france24--2020-04-01--Nursing homes in Europe struggle with pandemic's uncounted dead

A coffin is delivered at a retirement home in Paris where 16 residents have died since the start of the coronavirus pandemic .
One by one , elderly residents of French nursing homes are going into forced isolation into their rooms .
Their caregivers are walling themselves in as well .
They are running out of body bags .
But no one knows for sure how many people have become sick .
Governments in Europe 's hardest-hit countries — Italy , Spain and France — are not routinely testing for coronavirus among elderly residents who fall ill in nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including those who suffered from symptoms of the disease .
The three countries together make up around a third of the global pandemic 's confirmed cases , and the lack of testing leaves hundreds , potentially thousands , of victims of the disease uncounted as health authorities try to trace its path .
The heavy dependency upon hospitals to count coronavirus fatalities poses particular problems for evaluating the spread of COVID-19 among the oldest citizens .
Hospitals are increasingly reluctant to admit elderly coronavirus patients judged to have little chance of successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a steep toll in anonymity .
In France , the two regions hit earliest by the pandemic reported an over 30 % increase in the number of deaths from March 1-16 compared to the previous year , according to the national statistics agency , which released the figures for the Haut-Rhin and southern Corsica regions late last week .
Spain and Italy have not yet released initial death statistics for the month .
In Madrid , one of the most affected cities in Europe , a leading regional official acknowledged that the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after her death only because the nursing home ’ s physician “ insisted.
” Around the Italian city of Bergamo , the epicenter of the country 's outbreak , 400 people died in a single week in early March — four times the number who died the same week the previous year , according to the Bergamo mayor ’ s office .
Only 91 of those had tested positive for the virus .
In France , once two residents of the same nursing home test positive , any other residents who fall sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ assumed ” to have the illness , but they are not actually tested or counted among the national toll , which so far only includes those who have sought care in a hospital .
The government has promised to include nursing home residents early this week but has yet to implement widespread testing of residents .
The supply of body bags is dwindling , according to Marc Bourquin of the French hospital federation , an umbrella organization for half of the country ’ s 7,000 nursing homes .
The challenge of tracking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many of the world ’ s fatal illnesses are not counted individually .
For example , U.S. influenza death tallies are drawn from mathematical models that rely on data taken at a network of hospitals .
In the developing world , such estimates can be even cruder .
About half of the 60 million people who die in the world each year have no death certificates or other records describing what killed them .
A study by Italy ’ s national health institute used sampling to approach the question of how many elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the hardest-hit region of Lombardy , half of all residents of nursing homes who died since Feb. 1 either had the virus or its flu-like symptoms , but most of the deaths only cited flu because tests were carried out irregularly .
About 1 in 10 Italian nursing homes said they struggled to get residents into hospitals , and 1 in 4 had problems properly isolating those who tested positive for the virus .
Britain , too , is trying to trace the disease among those who never make it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Statistics added 40 deaths Tuesday for a toll of 210 in England and Wales , to include people who died in nursing homes and other settings .
In Germany , where deaths so far have been much lower than elsewhere in Europe and the United States , testing is routine for anyone with flu-like symptoms who visited a high-risk area or had contact with someone confirmed to have the virus .
So if a case appears in a nursing home and patients or staff fall ill , testing is available to everyone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a wave of sickness in the next 14 days , went from forbidding visitors to nursing homes on March 11 to asking the facilities to take even sharper measures last weekend .
“ I ’ m asking the establishments to isolate residents in their rooms , ” Olivier Véran , France ’ s health minister , said Saturday .
“ We have to give priority to testing personnel.
” At many nursing homes , staff members are also volunteering to confine themselves with their charges .
“ This is not something we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we have no choice , ” Eric-Angelo Bellini , director of a nursing home in the central Vienne region , told Europe 1 radio .
“ Test us !
Test all the staff , the residents !
” It is an especially sensitive subject in France , where every worker is required by law to dedicate a day of “ solidarity ” pay annually to the elderly and disabled after a heat wave in 2003 left 15,000 vulnerable people dead across the country .
While most people suffer only mild or moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable to more severe illnesses , including pneumonia , which can be fatal .
In Spain , soldiers disinfecting nursing homes last week discovered that residents at several facilities were living among the bodies of people suspected of dying from the virus .
In the United States , several facilities have seen unusually high death tolls .
Federal officials found that staff at multiple long-term care facilities contributed to the spread of COVID-19 among the elderly in the Seattle area .
In multiple nursing homes in France , including one for Holocaust survivors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaches into the double-digits , with far more believed infected .
The fear is that their deaths will go unremarked .
“ For the nursing homes , there will always be uncertainty , ” Bouquin said .
“ The procedure is a doctor has to indicate the cause of death .
And for that , there has to be tests .
”

One by one, elderly residents of French nursing homes are going into forced isolation into their rooms. Their caregivers are walling themselves in as well. They are running out of body bags.
A coffin is delivered at a retirement home in Paris where 16 residents have died since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
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But no one knows for sure how many people have become sick. Governments in Europe's hardest-hit countries — Italy, Spain and France — are not routinely testing for coronavirus among elderly residents who fall ill in nursing homes or even those who eventually die there, including those who suffered from symptoms of the disease.
The three countries together make up around a third of the global pandemic's confirmed cases, and the lack of testing leaves hundreds, potentially thousands, of victims of the disease uncounted as health authorities try to trace its path.
The heavy dependency upon hospitals to count coronavirus fatalities poses particular problems for evaluating the spread of COVID-19 among the oldest citizens. Hospitals are increasingly reluctant to admit elderly coronavirus patients judged to have little chance of successful treatment.
Indications are they have paid a steep toll in anonymity. In France, the two regions hit earliest by the pandemic reported an over 30% increase in the number of deaths from March 1-16 compared to the previous year, according to the national statistics agency, which released the figures for the Haut-Rhin and southern Corsica regions late last week. Spain and Italy have not yet released initial death statistics for the month.
In Madrid, one of the most affected cities in Europe, a leading regional official acknowledged that the coronavirus infection of one elderly woman was confirmed after her death only because the nursing home’s physician “insisted.” Around the Italian city of Bergamo, the epicenter of the country's outbreak, 400 people died in a single week in early March — four times the number who died the same week the previous year, according to the Bergamo mayor’s office. Only 91 of those had tested positive for the virus.
In France, once two residents of the same nursing home test positive, any other residents who fall sick and ultimately succumb to the disease are “assumed” to have the illness, but they are not actually tested or counted among the national toll, which so far only includes those who have sought care in a hospital. The government has promised to include nursing home residents early this week but has yet to implement widespread testing of residents. The supply of body bags is dwindling, according to Marc Bourquin of the French hospital federation, an umbrella organization for half of the country’s 7,000 nursing homes.
The challenge of tracking deaths is not unique to COVID-19. Many of the world’s fatal illnesses are not counted individually. For example, U.S. influenza death tallies are drawn from mathematical models that rely on data taken at a network of hospitals. In the developing world, such estimates can be even cruder. About half of the 60 million people who die in the world each year have no death certificates or other records describing what killed them.
A study by Italy’s national health institute used sampling to approach the question of how many elderly in nursing homes died with the coronavirus. In the hardest-hit region of Lombardy, half of all residents of nursing homes who died since Feb. 1 either had the virus or its flu-like symptoms, but most of the deaths only cited flu because tests were carried out irregularly. About 1 in 10 Italian nursing homes said they struggled to get residents into hospitals, and 1 in 4 had problems properly isolating those who tested positive for the virus.
France’s leadership has admitted the number of deaths from coronavirus is not accurate because it only reflects people who died in hospitals, excluding people, especially old people, who died either at home or in retirement homes (where the pandemic is taking the lives of many). — Nadine Laubacher (@NadineLaubacher) March 26, 2020
Britain, too, is trying to trace the disease among those who never make it to the hospital. The Office for National Statistics added 40 deaths Tuesday for a toll of 210 in England and Wales, to include people who died in nursing homes and other settings.
In Germany, where deaths so far have been much lower than elsewhere in Europe and the United States, testing is routine for anyone with flu-like symptoms who visited a high-risk area or had contact with someone confirmed to have the virus. So if a case appears in a nursing home and patients or staff fall ill, testing is available to everyone.
France, where the government is bracing for a wave of sickness in the next 14 days, went from forbidding visitors to nursing homes on March 11 to asking the facilities to take even sharper measures last weekend.
“I’m asking the establishments to isolate residents in their rooms,” Olivier Véran, France’s health minister, said Saturday. “We have to give priority to testing personnel.”
At many nursing homes, staff members are also volunteering to confine themselves with their charges.
“This is not something we do lightly. It’s just that we have no choice,” Eric-Angelo Bellini, director of a nursing home in the central Vienne region, told Europe 1 radio. “Test us! Test all the staff, the residents!”
It is an especially sensitive subject in France, where every worker is required by law to dedicate a day of “solidarity” pay annually to the elderly and disabled after a heat wave in 2003 left 15,000 vulnerable people dead across the country.
While most people suffer only mild or moderate symptoms from COVID-19, the elderly are vulnerable to more severe illnesses, including pneumonia, which can be fatal.
In Spain, soldiers disinfecting nursing homes last week discovered that residents at several facilities were living among the bodies of people suspected of dying from the virus.
In the United States, several facilities have seen unusually high death tolls. Federal officials found that staff at multiple long-term care facilities contributed to the spread of COVID-19 among the elderly in the Seattle area.
In multiple nursing homes in France, including one for Holocaust survivors in Paris, the number of dead reaches into the double-digits, with far more believed infected. The fear is that their deaths will go unremarked.
“For the nursing homes, there will always be uncertainty,” Bouquin said. “The procedure is a doctor has to indicate the cause of death. And for that, there has to be tests.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-03-31--Probe ordered into fatal shooting of Kenyan teenager during virus curfew

Kenya 's strict coronavirus curfew is blamed for the death of a 13-year-old boy at the hands of police and South Africa sends testing teams into townships in a bid to contain the spread of the virus .
Also , Ethiopia postpones its landmark August election due to the pandemic and Madagascar launches an emergency plan to help those forced to stop work .
In Kenya , the family of a 13-year-old boy is struggling to come to terms with his sudden death at the hands of police enforcing the coronavirus curfew .
On Monday evening , Yassin Hussein Moyo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ siblings to go upstairs because she 'd heard gunshots and thought they would be safer there .
The children were reportedly on their balcony when they heard more shots and saw the target light from a gun .
Thirteen-year-old Yassin froze and was fatally shot .
His devastated family is now calling for justice , saying police have been chaotic and abusive at a time of crisis .
Meanwhile , South Africa has the largest number of coronavirus cases on the continent , with more than 1,300 infections and five deaths .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it ramps up screening .
A 21-day lockdown in the country started last Friday , but potential internal transmissions in townships are a worry , as many people are already living in cramped conditions and are finding it tough to stick to the rules of long-term confinement .
FRANCE 24 ’ s Sam Bradpiece reports .
Also , we take a look at the Nigerian megacity of Lagos .
Usually famous for its traffic jams , Africa ’ s largest city has become unrecognisable amid the coronavirus lockdown .
More than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , most of them in Lagos .
Some Nigerians have criticised the government ’ s lockdown , saying many people live hand to mouth and can not buy food to last two weeks , but others have supported the decision .
Meanwhile , in a first for Africa , Ethiopia is postponing its parliamentary election because of Covid-19 .
The vote had been set for August , but authorities say the pandemic has made it logistically impossible for the country to be ready in time for the exercise .
And Madagascar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their second week of lockdown .
The government has launched a €2.5 million emergency plan to help those forced to stop work during the confinement .
Hundreds of people have been rushing to the delivery points to get free food and authorities have been struggling to handle the influx .
Our correspondent Gaëlle Borgia reports .

Kenya's strict coronavirus curfew is blamed for the death of a 13-year-old boy at the hands of police and South Africa sends testing teams into townships in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. Also, Ethiopia postpones its landmark August election due to the pandemic and Madagascar launches an emergency plan to help those forced to stop work.
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In Kenya, the family of a 13-year-old boy is struggling to come to terms with his sudden death at the hands of police enforcing the coronavirus curfew. On Monday evening, Yassin Hussein Moyo’s mother told him and his siblings to go upstairs because she'd heard gunshots and thought they would be safer there. The children were reportedly on their balcony when they heard more shots and saw the target light from a gun. Thirteen-year-old Yassin froze and was fatally shot. His devastated family is now calling for justice, saying police have been chaotic and abusive at a time of crisis.
Meanwhile, South Africa has the largest number of coronavirus cases on the continent, with more than 1,300 infections and five deaths. The government is sending out door-to-door testing teams as it ramps up screening. A 21-day lockdown in the country started last Friday, but potential internal transmissions in townships are a worry, as many people are already living in cramped conditions and are finding it tough to stick to the rules of long-term confinement. FRANCE 24’s Sam Bradpiece reports.
Also, we take a look at the Nigerian megacity of Lagos. Usually famous for its traffic jams, Africa’s largest city has become unrecognisable amid the coronavirus lockdown. More than 100 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the country, most of them in Lagos. Some Nigerians have criticised the government’s lockdown, saying many people live hand to mouth and cannot buy food to last two weeks, but others have supported the decision.
Meanwhile, in a first for Africa, Ethiopia is postponing its parliamentary election because of Covid-19. The vote had been set for August, but authorities say the pandemic has made it logistically impossible for the country to be ready in time for the exercise.
And Madagascar’s two main towns are entering their second week of lockdown. The government has launched a €2.5 million emergency plan to help those forced to stop work during the confinement. Hundreds of people have been rushing to the delivery points to get free food and authorities have been struggling to handle the influx. Our correspondent Gaëlle Borgia reports.
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france24--2020-03-31--Trump warns US headed for 'painful two weeks' in fight against coronavirus

U.S. President Donald Trump listens to Dr Anthony Fauci as they stand in front of a chart showing projected deaths in the United States from coronavirus at the White House in Washington , U.S. , March 31 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned of a `` very painful '' two weeks as the United States wrestles with a coronavirus surge that the White House warns could kill as many as 240,000 Americans .
`` This is going to be a very painful , a very , very painful two weeks , '' Trump told a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic as `` a plague '' .
`` I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead , '' he said .
White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx displayed charts demonstrating data and modeling that showed an enormous jump in deaths to a range of 100,000 to 240,000 people from the virus in the coming months .
Trump said 2.2 million people could have died , according to the modeling , if no mitigation efforts had been put into place .
He cited those high projections when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend the federal guidelines rather than pursuing his earlier stated desire to get the US economy moving again by Easter on April 12 .
`` There 's no magic bullet .
There 's no magic vaccine or therapy .
It 's just behaviors : Each of our behaviors translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic over the next 30 days , '' Birx told reporters , predicting a peak in deaths in the coming two weeks .
Vice President Mike Pence said the mitigation efforts were having an impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it 's working , '' Pence said of the guidelines .
`` Do not be discouraged . ''
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , who has said previously that the pandemic could kill between 100,000 and 200,000 people in the United States , said all efforts were being made to make those numbers lower .
`` We 're doing everything we can , '' he said .

President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned of a "very painful" two weeks as the United States wrestles with a coronavirus surge that the White House warns could kill as many as 240,000 Americans.
U.S. President Donald Trump listens to Dr Anthony Fauci as they stand in front of a chart showing projected deaths in the United States from coronavirus at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 31, 2020.
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"This is going to be a very painful, a very, very painful two weeks," Trump told a press conference at the White House.
Trump described the pandemic as "a plague".
"I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead," he said.
White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx displayed charts demonstrating data and modeling that showed an enormous jump in deaths to a range of 100,000 to 240,000 people from the virus in the coming months.
Trump said 2.2 million people could have died, according to the modeling, if no mitigation efforts had been put into place.
He cited those high projections when announcing on Sunday that he planned to extend the federal guidelines rather than pursuing his earlier stated desire to get the US economy moving again by Easter on April 12.
"There's no magic bullet. There's no magic vaccine or therapy. It's just behaviors: Each of our behaviors translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic over the next 30 days," Birx told reporters, predicting a peak in deaths in the coming two weeks.
Vice President Mike Pence said the mitigation efforts were having an impact. "We have reason to believe that it's working," Pence said of the guidelines. "Do not be discouraged."
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who has said previously that the pandemic could kill between 100,000 and 200,000 people in the United States, said all efforts were being made to make those numbers lower.
"We're doing everything we can," he said.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
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france24--2020-04-01--Former Marseille boss Pape Diouf dies at 68 from coronavirus

Being the only black president of a top-tier European club was `` a painful observation '' , Pape Diouf once remarked .
Former Marseille president Pape Diouf has died aged 68 after contracting the new coronavirus , the football club and a family source said on Tuesday .
Diouf , who was born in Chad but had French and Senegalese citizenship , led the club between 2005-2009 and helped build the side that lifted the Ligue 1 title in 2010 .
He was hospitalised in Senegal after contracting the virus there and became the country 's first COVID-19 fatality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nice earlier on Tuesday to be treated in France , but a sharp deterioration in his health -- which saw him placed on a respirator -- prevented him from boarding the plane .
Diouf was also a journalist and football agent before taking over at the Stade Velodrome .
Moving to Marseille aged 18 , he was set on a career in the military , but soon switched paths .
After studying at the prestigious Sciences Po in Paris , he worked at the La Marseillaise newspaper before becoming a football agent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enthralled the Velodrome in 2003-04 .
He later became president at Marseille , `` a difficult post , where there were very few men from diverse backgrounds , '' said Jacques-Henri Eyraud , the club 's current president .
`` But he fought tooth and nail , and won the hearts of thousands of supporters . ''
Diouf himself was acutely aware of the lack of diversity at the management level , telling an interviewer in 2008 that the fact he was the only black president of a top-tier European club was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain in the hearts of the Marseillais forever , as one of the great architects in the club 's history , '' the Marseille club said in a statement .
`` Pape Diouf will be remembered as a charismatic , endearing and passionate leader , '' added a statement from the French league 's organising body , the LFP .
`` The LFP extends its condolences to his family , his loved ones and to Olympique de Marseille during this moment of immense sadness for French football . ''
Senegal President Macky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great figure of sport '' on Twitter .
`` To his family , I offer , on behalf of the nation , my deepest condolences . ''

Former Marseille president Pape Diouf has died aged 68 after contracting the new coronavirus, the football club and a family source said on Tuesday.
Being the only black president of a top-tier European club was "a painful observation", Pape Diouf once remarked.
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Diouf, who was born in Chad but had French and Senegalese citizenship, led the club between 2005-2009 and helped build the side that lifted the Ligue 1 title in 2010.
He was hospitalised in Senegal after contracting the virus there and became the country's first COVID-19 fatality.
Diouf had been due to leave for Nice earlier on Tuesday to be treated in France, but a sharp deterioration in his health -- which saw him placed on a respirator -- prevented him from boarding the plane.
It's with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of former @OM_English president Pape Diouf. We offer our condolences to those close to him in this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/jSc9J55rwy — Ligue1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) March 31, 2020
Diouf was also a journalist and football agent before taking over at the Stade Velodrome.
Moving to Marseille aged 18, he was set on a career in the military, but soon switched paths.
After studying at the prestigious Sciences Po in Paris, he worked at the La Marseillaise newspaper before becoming a football agent, most notably for Didier Drogba, who enthralled the Velodrome in 2003-04.
He later became president at Marseille, "a difficult post, where there were very few men from diverse backgrounds," said Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the club's current president.
"But he fought tooth and nail, and won the hearts of thousands of supporters."
Only black president
Diouf himself was acutely aware of the lack of diversity at the management level, telling an interviewer in 2008 that the fact he was the only black president of a top-tier European club was "a painful observation."
"Pape will remain in the hearts of the Marseillais forever, as one of the great architects in the club's history," the Marseille club said in a statement.
"Pape Diouf will be remembered as a charismatic, endearing and passionate leader," added a statement from the French league's organising body, the LFP.
"The LFP extends its condolences to his family, his loved ones and to Olympique de Marseille during this moment of immense sadness for French football."
Senegal President Macky Sall also paid tribute to "a great figure of sport" on Twitter.
"To his family, I offer, on behalf of the nation, my deepest condolences."
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-01--Son of French aid worker abducted in Mali says France has ‘proof of life’

Sébastien Chadaud-Pétronin stands next to a portrait of his mother in August 2018 .
France ’ s foreign ministry has evidence dating from early March that French hostage Sophie Pétronin is alive , her son told France Info radio on Wednesday .
The ailing aid worker was abducted by armed men in Mali in 2016 .
“ The ministry has spoken of an element of proof dating from the start of March , without giving details .
It ’ s not much but it ’ s better than nothing , ” Sébastien Chadaud-Pétronin told the French broadcaster .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s alive , ” he said , though adding : “ We have the feeling there is no way we can get Sophie Pétronin out of this hell.
” Armed men abducted Pétronin , who ran an organisation assisting orphans in Mali , on December 24 , 2016 , in Gao , in the country 's north .
The aid worker , who has cancer and was suffering from malaria at the time of her abduction , was last seen in a video released by her captors in June 2018 , in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French President Emmanuel Macron for help .
Her health appeared to have deteriorated significantly .
> > The Interview : Son of Sophie Pétronin , French hostage in Mali , says she is still alive Macron has previously said that France is working “ tirelessly ” to locate Pétronin .
Initially , no group claimed the Frenchwoman ’ s abduction .
Then , in July 2017 , the main jihadist alliance in the Sahel , a group linked to al Qaeda , released a video showing six foreigners kidnapped in Mali and Burkina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pétronin among them .
In 2012 , Mali 's north fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising , though the Islamists were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013 .
Since then , jihadists have continued to mount numerous attacks on civilians and the army , as well as on French and United Nations forces stationed there .

France’s foreign ministry has evidence dating from early March that French hostage Sophie Pétronin is alive, her son told France Info radio on Wednesday. The ailing aid worker was abducted by armed men in Mali in 2016.
Sébastien Chadaud-Pétronin stands next to a portrait of his mother in August 2018.
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“The ministry has spoken of an element of proof dating from the start of March, without giving details. It’s not much but it’s better than nothing,” Sébastien Chadaud-Pétronin told the French broadcaster.
“We’re relieved to know she’s alive,” he said, though adding: “We have the feeling there is no way we can get Sophie Pétronin out of this hell.”
Armed men abducted Pétronin, who ran an organisation assisting orphans in Mali, on December 24, 2016, in Gao, in the country's north.
The aid worker, who has cancer and was suffering from malaria at the time of her abduction, was last seen in a video released by her captors in June 2018, in which she addressed her son and appealed to French President Emmanuel Macron for help. Her health appeared to have deteriorated significantly.
>> The Interview: Son of Sophie Pétronin, French hostage in Mali, says she is still alive
Macron has previously said that France is working “tirelessly” to locate Pétronin.
Initially, no group claimed the Frenchwoman’s abduction. Then, in July 2017, the main jihadist alliance in the Sahel, a group linked to al Qaeda, released a video showing six foreigners kidnapped in Mali and Burkina Faso between 2011 and 2017, with Pétronin among them.
In 2012, Mali's north fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising, though the Islamists were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013.
Since then, jihadists have continued to mount numerous attacks on civilians and the army, as well as on French and United Nations forces stationed there.
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france24--2020-04-01--Security forces use violent tactics to enforce Africa's coronavirus shutdowns

Soldiers on patrol walk past a resident as they enforce a 21 day nationwide lockdown , aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in Eldorado Park , South Africa , March 30 , 2020 .
Soldiers tower over youngsters in South Africa 's Soweto township , forcing them to do push-ups and roll on the floor as punishment for not adhering to a lockdown meant to halt the spread of coronavirus .
Caught on camera and circulated on social media , they added to a string of videos purporting to show violence by security forces deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rubber bullets , tear gas and whips have been used to maintain social distancing in shopping queues and to discipline citizens caught outside their homes without valid reason .
`` It seems to be the only way in which authorities know how to deal with the populace , through violence and humiliation , '' said Amnesty International 's Shenilla Mohamed , executive director for South Africa , adding that abuse had also been reported from Zimbabwe , Kenya and Nigeria .
South African police are investigating the deaths of three citizens allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which came into force last Friday .
`` That 's almost the same amount of people that have died from coronavirus , '' noted Mohamed , referring to the nation ’ s latest death toll of five .
One person was allegedly shot by police on his way home from a bar -- a direct breach of regulations prohibiting the sale of alcohol during the 21-day shutdown .
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has condemned the reported heavyhandedness and vowed to withdraw soldiers caught abusing their powers .
To date coronavirus has infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed at least 195 , according to an AFP tally .
The pandemic has been slow to reach the continent , despite an acceleration in recent weeks , and numbers remain relatively low compared to other parts of the world .
Dozens of African governments have made use of the extra time to roll out curfews and shutdowns earlier than their worse-hit counterparts in the West .
But such measures are difficult to enact in countries where most people live in poverty and work informally , often in packed urban slums with little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take measures which starve everybody , they will quickly end up being defied , '' said Benin 's President Patrica Talon on Sunday , adding that his country lacked the means to enforce public confinement .
As governments have struggled to keep citizens indoors , their security forces have been quick to fall back on intimidation tactics , raising widespread concern .
`` It is unacceptable to see such inhuman and degrading treatment against the population , '' tweeted Nicolas Simard , Canada 's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beating a young man to the ground in the capital Kinshasa , which went into lockdown last week .
`` This is uncalled for and inappropriate , '' tweeted Mombasa governor Hassan Joho after police charged hundreds of commuters waiting for a ferry in Kenya ’ s port city .
Clad in riot gear , they fired tear gas at the crowd before the start of a dusk-to-dawn curfew , forcing people to the ground and whipping them .
The Mombasa Law Society denounced the police intervention as `` excessive '' and `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologised for a `` high-handed '' response after security forces violently cleared the streets in the capital Kampala , causing an outcry .
In a separate incident , two men were hospitalised after being shot by police for violating a restriction on public transport .
Footage from Senegal surfaced last week showing policemen beating people found outside after a night curfew .
In one video , officials force three young men to do squats after they were caught exercising at night .
`` No torture , no inhuman degrading treatment and no excessive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International 's former West and Central Africa director Alioune Tine .
Police eventually assured that all `` excessive interventions '' had been punished .
Yet the risk of a beating has done little to stop citizens across the continent from pursuing their daily activities .
The need to make a living trumps both fears of catching the deadly virus and encountering the police , prompting law enforcement officers to step up their show of force .
More than 1,100 people have been arrested for lockdown violations in South Africa , while Ivory Coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew .
Ivorian Human Rights Movement ( MIDH ) chief Doumbia Yacouba said many of the detainees had been beaten and mistreated .
`` It is unacceptable and it adds to the psychosis created by coronavirus , '' he said .
Further cause for concern emerged when Kenyan police called for an inquiry into the death of a 13-year old boy felled by a bullet allegedly fired by police as they cleared a slum area last week .
In South Africa , three young children were wounded when security officials allegedly opened fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has called for urgent investigations into all abuse allegations and `` disproportionate '' use of force .

Soldiers tower over youngsters in South Africa's Soweto township, forcing them to do push-ups and roll on the floor as punishment for not adhering to a lockdown meant to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Soldiers on patrol walk past a resident as they enforce a 21 day nationwide lockdown, aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Eldorado Park, South Africa, March 30, 2020.
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Caught on camera and circulated on social media, they added to a string of videos purporting to show violence by security forces deployed to enforce curfew and confinement across Africa.
Rubber bullets, tear gas and whips have been used to maintain social distancing in shopping queues and to discipline citizens caught outside their homes without valid reason.
"It seems to be the only way in which authorities know how to deal with the populace, through violence and humiliation," said Amnesty International's Shenilla Mohamed, executive director for South Africa, adding that abuse had also been reported from Zimbabwe, Kenya and Nigeria.
South African police are investigating the deaths of three citizens allegedly killed by patrols for defying the lockdown, which came into force last Friday.
"That's almost the same amount of people that have died from coronavirus," noted Mohamed, referring to the nation’s latest death toll of five.
One person was allegedly shot by police on his way home from a bar -- a direct breach of regulations prohibiting the sale of alcohol during the 21-day shutdown.
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has condemned the reported heavyhandedness and vowed to withdraw soldiers caught abusing their powers.
Intimidation tactics
To date coronavirus has infected more than 5,690 people in Africa and killed at least 195, according to an AFP tally.
The pandemic has been slow to reach the continent, despite an acceleration in recent weeks, and numbers remain relatively low compared to other parts of the world.
Dozens of African governments have made use of the extra time to roll out curfews and shutdowns earlier than their worse-hit counterparts in the West.
But such measures are difficult to enact in countries where most people live in poverty and work informally, often in packed urban slums with little access to sanitation.
"If we take measures which starve everybody, they will quickly end up being defied," said Benin's President Patrica Talon on Sunday, adding that his country lacked the means to enforce public confinement.
As governments have struggled to keep citizens indoors, their security forces have been quick to fall back on intimidation tactics, raising widespread concern.
"It is unacceptable to see such inhuman and degrading treatment against the population," tweeted Nicolas Simard, Canada's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, in response to a video of masked policemen beating a young man to the ground in the capital Kinshasa, which went into lockdown last week.
'Excessive' and 'detestable'
"This is uncalled for and inappropriate," tweeted Mombasa governor Hassan Joho after police charged hundreds of commuters waiting for a ferry in Kenya’s port city.
Clad in riot gear, they fired tear gas at the crowd before the start of a dusk-to-dawn curfew, forcing people to the ground and whipping them.
The Mombasa Law Society denounced the police intervention as "excessive" and "detestable".
Uganda's army meanwhile apologised for a "high-handed" response after security forces violently cleared the streets in the capital Kampala, causing an outcry.
In a separate incident, two men were hospitalised after being shot by police for violating a restriction on public transport.
Footage from Senegal surfaced last week showing policemen beating people found outside after a night curfew.
In one video, officials force three young men to do squats after they were caught exercising at night.
"No torture, no inhuman degrading treatment and no excessive use of force," pleaded Amnesty International's former West and Central Africa director Alioune Tine.
Police eventually assured that all "excessive interventions" had been punished.
Innocent victims
Yet the risk of a beating has done little to stop citizens across the continent from pursuing their daily activities.
The need to make a living trumps both fears of catching the deadly virus and encountering the police, prompting law enforcement officers to step up their show of force.
More than 1,100 people have been arrested for lockdown violations in South Africa, while Ivory Coast has detained 450 for failing to respect curfew.
Ivorian Human Rights Movement (MIDH) chief Doumbia Yacouba said many of the detainees had been beaten and mistreated.
"It is unacceptable and it adds to the psychosis created by coronavirus," he said.
Further cause for concern emerged when Kenyan police called for an inquiry into the death of a 13-year old boy felled by a bullet allegedly fired by police as they cleared a slum area last week.
In South Africa, three young children were wounded when security officials allegedly opened fire against a man.
Human Rights Watch has called for urgent investigations into all abuse allegations and "disproportionate" use of force.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-01--Brazil's Bolsonaro increasingly isolated over his anti-quarantine attitude to coronavirus

Brazil 's President Jair Bolsonaro gestures while meets supporters as he arrives at Alvorada Palace , amid coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak , in Brasilia , Brazil , March 31 , 2020 .
Brazil 's economy minister on Tuesday said the country needed to strike a balance between social isolation policies and protecting the economy , hours after President Jair Bolsonaro said hunger was just as big a threat as the coronavirus itself .
Paulo Guedes 's comments underscored the divisions at the top that have characterised Brazil 's response to the pandemic and come as Bolsonaro 's own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing policies that the president had decried .
Guedes also sought to defend the government 's `` war budget '' in response to the economic effects of the crisis and rebut critics who have called his continued focus on austerity misguided , saying total spending so far is around 800 billion reais ( $ 154 billion ) and could rise further .
Concerns about the pandemic 's impact and a wider retreat from risk assets have walloped Brazil 's currency and stock market , with the latter losing more than half its value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of the year .
Bolsonaro , a far-right populist , has grown increasingly isolated over his belief that keeping the economy running is more important than strict quarantine measures advocated by state governors , public health ministers and even his health minister , Luiz Henrique Mandetta .
Mandetta again appeared to contradict Bolsonaro on Tuesday , repeating his view that maximum social distancing remains vital to stopping the spread of the virus .
`` Those who are under 40 years of age have almost zero chance of death .
So there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
After all , if the virus kills in some cases , hunger also kills , '' Bolsonaro told journalists and supporters gathered outside his presidential residence in Brasilia .
The event was marked by ugly scenes when Bolsonaro 's supporters harassed reporters .
After a question about Mandetta , who has argued in favor of social isolation measures , a Bolsonaro supporter shouted that journalists were `` pitting the people against the president . ''
Bolsonaro responded by encouraging the supporter to speak and telling journalists to be quiet .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not you , '' the president said .
When the journalists withdrew from the scene , Bolsonaro appeared to mock them , asking them if they were `` going to abandon the people ? ''
After a few minutes , Bolsonaro resumed talking with reporters .
Polls show that Bolsonaro 's popularity is falling due to his handling of the outbreak , which he has repeatedly called a `` little flu . ''
Most nights , Brazilians cooped up in their apartments have taken to banging pots and pans in protest , often @ @ @ @ @ @

Brazil's economy minister on Tuesday said the country needed to strike a balance between social isolation policies and protecting the economy, hours after President Jair Bolsonaro said hunger was just as big a threat as the coronavirus itself.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro gestures while meets supporters as he arrives at Alvorada Palace, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil, March 31, 2020.
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Paulo Guedes's comments underscored the divisions at the top that have characterised Brazil's response to the pandemic and come as Bolsonaro's own chief of staff said cabinet backed social distancing policies that the president had decried.
Guedes also sought to defend the government's "war budget" in response to the economic effects of the crisis and rebut critics who have called his continued focus on austerity misguided, saying total spending so far is around 800 billion reais ($154 billion) and could rise further.
Concerns about the pandemic's impact and a wider retreat from risk assets have walloped Brazil's currency and stock market, with the latter losing more than half its value in dollar terms in the first three months of the year.
Bolsonaro, a far-right populist, has grown increasingly isolated over his belief that keeping the economy running is more important than strict quarantine measures advocated by state governors, public health ministers and even his health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta.
Mandetta again appeared to contradict Bolsonaro on Tuesday, repeating his view that maximum social distancing remains vital to stopping the spread of the virus.
"Those who are under 40 years of age have almost zero chance of death. So there's no reason not to let these people work. After all, if the virus kills in some cases, hunger also kills," Bolsonaro told journalists and supporters gathered outside his presidential residence in Brasilia.
The event was marked by ugly scenes when Bolsonaro's supporters harassed reporters.
After a question about Mandetta, who has argued in favor of social isolation measures, a Bolsonaro supporter shouted that journalists were "pitting the people against the president."
Bolsonaro responded by encouraging the supporter to speak and telling journalists to be quiet. "It is he who will speak, not you," the president said.
When the journalists withdrew from the scene, Bolsonaro appeared to mock them, asking them if they were "going to abandon the people?" After a few minutes, Bolsonaro resumed talking with reporters.
Polls show that Bolsonaro's popularity is falling due to his handling of the outbreak, which he has repeatedly called a "little flu." Most nights, Brazilians cooped up in their apartments have taken to banging pots and pans in protest, often screaming "Bolsonaro out!"
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-01--France reports new daily record of 509 coronavirus deaths, surpasses 4,000 deaths in total

A medical staff member pushes a stretcher on a platform at the Gare d'Austerlitz train station as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in Paris , France on April 1 , 2020 .
France on Wednesday reported its highest daily number of deaths from Covid-19 since the coronavirus epidemic began , saying 509 more people had died in hospital to bring the toll to 4,032 .
There are now 24,639 people hospitalised in France with Covid-19 , with 6,017 of them in intensive care , the country 's Health Agency Director Jérôme Salomon told reporters in his daily update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll had risen by 499 .
The French death toll includes only those who died in hospital and not those who died at home or in old people 's homes .
Salomon said that the number of cases had risen to 56,989 , a rise of nine percent , versus an increase of 17 percent on Tuesday .
He also said 6,017 people were in a serious condition needing life support , up eight percent compared with Tuesday .
France has increased the number of beds in intensive care units from 5,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis and it is aiming to reach 14,500 as soon as possible .
Today 's figures make France the fourth country to pass the 4,000-fatalities threshold after Italy , Spain and the United States , With 13,155 deaths to date , Italy accounts for almost 30 percent of the global death tally .
Spain has 9,053 deaths and , just like France , the United States has just passed the 4,000-mark .
The four countries now account for about two-thirds of the total deaths – now at more than 45,000 – from the @ @ @ @ @

France on Wednesday reported its highest daily number of deaths from Covid-19 since the coronavirus epidemic began, saying 509 more people had died in hospital to bring the toll to 4,032.
A medical staff member pushes a stretcher on a platform at the Gare d'Austerlitz train station as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in Paris, France on April 1, 2020.
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There are now 24,639 people hospitalised in France with Covid-19, with 6,017 of them in intensive care, the country's Health Agency Director Jérôme Salomon told reporters in his daily update.
On Tuesday, France's death toll had risen by 499.
The French death toll includes only those who died in hospital and not those who died at home or in old people's homes.
Salomon said that the number of cases had risen to 56,989, a rise of nine percent, versus an increase of 17 percent on Tuesday.
🔴DIRECT | #Coronavirus #Covid19
➡ Suivez le point de situation du 1er avril
🎙 Par le Pr Jérôme Salomon, Directeur général de la Santéhttps://t.co/lOpeGJeaLm — Ministère des Solidarités et de la Santé (@MinSoliSante) April 1, 2020
He also said 6,017 people were in a serious condition needing life support, up eight percent compared with Tuesday.
France has increased the number of beds in intensive care units from 5,000 to about 10,000 since the start of the crisis and it is aiming to reach 14,500 as soon as possible.
Passing 4,000 threshold
Today's figures make France the fourth country to pass the 4,000-fatalities threshold after Italy, Spain and the United States,
With 13,155 deaths to date, Italy accounts for almost 30 percent of the global death tally. Spain has 9,053 deaths and, just like France, the United States has just passed the 4,000-mark.
The four countries now account for about two-thirds of the total deaths – now at more than 45,000 – from the coronavirus around the world.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-01--UN's COP 26 climate change conference postponed 2021 over coronavirus

Britain 's Business Secretary Alok Sharma holds a Digital Covid-19 Press Conference with MD Public Health England , Professor Yvonne Doyle ( not pictured ) in 10 Downing Street in London , Britain April 1 , 2020 .
The UN 's COP 26 climate change summit due to take place in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic , the British government said on Wednesday .
`` In light of the ongoing , worldwide effects of COVID-19 , holding an ambitious , inclusive COP26 in November 2020 is no longer possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021 would be announced later .
Some 30,000 people , including 200 world leaders , had been due to attend the 10-day conference for crucial talks to halt rising global temperatures .
A UN panel in 2018 concluded that avoiding global climate chaos needed a major shift in society and the world economy .
Global CO2 emissions needed to drop 45 percent by 2030 and reach `` net zero '' by 2050 , to limit temperature rises at 1.5 degrees Celsius -- the safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris accord .
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said postponement was unavoidable but that the pandemic should not divert the world from the climate change challenge .
`` COVID-19 is the most urgent threat facing humanity today , but we can not forget that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity over the long term , '' she said .

The UN's COP 26 climate change summit due to take place in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the British government said on Wednesday.
Britain's Business Secretary Alok Sharma holds a Digital Covid-19 Press Conference with MD Public Health England, Professor Yvonne Doyle (not pictured) in 10 Downing Street in London, Britain April 1, 2020.
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"In light of the ongoing, worldwide effects of COVID-19, holding an ambitious, inclusive COP26 in November 2020 is no longer possible," the government said in a statement, adding that dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021 would be announced later.
Some 30,000 people, including 200 world leaders, had been due to attend the 10-day conference for crucial talks to halt rising global temperatures.
A UN panel in 2018 concluded that avoiding global climate chaos needed a major shift in society and the world economy.
Global CO2 emissions needed to drop 45 percent by 2030 and reach "net zero" by 2050, to limit temperature rises at 1.5 degrees Celsius -- the safe cap set as a goal in the Paris accord.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said postponement was unavoidable but that the pandemic should not divert the world from the climate change challenge.
"COVID-19 is the most urgent threat facing humanity today, but we cannot forget that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity over the long term," she said.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-01--Coronavirus travel restrictions around Europe: Which transport remains available?

Dutch airline KLM planes parked on the tarmac of the Schiphol Airport , Amsterdam , on March 19 , 2020 as several airlines cancel their flights related to the COVID-19 outbreak hitting Europe .
Air France-KLM is slashing 90 percent of its flights .
Much of Europe has closed its external borders to non-citizens – and within the continent ’ s borders , there are drastic restrictions and severely reduced traffic on major transport routes .
FRANCE 24 tells more about what ’ s moving and what ’ s stuck around the continent .
Countries around the EU have adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdowns and shutting down airports , to contain the novel coronavirus .
On Tuesday , March 17 , the European Commission announced that the Schengen free-travel zone was closing its external borders for 30 days– meaning that only citizens and resident of the Schengen zone would be able to enter .
This received unanimous agreement from the affected countries ’ heads of state and government .
There are a few exemptions to the border shutdown : “ essential workers ” – such as healthcare workers or medical experts , can still travel into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , for essential travel by air , railway or road , options are getting more and more limited .
Airlines around the continent have drastically slashed their routes and grounded planes , and many airports have closed or shuttered terminals .
Some of the major airport closures are listed below : As of Wednesday April 1 , all flights originally scheduled to arrive at Paris ’ s southern airport , Orly ( ORY ) , are being redirected to the bigger hub of Charles-de-Gaulle ( CDG ) .
Europe ’ s busiest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it is now operating at 25 percent of its normal capacity .
All terminals are still open “ on a scaled-down basis ” , with the airport saying it is focusing on repatriating British nationals and transporting air cargo .
London ’ s second airport , Gatwick ( LGW ) is temporarily closing its North terminal – similarly , terminals 2 and 3 at Manchester airport ( MAN ) in the north of the UK were shut on March 25 “ until further notice ” .
Europe ’ s third-busiest airport , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only two piers are now in use for passenger flights , and check-in is limited to two departure areas only .
Frankfurt airport ( FRA ) , operated by Fraport , has partial closures of Terminals 1 and 2 .
Most of the airport ’ s shops are closed , and restaurants are operating reduced hours .
The airport recently reported that passenger traffic is down by just over 90 percent on this time one year ago , reflecting the drastic cuts in flight capacity by most airlines .
In Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airport ( FCO ) is temporarily closed while flight capacity is reduced .
Spanish airport operator Aena has announced it will keep only terminal 4 open at Madrid ’ s its Adolfo Suarez airport ( MAD ) .
In Barcelona , all traffic at El Prat airport ( BCN ) is being transferred to terminal 1 .
Other regional airports in Spain are also set to move to reduced opening hours .
The cross-channel Eurostar service has been drastically slashed .
At the time of writing , Eurostar is running just one train @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two routes : Paris – London , and Brussels – London .
In line with French and British government restrictions , passengers are advised that the service is currently only for essential travel , and only for permanent residents of the UK , Republic of Ireland , and the Schengen travel zone .
Thalys operates the other major international rail service running from Paris .
It is currently running two round trips per day on two routes : Paris – Brussels Midi and Amsterdam – Brussels Midi .
All passengers are advised that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Belgium “ to verify the essential and necessary nature of your trip ” .
Low-cost Thalys IZY trains are not running .
Connections to Germany and “ Thalys Snow ” destinations have been cancelled , as well as services to Marne-La-Vallée ( Disneyland Paris ) and Paris Charles-De-Gaulle airport .
Thalys notes that it could make further timetable changes , and says that it will “ do its utmost ” to proactively inform passengers by email and SMS if they need to rearrange any travel .
France ’ s SNCF national rail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical staff during the coronavirus crisis , on TGV Inoui and Intercités services .
In line with French government restrictions on non-essential travel , SNCF says it is operating a “ strict minimum of services , to allow essential services and goods to circulate ” .
Low-cost OUIGO services are entirely suspended until further notice , as are routes operated jointly by SNCF and Germany ’ s DB , and Spain ’ s Renfe .
Passengers can still travel along SNCF Lyria routes between France and Switzerland , though this timetable has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France and Germany are suspended until further notice .
The pan-European low-cost coach operator Flixbus has suspended services within a number of countries : France , Italy , Germany and Belgium .
Cross-border Flixbus services are also suspended between a number of states : certain cross-border services into Italy , the Netherlands , Poland and Portugal .
Meanwhile all Flixbus connections into and out of France , Belgium , the Czech Republic , Denmark , Hungary , the Netherlands , Slovakia , Spain , and Ukraine are cancelled , as well as all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All Flixbus cross-border services into and out of Germany are suspended except for certain routes which remain open for Polish citizens .
Spanish coach operator Alsa has suspended its international services , and is running a reduced domestic timetable .
It is also advising that passengers should only travel if their journey is “ essential and urgent ” as per the Spanish Royal Decree of March 14 , 2020 which set out the national “ state of alarm ” conditions .
The United Kingdom and Ireland are outside the Schengen travel zone – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schengen borders to external travellers had no impact here .
It is still possible to travel into the UK and Ireland from inside and outside the Schengen zone – but the British and Irish governments are advising their own nationals against all but essential travel .

Much of Europe has closed its external borders to non-citizens – and within the continent’s borders, there are drastic restrictions and severely reduced traffic on major transport routes. FRANCE 24 tells more about what’s moving and what’s stuck around the continent.
Dutch airline KLM planes parked on the tarmac of the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, on March 19, 2020 as several airlines cancel their flights related to the COVID-19 outbreak hitting Europe. Air France-KLM is slashing 90 percent of its flights.
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Countries around the EU have adopted different sets of measures, including full lockdowns and shutting down airports, to contain the novel coronavirus. On Tuesday, March 17, the European Commission announced that the Schengen free-travel zone was closing its external borders for 30 days– meaning that only citizens and resident of the Schengen zone would be able to enter.
This received unanimous agreement from the affected countries’ heads of state and government. There are a few exemptions to the border shutdown: “essential workers” – such as healthcare workers or medical experts, can still travel into and out of the Schengen zone. However, for essential travel by air, railway or road, options are getting more and more limited.
Air travel
Airlines around the continent have drastically slashed their routes and grounded planes, and many airports have closed or shuttered terminals. Some of the major airport closures are listed below:
As of Wednesday April 1, all flights originally scheduled to arrive at Paris’s southern airport, Orly (ORY), are being redirected to the bigger hub of Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG).
Europe’s busiest airport, London Heathrow (LHR) says it is now operating at 25 percent of its normal capacity. All terminals are still open “on a scaled-down basis”, with the airport saying it is focusing on repatriating British nationals and transporting air cargo. London’s second airport, Gatwick (LGW) is temporarily closing its North terminal – similarly, terminals 2 and 3 at Manchester airport (MAN) in the north of the UK were shut on March 25 “until further notice”.
Europe’s third-busiest airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, has reduced its capacity. Only two piers are now in use for passenger flights, and check-in is limited to two departure areas only. Frankfurt airport (FRA), operated by Fraport, has partial closures of Terminals 1 and 2. Most of the airport’s shops are closed, and restaurants are operating reduced hours. The airport recently reported that passenger traffic is down by just over 90 percent on this time one year ago, reflecting the drastic cuts in flight capacity by most airlines.
In Italy, Terminal 1 at Rome’s Fiumicino airport (FCO) is temporarily closed while flight capacity is reduced. Spanish airport operator Aena has announced it will keep only terminal 4 open at Madrid’s its Adolfo Suarez airport (MAD).
In Barcelona, all traffic at El Prat airport (BCN) is being transferred to terminal 1. Other regional airports in Spain are also set to move to reduced opening hours.
Railways
The cross-channel Eurostar service has been drastically slashed. At the time of writing, Eurostar is running just one train each way per day, on only two routes: Paris – London, and Brussels – London. In line with French and British government restrictions, passengers are advised that the service is currently only for essential travel, and only for permanent residents of the UK, Republic of Ireland, and the Schengen travel zone.
Thalys operates the other major international rail service running from Paris. It is currently running two round trips per day on two routes: Paris – Brussels Midi and Amsterdam – Brussels Midi. All passengers are advised that Belgian police are organizing checks on arrival in Belgium “to verify the essential and necessary nature of your trip”. Low-cost Thalys IZY trains are not running.
Connections to Germany and “Thalys Snow” destinations have been cancelled, as well as services to Marne-La-Vallée (Disneyland Paris) and Paris Charles-De-Gaulle airport. Thalys notes that it could make further timetable changes, and says that it will “do its utmost” to proactively inform passengers by email and SMS if they need to rearrange any travel.
France’s SNCF national rail operator is offering free rail travel to medical staff during the coronavirus crisis, on TGV Inoui and Intercités services. In line with French government restrictions on non-essential travel, SNCF says it is operating a “strict minimum of services, to allow essential services and goods to circulate”.
Low-cost OUIGO services are entirely suspended until further notice, as are routes operated jointly by SNCF and Germany’s DB, and Spain’s Renfe. Passengers can still travel along SNCF Lyria routes between France and Switzerland, though this timetable has been reduced.
Road travel
French-operated BlaBlaBus coach services in France and Germany are suspended until further notice. The pan-European low-cost coach operator Flixbus has suspended services within a number of countries: France, Italy, Germany and Belgium.
Cross-border Flixbus services are also suspended between a number of states: certain cross-border services into Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal. Meanwhile all Flixbus connections into and out of France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, and Ukraine are cancelled, as well as all cross-border services between Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegonvina. All Flixbus cross-border services into and out of Germany are suspended except for certain routes which remain open for Polish citizens.
Spanish coach operator Alsa has suspended its international services, and is running a reduced domestic timetable. It is also advising that passengers should only travel if their journey is “essential and urgent” as per the Spanish Royal Decree of March 14, 2020 which set out the national “state of alarm” conditions.
Ireland and the UK
The United Kingdom and Ireland are outside the Schengen travel zone – and therefore the decision to close the Schengen borders to external travellers had no impact here. It is still possible to travel into the UK and Ireland from inside and outside the Schengen zone – but the British and Irish governments are advising their own nationals against all but essential travel.
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france24--2020-04-01--WHO troubled by 'near exponential' growth of coronavirus pandemic

In this file photo , World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at a press conference in Geneva , Switzerland on March 11 , 2020 .
The World Health Organization said Wednesday it was deeply concerned about the near-exponential escalation of the new coronavirus pandemic , with the number of deaths doubling in a week .
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged citizens around the globe to stand together to fight COVID-19 , as he braced for the millionth confirmed case .
`` As we enter the fourth month since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global spread of infection , '' he told a virtual news conference .
`` Over the past five weeks , we have witnessed a near exponential growth in the number of new cases , reaching almost every country .
`` The number of deaths has more than doubled in the past week .
In the next few days we will reach one million confirmed cases and 50,000 deaths . ''
Since emerging in China in December , COVID-19 has spread across the globe , claiming more than 43,000 lives , and infecting more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFP tally of officially confirmed cases .
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 30,000 people in Europe alone .
Italy and Spain account for three in every four deaths on the continent .
However , the virus is expected to gain a greater foothold in parts of the world that have not , so far , seen such large numbers of cases and deaths .
`` While relatively lower numbers of confirmed cases have been reported from Africa , and from Central and South America , we realise that COVID-19 could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for these regions , '' Tedros warned .
`` It is critical that we ensure these countries are well equipped to detect , test , isolate and treat COVID-19 cases , and identify contacts . ''
He urged governments to implement social welfare measures to ensure that vulnerable people have access to food during the crisis -- and called for debt relief for poorer states .
`` Many developing countries will struggle to implement social welfare programs of this nature .
For those countries , debt relief is essential to enable them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic collapse , '' said Tedros .
He said there were many `` unknowns '' about how COVID-19 will behave , as it is the `` first-ever coronavirus pandemic in the world '' .
A safe vaccine is thought to be 12 to 18 months away , while WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan stressed : `` There is no therapy that has been proven to be effective in the treatment of COVID-19 . ''
As regards the use of face masks , the WHO recommends that those people who are infected and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical masks .

The World Health Organization said Wednesday it was deeply concerned about the near-exponential escalation of the new coronavirus pandemic, with the number of deaths doubling in a week.
In this file photo, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland on March 11, 2020.
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WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged citizens around the globe to stand together to fight COVID-19, as he braced for the millionth confirmed case.
"As we enter the fourth month since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am deeply concerned about the rapid escalation and global spread of infection," he told a virtual news conference.
"Over the past five weeks, we have witnessed a near exponential growth in the number of new cases, reaching almost every country.
"The number of deaths has more than doubled in the past week. In the next few days we will reach one million confirmed cases and 50,000 deaths."
Since emerging in China in December, COVID-19 has spread across the globe, claiming more than 43,000 lives, and infecting more than 860,000 people, according to an AFP tally of officially confirmed cases.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 30,000 people in Europe alone. Italy and Spain account for three in every four deaths on the continent.
Debt relief call
However, the virus is expected to gain a greater foothold in parts of the world that have not, so far, seen such large numbers of cases and deaths.
"While relatively lower numbers of confirmed cases have been reported from Africa, and from Central and South America, we realise that COVID-19 could have serious social, economic and political consequences for these regions," Tedros warned.
"It is critical that we ensure these countries are well equipped to detect, test, isolate and treat COVID-19 cases, and identify contacts."
He urged governments to implement social welfare measures to ensure that vulnerable people have access to food during the crisis -- and called for debt relief for poorer states.
"Many developing countries will struggle to implement social welfare programs of this nature. For those countries, debt relief is essential to enable them to take care of their people and avoid economic collapse," said Tedros.
He said there were many "unknowns" about how COVID-19 will behave, as it is the "first-ever coronavirus pandemic in the world".
A safe vaccine is thought to be 12 to 18 months away, while WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan stressed: "There is no therapy that has been proven to be effective in the treatment of COVID-19."
As regards the use of face masks, the WHO recommends that those people who are infected and health workers who care for them should use medical masks.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-01--French PM warns lockdown will not be lifted ‘in one go’ as police issue more than 350,000 in fines

A French police officer wearing a protective face mask checks on a driver on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice as a lockdown is imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus in France on March 29 , 2020 .
France is likely to unwind its nationwide coronavirus lockdown gradually rather than in one go , French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe told parliament on Wednesday while the interior minister noted 359,000 fines for violating the lockdown had been issued since lockdown began in mid-March .
`` It is likely that we are not heading towards a general deconfinement in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philippe told parliament by videoconference .
The French government has ordered people to stay confined in their homes except for essential outings from March 17 until at least April 15 .
Philippe did not indicate when the government might start to ease or lift the lockdown .
Earlier on Wednesday , France ’ s Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said some 5.8 million checks have been carried out and 359,000 fines issued since the lockdown started on March 17 .
As the medical crisis escalates , a court in Calais in the country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months in prison after he was caught eight times without the self-certified document all residents are required to show if they leave the house for critical business .
This can include essential shopping , going to the doctor , walking the dog , a quick jog , and going to work for those in critical fields .
In Paris on Tuesday , a court sentenced a 22-year-old man to 105 hours of community service , also for repeatedly violating the lockdown .
Even with train and plane traffic slashed to a minimum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minister said controls will be stepped up on the roads and at train stations and airports .
`` Confinement is a strain for families , I know , but we must stand strong , '' Castaner said .
More than 22,700 people are hospitalised for Covid-19 in France , with 5,565 in intensive care .
A record 509 deaths from the coronavirus were registered in France in the previous 24 hours with the total death toll now at 4,032 .

France is likely to unwind its nationwide coronavirus lockdown gradually rather than in one go, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe told parliament on Wednesday while the interior minister noted 359,000 fines for violating the lockdown had been issued since lockdown began in mid-March.
A French police officer wearing a protective face mask checks on a driver on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice as a lockdown is imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus in France on March 29, 2020.
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"It is likely that we are not heading towards a general deconfinement in one go and for everyone," Philippe told parliament by videoconference.
The French government has ordered people to stay confined in their homes except for essential outings from March 17 until at least April 15. Philippe did not indicate when the government might start to ease or lift the lockdown.
Earlier on Wednesday, France’s Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said some 5.8 million checks have been carried out and 359,000 fines issued since the lockdown started on March 17.
03:05
'We must stand strong'
As the medical crisis escalates, a court in Calais in the country's north also sentenced a 20-year-old man to two months in prison after he was caught eight times without the self-certified document all residents are required to show if they leave the house for critical business.
This can include essential shopping, going to the doctor, walking the dog, a quick jog, and going to work for those in critical fields.
In Paris on Tuesday, a court sentenced a 22-year-old man to 105 hours of community service, also for repeatedly violating the lockdown.
Even with train and plane traffic slashed to a minimum, authorities fear a holiday exodus and the minister said controls will be stepped up on the roads and at train stations and airports.
"Confinement is a strain for families, I know, but we must stand strong," Castaner said.
More than 22,700 people are hospitalised for Covid-19 in France, with 5,565 in intensive care.
A record 509 deaths from the coronavirus were registered in France in the previous 24 hours with the total death toll now at 4,032.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-01--Moscow rolls out tracking app to 'ensure self-discipline' during coronavirus lockdown

Russian capital Moscow has been on lockdown since Monday Moscow is rolling out a mobile phone app and scannable bar codes to check whether people are adhering to strict isolation rules during lockdown , an official said Wednesday .
The city authorities in the Russian capital have ordered Muscovites to stay at home and closed all non-essential businesses as part of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The app , due online Thursday , will `` ensure self-discipline '' , said Eduard Lysenko , the head of Moscow city hall 's information technology department .
Users ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
The technology is a test version designed to monitor coronavirus patients ordered to stay home , Lysenko told the Echo of Moscow radio station .
It would not be required for the rest of the capital 's 12 million residents , he added .
And in a separate initiative , Muscovites will have to apply for a QR code -- a scannable barcode on their phone -- from city officials online each time they want to leave their homes , Lysenko said .
Law enforcement officers will have powers to check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barcode .
Currently , Muscovites are only allowed to leave their homes to walk their dogs , take out trash and visit their nearest shop or pharmacy .
The barcode system will be unveiled when local government approves the legislation , Lysenko said .
Moscow city authorities introduced a lockdown from Monday for all residents of the capital .
Parliament on Tuesday passed legislation introducing prison sentences of up to seven years in cases where breaking quarantine resulted in the deaths of two or more people .
Fines of up to 50,000 rubles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed on people violating the isolation rules .
Announcing the lockdown last week , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had said the new rules would be monitored by a `` smart system , '' in what initially appeared to be a reference to the capital 's vast network of facial recognition cameras .
Russia has so far registered 2,777 cases of the coronavirus and 24 deaths , mostly in Moscow .

Moscow is rolling out a mobile phone app and scannable bar codes to check whether people are adhering to strict isolation rules during lockdown, an official said Wednesday.
Russian capital Moscow has been on lockdown since Monday
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The city authorities in the Russian capital have ordered Muscovites to stay at home and closed all non-essential businesses as part of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The app, due online Thursday, will "ensure self-discipline", said Eduard Lysenko, the head of Moscow city hall's information technology department. Users' personal data would remain secure, he added.
The technology is a test version designed to monitor coronavirus patients ordered to stay home, Lysenko told the Echo of Moscow radio station.
It would not be required for the rest of the capital's 12 million residents, he added.
And in a separate initiative, Muscovites will have to apply for a QR code -- a scannable barcode on their phone -- from city officials online each time they want to leave their homes, Lysenko said.
Law enforcement officers will have powers to check people on the street for their authorisation barcode.
Currently, Muscovites are only allowed to leave their homes to walk their dogs, take out trash and visit their nearest shop or pharmacy.
The barcode system will be unveiled when local government approves the legislation, Lysenko said.
Prison time, fines for lockdown violations
Moscow city authorities introduced a lockdown from Monday for all residents of the capital.
Parliament on Tuesday passed legislation introducing prison sentences of up to seven years in cases where breaking quarantine resulted in the deaths of two or more people.
Fines of up to 50,000 rubles ($640) would also be imposed on people violating the isolation rules.
Announcing the lockdown last week, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had said the new rules would be monitored by a "smart system," in what initially appeared to be a reference to the capital's vast network of facial recognition cameras.
Russia has so far registered 2,777 cases of the coronavirus and 24 deaths, mostly in Moscow.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-01--Sweden: Europe’s lockdown exception

Sweden: Europe’s lockdown exception

Sweden is one of the few European countries not in full lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic .
With billions across the world under lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic , one country stands almost alone .
In Sweden , daily life has been continuing largely as normal as authorities have taken a radically different approach to tackling the virus .
Though gatherings of more than 50 were banned on Sunday , down from 500 previously , restaurants , bars and shops are still serving customers .
And while high schools and universities have closed their doors , the country is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where primary schools remain open .
Sweden has recorded more than 4,400 coronavirus cases and 180 deaths .
But the government has asked only those who are sick or in at-risk groups to stay home Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has urged people to “ take responsibility ” by following health guidelines such as regular hand washing and to self-isolate if sick rather than enforce strict social distancing measures .
Polls have shown most Swedes support the government ’ s relaxed approach .
`` We trust our government and trust the system in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as strongly , so maybe that also plays a part in why Sweden does n't feel that it 's necessary to put such forceful measures until the case worsens , ” Stockholm resident Ida told AFP .
But there are signs of growing dissent amid fears Sweden could be exposing itself to extreme danger .
Last week , a group of senior Swedish healthcare officials sent a letter to the government calling for stronger measures .
`` Our nation should not be the exception in Europe , ” the letter said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now ! ''

With billions across the world under lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, one country stands almost alone. In Sweden, daily life has been continuing largely as normal as authorities have taken a radically different approach to tackling the virus.
Sweden is one of the few European countries not in full lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Though gatherings of more than 50 were banned on Sunday, down from 500 previously, restaurants, bars and shops are still serving customers.
And while high schools and universities have closed their doors, the country is one of the few places in western Europe where primary schools remain open.
Sweden has recorded more than 4,400 coronavirus cases and 180 deaths. But the government has asked only those who are sick or in at-risk groups to stay home
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has urged people to “take responsibility” by following health guidelines such as regular hand washing and to self-isolate if sick rather than enforce strict social distancing measures.
Polls have shown most Swedes support the government’s relaxed approach.
"We trust our government and trust the system in a way that other countries maybe don't as strongly, so maybe that also plays a part in why Sweden doesn't feel that it's necessary to put such forceful measures until the case worsens,” Stockholm resident Ida told AFP.
But there are signs of growing dissent amid fears Sweden could be exposing itself to extreme danger.
Last week, a group of senior Swedish healthcare officials sent a letter to the government calling for stronger measures.
"Our nation should not be the exception in Europe,” the letter said. “We request that our government takes action now!"
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france24--2020-04-01--War-torn Yemen ‘not equipped’ for potential coronavirus outbreak

Five years into the civil war between a Saudi-led coalition and Iran-backed Houthi rebels – a period that included a @ @ @ @ @ than half of Yemen ’ s health facilities are not functioning , and some doctors @ @ @ @ @ country .
Tamuna Sabadze of the International Rescue Committee describes Yemen 's situation on FRANCE @ @ @ @ @ Matters programme .

War-torn Yemen ‘not equipped’ for potential coronavirus outbreak
05:25
Five years into the civil war between a Saudi-led coalition and Iran-backed Houthi rebels – a period that included a devastating cholera epidemic – more than half of Yemen’s health facilities are not functioning, and some doctors and nurses have fled the country. Tamuna Sabadze of the International Rescue Committee describes Yemen's situation on FRANCE 24’s Middle East Matters programme.


france24--2020-04-01--UK reports daily death toll of 563 in worst day of coronavirus crisis

Paramedics and military personnel are seen outside the Excel Centre in London , UK on April 1 , 2020 while it is being prepared to become the NHS Nightingale Hospital as the spread of COVID-19 continues .
Britain reported 563 daily coronavirus deaths on Wednesday , the first time the national toll has exceeded 500 , bringing the total fatalities to 2,352 , according to official figures .
`` As of 5pm ( 1600 GMT ) on 31 March , of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus , 2,352 have sadly died , '' the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some 29,474 people have now tested positive , an increase of 4,324 over the previous day , it added .
Britain locked down last week in an attempt to combat the virus , but Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who himself has tested positive , warned that it would `` get worse before it gets better '' .
The virus has also hit the royal family , with Prince Charles only coming out of isolation on Tuesday after displaying mild symptoms of the disease .
On Wednesday he released a video message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Service .
`` None of us can say when this will end , but end it will , '' he said .
`` Until it does , let us all try and live with hope and , with faith in ourselves and each other , look forward to better times to come . ''

Britain reported 563 daily coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, the first time the national toll has exceeded 500, bringing the total fatalities to 2,352, according to official figures.
Paramedics and military personnel are seen outside the Excel Centre in London, UK on April 1, 2020 while it is being prepared to become the NHS Nightingale Hospital as the spread of COVID-19 continues.
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"As of 5pm (1600 GMT) on 31 March, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 2,352 have sadly died," the health ministry said on its official Twitter page.
Some 29,474 people have now tested positive, an increase of 4,324 over the previous day, it added.
Britain locked down last week in an attempt to combat the virus, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself has tested positive, warned that it would "get worse before it gets better".
The virus has also hit the royal family, with Prince Charles only coming out of isolation on Tuesday after displaying mild symptoms of the disease.
On Wednesday he released a video message praising the "remarkable" state-run National Health Service. "None of us can say when this will end, but end it will," he said.
"Until it does, let us all try and live with hope and, with faith in ourselves and each other, look forward to better times to come."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-04-01--Museums around the world offer virtual tours during coronavirus lockdown

Museums around the world offer virtual tours during coronavirus lockdown Paris ’ s Louvre , Russia ’ s Hermitage , @ @ @ @ @ Natural History in Washington , DC : these are some of the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ and sneak peeks in lieu of actual visits during the coronavirus pandemic .
The list @ @ @ @ @ Grand Palais , which postponed the scheduled opening of its exhibition on the ancient Roman @ @ @ @ @ 24 ’ s Encore !
programme examines the online offerings .

Museums around the world offer virtual tours during coronavirus lockdown
02:19 Paris's Louvre Museum, which features Leonardo da Vinci's painting, "Mona Lisa", is one of the cultural institutions offering virtual tours during the coronavirus pandemic. © FRANCE 24 screengrab
Paris’s Louvre, Russia’s Hermitage, and the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC: these are some of the world’s great museums offering virtual tours and sneak peeks in lieu of actual visits during the coronavirus pandemic. The list also includes Paris’s Grand Palais, which postponed the scheduled opening of its exhibition on the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. FRANCE 24’s Encore! programme examines the online offerings.


france24--2020-04-01--China says new coronavirus cases drop, starts posting asymptomatic tally too

People wearing face masks wait for a subway train in China 's Wuhan , the centre of the coronavirus pandemic , on March 28 , 2020 .
Mainland China reported dwindling new infections on Wednesday in a global coronavirus pandemic , and started to publish the daily change in cases that are free of symptoms , although the latter could complicate the picture of trends in the disease .
Almost all of Tuesday 's 36 new cases involved arrivals from overseas , the National Health Commission said , down from 48 a day earlier , and taking the tally of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excludes 130 new sufferers of the highly contagious disease who do not show symptoms , statistics from the health authority showed .
Some other countries include cases that test positive for the virus but display no symptoms in the tally of confirmed cases , in line with advice from the World Health Organization .
China must `` build a solid line of defence against the risks of overseas epidemic '' , and allow no loopholes , President Xi Jinping said in comments published on Wednesday .
In his remarks during a visit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also urged better management of symptom-free cases .
Users of Chinese social media have expressed fear that carriers with no symptoms could be spreading the virus unknowingly , especially as authorities ease curbs on travel for hotspots in the epidemic , now that infections have subsided .
Last week , WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove told a conference in Geneva that symptomatic patients were the main drivers of transmission in the majority of cases , while most of those classified as asymptomatic developed symptoms a few days after diagnosis .
But China has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asymptomatic sufferers and those in contact with them .
By Tuesday , 1,367 asymptomatic cases were under observation , down from 1,541 the previous day , the National Health Commission said .
Seven deaths from the virus were reported on Tuesday , up from just one the day before .
All but one were in the central province of Hubei , where the outbreak began late last year .
A single new local infection was reported on Tuesday in the southern province of Guangdong .
Although the tally of imported cases , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of overall cases , authorities fearing a second wave of infection have barred entry to most foreigners and ordered tougher checks on citizens returning from abroad .

Mainland China reported dwindling new infections on Wednesday in a global coronavirus pandemic, and started to publish the daily change in cases that are free of symptoms, although the latter could complicate the picture of trends in the disease.
People wearing face masks wait for a subway train in China's Wuhan, the centre of the coronavirus pandemic, on March 28, 2020.
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Almost all of Tuesday's 36 new cases involved arrivals from overseas, the National Health Commission said, down from 48 a day earlier, and taking the tally of infections to 81,554.
But that figure excludes 130 new sufferers of the highly contagious disease who do not show symptoms, statistics from the health authority showed.
Some other countries include cases that test positive for the virus but display no symptoms in the tally of confirmed cases, in line with advice from the World Health Organization.
China must "build a solid line of defence against the risks of overseas epidemic", and allow no loopholes, President Xi Jinping said in comments published on Wednesday.
In his remarks during a visit to the eastern province of Zhejiang, Xi also urged better management of symptom-free cases.
Users of Chinese social media have expressed fear that carriers with no symptoms could be spreading the virus unknowingly, especially as authorities ease curbs on travel for hotspots in the epidemic, now that infections have subsided.
Last week, WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove told a conference in Geneva that symptomatic patients were the main drivers of transmission in the majority of cases, while most of those classified as asymptomatic developed symptoms a few days after diagnosis.
But China has now decided to devote greater screening to asymptomatic sufferers and those in contact with them.
By Tuesday, 1,367 asymptomatic cases were under observation, down from 1,541 the previous day, the National Health Commission said.
Seven deaths from the virus were reported on Tuesday, up from just one the day before. All but one were in the central province of Hubei, where the outbreak began late last year.
A single new local infection was reported on Tuesday in the southern province of Guangdong.
Although the tally of imported cases, at 806, is just a small fraction of overall cases, authorities fearing a second wave of infection have barred entry to most foreigners and ordered tougher checks on citizens returning from abroad.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-02--Spain's coronavirus death toll tops 10,000

File photo of a healthcare worker near the entrance of the emergency unit in Madrid , Spain March 28 , @ @ @ @ @ toll from coronavirus surpassed the 10,000 threshold after a record 950 people died overnight , @ @ @ @ @ said on Thursday .
The country 's total death toll caused by the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ of cases registered rose to 110,238 from 102,136 on Wednesday , according to the country @ @ @ @ @ 6,000 people were in intensive care , the data showed .
The massive jump in @ @ @ @ @ 's Social Security Minister Jose Luis Escriva warned the country 's 2020 budget deficit would @ @ @ @ @ '' as a result of the measures taken to halt the spread of coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ , Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said 2.3 million people are currently receiving unemployment benefits , @ @ @ @ @ billion euros ( $ 1.33 billion ) a month .
Spain has recorded the world @ @ @ @ @ from Covid-19 , after Italy .

Spain's death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 10,000 on Thursday after a record 950 people died overnight, but health officials saw a glimmer of hope with the epidemic slowing in terms of proportional daily increases in infections and deaths.
A healthcare worker near the entrance of the emergency unit in Madrid, Spain, March 28, 2020.
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The country's total death toll from the coronavirus rose to 10,003 representing an increase of just over 10 percent, which was the same rate as the previous day. The number of known infections climbed to 110,238 from 102,136 on Wednesday, according to the country's health ministry. Over 6,000 people were in intensive care, the data showed.
Despite the jump in daily toll figures, the daily increase in infections in percentage terms has been slowing gradually since March 25, when reported cases rose by just over 20 percent.
Health Minister Salvador Illa told parliament “there's light at the end of the tunnel.”
"A glimpse of hope: the curve has stabilised," he said. "We have reached ... the peak of the curve and we have started the slowdown phase."
Spain has been in a lockdown since March 14, allowing residents to leave their homes only for essential trips. This week it tightened the measures, with only employees in key sectors permitted to travel to and from work.
01:13
The massive jump in fatalities came as Spain's Social Security Minister Jose Luis Escriva warned the country's 2020 budget deficit would widen "significantly but temporarily" as a result of the measures taken to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Speaking at the same conference, Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said 2.3 million people are currently receiving unemployment benefits, costing the state around €1.22 billion a month.
Spain has recorded the world's second-highest tally of deaths from COVID-19, after Italy.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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