Guterres calls for an immediate global ceasefire to combat Corona
Ireland re-imposes isolation on its population ... and tightening restrictions in Europe
Italians wear protective masks while shopping in the Padua area.
EPA
António Guterres: "The Security Council joined the invitation, and there is a need to intensify efforts."
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Yesterday, Ireland became the first country in the European Union to re-impose isolation measures on all of its residents, at a time when Europe is tightening restrictions to stop a second wave of new infections of the Corona virus, while the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, called for an immediate ceasefire in various Around the world, in order to focus on efforts to combat the virus.
In detail, many countries around the world have, over the past few weeks, re-recorded significant increases in the number of infections, prompting many governments to impose strict precautionary measures, again, in an attempt to contain the spread of the epidemic.
In the hope of "celebrating Christmas reasonably", according to the Irish Prime Minister, Michael Martin, the Irish are staying home for six weeks, starting from last night, in an arrangement unprecedented by the European Union since spring, but schools will remain open.
On Monday, Martin confirmed: "We are asking everyone in the country to stay home."
In the United Kingdom, the population of Wales (three million people) will be subjected, starting tomorrow, Friday, to a two-week isolation, in the most stringent measure in the country since the end of the first wave of "Covid-19" infections, last spring.
And in Ireland, as in Wales, non-essential stores will close.
The Irish will only be able to go out to play sports, within five kilometers around their homes, under penalty of fines.
In England, Manchester (2.8 million people) was placed, the day before yesterday, at a "very high" warning level, which imposes in particular the closure of bars and nightclubs that do not provide food service, in addition to restrictions on movement.
The warnings are also red in Italy, as Lombardy, which includes the city of Milan in the north, will impose a curfew, starting today for a period of three weeks, as well as Campania, which includes Naples in the south, starting tomorrow, Friday.
And Italy is the first country in Europe where the epidemic broke out in the spring, and since last Friday it has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of infections (more than 10 thousand new infections per day).
Lombardy, the economic lung of Italy, is again the region worst affected by the epidemic.
Campania is in a more difficult situation, as its health system is less efficient.
The situation is more difficult in France, which recorded 163 new deaths yesterday, and more than 20 thousand additional injuries.
Residents of large cities, including Paris, i.e. 20 million people, are subject to a curfew that begins at nine in the evening and continues until six in the morning, starting from the weekend.
The number of people infected with "Covid-19" in resuscitation departments has exceeded 2000, a number that has not been exceeded since May.
And the health authority in the Paris region warned that "the numbers are increasing rapidly ... very fast."
In Slovenia, a curfew came into effect the day before yesterday, and the population of two million will not be able to go out between nine in the evening and six in the morning.
In Spain, the city of Burgos (north) joined the list of partially closed cities on Tuesday night.
The Navarre region (north) will face the same fate, starting from Thursday.
The Vice President of the Employers' Organization, Inigo Fernandez de la Mesa, confirmed that if the restrictions extended to include Madrid and Catalonia (which represent 40% of Spain's GDP), the impact on the economy would be "very negative".
Regarding the vaccine, British researchers announced, the day before yesterday, that they intend to inject volunteers, between the ages of 18 and 30, to proceed with research, within the framework of the Imperial College London study.
And China announced, the day before yesterday, that it had tested vaccines on 60,000 people in several cities, confirming that no one had felt side effects.
In the United States, the reopening of California-style parks, like "Disneyland", will be unthinkable for several weeks, as the country's health authorities imposed, the day before yesterday, very strict protocols.
This comes at a time when Antonio Guterres said, in a tweet on his Twitter account, yesterday: “He launched a call for an immediate ceasefire in the world, to focus on the real battle: the battle against (Covid-19).”
He added that the Security Council joined this call, pointing to the need to intensify efforts, saying: "Time is running out ... and people are dying."
The death toll from Coronavirus infections around the world is approaching 41 million, while the total number of deaths due to infection with the virus touches one million and 130,000 cases.
• The death toll from the "virus" around the world is approaching 41 million, while the total number of deaths touches one million and 130 thousand cases.
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