Covid-19 wrap | 1 000 dead in 24 hours in Brazil, India coronavirus death toll passes China's

Record number of virus cases, 1 000 dead in 24 hours in Brazil   

Brazil registered a new record in Covid-19 cases and more than 1 000 dead in a 24-hour period, according to official figures out on Thursday.

The South American country has the world's second highest number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases – 438 238 - after the United States.

According to Health Ministry data, 26 417 new cases were confirmed in a 24 hour-period ending late on Thursday.

In that same period Brazil experienced its third highest number of virus deaths since the start of the pandemic: 1 156, bringing the total death toll to 26,754, the sixth highest in the world.

AFP

India coronavirus death toll passes China's         

India's coronavirus death toll passed neighbouring China's on Friday, with 175 new fatalities in 24 hours taking the total to 4 706, according to official data.

India, home to some of the world's most packed cities and a creaking healthcare system, is emerging as a new hotspot with record jumps in new cases in recent days.

Figures from India's health ministry showed 165 799 infections, with western Maharashtra state - home to the finance hub of Mumbai - accounting for 36% of cases and 42% of deaths.

China, where the deadly virus emerged late last year, reported no new deaths or new suspected cases on Friday, with the toll still at 4 634 and a total of 82 995 infections.

Home Minister Amit Shah was also due on Friday to hold talks with state chief ministers to discuss a further relaxing of restrictions, press reports said.

AFP

South Korea limits school numbers over virus spike         

South Korea on Friday imposed limits on the number of pupils going to schools in and around Seoul as officials scramble to tackle fresh coronavirus cases that threaten the country's success in containing the epidemic.

Only one in three pupils at kindergartens, elementary and middle schools in the Seoul metropolitan area - home to half the population - will be allowed to physically attend school each day, authorities said, with the others remote learning.

Social distancing rules were relaxed, and the country was returning largely to normal until this week, when it re-imposed some measures in the capital and the surrounding region following fresh clusters of cases.

Schools have been re-opening in phases in a process that is continuing nationwide.

Denmark reopens borders for locked-out lovers

More than two months after closing its borders, Denmark has loosened restrictions to let couples separated by coronavirus lockdowns finally see each other again - even if the easing applies just to partners from a few nearby countries for now.

Parliament agreed a deal last week to speed up the country's reopening, allowing some foreigners to enter Denmark, including those with partners there.

But the exceptions, which came into force last Monday, only apply to people from other Nordic countries or Germany.

Owners of second homes, extended family members, and loved ones of Danish residents are allowed to enter Denmark under the new rules, if they can justify the purpose of their visit.

Persons married to or living with a Danish resident and the children of residents could already visit the Nordic country.

But the legality of the exceptions and singling out certain nationalities is debatable, according to Marlene Wind, a professor of political science at the University of Copenhagen.

"It's not uncommon to see government using remedies that are not in the end legal, but it's an estimated risk they are taking."

AFP