Coruna .. Death estimates rise in America, UNICEF warns of imminent danger to children from poor countries

Researchers expected that the number of Americans who died due to the emerging coronavirus (Covid-19) will reach more than 147,000, which is higher than previous expectations, while a Chinese city imposed travel restrictions after monitoring new cases of this epidemic, amid UNICEF assurances that the virus It may cause the death of thousands of children within months.

Reuters said - quoting a report of the researchers - that by early August, the outcome will reach more than 147 thousand, noting that this number is much higher than the number of one hundred thousand that was mentioned in the last estimate, with the relative relaxation of restrictions aimed at curbing the pandemic.

The report said the latest forecast prepared by the Washington University Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reflects "the main drivers of viral spread, such as changes in tests and movement, as well as the mitigation of social divergence policies."

Warning and
Parallel Along with the publication of these expectations, the US expert in the fight against communicable diseases, Anthony Fuchi, warned Congress that opening the US economy prematurely could lead to new outbreaks of the deadly Corona virus.

Fauchi, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned a Senate committee that states should follow the recommendations of health experts, awaiting evidence. New infections decline before reopening.

WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said that the US administration and Brazil had not taken the warnings set by the organization at the start of the Corona crisis seriously.

Draft and Measures
For his part, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and eight Republican members of the US Senate introduced a draft resolution called the "Accountability Act for Covid-19 Virus."

The draft resolution authorizes President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on China if it does not cooperate and provide full information on the events leading up to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, China's health authorities said the country had reported seven new cases of coronavirus on the mainland on Tuesday, compared to one case a day earlier.

Six of the new cases were local, recorded in the province of Jilin (northeastern country), prompting the city to impose new travel restrictions in order to contain a new outbreak of the virus.

Jilin has emerged as a possible focus of a new wave of casualties, and the neighboring city of Shulan was forced to adjust its risk level to "high" from "average" at the end of the week.

The National Health Committee said in its daily bulletin that the situation from abroad had been monitored in Shanghai.

For its part, South Korea has stuck to easing isolation measures despite the outbreak of a new Corona epidemic in the capital, Seoul.

Deputy Health Minister Kim Jang-lib said that it is unlikely that the authorities will re-enforce the rules of social separation as long as the daily number of new cases is less than fifty, adding that officials have managed to track 95% of all infections.

He added in a press statement that "at the present time we will continue to track cases of infection, and we are discussing whether we should reconsider the policy of social separation."

European situation in
Europe, data from the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases showed today, Wednesday, that the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Germany rose 798 cases to 171,306.

The data also reported that the number of deaths rose by 101 to 7,634.

The European Commission said that the European Union countries will be able to reopen the borders with other member states for the tourist season, if they control Corona virus infections and well-prepared health care systems.

"If the matter is handled properly, safely and coordinated, the coming months may give Europeans an opportunity to get some rest, relaxation and fresh air," said the guidelines, to be presented later on Wednesday.

UNHCR said, however, that lifting restrictions on movement carries a second wave of the virus.      

The external borders of the European Union will remain closed until June 15, if the 27-member bloc adheres to the Commission’s advice last week. But capitals within the bloc - like Paris and Berlin - are discussing reopening the common border.

In Russia, the latest figures indicate that the country recorded 96 deaths and 10,028 new infections, bringing the total deaths to 2212 and infections to 242,271.

President Vladimir Putin announced the start of the gradual lifting of restrictions imposed on citizens, and the resumption of the work of many economic sectors in the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed his infection with the Coruna virus, and told Russian news agencies that he was currently receiving treatment in hospital.

It has been previously announced that the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Micostin and two ministers and a number of other officials and representatives of the Russian State Duma are infected with the virus.

According to the worst three scenarios included in a study by Johns Hopkins University; Up to 1.2 million children under the age of five in 118 countries can die within six months due to hampering health coverage for efforts to combat the Covid-19 epidemic, according to a WHO statement.

These deaths will add to 2.5 million children in this age group who essentially die every six months in these countries.

UNICEF Director Henrietta Four said the report would eliminate "decades of progress made in reducing child and maternal mortality."

"We should not allow mothers and children to be additional victims of the fight against the virus," which has killed 290,000 people worldwide, she added in a statement.