Australia deals with viral disease; Serbia erupts in violence

Africa exceeded half of the brand of coronavirus infections according to figures released on Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa. South Africa chose the mantle as the hotspot of viruses in the world with another day of more than 10,000 confirmed cases.

There is no way to know the real number of confirmed cases of the virus among 1.3 billion Africans, as its 54 countries continue to face a serious shortage of virus testing materials.

In Serbia, angry protesters took to the streets of Belgrade and tried to attack parliament after health officials reported the highest number of deaths a day of 13 among 299 new COVID-19 cases. Protesters hurled stones, bottles and other items and set fire to five police vehicles, while video footage of the clashes showed police beating several demonstrators.

About two dozen demonstrators have been arrested while a law enforcement official said authorities are trying to identify more people who took part in the riots.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vukics has issued a concession that easing virus restrictions could soon lead to an infection attack, regenerating the global dilemma of when to open and how not to turn on another virus.

Many blame the autocratic Serbian leader for lifting the previous blockade measures, so he will strengthen his control over power after the parliamentary elections. He has denied those allegations.

The resurgence of the Belgrades virus reflected a general trend in the Balkans where infections are holding a high trajectory. In Albania, 50-70 new cases are reported several times a day on the daily number of infections reported during the blockade of countries until March and April.

Authorities in the Australian state of Victoria Victoria announced 134 cases of coronavirus within the last 24 hours, from a daily record of 191 cases on Tuesday.

The rest of Australia recorded 13 cases, including three Melbourne-related infections in the national capital Canberra. Canberra infections are the first recorded there in almost a month.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the entire nation was behind Melbourne after it was closed for six weeks by Wednesday evening.

It was all Melburnians now when it comes to the challenges we face, Morrison said. They were all Victorians now because they were all Australians and that’s the challenge now.

World Health Organization Emergency Chief Dr. Michael Ryan said the coronavirus is continuing to grow at a global pace, with reported daily cases rising to 200,000 double the number of cases reported in April and May. Ryan warned that although the number of COVID-19 deaths appeared to be stable now, he warned that a rapid death blow could result quickly.

Indonesia on Wednesday reported another record high of daily confirmed viral infections with 1,863 new cases, pushing the national number to more than 68,000.

A spokesman for the National Task Force COVID-19, Achmad Yurianto, said 50 other people had died from the disease, bringing the number of deaths in 35,359 countries to the highest in Southeast Asia.

The Spains region of the northeastern region of Catalonia will make mandatory the use of face masks outside as disturbing explosions in and around the city of Lleida have led to a blockade of more than 200,000 residents since Saturday. Some of the 500 infections in Lleida have so far been linked to the summer fruit harvest, which attracts many migrant workers who are often offered poor living and working conditions.

In Israel, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said he was going through quarantine for concerns he had recently been exposed to a COVID-19 carrier.

Gantz, who also serves as an alternative prime minister, says he feels good and is being isolated from a sense of responsibility. Gantz made the announcement while Israel is facing a second wave of infections. The government this week redefined new boundaries at public gatherings and ordered restaurants, bars, theaters and fitness centers to be closed again.

In China, where pandemics emerged late last year, only seven new cases were confirmed on Wednesday, all brought from abroad. But South Korea reported 63 additional cases among a population twice as large as Australians. South Korean authorities are trying to block broadcasts related to places such as churches, temples, restaurants and workplaces.

Pakistan’s daily infection rate fell below 3,000 for the second straight day. Medical professionals are looking for caution, noting that testing has been cut by nearly a third. Still, some experts, especially in the eastern city of Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province, home to nearly 60 percent of the country’s 220 million people, say the virus may have peaked in June.

Menelaos Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia, Cyprus and Rod McGuirk from Canberra, Australia. Associated Press journalists around the world have contributed to this report.

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