Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic on Thursday, May 7

A Pakistani national awaits his repatriation to Dubai airport on May 7, 2020. Karim SAHIB / AFP

Text by: Eliott Brachet

The coronavirus epidemic has killed at least 263,779 people and more than 3.76 million official cases worldwide. Assuring that the pandemic was "worse" than the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the attacks of September 11, the American president renewed his attacks against China, saying that "it should never have happened". Beijing denounced "false statements". As the economic consequences of the pandemic worsen, France is preparing for deconfinement.

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The number of international tourists could fall from 60% to 80% in 2020 announced this Thursday, May 7, the World Tourism Organization. In the United States as in France, the recession accelerates the destruction of jobs. The United Kingdom will see its activity fall in unprecedented proportions this year. However, "  the most devastating and destabilizing effects will be felt in the poorest countries  ", where states are not able to financially support their populations reminded, this Thursday, the UN, which wants to lift 4.7 billions of dollars to "  protect millions of lives  ". The specter of multiple famines is looming,  " warned senior organization official Mark Lowcock.

  • France cut in half at the time of deconfinement

On May 7, the coronavirus epidemic left 178 more dead in 24 hours in France, bringing the total toll to 25,987 since March 1. Four days before the start of deconfinement, the government released the same daythe final details of the country's gradual restart. Four regions, Ile-de-France, Hauts-de-France, Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, as well as the department of Mayotte, have been classified in red on the deconfinement map presented by the Minister of Health, Olivier Veran.

In the red departments, "  deconfinement is possible  " from May 11 but "  with certain restrictions: no opening of colleges, or parks and gardens,  " added the head of government, Édouard Philippe. A return to class for sixth and fifth graders is planned, however, from May 18 in departments classified as "green". The Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, announced that "  a million schoolchildren will be welcomed by about 130,000 teachers  " next week.

With the approach of deconfinement, France seems to experience a slight recovery in economic activity, particularly in industry and construction, said Thursday the National Institute of Statistics (Insee). But INSEE revealed that private paid employment fell 2.3% in the first quarter in France, with 453,800 job losses.

The winter truce on rental evictions, which should have ended on March 31, will be extended again until July after having already been extended due to the coronavirus crisis, Housing Minister announced on Thursday May 7.

Restrictions on France's borders with European countries (European Union, Shengen, United Kingdom) will be "  extended until June 15 at least  " and borders with non-European countries "  will remain closed until to new order  ", also announced the Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner.

► France: the key points of the government's deconfinement plan

  • Historic fall in UK GDP

The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has killed more than 150,000 people in Europe, which remains the continent hardest hit by the coronavirus. The United Kingdom (30,076) and Italy (29,684) are the most affected European countries, followed by Spain (26,070) and France (25,809).

The Bank of England is forecasting a historic 14% drop in UK gross domestic product this year due to the economic shock caused by the pandemic, keeping its key rate at 0.1% in parallel, a record low.

The British government has extended the confinement in force since the end of March to combat the spread of the coronavirus. “  The virus is still at a high level. We think we have passed the peak but we must be careful not to create a situation where we would have a second strong and very fast peak  , "said Minister for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis on Thursday.

►Coronavirus: how the UK has been slow to take the pandemic seriously

Vigilance in Spain at the time of deconfinement

In Spain, where the pandemic has killed more than 25,000 people, Parliament has extended the state of health emergency for two weeks, from Sunday May 10 until May 23. Pedro Sanchez, head of a fragile coalition government, considered that a " precipitated  " deconfinement  of Spain would be an "  absolute, total and unforgivable error  ".

Life is gradually resuming in the country but the greatest vigilance remains required for health professionals. This week, small businesses such as florists and hardware stores were able to reopen. Citizens, forced to stay at home since mid-March, are now allowed to go out to play sports.

Coronavirus: in Spain, decontamination at no load

  • A controlled epidemic in Sweden

Sweden has officially surpassed the 3,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus, health authorities announced on Thursday May 7. In this kingdom of 10.3 million, which has taken more flexible measures than most other European countries to try to contain the pandemic, 99 new deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the number to 3,040 total Covid-19 deaths for 24,623 confirmed cases.

According to the public health agency, Sweden has not reached its maximum patient care capacity. The curves show that we have, to a large extent, been successful so far in keeping the disease below what health services can manage,  " said Swedish epidemiologist Anders Tegnell.

  • Increase in contamination in Russia

Russia announced on Thursday that it had recorded a new record of 11,231 coronavirus infections, while mortality still seems to remain low, with 88 deaths in 24 hours bringing the total to 1,625. With now 177,160 cases recorded, Russia doubles the France to rank fourth in Europe and fifth in the world in number of infections. This surge in the number of contaminations in the past week can be explained, according to the authorities, by the multiplication of screening tests (4.8 million according to the last count) which makes it possible in particular to detect asymptomatic cases.

But with 1,625 deaths, Russia remains very far from the mortality levels recorded in France (more than 25,000 deaths for 174,000 cases) and even less struck than Germany, which, with a little more than 7,000 deaths for 166,000 patients is considered to be a country with a particularly effective response to the pandemic.

The mayor of Moscow on Thursday ordered the extension of the measures of containment of the population until May 31, the Russian capital being the main focus of the epidemic in Russia. The city will also impose the wearing of masks on public transport.

  • Racial inequalities in Brazil and the coronavirus

In Brazil, where the coronavirus has already killed more than 8,000 people, the death rate is particularly high among the most disadvantaged, especially in the black population. The pandemic only deepens the historical inequalities inherited from slavery,  " said Emanuelle Goes of the Fiocruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro. Poor access to care, highly exposed jobs, precarious housing: blacks are hit hard in Brazil by the coronavirus.

In São Paulo state, for example, the most populous and most affected country, the risk of dying from Covid-19 is 62% higher for people of color. The latest assessment from local health authorities shows a mortality rate linked to the virus of 15.6 per 100,000 for blacks, against 9.6 for whites. Nationally, if 36.4% of patients transferred to hospital for severe acute respiratory syndrome are black, they account for 45.3% of Covid-19 deaths there, which shows that whites have more chances of getting cured out of the hospital.

► Coronavirus in Brazil: the mayor of Manaus calls for international aid

  • Donald Trump says coronavirus is " worse than Pearl Harbor "

“  It was the worst attack our country has ever faced. It's worse than Pearl Harbor. It's worse than the World Trade Center,  "said the President. Donald Trump again attacked China, the cradle of the pandemic, saying that "  it should never have happened  ". In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday that "  many countries, experts and scholars have all made positive comments about China's prevention and control of the virus.  " Only the United States produces discordant, deceptive and hypocritical sounds,  " she added. China has managed to limit the spread of Covid-19 disease to less than 83,000 infections, of which 4,633 are fatal, according to official figures.

With more than 73,000 dead, the United States remains the most mourning country in the world. The negative effects of the pandemic continue to be felt. More than three million people registered for the first time unemployed last week, and the total number of unemployed workers receiving unemployment benefits reached its highest level in history, according to figures released Thursday by the Labor Department. In total, since the start of the coronavirus crisis in the country, nearly 33.5 million people have been unemployed.

  • Mass repatriation of Indian nationals

India began Thursday, May 7, a spectacular repatriation of its nationals in distress in several countries of the world such as the United States, the United Kingdom or the Gulf countries. With 3.3 million nationals, Indians make up almost a third of the population of the Emirates, especially in Dubai.

64 flights are planned over seven days to repatriate nearly 15,000 people. Two warships were also deployed to bring back 2,000 people from the Maldives, at their expense.

India launches major operation to repatriate citizens stranded abroad

  • Pakistan prepares for deconfinement

Pakistan will start its deconfinement on Saturday, May 9, although the epidemic of coronavirus is gaining momentum in this country where the working poor have suffered greatly from the cessation of economic activity. We are doing this because the people of our country are in a very difficult situation. Daily workers, small entrepreneurs, workers suffer,  "Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Thursday.

More than 560 people have officially died from the coronavirus, a very low toll for a country of more than 200 million inhabitants with a fragile health system. More than 24,000 patients have been identified, a figure considered to be largely underestimated due to a glaring lack of tests.

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  • Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic

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