Sri Lanka lifts virus lockdown, says ‘no community spread’
Sri Lanka’s nationwide lockdown has been lifted, one month after a selective curfew was reimposed during a surge in coronavirus infections, the country’s president said.
The island nation imposed the lockdown on March 20 and lifted it gradually over the past two months, although a nighttime curfew remained in place.
It reintroduced tighter restrictions in late May and early June to curb large gatherings for the funeral of a popular government minister and for a religious festival.
Philippines has fastest increase in COVID-19 cases: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the Philippines had the fastest increase in COVID-19 cases in the Western Pacific region, local media outlets reported.
The announcement prompted the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) to say the WHO should not “cherry-pick” countries for comparison, the Philippine Star said on Facebook.
According to GMA News Online, between June 16 and 28, the total number of new cases in the Philippines was 9,655, followed by Singapore with 2,610 new cases.
Virus-hit Iran to make masks compulsory from next week
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that mask-wearing will be mandatory in certain areas as of next week, and gave virus-hit provinces the green light to reimpose restrictive measures.
Iran has refrained from enforcing full lockdowns, and the use of masks and protective equipment has been optional in most areas.
Pakistan producing own ventilators as cases rise
Pakistan’s minister for science and technology says the country has started producing locally designed ventilators, as authorities reported 83 more deaths from the coronavirus.
The announcement comes days after Pakistan said it was racing against time to arrange for 1,500 more ventilators as part of a contingency plan.
Delhi minister says city faces virus challenge
The acting health minister for India’s capital said that New Delhi, epicentre of the country’s outbreak, is facing a major challenge due to a shortage of “trained and experienced” healthcare workers, in an interview with AP news agency
With over 77,000 cases, New Delhi has been hit harder than any other Indian city. Infections had been projected to rise to half a million by the end of July in Delhi, the territory that includes the capital.
As the rate of infections slowed down, the number has been revised to 400,000, and Acting Health Minister Manish Sisodia said he was hopeful that it could be less.
SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies
