This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/italy-extends-lockdown-amid-signs-coronavirus-infection-rate-is-easing

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Italy extends lockdown amid signs coronavirus infection rate is easing Italy records lowest coronavirus death toll for a week
(about 4 hours later)
Health minister says drastic measures are yielding results but warns of ‘long battle’ ahead Minister extends lockdown, saying drastic measures are yielding results
Italy has extended its lockdown until 13 April but signs are emerging that the rate of coronavirus infection both there and in Spain, the two countries that have suffered the highest global death tolls in the pandemic so far, may be reaching a plateau. Italy has extended its lockdown until 13 April but recorded its lowest death toll in more than a week, reinforcing indications that the coronavirus epidemic both there and in Spain may be reaching a plateau.
“Experts say we are on the right track and the drastic measures we have taken are starting to yield results,” the health minister, Roberto Speranza, said. He warned, though, that it would be “unforgivable to assume this was a definitive defeat” of Covid-19 and it would be “a long battle”. “Experts say we are on the right track and the drastic measures we have taken are starting to yield results,” said the health minister, Roberto Speranza. He warned, though, that it would be “unforgivable to assume this was a definitive defeat” of Covid-19 and it would be “a long battle”.
Italy’s civil protection authority announced on Tuesday that the country’s tally had climbed by 837 deaths to 12,428, the highest in the world, and that the number of new confirmed cases had risen by 4,053, taking the country’s total to 105,792. Italy’s civil protection authority announced on Wednesday that the country’s tally – already the highest in the world – had climbed by 727 deaths to 13,155, and that the number of confirmed infections, including deaths, recovered and current cases, had risen by 4,782, taking the total to 110,574.
But the number of infections is rising at a slower rate each day. Tuesday’s total was 4.1% more than Monday, which was 4.1% more than Sunday, which was itself 5.6% more than Saturday. Two weeks ago, by comparison, infections were rising at between three and four times that rate. But the daily rise in the number of deaths was sharply down on Tuesday’s figure of 837, and the 2,937 new active cases represented an increase of 3.8% – more than the previous day, but confirming a declining trend. Two weeks ago, infections were rising at between three and four times that rate.
“The curve tells us that we’re at a plateau,” said Silvio Brusaferro, the president of Italy’s Higher Health Institute (ISS). “That doesn’t mean we’ve hit the peak and that it’s over, but that we must start the descent … by applying the measures in force.” “The curve tells us that we’re at a plateau,” Silvio Brusaferro, the president of Italy’s Higher Health Institute (ISS), said earlier on Wednesday. “That doesn’t mean we’ve hit the peak and that it’s over, but that we must start the descent … by applying the measures in force.”
Spain, which crossed the threshold of 100,000 confirmed cases on Wednesday and reported another record single-day death toll of 864, is following a similar pattern, with officials saying on Wednesday a “trend change” was starting to be seen.
Between 15 and 25 March, new cases were growing at a rate of 20% a day. From 25 March, that rate dropped to 12% or lower. María José Sierra, of Spain’s centre for health emergencies, said the latest figures indicated the increase in new cases was continuing to level out.
“Generally speaking, we can say that yesterday’s rise in cases, which was around 8%, tells us that we’re carrying on in the stabilisation phase of the pandemic,” Sierra told a press conference.
“If we only look at cases of people who are being treated in hospitals – the figures that allow for a precise analysis of the spread of the epidemic and of the effectiveness of our measures against the virus – then the percentage is still coming down compared to previous days. That helps tell us social distancing measures are really working.”
According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the pandemic has infected more than 870,000 people worldwide and killed more than 43,000. Nearly half the world’s population are living under some form of requested or mandatory confinement.According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the pandemic has infected more than 870,000 people worldwide and killed more than 43,000. Nearly half the world’s population are living under some form of requested or mandatory confinement.
While China, where the outbreak originated, continues to report almost no domestic transmissions, a US intelligence report to the White House suggested Beijing was underreporting the numbers of both total cases and deaths the country has suffered.
Three unnamed security officials told Bloomberg the secret report alleged that China’s reporting of virus data was intentionally incomplete, and two of them said the report concluded that China’s numbers were fake. Deborah Birx, the state department immunologist advising the White House, said on Tuesday she thought that “probably we were missing a significant amount of the data, now that what we see happened to Italy and see what happened to Spain”.
Spain, which crossed the threshold of 100,000 confirmed cases on Wednesday and reported another record single-day death toll of 864, is now following a similar pattern to Italy, with officials saying on Wednesday they were starting to see a “trend change”. The two countries have the highest global death tolls in the pandemic.
Between 15 and 25 March, new cases in Spain were growing at a rate of 20% a day. From 25 March, that rate dropped to 12% and lower. María José Sierra of Spain’s centre for health emergencies said the latest figures indicated the increase in new cases was continuing to level out.
“Generally speaking, we can say that yesterday’s rise in cases, which was around 8%, tells us that we’re carrying on in the stabilisation phase of the pandemic,” Sierra told a press conference.
In the US, meanwhile, deaths from the coronavirus topped 1,000 in New York City as authorities warned that the worst was yet to come, while Florida officials were locked in a standoff with two cruise ships steaming toward the coast.
In California, the number of people being taken to hospital nearly doubled over the past four days and the number of intensive care patients tripled. US deaths, which have exceeded those in China, could reach 240,000, according to the White House, with Donald Trump warning the country should expect a “very, very painful two weeks”.
In other developments:In other developments:
The heads of three global agencies warned of the risk of a worldwide food shortage if authorities fail to manage the crisis properly. A specially adapted TGV train evacuated 36 patients from Paris to Brittany. France has 5,565 coronavirus patients in intensive care and greater Paris is nearing capacity.
Vladimir Putin is handling duties remotely after meeting a doctor who has since been diagnosed with the virus. South Korea has received requests from 121 countries for help with coronavirus testing, its foreign ministry said.
Moscow has rolled out a mobile phone app and scannable bar codes to check whether people are adhering to isolation rules. The heads of three global agencies warned of the risk of a worldwide food shortage if authorities failed to manage the crisis properly.
US deaths, which have exceeded those in China, could reach 240,000, according to the White House, with Donald Trump warning the country should expect a “very, very painful two weeks”. Vladimir Putin is handling duties remotely after meeting a doctor who has since been diagnosed with the virus as Moscow rolled out an app and scannable barcodes to check whether people were obeying isolation rules.
California said the number of hospitalisations in the state had nearly doubled over the past four days and the number of ICU patients tripled. Saudi Arabia urged Muslims to wait before making hajj plans until there is more clarity about the pandemic.
China’s national health commission on Wednesday reported 36 new Covid-19 cases and 130 new asymptomatic cases, bringing the total number of such cases under observation to 1,367.
Saudi Arabia urged Muslims to wait before making Hajj plans until there is more clarity about the pandemic.
Japan, which reported 2,200 confirmed cases and 66 deaths, remains on the brink of a state of emergency as the rate of infections rises, officials said.Japan, which reported 2,200 confirmed cases and 66 deaths, remains on the brink of a state of emergency as the rate of infections rises, officials said.
The death toll in Iran has reached 3,036, with 47,593 confirmed infections.The death toll in Iran has reached 3,036, with 47,593 confirmed infections.
As equipment shortages continue to dog Europe’s response to the pandemic, France, which on Tuesday announced 499 new deaths, its biggest increase since the start of the pandemic, said it would invest €4bn in “strategic” health products including masks and respirators, with the aim of making the country “fully and completely self-sufficient” by the end of this year. As equipment shortages continue to hamper Europe’s response to the pandemic, France, which on Tuesday announced 499 new deaths, its biggest increase since the start of the pandemic, said it would invest €4bn (£3.5bn) in “strategic” health products including masks and respirators, with the aim of making the country “fully and completely self-sufficient” by the end of this year.
“We have to produce in France, on our territory, from now on,” the president, Emmanuel Macron, said. “Certain products and certain materials have a strategic importance and we need Europe to be independent to reduce our dependence. The day after the epidemic will not be like the day before; we must rebuild out national and European sovereignty.” “We have to produce in France, on our territory, from now on,” said the president, Emmanuel Macron. “Certain products and certain materials have a strategic importance and we need Europe to be independent to reduce our dependence. The day after the epidemic will not be like the day before; we must rebuild our national and European sovereignty.”
Germany’s finance minister, Olaf Scholz, announced the government would financially support companies taking a gamble on switching their production to making facial masks. But politicians in Germany, which has registered 71,000 confirmed cases and 775 deaths, have declined to force industry to retool to produce protective gear or respirators. Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, said physical distancing measures would be maintained until 19 April and re-evaluated after Easter. Speaking after a telephone conference with the premiers of Germany’s 16 states, which have registered 71,000 cases and 775 deaths, Merkel said it was too soon to talk about easing them.
The debate comes amid a growing sense that the relatively stable situation in German hospitals could be about to become a lot more serious as the virus moves on to the elderly population. Reports from around the country suggest a number of outbreaks in care homes for the elderly. The chancellor’s caution comes amid a growing sense that the relatively stable situation in German hospitals could be about to become a lot more serious as the virus moves on to the elderly population. Reports from around the country suggest several outbreaks in care homes for elderly people.