Global Covid-19 case nearly 2 million as Putin warns Russia about “extraordinary” crisis | News from the world

The number of Covid-19 cases recorded worldwide is approaching 2 million, while Vladimir Putin warned the authorities to prepare for complex and extraordinary scenarios in Russia following the epidemic.

The country reported 2,558 new cases on Monday, its highest daily figure to date, as authorities tightened foreclosure restrictions in Moscow. The total national count was 18,328 and the death toll was 148.

Putin told officials during a video conference that the situation is changing almost every day, and unfortunately not for the better, and that the Russians in the coming weeks will be decisive.

We have a lot of problems, we have nothing special to brag about and we must absolutely not relax, he added.

He told officials that they should consider every scenario, even the most complex and extraordinary, for the future.

His warning came as the number of infections worldwide reached more than 1.92 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. At least 119,678 people worldwide have died, with the highest number of deaths in the United States and Italy. About 450,000 people have recovered.

The actual number of infections is expected to be higher, with suspected underreporting or limited testing in some countries. President Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus said there was no infection or danger from the virus.

During the videoconference, Putin called for measures to end the shortages of protective equipment for doctors and added that Russia would also call on the Defense Ministry to help it if necessary.

China has also expressed concern over the spread of the virus in Russia.

While China’s daily reported infection rate remains well below its peak during the pandemic, the majority of new cases have occurred in areas bordering its northern neighbor. The area has become the new focus of containment measures, with foreclosure measures introduced for the cities of Hubin and Suifenhe.

China’s national health commission said on Monday that 79 of the 89 new imported cases were in Heilongjiang province. They were all Chinese citizens returning home from Russia, official media said on Tuesday.

Russia is the latest example of an inability to control imported cases and can serve as a warning to others, the state-owned Global Times said in an editorial.

The Chinese people have seen Russia become a seriously affected country. This should sound the alarm: China must strictly prevent the influx of cases and avoid a second outbreak.

China closed one of the last land borders with Russia in Suifenhe last week. Russia had already interrupted its flights to China and closed its land borders to incoming traffic in late January and early February.

In the United States, President Donald Trump has reiterated his threat to end funding for the World Health Organization.

During a bizarre and combative press conference, which some journalists described as North Korean style, the American president broadcast video clips of state governors congratulating him and wrongly claiming that he had the ultimate power to reopen the country and reduce distancing measures. Trump said the country would soon learn if it decided to reopen the economy on May 1.

He refused to admit any error in his government’s response to the virus, amid lingering fallout from a New York Times investigation that revealed little effort was made by Trump and his administration when they got the time to prepare for the arrival of the virus in January and February.

More than 23,000 Americans have died. Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Robert Redfield, said that the United States was nearing its peak.

Officials around the world have warned that ending quarantine and social distancing could reverse hard-won progress against the disease.

In other developments:

• The International Monetary Fund said on Monday that it would provide immediate debt relief to 25 member countries through its Disaster Relief and Relief Fund (CCRT) to allow them to devote more financial resources to the fight against the pandemic.

• French President Emmanuel Macron said the country would remain stuck for a month and start reopening schools on May 11.

• The World Health Organization has stressed that a vaccine is needed to completely stop the transmission of this coronavirus, which it says is 10 times more deadly than swine flu. His head urged caution on the measures to lift the lockdown conditions, saying that much was still unknown about the virus and that research, testing and isolation of cases was still crucial.

• Spain has eased restrictions, with hundreds of thousands of non-essential workers returning to work. Construction and manufacturing companies have temporarily reopened, but stores, bars and pubs will remain closed until at least April 26.

• In Australia, police have been charged with disrespectful behavior after entering a funeral to verify that the rules of social distancing were not broken.

• The Japanese Ministry of Health has reported 390 new cases, bringing the total to 7,645. The country has been in an emergency since last week, but large crowds are still lining up to shop for groceries and other essentials in Tokyo.

• A sailor died on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Nearly 600 crew members tested positive for Covid-19.

• South Korea, which was at one time the largest epidemic outside of China, has just registered its 13th day of less than 100 new infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday that it has registered 27 new cases. At least 940 of the country’s total 10,564 cases have been linked to passengers from overseas, and mainly in the past three weeks.

• German experts have recommended a gradual easing of restrictions, as long as new infections stabilize and hygiene measures to control the spread of the virus are maintained, and French President Emmanuel Macron said nurseries and schools would begin to reopen on May 11. The lockout will continue until then.