Daily COVID-19 cases top 1,000 in Lithuania

Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-31 22:37:54|Editor: huaxia

VILNIUS, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania reported 1,001 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour span, the biggest daily spike since the country confirmed its first case on Feb. 28, the Health Ministry said Saturday.

The latest confirmed cases brought the national total to 14,824, including 165 deaths and 4,872 recoveries.

Due to the upsurge of COVID-19 cases, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Friday urged locals to follow all safety requirements and refrain from family gatherings during the upcoming All Saints' Day, a public holiday in the country when people visit their family graves, usually with their relatives.

"Today, I ask you to carefully observe all safety requirements. Wash your hands, keep a distance of two meters, wear masks in public places and keep your social contacts remotely," he posted on Facebook.

To curb the spread of the coronavirus, 34 of Lithuania's 60 municipalities are already under lockdown, including its three biggest cities -- Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda.

Residents of these areas must wear face masks in all public spaces with rare exceptions, according to a government decision.

According to the World Health Organization, face masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress COVID-19 transmission and save lives.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreaks in early 2020, wearing masks in public has been widely accepted in Asian countries like China, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam to curb the spread of COVID-19. Enditem

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