PSG are still involved in the Champions League in what could turn out to be the club's finest ever season
football9 hours ago
France said Wednesday it would extend a lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus as the death toll soared across Europe and the US -- and experts warned the looming global recession could be the worst in decades.
Governments are grappling with how to balance public safety against the devastating economic impact of stay-at-home orders that have erased millions of jobs in a matter of weeks.
More than 80,000 people worldwide have died in the virus crisis, which has sent the global economy spiralling and forced billions of people to remain at home as much as possible.
As the economic downturn starts to bite, health experts stressed that any premature loosening of restrictions could accelerate the spread of a contagion that has already infiltrated nearly every country.
In France, one of the hardest-hit nations in Europe with more than 10,000 deaths, President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation next week to explain the path forward.
The confinement order issued on March 17 "will be extended" beyond the current deadline of April 15, an official close to Macron told AFP.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the lockdown had helped contain the spread of the coronavirus but stressed the time to lift the restrictions had not yet come.
The number of people who died from coronavirus infections in French hospitals climbed by 8% in a day - versus 9% on Tuesday and 10% on Monday - to a cumulative total of 7,632, state health agency director Jerome Salomon told a news conference.
But he added the day's figures were incomplete because, due to technical issues, authorities were not able to register nursing homes data, which account for more than 30% of total fatalities.
The total death toll, including Tuesday's nursing homes' figures, is up 5% at 10,869.
Salomon also pointed out that the rate of new admissions in ICU units, almost flat at 0.2%, decelerated for a ninth consecutive day.
"It's an important indicator. But the pressure on hospitals remains extremely high," he said.
Italy and Spain are still recording hundreds of deaths a day, though the situation is also deteriorating in Britain, which saw a record 938 fatalities Wednesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a third day in intensive care.
The 55-year-old leader's condition is "improving" and he is in "good spirits", officials assured the public.
In New York, the epicentre of the US outbreak, the state's governor noted the new single-day high for virus deaths at 779, but offered an optimistic view for the weeks to come.
"We are flattening the curve," Andrew Cuomo told reporters, as he cited a decreasing hospitalisation rate due to stay-at-home orders.
In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus first emerged in December, there was cause for celebration as a ban on outbound travel was lifted.
Malta meanwhile joined the ranks of those in mourning, recording its first death -- a 92-year-old woman with underlying conditions.
PSG are still involved in the Champions League in what could turn out to be the club's finest ever season
football9 hours ago
World number three Alcaraz, 20, missed a month prior to Madrid with a forearm issue
tennis9 hours ago
It was Chennai's fifth win from nine matches as they moved to third place in the points table with 10 points
cricket9 hours ago
Earlier, Arsenal held on for a pulsating 3-2 win over arch rivals Tottenham
football11 hours ago
Samsung cuts through the flaff with its Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, providing all the essential features you need at an affordable price
tech reviews11 hours ago
The country has several beaches and with that comes countless options to indulge in a hearty breakfast
food11 hours ago
In a touching Instagram post, Bipasha shared adorable pictures of themselves
entertainment11 hours ago
In this opulent saga, Bhansali delves into the world of Basra pearls
entertainment11 hours ago