Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic on Saturday, May 16

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Europe is coming out of confinement to go green, but restrictions remain in effect everywhere. The coronavirus epidemic has caused more than 309,000 and 4.6 million cases have been officially recorded worldwide.

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• First open-air weekend in France and the United Kingdom

The number of people in intensive care (2,132) and hospitalized (19,432) continues to drop in France , which recorded 96 new deaths in 24 hours, according to the latest figures from the Directorate General of Health. But if the pressure on resuscitation services continues to decrease with 71 fewer patients compared to Friday, 46 serious cases have been admitted to intensive care in the last 24 hours, against 38 a week ago.

The French begin to take advantage of the outdoors for the first post-containment weekend. After being closed for almost two months, emblematic sites such as Mont Saint-Michel or the sanctuary of Lourdes are once again accessible. However, travel is only possible within the limit of 100 km, and while respecting barrier gestures. Many beaches are allowed to reopen. But no question of sunbathing or picnicking: they are reserved for a "  dynamic  " use, without collective activities.

Air travel is expected to resume next month in France and then this summer in Europe, said Alexandre de Juniac, managing director of Iata, the International Air Transport Association, which represents 280 airlines worldwide. "  Normally, if we are followed by the governments with which we are talking, we should be able to travel to France from June and to Europe in July-August, with reduced traffic, a more limited number of destinations, but finally we can take the plane  ”.

The Italian government has announced the reopening of its borders to EU tourists from June 3 and the cancellation of the compulsory quarantine for foreign visitors to the peninsula. Austria will fully reopen its borders with the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary on June 15. For its part, Germany announces the reopening of its border with Luxembourg, and slightly eases the conditions of passage with Austria and Switzerland.

In the UK , the British are enjoying their first weekend outdoors since the containment was lightened. But certain tourist areas are worried about an excessive influx of visitors, encouraged by the good weather.
In the park of Yorkshire Dales, in the north, several car parks are fully booked despite the warning from the tourist office, which on Tuesday asked people to "  act responsibly and think twice before visit the tourist places  ”, ensuring not to be“  ready to welcome an influx of visitors  ”.

• Pedro Sanchez wants to extend the state of emergency once again

The head of the Spanish government Pedro Sanchez announces that he wants to extend the state of emergency for "  about a month  ". Already extended several times, it was due to end on May 24. The state of emergency has allowed the government to limit the movement of people during one of the strictest confinements in the world. This new extension will have to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies where the government is in the minority and where the right opposition last refused to vote. Spain (27,563 deaths) is - along with the United States (87,991) deaths Italy (31,763) and France (27,625) - one of the countries most affected by the pandemic in the world. Pedro Sanchez calls on the Spanish to approach deconfinement "  with the greatest caution  ". "  The risk is still there (...) the virus is not gone and its threat is real  ". 

• Football, anti-restriction protests resume in Germany

Thousands of people demonstrated this Saturday in several cities in Germany to denounce the remaining restrictions against the coronavirus. The movement is growing and worries the authorities. These rallies, very supervised by the police because of the restrictions, were held in more than a dozen cities including Munich, Stuttgart and Frankfurt.

After 63 days of interruption, the German football championship resumed this Saturday in front of empty stands of supporters and with multiple precautions: separate entrances to the fields, no handshake, regularly disinfected balls and especially celebrations of sober goals , while respecting social distancing. On the substitutes' benches, only one seat out of two is occupied by players masked to the ears. A pioneer in Europe among the major championships, Germany may have given confidence to Spain, Italy and England who still hope to resume their competitions.

• Rise in deaths in Russia, decline in Iran

The Russian has recorded this Saturday a death record rate: 119 in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number recorded so far in the country. But the number of new cases of contamination has dropped to its lowest level in two weeks. Russia ranks second in the world, after the United States, with 272,043 reported cases, including 9,200 new ones announced on Saturday.

Conversely, Iran has announced an additional 35 deaths, the lowest daily toll since March 7, and plans further relaxation of measures against the spread of the virus. These new deaths bring the official death toll from the pandemic to 6,937 since the first cases were announced in February. The province of Khuzestan is the only one where restrictive measures have been re-imposed, after a relaxation on a national scale. But residents of 218 counties deemed low risk will be able to gather next week for Friday prayers and participate in "Jerusalem Day", celebrated annually on the last Friday of Ramadan (this year May 22) in solidarity with the Palestinians.

In an article published on the dedicated Raise the Siege website , more than 250 artists around the world urge Israel to end the "  siege  " of Gaza to avoid a " potentially devastating  " epidemic  . Among the signatories of this appeal are notably the British musician Peter Gabriel, the group Massive Attack, the Canadian essayist Naomi Klein, the British director Ken Loach, the actor Viggo Mortensen Jr., the poet Taha Adnan, the French actress Ariane Ascaride or the writer Annie Ernaux. 

• United States accounts for one-third of Covid-19 cases

A third now of the world's contamination cases are in the United States (1.5 million). 87,991 people died. In New York, the situation has stabilized but contamination is still very high and the number of deaths significant (157 in the last 24 hours). Half of the city is cautiously resuming its activities. State Governor Andrew Cuomo calls for "  reopening the economy without a large rally  " and "  staying vigilant not to go back  ." In the state of Georgia, where economic activity is resuming, contamination has started to rise again after several days of decline.

In Canada , the national airline announced the layoff of more than half of its workforce due to the collapse of its activity. The first Canadian airline, which has approximately 38,000 employees, explains that it does not expect a return to normal for a long time.

In Brazil , President Jair Bolsonaro once again criticized the containment measures imposed by regional governors. "  Unemployment, hunger and misery will be the future of those who favor the tyranny of total isolation  ," he said. Brazil, with 218,223 detected cases and 14,817 deaths, is currently the sixth country in the world most affected by the pandemic.

In Chile , the capital Santiago woke up in total containment, a measure ordered by the government after a jump in contamination and a doubling of the number of daily deaths in two days.

• Antarctica, the only continent spared by the Covid-19

Antarctica is spared the pandemic thanks to strict control measures, with the prohibition of tourist trips and all contact between international bases, and the implementation of drastic health measures. Life in Antarctica usually requires great coordination and cooperation between the teams of some 40 permanent bases and scientific missions installed on the peninsula and the surrounding islands. Before the pandemic, all these bases were in constant interaction, in particular for loading and unloading provisions, but also for sports competitions, birthday parties. The fear of contagion put an end to all physical contact, making it possible to limit the risks. In its fight against the virus, Antarctica is also a bit lucky: the health crisis started when the tourist season ended, which attracts around 50,000 visitors each year.

• In Bombay, the overwhelmed health system

In India, the pandemic is overwhelming the Bombay health system. The morgues are full, bodies are lying around in hospital rooms, some patients have to share their beds, the caregivers are exhausted. A video widely shared on social networks shows bodies of dead people, wrapped in black plastic bags, in the middle of a room where other patients of the virus are treated. The images caused an uproar.

The Thailand extended a month, until the end of June, the ban on flights from other countries. The country, which registers 3,025 cases of contamination and 56 deaths, continues its deconfinement. Shopping centers and department stores may reopen this Sunday. The night curfew was also reduced by one hour.

In Vietnam , tourists queue to embark on cruises in Ha Long Bay, closed since March 12. Travel restrictions within the country have been lifted to revive the tourism sector. But for the moment the borders remain closed. Vietnam acted quickly against the virus, with very strict population control measures, and the country has so far only 318 cases and zero deaths despite a long common border with China. 

• WHO warns against certain disinfection techniques

Spraying or fumigating disinfectant on the streets, as some countries do, does not eliminate the new coronavirus, warns the World Health Organization. Spraying chlorine or other toxic chemicals on people poses a health risk. In indoor spaces, the systematic application of disinfectants to surfaces by spraying or fumigation is also not recommended by WHO. "  If disinfectants are to be applied, it should be done with a cloth or wipe soaked in disinfectant,  " says WHO.

• Edward Hopper, painter of coronavirus news

Seen as the “painter of the moment in the hour of the coronavirus”, with his locked up, lonely characters, and his empty spaces, Edward Hopper, exhibited at the Beyeler Foundation in Switzerland, finds his audience, thanks to the reopening of museums in the country. The museum of contemporary art located near Basel, had to interrupt in mid-March the exhibition he devoted to the American artist.

Our selection on the coronavirus

• Listen to our Coronavirus Info column 

• Our  explanations  :
→  What we know about the mode of contagion
→  Disparities and inequalities in the face of the coronavirus: what must be remembered
→  Triple therapy, Discovery… update on research
→  The race for the vaccine is in full swing
→  How to make a mask and use it well

• Our series  : "  The response, country by country  "

• After Covid-19, towards a new world?

• Each evening, find the State of the world and Africa facing the pandemic

• See also the files of RFI Savoirs on the Covid-19:
→  Birth of a pandemic
→  Everyday life put to the test
→  The history of epidemics
→  Science facing the Covid-19
→  The geopolitical consequences

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