Global death toll rises to 11,405

FT ONLINE 

The coronavirus death toll has risen to 11,405 globally till Saturday.

As the virus has marched westwards, the severity of the outbreaks and the focus of concern has shifted from Asia to Europe, with increasingly tough restrictions being imposed by national governments.

Meanwhile, New York and California imposed tough new restrictions, limiting the activity of 60 million people in the two states to curb the spread of the coronavirus and ordering all non-essential workers to stay at home.

California, among the worst hit in the country, has told  its 40 million residents to stay home.

Yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pleaded for more medical personnel and supplies to treat coronavirus cases that could overwhelm the hospitals in his state of nearly 20 million.

A total of 276,162 people have been affected and 91,952 people have been recovered worldwide in the deadly disease Covid-19 cases, worldometer reported.

In China, 3,255 people died while 4,032 died in Italy in the disease.

Italy, already  the worst-affected country in the world, recorded another 627 fatalities yesterday,  taking its reported total past 4,000, followed by 3,248 in China and 1,433 in Iran, according  to an AFP tally of official data.

Europe now accounts for half of  the 10,944 fatalities linked to Covid-19  around the world.  The number of cases globally stood at 246,440 across 161 countries and  territories.Germany's biggest state Bavaria yesterday became the first region in the country to order a lockdown for two weeks, imposing "fundamental restrictions" on going out.

The strict measures follow the template set by China, where a lockdown imposed in Hubei province where the new coronavirus first emerged appears to have paid off.

The country is now reporting on a handful of new infections each day, apparently from overseas visitors.The third worst-hit country is Iran with 1,433 fatalities and 19,644 cases, followed by Spain with 1,002 deaths and 19,980 cases, and France with 372 deaths and 10,995 cases.

Since 1900 GMT Fridayday, Peru announced its first fatality, while Haiti, the US Virgin Islands and the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia have reported their first cases.

However, accurate figures are difficult to come by as many of those who die are suffering from other illnesses and infection rates are uncertain because of a lack of testing in many countries.

The United States is showing signs that it is ramping up its efforts on all fronts, fast-tracking antimalarial drugs for use as a treatment against the virus and promising a $1 trillion emergency relief package to combat the economic turmoil.

The package -- coupled with a European Central Bank plan to buy 750 billion euros in bonds -- saw stock markets rebound yesterday with exchanges up throughout Asia and Europe.

US President Donald Trump, who has come under fire for his response to the crisis, said that US officials would make antimalarials chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine available "almost immediately".

Experts are divided over whether the drugs are suitable though, having undergone only the briefest of clinical trials.

German and American drug firms are frantically trying to synthesise treatments for the disease and Chinese scientists are also carrying out clinical trials, though no studies have yet been published.

Trump also sparked an international row after he accused the Chinese of being secretive over its initial spread and severity, saying the world is now "paying a big price".

Chinse foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang hit back, saying "some people" were trying to "stigmatise" China's fight against the virus.

"This approach ignores the great sacrifice made by the Chinese people to safeguard the health and safety of humankind, and slanders China's major contribution to global public health," he said.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has suspended the holding of daily prayers and the weekly Friday prayers inside and outside the walls of the two mosques in Makkah and Madina to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia had suspended congregational prayers in other mosques in the country except Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi, in Mecca and Medina respectively.

Across Europe, governments continued to rigorously enforce lockdown measures.

France announced more than 4,000 people were fined on the first day of its confinement and ministers branded those breaking the rules as "idiots".

France and Italy have both said they will most likely extend the confinement beyond the initial periods, while British schools will close indefinitely yesterday.

As Europeans battle to cope with the isolation, technology companies have begun to hint at the strain being put on their systems.

The shadow of the virus is lengthening across Africa, which is no stranger to deadly outbreaks, but it has reported little more than 700 out of the nearly quarter million cases worldwide.

The World Health Organization on March 11 declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh on Friday announced the detection of three new coronavirus patients, raising the number of such cases in the country to 20.

The new infected people include two male and one female, said Prof Dr Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Friday.

“One of the infected people is female who is aged around 30 and other two male are aged around 30 and 70 respectively. The elderly patient is in critical condition. We’re providing him treatment at the Intensive Care Unit," Dr Nasima said.

Bangladesh reported the country’s first death from coronavirus on March 18.

On Friday, Madaripur district administration enforced a complete shutdown in Shibchar municipality and three unions of Shibchar upazila, for the first time, in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

All the entrances and exits of the municipality and Panchhar, Baheratal and Natun Bahertala unions have been closed. Most shops there also remained closed.

COVID-19 is affecting 185 countries and territories around the world and one international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harboured in Yokohama, Japan).