Jerome Salomon, France’s top health official, has said his country is struggling to curb the spread of coronavirus, after many Parisians ventured out in large numbers on Sunday despite official advice to stay at home.
He told France Inter radio:
A lot of people have not understood that they need to stay at home, and this low level at which people have adhered means that we are not succeeding in curbing the outbreak of the epidemic.
The number of deaths in France from the coronavirus increased by more than a third on Sunday to and over 5, have been infected.
Sources told Reuters on Sunday that France is preparing an order that would put its inhabitants under partial lockdown to combat the pandemic, a move that would tighten further restrictions on public life. nam)
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A online support network is being established for funeral directors in London , “In anticipation of a significant amount of pressure being placed on funeral services in the coming months.”
The online network is the initiative of London-based “modern funeral service” Poetic Endings. Its founder, Louise Winter, said she and colleagues would use “remote working technology to come together to create a community to support each other in the months ahead and to provide a coordinated and highly efficient response.”
According to their webpage :
This is a peer-to-peer resource for anyone who works in the funeral profession in the London area who wishes to collaborate during the next few months. It is open to everyone, irrespective of position, approach or trade association membership. It’s for those who wish to offer support and resources to each other and to enable a co-ordinated and efficient response to any crisis we have to face.
The small central American country of Honduras is in a state of near total lockdown after the six coronavirus infections were discovered in the country, Reuters reports.
The Honduran government has sent public and private sector workers home, temporarily called off flights, and suspended public transport to halt the spread of the virus.
The measures will be in effect for seven days, the government said, bolstering a drive by a number of Central American countries to stop coronavirus.
Exceptions to the public sector suspensions include people working in healthcare, emergency services, security and national defense, customs, migration, ports and airports.
In the private sector, banks, hospitals, pharmaceutical firms, gas stations, freight operators and a few other sectors will continue to operate, the government said.
3). am EDT :
Damien Gayle
Hello this is Damien Gayle taking over the live blog now from London . As usual I’ll be publishing all the latest updates on the developing pandemic, of which Europe is now the center, from the Guardian’s network of correspondents, as well as aggregating the most important news from the wires and from social media.
As usual, of course, I’ll be relying on you, the readers, to send in any information about what is happening in your part of the world, as well as any tips or suggestions for coverage you might have. You can reach me at [email protected], or via my Twitter profile, @ damiengayle . I can’t guarantee a reply to every message but I’ll do my best to look through everything I’m sent.
Updated (at 3.) am EDT
3) . AM EDT :
That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan for today. I’ll now be handing over to my colleague Damien Gayle.
Just a quick note before I go:
As we continue to report on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, we’re looking for stories of how this unprecedented crisis has affected couples, families, friends and communities.
If you’ve been separated from a loved one by lockdowns, have had to cancel your wedding or miss an important family event, we’d like to hear from you. We’re always interested in hearing what you may have done in response, too, or how you and your loved ones (and neighbors) are supporting each other in these trying times.
Please do include photographs if you can and are happy for us to use them.
Send me a message on Twitter @ helenrsullivan , tag me in a tweet of your own (if you’re happy for us to include it in the blog), or email me:
The Malaysian government is under pressure to impose tougher restrictions
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Coronavirus deals China’s economy a ‘bigger blow than GFC’
(3.) (am) (EDT)
Today’s
This year’s London St. Patrick’s Festival was cancelled over coronavirus concerns. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe / Getty Images
2. 76 am EDT
In the UK, here is the Guardian’s front page for the UK on Monday, (March) :
The Financial Times: Helen Miller (@ MsHelicat)
pic.twitter.com/vWuaIscNW9(March) ,
The Independent leads with the headline “No. 22 bows to pressure for daily TV briefings, ”as Boris Johnson announced that he will hold daily ministerial press conferences on the crisis in an attempt to shore up public confidence in the government handling of the pandemic.
Helen Miller (@ MsHelicat)
The Telegraph focuses on the penalties Britons could face for refusing quarantine:
As the Daily Mail sounds the call to “ pull together for our elderly, Britain! ”
Helen Miller (@ MsHelicat)
Updated (at 2.) am EDT
(2) am (EDT) :
Eight million could be hospitalized in UK from virus
In UK news, the coronavirus could lead to
We’ll be posting today’s British front pages shortly.
(2) (am EDT :
Updated (at 2.) am EDT
Hospitals in Nagoya city in Japan’s industrial heartland have more coronavirus patients than they can treat , forcing transfers to nearby areas and offering a glimpse of the challenges the outbreak poses for a country with a huge elderly population, Reuters reports.
Japan has closed schools and cancelled public events, which experts say has helped prevent an explosive spread of the virus. But because testing hasn’t been widespread, some medical experts say the extent of infection is understated, and a surge could yet happen.
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“If the numbers rise further, we won’t be able to cope, so we will either have to ask nearby prefectures to help, or tell those with lighter symptoms to stay at home, ”a prefecture official in Nagoya told Reuters.
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Nagoya, the capital of Aichi prefecture, totalled 216 as of Sunday, the official said, far exceeding the city’s beds at hospitals that meet conditions for patients with the highly contagious disease.
Aichi, home to Toyota Motor Corp, is Japan’s second-hardest hit prefecture, with 233 confirmed coronavirus cases so far. It has a total of 316 beds capable of handling patients with such a disease. Of those, 216 were in use as of Sunday, the official said.
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