Coronavirus: more than 131,000 dead worldwide, and the risk of disorganized deconfinement
Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg extended their confinements until the beginning of May, with some easing. Wearing a mask will be recommended, and even compulsory in Luxembourg.
While the coronavirus epidemic has officially infected more than two million people worldwide, and Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the suspension of the American contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO), the latter has warned, Wednesday, April 15, against a "risk of resurgence" of the virus in case of release.
In Europe, the continent most affected - which accounts for half of the diagnosed cases -, however, there are timid attempts to deconfinement the population.
More than a million cases of contamination have been officially diagnosed in Europe, just over half the world total, according to a count by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday morning.
Worldwide, 2,029,917 cases and 131,319 deaths have been reported. With more than half of the cases of contamination and two thirds of the deaths, Europe is the continent most affected by the pandemic. This number of cases, however, only reflects a fraction of the actual number of infections, with many countries now testing only those cases requiring hospital care.
The five most affected European countries, officially counting nearly 100,000 cases, are:
Spain (172,541 cases, 18,056 deaths);
Italy (162,488 cases, 21,067 deaths);
France (143,303 cases, 15,729 deaths);
Germany (127,584 cases, 3,254 deaths);
the United Kingdom (98,476, 12,868 dead).
Warnings against too rapid and uncoordinated deconfinement
If the resumption of activity is still far away for many countries in Europe, some have started to initiate or sketch a timid deconfinement, in favor of a slight improvement in health. This was the case, on Wednesday, of Lithuania and Austria, which authorized the careful reopening of its small shops and public gardens; Spain, which has authorized the reopening of certain factories and construction sites; or from Italy, with localized and very limited reopening of certain businesses.
Germany has added to it: entering an economic recession, it will loosen its restrictive measures by reopening shops, then, from May 4, its schools and high schools. Large gatherings, such as sports competitions or concerts, will remain banned until at least August 31, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced after meeting with leaders of the sixteen Länder (regional states). The country's "milestone success" remains "fragile," warned the leader.
Others, such as France and Belgium, have decided to extend the confinement period. These measures are taken at the level of each country, while international authorities fear that uncoordinated deconfinement will cause a second wave of contamination. To prevent this within the EU, the European Commission presented its roadmap on the matter on Wednesday and insisted on the need for "coordinated action", raising the risk of "negative effects on all member states" .
For the World Health Organization (WHO), too quick a relaxation of the restrictive measures would nullify all the efforts made so far. She recommends a delay of at least two weeks, corresponding to the incubation period of the disease, between each phase of deconfinement, in order to assess the impact. Each country should implement a comprehensive policy of health measures to maintain a stable, sustainable state of low transmission, or even no transmission, and be prepared to respond quickly to control any spread.
Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg extended their confinements until the beginning of May, with some easing. Wearing a mask will be recommended, and even compulsory in Luxembourg.
While the coronavirus epidemic has officially infected more than two million people worldwide, and Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the suspension of the American contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO), the latter has warned, Wednesday, April 15, against a "risk of resurgence" of the virus in case of release.
In Europe, the continent most affected - which accounts for half of the diagnosed cases -, however, there are timid attempts to deconfinement the population.
More than a million cases of contamination have been officially diagnosed in Europe, just over half the world total, according to a count by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday morning.
Worldwide, 2,029,917 cases and 131,319 deaths have been reported. With more than half of the cases of contamination and two thirds of the deaths, Europe is the continent most affected by the pandemic. This number of cases, however, only reflects a fraction of the actual number of infections, with many countries now testing only those cases requiring hospital care.
The five most affected European countries, officially counting nearly 100,000 cases, are:
Spain (172,541 cases, 18,056 deaths);
Italy (162,488 cases, 21,067 deaths);
France (143,303 cases, 15,729 deaths);
Germany (127,584 cases, 3,254 deaths);
the United Kingdom (98,476, 12,868 dead).
Warnings against too rapid and uncoordinated deconfinement
If the resumption of activity is still far away for many countries in Europe, some have started to initiate or sketch a timid deconfinement, in favor of a slight improvement in health. This was the case, on Wednesday, of Lithuania and Austria, which authorized the careful reopening of its small shops and public gardens; Spain, which has authorized the reopening of certain factories and construction sites; or from Italy, with localized and very limited reopening of certain businesses.
Germany has added to it: entering an economic recession, it will loosen its restrictive measures by reopening shops, then, from May 4, its schools and high schools. Large gatherings, such as sports competitions or concerts, will remain banned until at least August 31, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced after meeting with leaders of the sixteen Länder (regional states). The country's "milestone success" remains "fragile," warned the leader.
Others, such as France and Belgium, have decided to extend the confinement period. These measures are taken at the level of each country, while international authorities fear that uncoordinated deconfinement will cause a second wave of contamination. To prevent this within the EU, the European Commission presented its roadmap on the matter on Wednesday and insisted on the need for "coordinated action", raising the risk of "negative effects on all member states" .
For the World Health Organization (WHO), too quick a relaxation of the restrictive measures would nullify all the efforts made so far. She recommends a delay of at least two weeks, corresponding to the incubation period of the disease, between each phase of deconfinement, in order to assess the impact. Each country should implement a comprehensive policy of health measures to maintain a stable, sustainable state of low transmission, or even no transmission, and be prepared to respond quickly to control any spread.
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