WASHINGTON - The coronavirus pandemic killed 922 people in the United States in the past 24 hours, according to figures released Friday by Johns Hopkins University.
The latest deaths bring the total in the United States to 109,042, and there have been more than 1.89 million cases, according to a real-time tally maintained by the Baltimore-based university at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Saturday).
Some 491,000 people have recovered from the disease.
The United States has suffered by far the largest number of both COVID-19 deaths and infections.
On a per capita basis, however, several European countries -- including France, Italy and Spain -- have a higher death toll.
President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that the United States was "largely through" the pandemic and renewed his call on governors to ease lockdown measures in their states.
While the United States was suffering around 3,000 deaths a day in mid-April, that number has declined to around 1,000 deaths and 20,000 new cases a day at present.
According to researchers at the University of Massachusetts, which takes an average forecast from 9 different models, the coronavirus death toll will be around 127,000 by June 27.
Even though the spread of the disease has slowed, health care professionals worry that mass demonstrations against police brutality and racism taking place in cities across the US may lead to a new surge in infections in the coming weeks.
Agence France-Presse
HANOI - Vietnam's prime minister on Monday asked major cities to prepare for possible lockdowns to stop the spread of coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country reached nearly 200.
"Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have to review and update plans to battle the virus, and have to stand ready for city lockdown scenarios," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in a statement.
"Vietnam has entered the pandemic's peak period, major cities have to speed up and take advantage of each hour and minute to carry out defined measures," Phuc said.
The Vietnamese government has ordered a halt on inbound flights, cut domestic flights, stopped public gatherings and temporarily shut down non-essential services until April 15 at the earliest.
It has also launched an aggressive quarantine and contact-tracing program to curb the spread of the virus after an influx of infections brought in by Vietnamese citizens escaping outbreaks elsewhere and by foreign visitors.
Vietnam has confirmed 194 infections but has had no reported deaths, according to the health ministry. More than 75,000 people are in quarantine. The country aims to keep the number of infections under 1,000.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
MANILA — Effective midnight March 17, Tuesday, the entire Luzon will be placed under an enhanced community quarantine that will see the suspension of mass public transport and imposition of home quarantine, among many other restrictions, on all residents in the main island until April 12.
"A strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households; movement shall be limited to accessing basic necessities... Mass public transport facilities shall be suspended; and land, air and sea travel shall be restricted," according to the memorandum issued by Malacañang.
In an earlier public address, President Rodrigo Duterte said tougher quarantine measures are meant to prevent the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from spreading to other parts of the country.
"I am placing the entire mainland of Luzon under quarantine until April 12, 2020 coinciding with the entire end of the Holy Week... We do not have the luxury of time to wait if there is really such a connection of a contagion somewhere. I cannot go into a guessing game. I have to act," Duterte said in a pre-taped public address.
In a later press conference, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the "general rule" of the Luzon-wide quarantine is to "stay at home."
"Ang general rule ay stay at home. If you leave your home to buy necessities, only one person ang puwede bumili, hindi puwede isama ang buong pamilya... Gusto natin 'yung walang galawan because we want the virus to stop from spreading," said Nograles, who is also the spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) leading the country’s response to the virus outbreak.
Private establishments providing basic necessities are allowed to operate during the enhanced quarantine period, according to the Palace. These include:
* public markets
* supermarkets
* groceries
* convenience stores
* hospitals
* medical clinics
* pharmacies and drug stores
* food preparation and delivery services
* water-refilling stations, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines
* banks
* money transfer services
* power, energy, water, and telecommunications supplies and facilities
Meanwhile, classes and all school activities in all levels in Luzon are suspended until April 14.
A work-from-home arrangement will likewise be implemented in the executive branch, except the PNP, AFP, PCG, and health and emergency frontline services, border control and other critical services, which will operate on a "skeletal work force."
Media personnel intending to travel within the quarantine area are required to obtain identification cards from the Presidential Communications Operations Office within 72 hours from the issuance of the memorandum.
The new declaration is a stricter and wider version of a general community quarantine which was earlier imposed in Metro Manila.
Nograles said the enhanced community quarantine may be abbreviated or expanded, depending on the assessment of IATF.
"Puwede siyang mapaikli if the situation warrants pero puwede din humaba depende sa situation."
As of Monday night, there are 142 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, including 12 fatalities.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
