Madrid, Mar 26: More than three billion people around the world were living under lockdown on Wednesday as governments stepped up their efforts against the coronavirus pandemic which has left more than 20,000 people dead.
As the number of confirmed cases worldwide soared past 450,000, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that only a concerted global effort could stop the spread of the virus.
In Spain, the number of fatalities surpassed those of China, where the novel coronavirus first emerged three months ago, making it the hardest-hit nation after Italy.
A total of more than 20,800 deaths have now been reported in 182 countries and territories, according to an AFP tally.
Stock markets rebounded after the US Congress moved closer to passing a $2.2 trillion relief package to prop up a teetering US economy.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said New York, the epicenter of the US outbreak with over 30,000 cases, likely has a few "tough weeks" ahead but he would decide soon whether unaffected parts of the country can get back to work.
"We want to get our country going again," Trump said. "I'm not going to do anything rash or hastily.
"By Easter we'll have a recommendation and maybe before Easter," said Trump, who had been touting a strong US economy as he faces an election in November.
UN chief Guterres said the world needs to ban together to stem the pandemic.
"COVID-19 is threatening the whole of humanity -- and the whole of humanity must fight back," Guterres said, launching an appeal for $2 billion to help the world's poor.
"Global action and solidarity are crucial," he said. "Individual country responses are not going to be enough."
India's stay-at-home order for its 1.3 billion people is now the biggest, taking the total number of individuals facing restrictions on their daily lives to more than three billion.
Anxious Indians raced for supplies after the world's second-biggest population was ordered not to leave their houses for three weeks.
Russia, which announced the death of two patients who tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, is expected to follow suit.
President Vladimir Putin declared next week a public holiday and postponed a public vote on controversial constitutional reforms, urging people to follow instructions given by authorities.
In Britain, heir to the throne Prince Charles became the latest high-profile figure to be infected, though he has suffered only mild symptoms.
The G20 major economies will hold an emergency videoconference on Thursday to discuss a global response to the crisis, as will the 27 leaders of the European Union, the outbreak's new epicenter.
China has begun to relax its own draconian restrictions on free movement in the province of Hubei -- where the outbreak began in December -- after the country reported no new cases.
Crowds jammed trains and buses in the province as people took their first opportunity to travel.
But Spain saw the number of deaths surge to more than 3,400 after 738 people died in the past 24 hours and the government announced a 432-million-euro ($467 million) deal to buy medical supplies from Beijing.
The death toll in Italy jumped in 24 hours by 683 to 7,503 -- by far the highest of any country.
The number of French deaths was up by 231 on Wednesday to more than 1,330, and metro and rail services in Paris were cut to a minimum.
Spain and Italy were joined by France and six more EU countries in urging Germany and the Netherlands to allow the issue of joint European bonds to cut borrowing costs and stabilise the eurozone economy.
The call is likely to fall on deaf ears when EU leaders talk on Thursday -- with northern members wary of pooling debt with big spenders -- but they will sign off on an "unprecedented" recovery plan.
At La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, nurse Guillen del Barrio sounded bereft as he related what happened overnight.
"It is really hard, we had feverish people for many hours in the waiting room," the 30-year-old told AFP.
"Many of my colleagues were crying because there were people who are dying alone, without seeing their family for the last time."
Coronavirus cases are also spreading in the Middle East, where Iran's death toll topped 2,000, and in Africa, where Mali declared its first case and several nations announced states of emergency.
In Japan, which has postponed this year's Olympic Games, Tokyo's governor urged residents to stay home this weekend, warning of a possible "explosion" of the coronavirus.
Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed by Christians to house Christ's tomb, was shut as Israel tightened movement restrictions.
The impact of the pandemic is also hitting European football, with leagues and tournaments cancelled, while the fate of the Wimbledon tennis tournament could be decided next week.
The economic damage of the virus -- and the lockdowns -- could also be devastating, with fears of a worldwide recession worse than the financial meltdown more than a decade ago.
But financial markets rose after US leaders reached agreement on a stimulus package worth roughly 10 percent of the US economy, an injection Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said represented a "wartime level of investment."
Meanwhile, more than half of all Americans have been told to stay at home, including residents of the largest state, California.
The United States has at least 65,700 cases and 942 people have died.
Comments
Tipu is one of the few freedom fighter who didnt bow his head to British and fought bravely and died in the battlefield. unlike RSS, VHP who bowed their head to be their slave. Now these little puppies have grown up to speak against Tiger of Mysore forgetting his contribution to the indian freedom struggle. Secondly if Tipu had converted hindus into islam by force then there would have been not a single Hindu left in the country now while Hindus make up 80% of Indian population. Foolish people talk without any logic.
Hindu jaya Gosh (gosh of beef)
who is tippu. he is a crimnal. why shold we celebrate his birthday?
If these goons kill Gandhi the person who gave freedom and did ultimate sacrifice for the nation, then how can we expect these goons will talk fairly.
Now Mr. Jain himself is a Jain and not Hindu. He should set an example by denouncing his religion and should join Hinduism.
About Muslims joining Hinduism,
Mr. Jain come for a healthy debate.
If Hinduism proved to be true, all Muslims will join Hinduism.
Like wise if Hinduism proved to be untrue, you first join Islam and ask your people to accept Islam.
They only calls... but no body listen to them.
Wah Re Wah... What a meaningful statements by Mr Jain, the member of non violent community! Thooo nin janmakkishtu
Jihadist and Bajrangi's mentality are same. Both are terrorist. Please just ignore them.
instead of this time waste, do good to the country, help poor family to come up in life.
Tiger-Tippu is being remembered for his bravery.... and entire country is appreciating for his hard work....he is the only king stood against british rule at that time....these chaddies were supporting british....nobody from chaddies fought for our country for our freedom....they should be ashamed of themselves.....
Creating violence in the peaceful society is their birth right!!
Bap Ray Bap what's going on here and there, Mallu
We need thorough research to unearth the historical truth.
Tipu was never a freedom fighter and was fighting only to save himself and like mentioned to convert to islam. It cannot be condoned that others did so can he. What kind of logic is this to support tyranny. So by default we are agreeing to BJP's ghar vapsi. What wrong VHP is doing if Tipu was right in his actions.
None of the royalty was \freedom fighter\".They were fighting for their own glory and power. The poor faceless people who died for the country after 1857 were \"freedom fighters\""
none of these castes and religions belongs to India. Hindu, Christian, Muslim. All this people are developing wide spread hatred among people. In India we were having Dravida origin people. They may have converted to Buddism or jainism but not on any compulsions from out side Indians but due to the intuitions from the times GURUS like mahavir or buddha. Even before that we had aadi dravida culture. With out having the detailed study or finding on the back history, we are spreading hatred on starting from edges of the last point.It is mere nonsense. Tipu sulthan the great may have committed crime as a king. the christians preachers may have converted people to their religion by force or else. At this point of time study and analysis may favour some historical revelations but creating hatred in the name of religion and causing poor people to lead violance is a ploy that every religion at every time played in and around the world. Israel, Arab countries, US, UK, Australia and even in Africa these game plan works and the loosers are always the down troden common public and the profit makers are always the top leaders of the religion as well the politicians. This is the corrupt intolerance
Nobody is with clean hands. Something or the other is done by everybody in general for their survival. If everybody's history is revealed the person will be caught in somewhere in the middle of his life. There is no any such great person who did all good things for others. So stop this hatredness and let's see how to move forward with the country where there are types of religion, race, community, caste, creed and culture. If this comment goes on with UCA then they are also poking their nose in the issue which is not related to them. Kindly if you are not able to do goodness please do not agitate the country. The seed sowing job is done by the communal parties in the year 2002 by demolishing Babri Masjid and massacring thousands of people from a particular religion. Remember. Don't blame the religion. and UCA and BJP/ VHP/ BAJRANG DAL or so called sangh parivars is going against the Karnataka government and the INDIAN Government decision. We would like to thank to the HONORABLE CM OF KARNATAKA and the Congress leaders who has taken rigid decision to commemorate Tippu Sulthan. Tippu never opposed. In fact he used to work with secularism where in his court he was giving equal position to all. Like Poornaiah, and the list goes on. He fought with the British rulers bravely. They only awarded him as THE TIGER OF MYSORE for his bravery. Even English mothers tried to make the child sleep by saying his bravery. So stop blaming UCA. This UCA should not come into picture. They also joined. Ha ha ha ha ha !!!!!!!
Thanks to our Historians. These historians were patronized by ruling elite, to give us wrong history. We were fooled. Ms.Danya Rajendran had tweeted that she knows a family by name 70s. That is, they are descendants of 70 families, in Mysore, whose males were killed by this Great Tipu. During his period, there were JUST TWO temples in his kingdom. This fact is also known after this Tipu Jayanthi celebrations by Govt.
Instead we should celebrate GODSE jayanthi,
pathetic people, need to revise History again to these people!!!!
We never want to celebrate anybody's birthday. Only God knows what is Tippu's situation now as every soul shall die and will be asked with what he did with the life that God has given us...
Aren't they all have any intellect?
If Tippu did not started the War with the British, we would still be the slaves of the British and their chamchas , the cheddis.
Why the stupids want us to believe what they say without learning the history...
Cheddi leaders have tricked very easily many ignorants...Wow there are so many, who doenst use their God given intellect... and they stand with the LIARS... for petty gains...
Dont worry God is with those who are truthful... As a whole evils will perish one day
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