People are seen at the Coloseum in Rome, Italy, on May 8, 2020.(Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
-- Italy records lowest one-day COVID-19 deaths in more than two months;
-- British PM reveals government's approach to tackling the pandemic in the next phase;
-- France registers lowest daily toll since mid-March;
-- Finland to re-impose restrictions if pandemic hits back.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)
LONDON -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed his government's approach to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in the next phase in his address to the nation Sunday evening.
The prime minister said that the government has a plan to ease lockdown, but "it is a conditional plan," and since "our priority is to protect the public and save lives, we cannot move forward unless we satisfy the five tests."
The five tests previously set out by the government include: protect the NHS (National Health Service), see sustained falls in the death rate, see sustained and considerable falls in the rate of infection, sort out the challenges in getting enough PPE (personal protective equipment) to the people who need it, make sure that any measures the government takes do not force the reproduction rate of the disease, or the R, back up over one.
This is "not the time simply to end the lockdown this week," instead "we are taking the first careful steps to modify our measures," and "the first step is a change of emphasis that we hope that people will act on this week," said Johnson.
"We now need to stress that anyone who cannot work from home -- for instance, those in construction or manufacturing -- should be actively encouraged to go to work," said Johnson.
"And we want it to be safe for you to get to work. So you should avoid public transport if at all possible -- because we must and will maintain social distancing, and capacity will therefore be limited," said Johnson.
A man rides a bicycle on the famous Rue de Rivoli in Paris, France, May 8, 2020. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)
PARIS -- The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in France rose by 70 to 26,380, the lowest daily toll in nearly two months, while the number of patients in intensive care keeps falling, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.
A total of 22,569 patients with the COVID-19 were in hospitals, down by 45 in the last 24 hours. Of those hospitalized, 2,776 people received intensive treatment, a fall of 36 from Saturday, the ministry data showed.
The total number of confirmed cases reached 139,063 after a single-day rise of 209, down from 433 recorded on Saturday, and well below the 3,000 upper limit the government has set to reverse a decision to start easing lockdown on Monday.
Despite positive signs, the ministry warned that the epidemic "is still active and evolving," urging people to remain mobilized to help stem the virus circulation by respecting barrier gestures and social distancing when lockdown ends on Monday.
"Tomorrow, after 55 days of confinement, a new gradual and cautious phase of activity's resumption begins. We invite each of you to respect all barrier measures, including the wearing of a mask when the physical distance cannot be respected," the ministry said.
People walk along a street in Rome, Italy, May 8, 2020. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
ROME -- Italy on Sunday recorded its lowest one-day COVID-19 death total and the smallest number of new infections in more than two months, Italy's Ministry of Health said.
The 165 deaths recorded over the last day was the lowest since March 9, the day Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared Europe's first peacetime lockdown, as the country sought to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The 802 new infections recorded over the previous 24 hours was the lowest total since March 6.
Those numbers compare to 194 and 1,083 a day earlier.
The total death toll from Italy's coronavirus outbreak is now 30,560, while the total number of infections is 219,070.
The positive trends continued a week into Italy's "Phase 2," which refers to a loosened version of the national coronavirus lockdown, which started March 10.
People participate in an event to cheer up the city amid the coronavirus outbreak in Helsinki, Finland, March 20, 2020. (Photo by Matti Matikainen/Xinhua)
HELSINKI -- Finland prepares to slam the brakes again if the COVID-19 pandemic hit back after restrictions were eased, national broadcaster Yle reported on Sunday.
The Finnish government has allowed commuting between Finland and Estonia, and the reopening of school classrooms -- both of which will start on Thursday, Yle reported.
Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki, the Strategy Director at the Finnish Ministry of Social Service and Health, said on Yle that even though the government emergency powers for closing schools nationally will expire this week, regional authorities can act using the legislation on infectious diseases.
A task force, chaired by Voipio-Pulkki, will monitor the infection rates and hospital capacities so that a possible backtrack policy could be arranged, Yle reported.■
