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Healthcare workers in Spain applaud back as they were cheered on by security forces last month. Shutterstock/Imaxe Press

China sees highest number of Covid-19 cases in one day since March, while Spain reopens some workplaces

More than half of the world’s population is staying home to try and stem the spread of the virus.

LAST UPDATE | 13 Apr 2020

THE DEATH TOLL from Covid-19 has slowed in some of the worst-hit countries, with Spain set to reopen parts of its economy today as governments get to terms with a once-in-a-century recession.

Italy, France and the US have all seen a drop in Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, with Italy – the European nation most afflicted – reporting its lowest toll in more than three weeks.

More than half of the world’s population is staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus which has now killed at least 112,500 people, overwhelming healthcare systems and crippling the world economy.

Spain’s death toll has fallen in recent days, but as a small bump in deaths was reported yesterday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the locked-down country was “far from victory”.

“We are all keen to go back out on the streets… but our desire is even greater to win the war and prevent a relapse,” he said, as some companies were set to resume operations at the end of a two-weeks halt of all non-essential activity.

Some factory and construction workers are returned to work today, with police to hand out face masks at metro and train stations.

The lifting of this economic hibernation has led to criticism from some regional leaders and unions, but the rest of the lockdown restrictions in the nation of around 47 million people will remain in place.

France

Meanwhile, France’s lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak will be extended until May 11, President Emmanuel Macron said, but added that the restrictions could start to be eased from then if current positive trends continued.

While giving France a concrete date for a possible ending of strict confinement, Macron acknowledged that the country had not been prepared for a crisis that has killed nearly 15,000 people in the country.

“The strict confinement must continue until Monday, May 11,” Macron said in a TV address, adding that it could then be eased “if we continue to be good citizens, responsible and respect the rules, and if the spread of the virus has indeed continued to slow”.

The lockdown has confined the French to their homes since March 17 with only brief trips allowed outside for shopping and other essential errands.

The epidemic is “beginning to steady… hope is returning,” he said, acknowledging France was “obviously not sufficiently prepared” when its first cases were reported last February.

China

In China, where authorities appeared to have the virus under control last week, officials reported 108 new symptomatic cases today, the highest number of confirmed infections in a single day in over a month.

Imported cases accounted for most of the total, the National Health Commission said, underscoring why the government has been so focused on preventing new outbreaks stemming from international arrivals.

In the US – now the world’s worst-hit nation with a fifth of all deaths and more than half a million confirmed cases – the government’s top infectious disease expert added to cautious optimism that the pandemic may have reached its peak.

Anthony Fauci said parts of the country could begin easing restrictions in May, but warned that the world’s biggest economy would not turn back on like a “light switch”.

“We are hoping by the end of the month we can look around and say, OK, is there any element here that we can safely and cautiously start pulling back on?” Fauci told CNN. 

President Donald Trump had previously wanted the US to be back to normal by Easter, but most of the country remained at a standstill and churches took celebrations online.

‘Easter of solitude’  

Many of the world’s more than two billion Christians celebrated Easter from the confines of their homes, while Pope Francis delivered a livestream message from a hauntingly empty Vatican. 

“For many, this is an Easter of solitude lived amid the sorrow and hardship that the pandemic is causing, from physical suffering to economic difficulties,” he said.

One priest in Rio de Janeiro blessed the Brazilian city from a helicopter, while another in Portugal addressed the faithful from the open top of a moving convertible car.

In the UK, which has seen more than 10,000 people die in hospital from Covid-19, prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said he had been discharged after “a week in which the NHS has saved my life, no question”.

The UK is now seeing daily death tolls to match those previously seen in Italy and Spain, after recording nearly 1,000 fatalities on Friday and Saturday. There were 737 new deaths reported yesterday. 

Johnson, like Trump, had initially resisted stringent measures such as shutting down public places. 

First case in Yemen

Meanwhile, there were also worrying signs the virus could be taking hold in new, and vulnerable, parts of the world.

Yemen reported its first case last week, raising fears of a devastating outbreak in the war-torn country.

In Mumbai’s crowded Dharavi slum, more than 43 cases have been confirmed.

While sub-Saharan Africa has not been as badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic as some other parts of the world, the economy is being pummelled.

Governments are under pressure to keep populations safe while preventing economic collapse, amid warnings of a downturn not seen since the Great Depression.

But the World Health Organization has warned countries against lifting lockdown restrictions too early. 

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    Mute HearMeNow33
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:22 PM

    Let it go….

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    Mute Tommy Berry
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:29 PM

    @HearMeNow33: Are you mad? This will be wall to wall, for a few weeks.

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:09 PM

    @Tommy Berry: True. Can’t let a chance of some shinner bashing pass them by.

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    Mute Denis Logan
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    Dec 17th 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Seán Óg: says the shinnerbot

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:54 PM

    @Denis Logan: How predictable of you.

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    Mute tirnanog1979
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:55 PM

    When is the Gardaí report on Charlie Flanagan potential Covid-19 breaches at Colm Horkan funeral

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:06 PM

    @tirnanog1979: no comparison and you know it

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:10 PM

    @Jane: Both funerals broke the regulations Jane and you know it.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:17 PM

    @tirnanog1979: that would be Detective Garda Colm Horkan.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:18 PM

    @Seán Óg: SF could have sent representatives to Mr Storeys funeral as happened with Garda Horkans funeral and I don’t think anyone could have complained. Instead SF attended the funeral en masse, traveling from all over the country to do so and gathered in a graveyard to give a graveside oration where no burial was taking place.

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    Mute MickN
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:29 PM

    @Jane: Nonsense, they were as bad as each other

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:44 PM

    @Jane: Both funerals had large crowds and poor social distancing. If you admonish SF for the Storey funeral then surely you must do the same for Garda Horkan’s funeral. Your disliking of SF seems to be clouding your judgement Jane.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Seán Óg: but only one was attending in very large numbers by political party reps from all over the country. That’s the difference.
    Why is it even when SF are obviously wrong no criticism is allowed?
    Why do ye want to replace a crowd that dodge questions with another crowd that dodge questions?

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    Mute Angela McCarthy
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:06 PM

    @Jane: Critism is allowed Jane, but the obvious point you insist on ignoring, is that critism is selective and hypocritical. As was pointed out, you cant criticise one and not the other – but in your case, you did just that.

    To me, both were wrong. It would seem, that to you, there is only political captital to be made from criticising one.

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:44 PM

    @tirnanog1979: It ill behooves Shinners to comment on any Garda’s funeral —–They were responsible for quite a few in their time and indeed have been known to give rapturous acclaim to certain Garda’s murderers.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 7:43 PM

    @Angela McCarthy: and you are ignoring the involvement of a political party in only one of the funerals. A political party that was involved in the making of the rules for everyone else in that jurisdiction.

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    Mute Angela McCarthy
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    Dec 17th 2020, 7:59 PM

    @Jane: A political party? dont you mean political parties, as more than one seems to be set on debating it. but not the other.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 8:20 PM

    @Angela McCarthy: not sure what you mean by that Angela. Only one party is in bother over it because only one party attended en masse. Bringing a crowd to the graveyard unnecessarily was just ridiculous.
    Everyone understands that Bobby Storey was an important figure in SF and as such no one would have batted an eyelid if some of the senior politicians in SF had attended as was done with Garda Horkans funeral.

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 9:02 PM

    @Jane: Where did I say no criticism is allowed? People attending both funerals broke government guidelines. So don’t cherry pick your outrage Jane. Call a spade a spade.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 9:24 PM

    @Seán Óg: tell you what Sean you just continue to ignore what are the obvious differences between them as I’ve pointed out above. And continue to be outraged at all and any criticism leveled at SF.

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 9:29 PM

    @Jane: I have criticised SF over the attendance of Bobby’s funeral. Because it was wrong to stage a funeral with those numbers in attendance. But you ignore the fact that large numbers attended the Garda’s funeral, including some politicians. Same rules for everyone Jane.

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    Mute Ger Murray
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:30 PM

    One rule for that crowd, Sur they are the “law” 8 cremations the same day and no one allowed .

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    Mute Airwave81
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:34 PM

    @Ger Murray: who’s that crowd ?.

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    Mute Tim
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:37 PM

    @Airwave81: The uniformed woman and men that lined the streets

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    Mute Jimmy Mac
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    Dec 17th 2020, 4:54 PM

    Clear the decks, Nolan show can’t wait to ramp up the whole funeral again, rest in peace Big Bobby, a giant among men.

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    Mute frank_1916
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:25 PM

    now could they start investigating collusion with he uvf

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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Dec 17th 2020, 7:37 PM

    The usual crowd talking about people in uniforms blah, blah, blah. What I saw were people in ordinary clothes coming out to see a true republican being laid yo rest, with a quarter of a million watching online which Sinn Féin Féin set up. The PSNI have already stated that there were no problems with it. Establishmemt supporters again trying to take away from their parties failure. No bank bailout? Ha ha

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    Mute Pat Andrews
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:57 PM

    Just ticking a box… Nothing will happen

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