The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis from around the globe on Wednesday.
Italy struggles to recover as Corona death toll rises to 32,955
A further 78 COVID-19 patients have died in Italy, bringing the country's toll to 32,955, out of total infection cases of 230,555.
Nationwide, the number of active infections dropped by 2,358 to 52,942 cases, according to the Civil Protection Department on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
Of those who tested positive for the new coronavirus, 521 are in intensive care, 20 fewer compared to Monday, and 7,917 are hospitalized with symptoms, a decrease of 268 patients compared to Monday.
The rest 44,504 people, or about 84 percent of those who tested positive, are quarantined at home with no symptoms or only mild symptoms.
Recoveries rose by 2,677 compared to Monday, bringing the nationwide total to 144,658.
The overall number of COVID-19 infections, fatalities and recoveries has risen to 230,555 cases over the past 24 hours from 230,158 cases by Monday.
UK COVID-19 deaths top 37,000 as another 134 patients die
Another 134 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 37,048, the Department of Health and Social Care has said.
The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.
As of Tuesday morning, 265,227 people have tested positive in Britain, a daily increase of 2,004, according to the department, Xinhua reported citing officials.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced on Tuesday that 42,173 deaths involving coronavirus occurred in England and Wales up to May 15. The ONS uses an alternative measure as its figures are based on all mentions of COVID-19 on a death certificate, including suspected cases.
Together with the latest figures in Scotland and Northern Ireland, 46,383 deaths have so far been registered in Britain where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, according to The Guardian newspaper.
France reports 28,530 COVID-19 deaths
Since early March, the pandemic of the novel coronavirus has killed 28,530 people in France, while the numbers of patients in hospitals and in intensive care units continue to drop, according to data released by the Health Ministry.
A total of 18,195 patients have died in hospitals and a further 10,335 in nursing homes and other medico-social establishments, Xinhua reported.
On Tuesday, 16,264 people remained hospitalized, 534 fewer than on Monday, and 1,555 patients were treated in intensive care, 54 less than on Monday.
Seventy-two per cent of the patients hospitalized in intensive care came from four regions (Ile-de-France, Grand-Est, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Hauts-de-France).
Since the start of the epidemic, France has confirmed 145,555 coronavirus cases. A grand total of 100,841 people have been hospitalized, including 17,807 in intensive care, while 65,879 people have recovered.
Israel reports 23 more COVID-19 cases, no new death
The Israeli Ministry of Health has reported 23 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in Israel to 16,757.
This is the highest single-day rise in the COVID-19 cases since May 18, when 26 new cases were detected in Israel, Xinhua reported citing officials.
No new death from the novel coronavirus was reported as the death toll remained at 281, while the number of patients in serious condition decreased from 41 to 37, out of 117 patients currently hospitalized, officials said on Tuesday.
The number of recoveries increased to 14,457 with 150 new recoveries, while the number of active cases decreased to 2,019.
Meanwhile, Israel's Ministry of Finance launched a plan to encourage employment following the rise in unemployment.
Under the plan, each business will receive a grant of 7,500 new shekels (about $2,139) for each employee who will be re-hired.
Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 115,000
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent surpassed 115,616 as the death toll from the ongoing pandemic surged to 3,479, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said.
The Africa CDC, in its latest continental situation update report issued on Tuesday, said that some 46,630 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered across the continent as of Tuesday afternoon, Xinhua reported.
Figures from the Africa CDC also showed that amid the rapid spread of the virus across the continent, the highly COVID-19 affected African countries include South Africa with 23,615 confirmed cases, Egypt with 17,967 confirmed cases, Algeria with 8,503 confirmed cases, Nigeria with 8,063 confirmed cases, and Morocco with 7,556 confirmed cases.
The Africa CDC said that the Northern African region is the most affected area across the continent both in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, as well as the number of deaths.
The continental disease control and prevention agency added that the COVID-19 pandemic had spread across all 54 African countries.
(IANS)
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