THUNDER BAY – The situation is very fluid globally. Italy has seen deaths jump again today. Globally 156,000 people have been infected and COVID-19 has killed more than 5,800. There have been 74,000 people who had the virus and recovered.
Italy
In Italy, 24,700 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The death toll in Italy is over 1,800 people who have died.
Italian officials state the data shows fatalities shooting up by 368 to 1,809. Italy has the largest number of coronavirus deaths outside of China.
Governor Attilio Fontana from the Lombardy region told reporters “The situation in areas around Italy’s financial capital are getting worse. We are close to the point where we will no longer be able to resuscitate people because we will be out of intensive care unit beds.”
“We need those machines (doctors) use to ventilate lungs, artificial respirators that unfortunately we cannot find,” commented Fontana.
Germany
In Germany the country is going to partially close German borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and Denmark. Germany is stepping up efforts to control the spread Novel Coronavirus.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer says “The new checks will take effect at 8 am Monday, March 16, 2020. Seehofer states that people who commute across the border into those countries to work will still be able to cross, as so will goods be allowed across the border.
Seehofer says however that “People without a valid reason to travel will no longer be allowed to enter and leave Germany”. In spite of this, however, German citizens in the neighboring countries will be allowed back into Germany.
Germany confirmed 4,000 infections with the virus by Saturday. There have been eleven deaths reported.
Poland
In Poland, there have been 68 cases of coronavirus so far and one death reported..
That is not stopping the Polish Government from enacting severe measures to stem the spread of the virus.
Poland is going to ban foreigners from entering the country starting on Sunday. As well Poland is going to impose a mandatory 14-day quarantine on Polish citizens who are returning home.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday, “The state will not abandon (its citizens). However, in the current situation, we cannot allow ourselves to keep borders open to foreigners.”
“Only people who hold a Polish residence permit iwill be allowed to enter, Morawiecki said. “But no international inbound flights or trains would be allowed from 0000 CET on Sunday, except for some charter flights bringing Poles back from holidays”.
“Freight transport would not be affected”, the Prime Minister says.
Morawiecki also stated that shopping malls would be closed from Saturday except for grocery shops, drugstores, and some service outlets. He added that all shops outside of malls could operate normally.
