Health

El Salvador declares state of emergency over coronavirus concerns

SAN SALVADOR, March 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — El Salvador’s congress has declared a state of emergency and approved a raft of emergency measures aimed at containing the spread of novel coronavirus.

The measures restrict entry to and exit from the Cental American country for 30 days and allow the authorities to ban public gatherings.

Schools have been suspended across the country over coronavirus concerns.

The congress has given the government legal mechanisms to cope with the grave situation, congressional president Mario Ponce said after Saturday’s vote.

Italy reports biggest one-day increase of corona cases - 3,590

Rome; 15 March 2020 (UMM): Italy recorded 3,590 cases and 398 deaths within a 24 hour period, Civil Protection chief Angelo Borelli announced Sunday. The country has been on lockdown since last week

According to The Hill 15 March 2020, the country has confirmed more than 24,700 cases and more than 1,800 deaths.

Palestinians suspend prayers atchurches, mosques to fight coronavirus

15 Mar 2020; MEMO: The Palestinian Authority suspended prayers in mosques and churches in the occupied West Bank on Saturday to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, and Gaza’s Hamas rulers said all the enclave’s border crossings would be shut for travel, Reuters report

US sanctions 'severely hamper' Iran coronavirus fight

15 Mar 2020; MEMO: President Hassan Rouhani said Iran’s fight against the coronavirus was being “severely hampered” by US sanctions, as state television reported that the death toll from the illness rose on Saturday to 611, up nearly 100 from a day earlier.

State media said Rouhani wrote to a number of world leaders, without naming them.

Wife of Spanish PM Sanchez has coronavirus

Madrid, Mar 15 (AFP/PTI) The wife of Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his office said.

The announcement came late Saturday, just hours after he announced a near total lockdown nationwide.

Both Begona Gomez and her husband were well, and were at their official residence following the new measures introduced by the health authorities, said a government statement.

India: 3 suspected coronavirus patients flee from hospital

Mumbai, Mar 14 (PTI) Three suspected coronavirus patients who were quarantined left a government hospital in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district on Saturday evening without informing anybody, the police said.

By late night, however, two of them returned to the Ahmednagar district civil hospital. Search was on for the third patient, a Topkhana police station officer said.

India: Civic polls put off in AP due to Corona

Amaravati, Mar 15 (PTI) Elections to to rural and urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh were put off for six weeks by the State Election Commission on Sunday in view of spread of coronavirus.

Elections to gram panchayats have been kept in abeyance for six weeks, State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar said.

Spain imposes near total lockdown to fight virus

MADRID, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spain followed Italy and imposed a near total nationwide lockdown to fight the spread of coronavirus by banning people from leaving home except to go to work, get medical care or buy food.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the restrictions on movement following a huge spike in the number of infections in this nation of some 46 million people.

They are among the measures introduced as part of a 15-day state of emergency officially declared by his government on Saturday.

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