Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic on Wednesday, May 20

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The epidemic continues to cause diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Washington as the WHO reports a record number of cases in a single day: more than 106,000 contaminations have been recorded worldwide throughout the space of 24 hours

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• Bad numbers and dark day, soon 5 million cases worldwide

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that "  almost two-thirds of these 106,000 cases have been reported in four countries  ". According to the latest report published by the World Health Organization, it is the United States, Russia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia. "  We are very concerned about the growing number of infections in low- and middle-income countries, where the health system is weak or nonexistent and the physical distancing measures more difficult to implement,  " adds Dr. Tedros. According to the WHO Emergency Health Officer, the milestone of 5 million cases worldwide will soon be crossed.

• Concern in Brazil and throughout Latin America

For the first time and despite the optimistic declarations of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonraro, who still rejects the containment measures taken in a majority of developed states, Brazil has surpassed the bar of thousands of deaths in 24 hours, with 1,179 deaths listed. Given the scale of the epidemic, the Brazilian Ministry of Health now recommends the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, including for the mildest cases. However, the ministry's protocol stresses that "  there is no guarantee of a positive result  " and that chloroquine, an antimalarial, can cause " serious  " side effects that  can go as far as "  serious failures of certain organs  " and "  Until death  ".

Other Latin American countries are also recording strong increases in Covid-19. This is the case of Chile, where the army has been deployed in the poor neighborhoods of the capital, Santiago, after violent demonstrations caused by soaring food prices, while the country has just passed the bar of 50,000 contaminations.

Concern is also spreading to Nicaragua, which, with 254 cases, registers a number of cases ten times higher than last week, while in Colombia, the general confinement imposed for two months is extended until May 31 and the health emergency until August 31.

Also in the region, the Bolivian Minister of Health, Marcelo Navajas, suspected of corruption during the purchase from Spain of 179 respirators for the sick of the Covid-19 was arrested. Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez has ordered the opening of an investigation into this purchase for "  possible acts of corruption  ".

• Between Beijing and Washington, the war of words continues

On Twitter, Donald Trump once again attacked China, claiming that it bears the responsibility for a “  global killing  ”. The White House tenant has been hammering for several weeks that the Chinese authorities could have avoided the worst by taking strong measures as soon as the epidemic broke out to prevent its spread throughout the world. Beijing, for its part, claims to have transmitted all the information as quickly as possible to the World Health Organization (WHO) and accuses Washington of "  sullying China's efforts  ", according to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Europe reopens with caution

Like several other European countries, Greece begins its deconfinement and has just set June 15 the start of the new tourist season, to revive a vital sector of the economy, while the Greek sky will be reopened to international flights from the 1st July. Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis said the list of gradually re-established air routes will be announced in late May.

But "  the first countries with which links can resume are the Balkan countries little affected by the epidemic and the countries of northern Europe, especially Germany, then then the countries of the wider region like Israel and Cyprus  " Tourism in Greece represents more than 20% of the GDP and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

In Italy, all Italian airports will be able to reopen from June 3, according to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, while the peninsula is also gradually emerging from two months of confinement. The country will reopen its borders to tourists from the European Union and cancel the compulsory quarantine for foreign visitors to the peninsula.

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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• Coronavirus
• Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic
• Health and Medicine