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
ANDHA KANOON
We are GHULAM to westerners, We ban consumption of BEEF in India, but, we want to EXPORT millions of tons of BEEF for foreigners. We ban consumption of BEEF in India because consumption of Muslims, But, we want to give special license to serve BEEF to foreigners.
Congress fought against the westerner's Ghulamgiri, Now, BJP want to become GHULAMS again.
The holy god cow sleep and wander in Road side and Bhaktas and rich people stay in highfi AC Room . What a utter stupidity.
BEEF BAN ONLY BECAUSE MUSLIMS CONSUME IT MORE.. NOT COZ OF ITS THEIR GOW MAAATA......
FOREIGNERS CAN KILL GOW MAATA.......
WHAAT WHAAAT A MAAATA IT IS......... OMG
hindu brothers realise the bjp politics.... they just want to be in big chairs .. no sentiments on hindu gods or goddesses......
can foreigners eat their mother. (cow)
my dear vhp partiots, you see cow god will be eating by foreigners,
you wake up otherwise all cows will be finished from india
Couple of questions coming in mind....
1. Who is going to slaughter cow?
2. What you will do with not sold out cow meat?
In future foreigners can eat God mother in Hariyana....oh what is this double standard....God mother must be angry now....BJP is responsible for it...next election I doubt they get any seat.....God mother's curse will prevail...on Modi sarkar...
Wha wha wta a drama by bjp ap bik baaarrr modiji ki cow biryani..
were is now bd & &vhp rss this is we call intolerence how they give the special licince to cook a holly cow biryani ......
one who india not allowed to eat cow and killed fr that reason
One who coming from out of the country they wil eat//
Kaate g tho khayega na............License ke saath marega kya........apne maa ko
This is the beginning of admitting their fault.
Beef lovers, just join the foreigners as their guest Or their host.
Beef consumption will now increase than before.
They are afraid of foreign income.
BJP did stupidity, mess and cleaning it themselves.
It means their love towards their Go Matha is just a politics, in front of money, no value for the mother.
Hum kare tho balathkaar....Aur aap kare tho chamathkaar
this is incredible law from bjp,,hahahahahahaha
Hindutuva members please recognize your leaders choice. They are already fooling YOU people to attack the innocent and they themselves involve in selling your MAA COW ...
Its Politics to FOOL people who attack innocents without VERIFYing the authenticity of any isssues.. Please WAKE UP. Dont become fools again & again.
BJP's Beef Bhagya... Biryani is yummy :p
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