Shortage of medical supplies
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and shutting down all production facilities except those providing essential goods and services.
“We are facing the most serious crisis that the country has experienced since World War II,” Conte told Italians during a live broadcast.
He cautioned citizens to be calm and patient, insisting there was “no alternative” than to impose further restrictions. Scientists have argued that avoiding even one infection means scores more are prevented down the line.
The Mediterranean nation of 60 million is now the epicentre of the disease, which first emerged in central China late last year before marching out to the rest of the world.
Across the Atlantic, more than a third of Americans were adjusting to life in various phases of lockdown, including in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Other parts of the United States are expected to ramp up restrictions as well.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the government is “literally scouring the globe looking for medical supplies.” Health care workers from Oklahoma City to Minneapolis sought donations of protective equipment. Staff at a Detroit hospital began creating homemade face masks for workers.
His comment came after United States appealed for donations of respirator masks to combat a shortage of the lifesaving equipment. European countries, which have better health care than most of the world, also suffering from acute shortage of medical equipment, specially ventilators.
Ventilators, running in the thousands of dollars per unit, are used to help people with respiratory difficulties to breathe. Worldwide, the devices have become shorthand for the rapid advance of the disease -- and the desperation of officials who fear their stocks are inadequate.
UK health minister Matt Hancock has acknowledged the existing stock of 5,000 ventilators is inadequate. Germany’s Draegerwerk last week got a government order for 10,000, equal to a typical year’s production.
Last week, Hamilton Medical shipped 400 ventilators to Italy, whose intensive care units have been overwhelmed by cases. About 50% of those with coronavirus in Italy accepted into intensive care units are dying, compared with typical mortality rates of 12% to 16% in such units.
In Britain, where yesterday was Mother’s Day, the government had a stark message for millions: Visiting your mother could kill her. Prime Minister Boris Johnson implored Britons to forego traditional family visits, parties and Sunday lunches.
“If your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus,” Johnson said. “This time the best thing is to ring her, video call her, Skype her, but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity.”
In Spain, Europe’s hardest-hit country behind Italy, intensive care units in some areas were close to their limits even before yesterday’s new tally of 28,603 infections and 1,756 deaths. The army was building a field hospital with 5,500 beds in a convention center in Madrid, where hotels are also being turned into wards for virus patients without serious breathing problems.
China reported its first local infection in four days yesterday. While the number of cases in the mainland has slumped dramatically since the crisis began, there are fears in Asia of “imported” cases from other hotspots like Europe.
Thailand reported its highest daily rise in cases, taking its total to nearly 600, while Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia have also reported a spike in cases after numbers had plateaued earlier.
Millions of people in India were confined to their homes yesterday as the country went into lockdown with a one-day nationwide “self-imposed curfew”.
Normally bustling streets in the capital New Delhi and the financial hub of Mumbai were mostly deserted and most shops shuttered.
India, which has reported close to 350 infections and 7 deaths, also imposed a transportation ban yesterday suspending all railway, metro and interstate bus services till March 31.
Tighter restrictions are now in place elsewhere in Asia, with Australia shutting its borders to foreigners and non-residents and Pakistan suspending international flights.
After recording its first two deaths, Singapore said it will fully shut its borders beginning tomorrow. All short-term visitors will be barred while returning locals will face a 14-day quarantine. Sri Lanka blocked all passenger flights and ships from entering and Pakistan banned all international flights.
The coronavirus has infected more than 1,100 across Africa too, where healthcare systems are limited and social distancing measures are difficult in crowded cities.
The Middle East also remains on high alert, where Iran -- which suffered a major outbreak -- reported 129 deaths on Sunday.