on Saturday, issued instructions to allow children to leave their homes after six weeks of general isolation measures that are among the most stringent.

The government said that it would allow children under the age of 14 to leave from Sunday, with up to one hour of supervised outside activity from nine in the morning until nine in the evening, provided they did not move more than one kilometer from their homes.

In India, officials said that the government allowed a limited return to work in stores in some neighborhoods and residential areas as of Saturday, more than a month after imposing public quarantine measures nationwide to stop the spread of the Corona virus, but stores will not open in large markets or shopping centers before Next May 3.

In Pakistan, the government extended public quarantine measures nationwide until May 9, but decided to switch to so-called smart isolation measures from today, as a traceability process began with some industrial and commercial activities allowed to resume work according to safety guidelines .

Authorities allowed the return of congregational prayers during the month of Ramadan, with the exception of the southern province of Sindh, where doctors warned that the disease might spread quickly.

For its part, Uzbekistan on Saturday allowed some retailers and other companies to return to work, after being closed for weeks due to the Coruna epidemic.

In China, from which the virus began to circulate, data from the National Health Commission showed on Sunday that 11 new cases of coronavirus were recorded, compared to 12 cases the previous day, without recording deaths for the 11th day in a row.

Easing in Saudi Arabia and Algeria, and
in Saudi Arabia, the official Saudi News Agency said at dawn today, Sunday, that King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued an order to partially lift the curfew in all regions of the Kingdom, to become from nine in the morning until five in the evening starting today, while keeping the complete curfew in Mecca .

The royal order also permitted the opening of some economic and commercial activities, including wholesale and retail trade stores and commercial centers, during the period from the sixth of Ramadan until 20 of the same month.

The Saudi authorities announced yesterday, Saturday, 1197 new cases of coronavirus and 9 new deaths.

In Algeria, the office of Prime Minister Abdelaziz Jarad said on Saturday that the country has taken other steps to ease restrictions imposed by the Corona virus by allowing many stores to resume their activities, to reduce the economic and social impacts of the health crisis caused by the pandemic.

The procedures include opening building materials stores, public works, household appliances, fabrics, jewelry, clothing, shoes, cosmetics, perfumes, home and office furniture, pastries and hairdressers, as well as transporting individuals by taxi.

On Thursday, the Algerian government decided to reduce public isolation measures by reducing curfews in some states, but called on citizens to be vigilant. And that measure came hours before the month of Ramadan, which started Friday.

According to Algerian government figures, Corona cases reached 3256 cases and 419 deaths, while 1,479 patients recovered.

In other Arab countries, the Qatar Ministry of Health announced yesterday, Saturday, that 833 new cases of corona virus were recorded, bringing the total number to 9,358 cases, while Bahrain witnessed 70 new infections and 47 patients recovered.

In Egypt, the Ministry of Health announced that 13 deaths and 227 new cases of Coronavirus had been recorded in the last 24 hours.

In the UAE, government spokeswoman Amna Al-Dahhak said that 532 cases were recorded, taking the total to 9813. She added that 7 people of different nationalities died of the virus, bringing the total to 71.

In Kuwait, 278 new infections were recorded, bringing the total number to 2,892.

The Moroccan Ministry of Health announced that 131 new cases of Coronavirus were registered, bringing the total number of cases to 3,889.

Sudan witnessed 39 new cases of coronavirus, taking the number of infections in the country to 213.

In Palestine, Minister of Health May Alkila said on Saturday that 11 new cases of coronavirus were recorded, bringing the total number of cases to 495.