france24--2020-04-02--A French homeless shelter adapts quickly, but not adequately to virus lockdown (2/3)

Social workers handling precarious populations have been forced to adapt quickly , often with little guidance and resources , to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic .
A receptionist at a reception centre in Normandy recounts his stressful days shortly after France went into a nationwide lockdown last month .
`` We had to take drastic measures , '' explains Erwan* – a social worker , who prefers to remain anonymous – working in a shelter in France ’ s northern Normandy region .
The emergency shelter provides homeless families with a warm place to spend the night , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has forced Erwan and his colleagues to review and adapt their way of working .
Recounting his experience on the first day of France ’ s nationwide lockdown , which began on March 17 , Erwan shakes his head .
“ It was a mess , ” reveals the young man in his 30s .
`` There was no preparation.
” Erwan and his colleagues had tried to alert their superiors in early March about possible changes required during the health crisis .
But they received no reply .
`` The centre only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day after the lockdown started and after drawing up a list of people who would be staying in the centre , '' he explains .
`` So we started this confinement by risking our lives .
We had to help people fill in their exit permits .
But it 's complicated .
We 're helping people who are mostly of foreign origin , so it 's difficult to explain the directives and instructions , '' he notes .
`` People did n't realise what was going on at all .
They kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left at 9am and returned at 9pm as if nothing had happened ... '' '' Those were the first days .
I thought we were n't going to make it , '' he sighs .
The centre where Erwan works is a former office complex , which gets converted into a homeless shelter every winter , from November 1 to March 31 .
`` The good news is that the government has decided to maintain the winter centres until May 31 due to the health crisis , '' Erwan smiles .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre , another building .
This one is a place to sleep in the winter .
It 's not meant to be a 24-hour shelter .
Our mission changed overnight , ” he explains .
`` Before , we used to receive people in the evening , often quite late .
We gave them food and a bed , and they left the next morning .
Now we 're working on community life for the duration of the confinement . ''
Coping with new sanitation and social distancing measures With the new health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make choices and limit the number of people it accommodates to 70 permanent residents .
`` From now on , any departure is final , '' explains Erwan .
`` Since we ca n't totally comply with hygiene and safety standards , we try to keep everyone confined and hope that we don ’ t have any coronavirus cases .
For example , the only real barrier measure we 've been able to apply is to create canteen dining shifts . ''
`` We know there are still people out there on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send them to us to fill spots that have opened up , but how can we be sure that the person arriving is not a carrier of the virus ? ''
he asks , worried .
Read more > > Vulnerable people more isolated than ever during France ’ s coronavirus lockdown Another question also remains unanswered : `` What are we going to do when we get the first case ?
It 's likely that the other people housed here will contract it within 24 hours , given the conditions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently being studied to transfer healthy and at-risk people if they do have a coronavirus case , he explains .
But it ’ s not all bleak news : the authorities have made some reinforcements to the system .
`` We 've had human reinforcements .
Resources , especially from night patrols , have been deployed to the centres .
They ’ ve also given us more financial resources.
” It 's not ‘ if we ’ ll get the disease , we just wonder when ’ The team is poorly equipped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their missions .
`` We put in a request for equipment the day the lockdown began , and were told that we were n't a priority .
I do understand that : healthworkers are a priority , '' says Erwan .
So the team makes do with what they have .
They found an old stock of masks dating back 30 years or so stored in a basement and outdated hydro-alcoholic gel .
`` Better than nothing , '' shrugs Erwan .
`` We also got some medical scrubs delivered last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at least 10 of us working at the centre every day .
So it 's useless and we do n't wear them , '' he says .
`` Anyway , it 's hard to refuse to cuddle with the kids at the centre .
So my containment measures are simply to roll up my clothes and wash myself when I get home to try not to contaminate my partner , `` he explains .
`` I already have several sick colleagues who think they 've contracted the virus .
They have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 're not asking ourselves if we ’ ll get the disease , it 's just a question of when , ” he explains .
`` We 're just trying to push the date as far back as possible so that our colleagues on leave or on a break can take over . ''

Social workers handling precarious populations have been forced to adapt quickly, often with little guidance and resources, to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. A receptionist at a reception centre in Normandy recounts his stressful days shortly after France went into a nationwide lockdown last month.
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"We had to take drastic measures," explains Erwan* – a social worker, who prefers to remain anonymous – working in a shelter in France’s northern Normandy region. The emergency shelter provides homeless families with a warm place to spend the night, but these days, the coronavirus epidemic has forced Erwan and his colleagues to review and adapt their way of working.
Recounting his experience on the first day of France’s nationwide lockdown, which began on March 17, Erwan shakes his head. “It was a mess,” reveals the young man in his 30s. "There was no preparation.”
Erwan and his colleagues had tried to alert their superiors in early March about possible changes required during the health crisis. But they received no reply.
"The centre only closed on Wednesday, March 18, a day after the lockdown started and after drawing up a list of people who would be staying in the centre," he explains.
"So we started this confinement by risking our lives. We had to help people fill in their exit permits. But it's complicated. We're helping people who are mostly of foreign origin, so it's difficult to explain the directives and instructions," he notes. "People didn't realise what was going on at all. They kept going out all day long. Some left at 9am and returned at 9pm as if nothing had happened..."
"Those were the first days. I thought we weren't going to make it," he sighs.
From a night to a 24-hour shelter
The centre where Erwan works is a former office complex, which gets converted into a homeless shelter every winter, from November 1 to March 31.
"The good news is that the government has decided to maintain the winter centres until May 31 due to the health crisis," Erwan smiles. "But the truth is that we need another centre, another building. This one is a place to sleep in the winter. It's not meant to be a 24-hour shelter. Our mission changed overnight,” he explains.
"Before, we used to receive people in the evening, often quite late. We gave them food and a bed, and they left the next morning. Now we're working on community life for the duration of the confinement."
Coping with new sanitation and social distancing measures
With the new health and sanitary requirements, the centre had to make choices and limit the number of people it accommodates to 70 permanent residents. "From now on, any departure is final," explains Erwan.
"Since we can't totally comply with hygiene and safety standards, we try to keep everyone confined and hope that we don’t have any coronavirus cases. For example, the only real barrier measure we've been able to apply is to create canteen dining shifts."
"We know there are still people out there on the street. The emergency teams want to send them to us to fill spots that have opened up, but how can we be sure that the person arriving is not a carrier of the virus?" he asks, worried.
Read more >> Vulnerable people more isolated than ever during France’s coronavirus lockdown
Another question also remains unanswered: "What are we going to do when we get the first case? It's likely that the other people housed here will contract it within 24 hours, given the conditions," says Erwan. Fallback solutions are currently being studied to transfer healthy and at-risk people if they do have a coronavirus case, he explains.
But it’s not all bleak news: the authorities have made some reinforcements to the system. "We've had human reinforcements. Resources, especially from night patrols, have been deployed to the centres. They’ve also given us more financial resources.”
It's not ‘if we’ll get the disease, we just wonder when’
The team is poorly equipped to cope with the daily routine and continue their missions. "We put in a request for equipment the day the lockdown began, and were told that we weren't a priority. I do understand that: healthworkers are a priority," says Erwan.
So the team makes do with what they have. They found an old stock of masks dating back 30 years or so stored in a basement and outdated hydro-alcoholic gel. "Better than nothing," shrugs Erwan.
"We also got some medical scrubs delivered last week. Five outfits in size XXL when there are at least 10 of us working at the centre every day. So it's useless and we don't wear them," he says. "Anyway, it's hard to refuse to cuddle with the kids at the centre. So my containment measures are simply to roll up my clothes and wash myself when I get home to try not to contaminate my partner, " he explains.
"I already have several sick colleagues who think they've contracted the virus. They have the symptoms but have not been tested. We're not asking ourselves if we’ll get the disease, it's just a question of when,” he explains. "We're just trying to push the date as far back as possible so that our colleagues on leave or on a break can take over."
* Name changed to protect identity
This story is a translation of the original in French.
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france24--2020-04-02--Trump warns of 'horrific' weeks ahead as US virus death toll tops 5,000

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the daily coronavirus response briefing as Defense Secretary Mark Esper listens at the White House in Washington , U.S. , April 1 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump gave another dire press conference warning of 'horrific ' weeks to come as the US reported its highest one-day coronavirus death toll of 884 people .
`` Difficult days are ahead for our nation , '' US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday .
`` We 're going to have a couple of weeks , starting pretty much now , but especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to be horrific . ''
Trump had initially played down the virus ' severity , but White House medical experts now forecast that even if Americans follow unprecedented stay-at-home orders , some 100,000 to 240,000 people could die from the respiratory disease .
The World Health Organisation said the global case count will reach 1 million and the death toll 50,000 in the next few days .
It currently stands at 43,412 .
US has its highest one-day death toll The coronavirus has killed 884 people over the past 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for the country with by far the highest number of reported cases anywhere in the world , Johns Hopkins University said Wednesday evening .
That took the total death toll in America to 5,116 people .
The number of reported cases rose by 25,200 over the past 24 hours to 216,772 , said the university 's coronavirus tracker .
The grim record for deaths in one day is held by Italy with 969 on March 27 .
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced what he called a tragic milestone as the virus claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a six-week-old baby .
`` It just is a reminder that nobody is safe from this virus , '' Lamont said at a field house at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven , where more than 200 hospital beds have been set up .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday clamped down harder on public gatherings in the face of the coronavirus , calling residents `` selfish '' for refusing to stay home as California 's governor warned his state may run out of intensive care beds and ventilators next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told New York City police to more aggressively enforce rules for social distancing as deaths in the state shot up to nearly 2,000 .
`` Young people must get this message , and they still have not gotten the message , you still see too many situations with too much density by young people , '' said Cuomo in imposing new rules to close playgrounds , swing sets , basketball courts and similar spaces .
The Democratic governor sounded vexed by reports of crowds gathering at a Manhattan pier to watch the arrival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Comfort .
`` How reckless and irresponsible and selfish for people not to do it on their own , '' he said .

President Donald Trump gave another dire press conference warning of 'horrific' weeks to come as the US reported its highest one-day coronavirus death toll of 884 people.
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the daily coronavirus response briefing as Defense Secretary Mark Esper listens at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 1, 2020.
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"Difficult days are ahead for our nation," US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
"We're going to have a couple of weeks, starting pretty much now, but especially a few days from now, that are going to be horrific."
Trump had initially played down the virus' severity, but White House medical experts now forecast that even if Americans follow unprecedented stay-at-home orders, some 100,000 to 240,000 people could die from the respiratory disease.
The World Health Organisation said the global case count will reach 1 million and the death toll 50,000 in the next few days. It currently stands at 43,412.
US has its highest one-day death toll
The coronavirus has killed 884 people over the past 24 hours in the US, a new one-day record for the country with by far the highest number of reported cases anywhere in the world, Johns Hopkins University said Wednesday evening.
That took the total death toll in America to 5,116 people.
The number of reported cases rose by 25,200 over the past 24 hours to 216,772, said the university's coronavirus tracker.
The grim record for deaths in one day is held by Italy with 969 on March 27.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced what he called a tragic milestone as the virus claimed its youngest known US victim to date, a six-week-old baby.
"It just is a reminder that nobody is safe from this virus," Lamont said at a field house at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, where more than 200 hospital beds have been set up.
New York Governor Cuomo turns the thumbscrews
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday clamped down harder on public gatherings in the face of the coronavirus, calling residents "selfish" for refusing to stay home as California's governor warned his state may run out of intensive care beds and ventilators next month.
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told New York City police to more aggressively enforce rules for social distancing as deaths in the state shot up to nearly 2,000.
"Young people must get this message, and they still have not gotten the message, you still see too many situations with too much density by young people," said Cuomo in imposing new rules to close playgrounds, swing sets, basketball courts and similar spaces.
The Democratic governor sounded vexed by reports of crowds gathering at a Manhattan pier to watch the arrival of the US Navy hospital ship, the Comfort.
"How reckless and irresponsible and selfish for people not to do it on their own," he said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-02--‘Shoot them dead,’ Philippine’s Duterte warns coronavirus lockdown violators

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte , who issued a stark warning April 1 , 2020 to violators of the country 's coronavirus lockdown .
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday warned violators of coronavirus lockdown measures they could be shot for causing trouble and said abuse of medical workers was a serious crime that would not be tolerated .
In a televised address , Duterte said it was vital everyone cooperates and follows home quarantine measures , as authorities try to slow the coronavirus contagion and spare the country 's fragile health system from being overwhelmed .
The Philippines has recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all but three in the past three weeks , with infections now being reported in the hundreds every day .
`` It is getting worse .
So once again I 'm telling you the seriousness of the problem and that you must listen , '' Duterte said late on Wednesday .
`` My orders to the police and military ... if there is trouble and there 's an occasion that they fight back and your lives are in danger , shoot them dead . ''
`` Is that understood ?
Dead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bury you . ''
His comments came after media reports of a disturbance and several arrests on Wednesday of residents in a poor area of Manila who were protesting about sufficient government food aid .
They also follow outrage among the medical community about social stigma and instances of hospital workers suffering physical abuse and discrimination , which Duterte said must be stopped .
Responding to Duterte ’ s call , Amnesty International on Thursday said the Philippine leader ’ s statement was “ deeply alarming ” and warned , “ Deadly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
” Referring to Wednesday ’ s incident in San Roque village in Quezon City , Amnesty International noted that when residents were informed that a government relief distribution had run out of supplies , they decided to stay in the area and stage a protest to demand relief .
The residents told Amnesty International that the police then “ resorted to violently dispersing the protestors and hit them with wooden sticks '' .
Activists deride Duterte over his fierce rhetoric and accuse him of inviting violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war on drugs , during which police and mystery gunmen have killed thousands of people accused of using or selling drugs .
Police say their actions in the anti-drug campaign have been lawful .
Duterte 's office typically calls his remarks hyperbole to underline his point .
The national police chief on Thursday said police understood that Duterte was demonstrating his seriousness about public order , and no one would be shot .

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday warned violators of coronavirus lockdown measures they could be shot for causing trouble and said abuse of medical workers was a serious crime that would not be tolerated.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who issued a stark warning April 1, 2020 to violators of the country's coronavirus lockdown.
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In a televised address, Duterte said it was vital everyone cooperates and follows home quarantine measures, as authorities try to slow the coronavirus contagion and spare the country's fragile health system from being overwhelmed.
The Philippines has recorded 96 coronavirus deaths and 2,311 confirmed cases, all but three in the past three weeks, with infections now being reported in the hundreds every day.
"It is getting worse. So once again I'm telling you the seriousness of the problem and that you must listen," Duterte said late on Wednesday.
"My orders to the police and military ... if there is trouble and there's an occasion that they fight back and your lives are in danger, shoot them dead."
"Is that understood? Dead. Instead of causing trouble, I will bury you."
His comments came after media reports of a disturbance and several arrests on Wednesday of residents in a poor area of Manila who were protesting about sufficient government food aid.
They also follow outrage among the medical community about social stigma and instances of hospital workers suffering physical abuse and discrimination, which Duterte said must be stopped.
‘Deeply alarming,’ says Amnesty
Responding to Duterte’s call, Amnesty International on Thursday said the Philippine leader’s statement was “deeply alarming” and warned, “Deadly, unchecked force should never be used in an emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Referring to Wednesday’s incident in San Roque village in Quezon City, Amnesty International noted that when residents were informed that a government relief distribution had run out of supplies, they decided to stay in the area and stage a protest to demand relief.
The residents told Amnesty International that the police then “resorted to violently dispersing the protestors and hit them with wooden sticks".
Activists deride Duterte over his fierce rhetoric and accuse him of inviting violence and vigilantism, as shown in his war on drugs, during which police and mystery gunmen have killed thousands of people accused of using or selling drugs.
Police say their actions in the anti-drug campaign have been lawful.
Duterte's office typically calls his remarks hyperbole to underline his point.
The national police chief on Thursday said police understood that Duterte was demonstrating his seriousness about public order, and no one would be shot.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-02--Pakistani court overturns Briton's death sentence for Daniel Pearl murder

File photo of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl who disappeared in the Pakistani port city of Karachi in January 2002 .
A Pakistani court on Thursday commuted the death sentence of a British national convicted in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl .
Three other co-accused serving life sentences were also acquitted .
The Sindh High Court on Thursday announced its verdict on appeals by the four men convicted in the brutal abduction and murder of the US journalist in Pakistan .
The death sentence of the prime accused , British-born Ahmed Omar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in prison while the other three convicts , Fahad Naseem , Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil— who were earlier handed life sentences — were set free by the court .
Since Sheikh has been in prison for the past 18 years , his seven-year sentence will be counted from the time served .
`` The court has commuted Omar 's death sentence to a seven-year sentence , '' Khawaja Naveed , the defence lawyer told Reuters by telephone .
`` The murder charges were not proven , so he has given seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omar has already served 18 years , so his release orders will be issued sometime today .
He will be out in a few days , '' Naveed said .
Pearl was investigating Islamist militants in Karachi after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks in the US when he was kidnapped in January 2002 .
Video emerged a few weeks later of his murder .

A Pakistani court on Thursday commuted the death sentence of a British national convicted in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Three other co-accused serving life sentences were also acquitted.
File photo of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl who disappeared in the Pakistani port city of Karachi in January 2002.
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The Sindh High Court on Thursday announced its verdict on appeals by the four men convicted in the brutal abduction and murder of the US journalist in Pakistan.
The death sentence of the prime accused, British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, was commuted to seven years in prison while the other three convicts, Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil— who were earlier handed life sentences — were set free by the court.
Since Sheikh has been in prison for the past 18 years, his seven-year sentence will be counted from the time served.
"The court has commuted Omar's death sentence to a seven-year sentence," Khawaja Naveed, the defence lawyer told Reuters by telephone. "The murder charges were not proven, so he has given seven years for the kidnapping."
"Omar has already served 18 years, so his release orders will be issued sometime today. He will be out in a few days," Naveed said.
Pearl was investigating Islamist militants in Karachi after the September 11, 2001, attacks in the US when he was kidnapped in January 2002. Video emerged a few weeks later of his murder.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-02--Kenya's president apologises for police 'excesses' amid coronavirus curfew

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta apologises for the heavy-handed police enforcement of a coronavirus curfew , as some of the first people diagnosed with Covid-19 in the country speak out about their recovery .
Also , South Africa ramps up testing measures as tributes are paid to a leading HIV scientist who has died of coronavirus .
And Ivory Coast 's prime minister announces a stimulus package to help mitigate the economic consequences of the pandemic there .
Kenya 's first official case of coronavirus has recovered .
In her first public appearance , the woman – known only as Brenda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that despite the very real risks , Covid-19 is something that can be managed and treated .
Meanwhile , President Uhuru Kenyatta has apologised for the behaviour of police who 've been accused of using disproportionate violence in enforcing a coronavirus curfew .
On Monday , a 13-year-old boy was shot dead on his balcony on Nairobi .
Also , a top South African scientist who worked on HIV prevention for women and girls in her region has passed away from Covid-19 .
Tributes have been pouring in for Professor Gita Ramjee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases – the most on the continent – and five deaths .
The government has been ramping up testing measures and tens of thousands of people are due to be screened this week – we tell you more .
As coronavirus cases rise in Ivory Coast , Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly has announced a stimulus package to mitigate the economic consequences of the pandemic .
FRANCE 24 's Sam Bradpiece tells us what this means for Francophone West Africa 's economic powerhouse .
And health watchdogs have called for caution in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The anti-malaria drug is proving popular in many African communities , despite warnings and several recorded deaths from misuse due to toxic side effects .

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta apologises for the heavy-handed police enforcement of a coronavirus curfew, as some of the first people diagnosed with Covid-19 in the country speak out about their recovery. Also, South Africa ramps up testing measures as tributes are paid to a leading HIV scientist who has died of coronavirus. And Ivory Coast's prime minister announces a stimulus package to help mitigate the economic consequences of the pandemic there.
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Kenya's first official case of coronavirus has recovered. In her first public appearance, the woman – known only as Brenda – said she wants people to know that despite the very real risks, Covid-19 is something that can be managed and treated.
Meanwhile, President Uhuru Kenyatta has apologised for the behaviour of police who've been accused of using disproportionate violence in enforcing a coronavirus curfew. On Monday, a 13-year-old boy was shot dead on his balcony on Nairobi.
Also, a top South African scientist who worked on HIV prevention for women and girls in her region has passed away from Covid-19. Tributes have been pouring in for Professor Gita Ramjee. The country has logged more than 1,300 cases – the most on the continent – and five deaths. The government has been ramping up testing measures and tens of thousands of people are due to be screened this week – we tell you more.
As coronavirus cases rise in Ivory Coast, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly has announced a stimulus package to mitigate the economic consequences of the pandemic. FRANCE 24's Sam Bradpiece tells us what this means for Francophone West Africa's economic powerhouse.
And health watchdogs have called for caution in the use of chloroquine to self-medicate against coronavirus. The anti-malaria drug is proving popular in many African communities, despite warnings and several recorded deaths from misuse due to toxic side effects.
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france24--2020-04-02--Amid coronavirus spread, measles outbreak kills thousands of children in DR Congo

As DR Congo faces the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic , the country is already struggling to deal with the world 's worst measles outbreak .
Since January 2019 , the virus has claimed the lives of over 6,300 children and infected hundreds of thousands of others .
Our correspondents Clément Bonnerot and Juliette Dubois report from the north of the country .
In the north of DR Congo , the Covid-19 pandemic is a distant concern .
Another virus – measles – has been ravaging the country .
Since January 1 , 2019 , more than 6,000 children have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others have been infected , according to the latest World Health Organization ( WHO ) data .
Hospitals and health centres are struggling to cope .
`` We have shortages of everything , especially medicines , '' Gédéon Mushadi , the chief medical officer in the northern town of Boso-Manzi , tells FRANCE 24 .
`` The small amount of money that each health centre receives is n't enough to cover the needs of the population . ''
Lack of information about the disease and its symptoms is one of the main obstacles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are challenging to distribute in the rural north of the country .
With the support of MSF ( Doctors Without Borders ) and the WHO , the Congolese government launched an emergency response plan against measles in January .
The aim is to increase vaccination coverage in the country , which is estimated to be as low as 58 percent .
> > Measles has killed more people in DR Congo this year than Ebola epidemic , MSF says

As DR Congo faces the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country is already struggling to deal with the world's worst measles outbreak. Since January 2019, the virus has claimed the lives of over 6,300 children and infected hundreds of thousands of others. Our correspondents Clément Bonnerot and Juliette Dubois report from the north of the country.
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In the north of DR Congo, the Covid-19 pandemic is a distant concern. Another virus – measles – has been ravaging the country. Since January 1, 2019, more than 6,000 children have died from the disease and another 335,000 others have been infected, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data.
Hospitals and health centres are struggling to cope. "We have shortages of everything, especially medicines," Gédéon Mushadi, the chief medical officer in the northern town of Boso-Manzi, tells FRANCE 24. "The small amount of money that each health centre receives isn't enough to cover the needs of the population."
Lack of information about the disease and its symptoms is one of the main obstacles to eradicating the epidemic, while vaccines are challenging to distribute in the rural north of the country.
With the support of MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and the WHO, the Congolese government launched an emergency response plan against measles in January. The aim is to increase vaccination coverage in the country, which is estimated to be as low as 58 percent.
>> Measles has killed more people in DR Congo this year than Ebola epidemic, MSF says
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france24--2020-04-02--Jazz icon Ellis Marsalis Jr. dies of coronavirus at 85

Ellis Marsalis performs at the 57th NBA All-Star Game at the New Orleans Arena on February 17 , 2008 .
Ellis Marsalis Jr. , jazz pianist , teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical clan that includes famed performer sons Wynton and Branford , has died after battling pneumonia brought on by the new coronavirus , one of his sons said late Wednesday .
He was 85 .
Ellis Marsalis III confirmed in an Associated Press phone interview that his father 's death was sparked by the virus that is causing the global pandemic .
`` Pneumonia was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it was pneumonia brought on by COVID-19 , '' he said .
He said he drove Sunday from Baltimore to be with his father as he was hospitalized in Louisiana , which has been hit hard by the outbreak .
Others in the family spent time with him , too .
Four of the jazz patriarch 's six sons are musicians : Wynton , trumpeter , is America 's most prominent jazz spokesman as artistic director of jazz at New York 's Lincoln Center .
Branford , saxophonist , led The Tonight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delfeayo , a trombonist , is a prominent recording producer and performer .
And Jason , a percussionist , has made a name for himself with his own band and as an accompanist .
Ellis III , who decided music was n't his gig , is a photographer-poet in Baltimore .
In a statement , Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the man who 'd continued to perform regularly in New Orleans until December : “ Ellis Marsalis was a legend .
He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher , a father , and an icon — and words aren ’ t sufficient to describe the art , the joy and the wonder he showed the world . ''
Because Marsalis opted to stay in New Orleans for most of his career , his reputation was limited until his sons became famous and brought him the spotlight , along with new recording contracts and headliner performances on television and tour .
`` He was like the coach of jazz .
He put on the sweatshirt , blew the whistle and made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spitzer , host of public radio ’ s American Routes and a Tulane University anthropology professor .
The Marsalis `` family band '' seldom played together when the boys were younger but in 2003 toured East in a spinoff of a family celebration that became a PBS special when the elder Marsalis retired from teaching at the University of New Orleans .
Harry Connick Jr. , one of Marsalis ' students at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts , was a guest .
He 's one of many now-famous jazz musicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others include trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Terence Blanchard , saxophonists Donald Harrison and Victor Goines , and bassist Reginald Veal .
Marsalis was born in New Orleans , son of the operator of a hotel where Marsalis met touring black musicians who could n't stay at the segregated downtown hotels where they performed .
He played saxophone in high school ; he also played piano by the time he went to Dillard University .
Although New Orleans was steeped in traditional jazz , and rock ' n ' roll was the new sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and modern jazz .
Spitzer described Marsalis as a “ modernist in a town of traditionalists.
” '' His great love was jazz a la bebop — he was a lover of Thelonious Monk and the idea that bebop was a music of freedom .
But when he had to feed his family , he played R & B and soul and rock ‘ n ’ roll on Bourbon Street , '' Spitzer said .
Ornette Coleman was in town at the time .
In 1956 , when Coleman headed to California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but after a few months Marsalis returned home .
He told the New Orleans Times-Picayune years later , when he and Coleman were old men , that he never figured out what a pianist could do behind the free form of Coleman 's jazz .
Back in New Orleans , Marsalis joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to accompany soloists on the service 's weekly TV programs on CBS in New York .
There , he said , he learned to handle all kinds of music styles .
Returning home , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into running his own club , which went bust .
In 1967 trumpeter Al Hirt hired him .
When not on Bourbon Street , Hirt 's band appeared on national TV — headline shows on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show , among others .
Marsalis got into education about the same time , teaching improvisation at Xavier University in New Orleans .
In the mid-1970s , he joined the faculty at the New Orleans magnet high school and influenced a new generation of jazz musicians .
When asked how he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvisation , Marsalis once said , `` We do n't teach jazz , we teach students . ''
In 1986 he moved to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond .
In 1989 , the University of New Orleans lured him back to set up a jazz-studies program .
Marsalis retired from UNO in 2001 but continued performing , particularly at Snug Harbor , a small club that anchored the city 's contemporary jazz scene — frequently backing young promising musicians .
His melodic style , with running improvisations in the right hand , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or simply `` Louisiana jazz . ''
He 's always on acoustic piano , never electric , and even in interpreting old standards there ’ s a clear link to the driving bebop chords and rhythms of his early years .
He founded a record company , ELM , but his recording was limited until his sons became famous .
After that he joined them and others on mainstream labels and headlined his own releases , many full of his own compositions .
He often played at the New Orleans Jazz and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades he played two 75-minute sets every Friday night at Snug Harbor until he decided it was exhausting .
Even then , he still performed on occasion as a special guest .
On Wednesday night , Ellis III recalled how his father taught him the meaning of integrity before he even knew the word .
He and Delfeayo , neither of them yet 10 , had gone to hear their father play at a club .
Only one man — sleeping and drunk — was in the audience for the second set .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave .
`` He looked at us and said , ‘ I ca n't leave .
I have a gig . '
While he 's playing , he said , ' A gig is a deal .
I 'm paid to play this set .
I 'm going to play this set .
It does n't matter that nobody 's here . '
” Marsalis ' wife , Dolores , died in 2017 .
He is survived by his sons Branford , Wynton , Ellis III , Delfeayo , Mboya and Jason .

Ellis Marsalis Jr., jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical clan that includes famed performer sons Wynton and Branford, has died after battling pneumonia brought on by the new coronavirus, one of his sons said late Wednesday. He was 85.
Ellis Marsalis performs at the 57th NBA All-Star Game at the New Orleans Arena on February 17, 2008.
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Ellis Marsalis III confirmed in an Associated Press phone interview that his father's death was sparked by the virus that is causing the global pandemic. "Pneumonia was the actual thing that caused his demise. But it was pneumonia brought on by COVID-19," he said.
He said he drove Sunday from Baltimore to be with his father as he was hospitalized in Louisiana, which has been hit hard by the outbreak. Others in the family spent time with him, too.
Four of the jazz patriarch's six sons are musicians: Wynton, trumpeter, is America's most prominent jazz spokesman as artistic director of jazz at New York's Lincoln Center. Branford, saxophonist, led The Tonight Show band and toured with Sting. Delfeayo, a trombonist, is a prominent recording producer and performer. And Jason, a percussionist, has made a name for himself with his own band and as an accompanist. Ellis III, who decided music wasn't his gig, is a photographer-poet in Baltimore.
In a statement, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the man who'd continued to perform regularly in New Orleans until December: “Ellis Marsalis was a legend. He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz. He was a teacher, a father, and an icon — and words aren’t sufficient to describe the art, the joy and the wonder he showed the world."
Because Marsalis opted to stay in New Orleans for most of his career, his reputation was limited until his sons became famous and brought him the spotlight, along with new recording contracts and headliner performances on television and tour.
"He was like the coach of jazz. He put on the sweatshirt, blew the whistle and made these guys work," said Nick Spitzer, host of public radio’s American Routes and a Tulane University anthropology professor.
The Marsalis "family band" seldom played together when the boys were younger but in 2003 toured East in a spinoff of a family celebration that became a PBS special when the elder Marsalis retired from teaching at the University of New Orleans.
Harry Connick Jr., one of Marsalis' students at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, was a guest. He's one of many now-famous jazz musicians who passed through Marsalis' classrooms. Others include trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Terence Blanchard, saxophonists Donald Harrison and Victor Goines, and bassist Reginald Veal.
Marsalis was born in New Orleans, son of the operator of a hotel where Marsalis met touring black musicians who couldn't stay at the segregated downtown hotels where they performed. He played saxophone in high school; he also played piano by the time he went to Dillard University.
Although New Orleans was steeped in traditional jazz, and rock 'n' roll was the new sound in the 1950s, Marsalis preferred bebop and modern jazz.
Spitzer described Marsalis as a “modernist in a town of traditionalists.”
"His great love was jazz a la bebop — he was a lover of Thelonious Monk and the idea that bebop was a music of freedom. But when he had to feed his family, he played R&B and soul and rock ‘n’ roll on Bourbon Street," Spitzer said.
The musician's college quartet included drummer Ed Blackwell, clarinetist Alvin Batiste and saxophonist Harold Battiste playing modern.
Ornette Coleman was in town at the time. In 1956, when Coleman headed to California, Marsalis and the others went along, but after a few months Marsalis returned home. He told the New Orleans Times-Picayune years later, when he and Coleman were old men, that he never figured out what a pianist could do behind the free form of Coleman's jazz.
Back in New Orleans, Marsalis joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to accompany soloists on the service's weekly TV programs on CBS in New York. There, he said, he learned to handle all kinds of music styles.
Returning home, he worked at the Playboy Club and ventured into running his own club, which went bust. In 1967 trumpeter Al Hirt hired him. When not on Bourbon Street, Hirt's band appeared on national TV — headline shows on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, among others.
Marsalis got into education about the same time, teaching improvisation at Xavier University in New Orleans. In the mid-1970s, he joined the faculty at the New Orleans magnet high school and influenced a new generation of jazz musicians.
When asked how he could teach something as free-wheeling as jazz improvisation, Marsalis once said, "We don't teach jazz, we teach students."
In 1986 he moved to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. In 1989, the University of New Orleans lured him back to set up a jazz-studies program.
Marsalis retired from UNO in 2001 but continued performing, particularly at Snug Harbor, a small club that anchored the city's contemporary jazz scene — frequently backing young promising musicians.
His melodic style, with running improvisations in the right hand, has been described variously as romantic, contemporary, or simply "Louisiana jazz." He's always on acoustic piano, never electric, and even in interpreting old standards there’s a clear link to the driving bebop chords and rhythms of his early years.
He founded a record company, ELM, but his recording was limited until his sons became famous. After that he joined them and others on mainstream labels and headlined his own releases, many full of his own compositions.
He often played at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. For more than three decades he played two 75-minute sets every Friday night at Snug Harbor until he decided it was exhausting. Even then, he still performed on occasion as a special guest.
On Wednesday night, Ellis III recalled how his father taught him the meaning of integrity before he even knew the word.
He and Delfeayo, neither of them yet 10, had gone to hear their father play at a club. Only one man — sleeping and drunk — was in the audience for the second set. The boys asked why they couldn't leave.
"He looked at us and said, ‘I can't leave. I have a gig.' While he's playing, he said, 'A gig is a deal. I'm paid to play this set. I'm going to play this set. It doesn't matter that nobody's here.' ”
Marsalis' wife, Dolores, died in 2017. He is survived by his sons Branford, Wynton, Ellis III, Delfeayo, Mboya and Jason.
(AP)
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france24--2020-04-02--Brazil reports its first indigenous coronavirus case in the Amazon

A member of the armed forces disinfects the entrance of a hospital during the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak in Brasilia , Brazil , March 31 , 2020 .
An indigenous woman in a village deep in the Amazon rainforest has contracted the novel coronavirus , the first case reported among Brazil 's more than 300 tribes , the Health Ministry 's indigenous health service Sesai said on Wednesday .
The 20-year-old woman from the Kokama tribe tested positive for the virus in the district of Santo Antonio do Içá , near the border with Colombia some 880 km @ @ @ @ @ @ @ river from the state capital Manaus , Sesai said in a statement .
Four cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the same district , including a Brazilian doctor who tested positive last week , raising fears that the epidemic could spread to remote and vulnerable indigenous communities with devastating effect .
Sesai said the woman was a medical worker who had been in contact with the doctor .
She was the only person to test positive among 15 health workers and 12 patients tested after the doctor was found to have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not made public .
The doctor had returned from vacation in southern Brazil to work with the Tikunas , one of the largest tribe in the Amazon with more than 30,000 people who live in the upper Amazon near the borders with Colombia and Peru .
The woman has not shown symptoms of COVID-19 , the sometimes fatal respiratory disease caused by the virus , and she has been isolated with her family , Sesai said .
Health experts warn that the spreading virus could be lethal for Brazil 's 850,000 indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centuries by diseases brought by Europeans , from smallpox and malaria to the flu .
Health experts say the indigenous peoples ' way of life in communal hamlets under large thatched structures increases the risk of contagion if any single member contracts the virus .

An indigenous woman in a village deep in the Amazon rainforest has contracted the novel coronavirus, the first case reported among Brazil's more than 300 tribes, the Health Ministry's indigenous health service Sesai said on Wednesday.
A member of the armed forces disinfects the entrance of a hospital during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil, March 31, 2020.
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The 20-year-old woman from the Kokama tribe tested positive for the virus in the district of Santo Antonio do Içá, near the border with Colombia some 880 km (550 miles) up the Amazon river from the state capital Manaus, Sesai said in a statement.
Four cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the same district, including a Brazilian doctor who tested positive last week, raising fears that the epidemic could spread to remote and vulnerable indigenous communities with devastating effect.
Sesai said the woman was a medical worker who had been in contact with the doctor. She was the only person to test positive among 15 health workers and 12 patients tested after the doctor was found to have the virus, Sesai said.
Their names were not made public.
The doctor had returned from vacation in southern Brazil to work with the Tikunas, one of the largest tribe in the Amazon with more than 30,000 people who live in the upper Amazon near the borders with Colombia and Peru.
The woman has not shown symptoms of COVID-19, the sometimes fatal respiratory disease caused by the virus, and she has been isolated with her family, Sesai said.
Health experts warn that the spreading virus could be lethal for Brazil's 850,000 indigenous people, who have been decimated for centuries by diseases brought by Europeans, from smallpox and malaria to the flu.
Health experts say the indigenous peoples' way of life in communal hamlets under large thatched structures increases the risk of contagion if any single member contracts the virus.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-01--UN's COP 26 climate change conference postponed to 2021 over coronavirus concerns

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--2020-04-02--Wimbledon cancelled for first time since WWII over coronavirus

The Wimbledon tennis tournament , scheduled for June 29 to July 12 , was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Wimbledon championships were cancelled for the first time since World War Two on Wednesday as the coronavirus pandemic struck another blue-ribbon sports event off the calendar and wiped out the entire tennis grasscourt season .
While the decision had looked inevitable for some time , since the virtual shutdown of world sport and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics , Wimbledon had been one of the few events not to have been officially cancelled or postponed .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the last few days , the All England Lawn Tennis Club ( AELTC ) announced that it was impossible for the grasscourt Grand Slam , scheduled for June 29-July 12 , to take place .
`` It is with great regret that the main board of the All England Club and the committee of management of the championships have today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic , '' the AELTC said in a statement .
`` The 134th Championships will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 11 , 2021 . ''
Following the cancellation of the grasscourt major , and with the pandemic worsening in Europe and the U.S. , the men 's ATP Tour , women 's WTA Tour and the International Tennis Federation extended the suspension of professional tennis for another five weeks to July 13 .
`` At this time , tournaments taking place from July 13 , 2020 onwards are still planning to proceed as per the published schedule , '' a joint statement from the three governing bodies said .
Britain 's death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , according to NHS figures .
The French Open , originally due to be held from May 24-June 7 has been postponed and controversially rescheduled by the French tennis federation for Sept. 20-Oct. 4 , shortly after the end of the U.S. Open .
Former Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo doubts whether either tournament will be played though .
`` I think we 're going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season , '' Mauresmo said on Twitter this week .
`` International circuit = players of all nationalities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 4 corners of the world who bring these events to life .
No vaccine = no tennis.
” Unlike the French Open which is played on clay , Wimbledon 's scope for re-arranging the start date was extremely limited .
While Centre Court and Court One boast a roof , playing elite level tennis outside on grass would have been extremely challenging in late summer or autumn with a lack of light and problems caused by dew forming on the surface late in the day .
Shortening the format of the tournament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would also have proved extremely unpopular with the players .
`` While in some ways this has been a challenging decision , we strongly believe it is not only in the best interests of society at this time , but also provides certainty to our colleagues in international tennis given the impact on the grass court events in the UK and in Europe and the broader tennis calendar , '' AELTC chief executive Richard Lewis said .
Tickets holders will be offered the chance to purchase tickets for the same day and court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued with a refund for this year 's event , organisers added .
Wimbledon has been held every year since 1946 after a six-year hiatus because the country was at war .

The Wimbledon championships were cancelled for the first time since World War Two on Wednesday as the coronavirus pandemic struck another blue-ribbon sports event off the calendar and wiped out the entire tennis grasscourt season.
The Wimbledon tennis tournament, scheduled for June 29 to July 12, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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While the decision had looked inevitable for some time, since the virtual shutdown of world sport and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon had been one of the few events not to have been officially cancelled or postponed.
But after emergency talks between the various stakeholders over the last few days, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced that it was impossible for the grasscourt Grand Slam, scheduled for June 29-July 12, to take place.
"It is with great regret that the main board of the All England Club and the committee of management of the championships have today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic," the AELTC said in a statement.
"The 134th Championships will instead be staged from June 28 to July 11, 2021."
Following the cancellation of the grasscourt major, and with the pandemic worsening in Europe and the U.S., the men's ATP Tour, women's WTA Tour and the International Tennis Federation extended the suspension of professional tennis for another five weeks to July 13.
"At this time, tournaments taking place from July 13, 2020 onwards are still planning to proceed as per the published schedule," a joint statement from the three governing bodies said.
Britain's death toll from the virus reached 2,352 on Wednesday, according to NHS figures.
The French Open, originally due to be held from May 24-June 7 has been postponed and controversially rescheduled by the French tennis federation for Sept. 20-Oct. 4, shortly after the end of the U.S. Open.
'No vaccine = no tennis'
Former Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo doubts whether either tournament will be played though.
"I think we're going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season," Mauresmo said on Twitter this week.
"International circuit = players of all nationalities plus management, spectators and people from the 4 corners of the world who bring these events to life. No vaccine = no tennis.”
Unlike the French Open which is played on clay, Wimbledon's scope for re-arranging the start date was extremely limited.
While Centre Court and Court One boast a roof, playing elite level tennis outside on grass would have been extremely challenging in late summer or autumn with a lack of light and problems caused by dew forming on the surface late in the day.
Shortening the format of the tournament, or playing behind closed doors, would also have proved extremely unpopular with the players.
"While in some ways this has been a challenging decision, we strongly believe it is not only in the best interests of society at this time, but also provides certainty to our colleagues in international tennis given the impact on the grass court events in the UK and in Europe and the broader tennis calendar," AELTC chief executive Richard Lewis said.
Tickets holders will be offered the chance to purchase tickets for the same day and court for 2021 championships as well as being issued with a refund for this year's event, organisers added.
Wimbledon has been held every year since 1946 after a six-year hiatus because the country was at war.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-01--French PM warns lockdown will not be lifted ‘in one go’

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--2020-04-02--For some survivors, coronavirus complications can last a ‘lifetime’

Medical staff in protective suits treat a patient suffering from the coronavirus in an intensive care unit at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan , Italy , March 27 , 2020 .
As the number of worldwide confirmed coronavirus cases climbs towards 1 million , the number of recoveries is thankfully more than four times the death toll .
But medical experts told FRANCE 24 that COVID-19 can cause severe long-term damage to the lungs , heart , brain and other organs – and that for some patients , these complications may be permanent .
Out of more than 950,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globe , over 202,000 people have recovered , while more than 48,000 have died .
However , clinicians have pointed out that some COVID-19 survivors have developed acute respiratory distress syndrome ( ARDS ) – a severe condition that , for the worst-affected patients , can last for the rest of their lives .
The doyen of medical journals , The Lancet , was one of the first to sound the alarm , publishing a report in February showing that 29 percent of a group of patients in Wuhan whom the researchers tracked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ARDS .
A similar report by the British Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine , published in The Sunday Times on March 15 , found that some 17 percent of intensive care patients whose treatments they analysed developed the syndrome .
In addition , a few days before the British doctors released their findings , medical researchers in Hong Kong found that , out of a small study of 12 patients who left hospital after recovering from the coronavirus , two or three had diminished lung function .
‘ The damage you can have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been treated “ as though it ’ s life and death – if you have the right medical care you can survive – but some survivors are having issues that are lingering ” , noted Lynn Goldman , dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University .
“ Because of how serious the ARDS is , the damage that you can have for that is for a lifetime.
” “ Large numbers of ARDS survivors are not able to go back to work , ” added Onjen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pulmonary Medical Department of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minnesota .
> > How long will coronavirus lockdowns last ?
ARDS is not a new phenomenon – it was first described in 1967 .
Common causes include pneumonia , sepsis and serious influenza cases .
Symptoms include extreme shortness of breath , and feelings of exhaustion and confusion .
As well as the respiratory and cardiovascular systems , it can damage other vital organs by preventing the lungs from supplying them with sufficient oxygen .
With coronavirus , patients can suffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fluid in a significant portion of their lungs , which limits their ability to get enough oxygen into their blood to support normal organ function ” , explained Julie Fischer , an associate research professor of microbiology and immunology at Georgetown University .
“ The most severely ill patients require mechanical ventilation to keep their tissues supplied with oxygen until the inflammation subsides , ” Fischer continued .
“ Both the inflammation and the mechanical ventilation required to help patients survive can damage the delicate tissues of the lung that are involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ function of the lungs even after recovery from acute COVID-19 disease.
” ‘ Survival is just the beginning ’ In serious cases of COVID-19 , “ the associated viral pneumonia progresses to ARDS more often than in influenza ” , Gajic observed .
Over the medium- and long-terms “ the decline in lung function itself is less pronounced than other consequences ” for ARDS sufferers , Gajic continued .
The most serious of these ramifications are a “ decline in physical and functional status , changes in cognitive function and psychological effects ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the damage outside the lungs is a side-effect of necessary but invasive treatments in intensive care , explained Panagis Galiatsatos , a pulmonologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine : “ The challenge in critical care is that the two organs we put a lot of emphasis on are the heart and lungs , and when we put so much strategy into trying to protect them we know that ’ s going to come as a consequence for other organ systems .
“ Kidneys for instance , begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common that patients on medical ventilators for ARDS require dialysis – and flooding the brain with medications to provoke a medically induced coma will cause some level of delirium that ’ s going to be hard to undo , ” he continued .
Galiatsatos agreed with Goldman that for some survivors , the effects of ARDS caused by the coronavirus may never go away : “ Some patients will recover within three months , but for others it can be a lifetime.
” He said that the severity and duration of these complications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ how good your lungs are to begin with ; if you ’ ve got good lungs and have breathed good air your entire life , you ’ re in a better position to recover quickly ” .
Secondly , “ how bad the ARDS was ” .
Thirdly , given that breathing machines themselves can cause lung damage , “ whether you needed a medical ventilator ” .
“ Survival is just the beginning of the journey for an individual , ” Galiatsatos emphasised .
“ The more that we recognise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next chapter of the pandemic , the better .
”

As the number of worldwide confirmed coronavirus cases climbs towards 1 million, the number of recoveries is thankfully more than four times the death toll. But medical experts told FRANCE 24 that COVID-19 can cause severe long-term damage to the lungs, heart, brain and other organs – and that for some patients, these complications may be permanent.
Medical staff in protective suits treat a patient suffering from the coronavirus in an intensive care unit at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy, March 27, 2020.
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Out of more than 950,000 cases of coronavirus so far across the globe, over 202,000 people have recovered, while more than 48,000 have died. However, clinicians have pointed out that some COVID-19 survivors have developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – a severe condition that, for the worst-affected patients, can last for the rest of their lives.
The doyen of medical journals, The Lancet, was one of the first to sound the alarm, publishing a report in February showing that 29 percent of a group of patients in Wuhan whom the researchers tracked between mid-December and early January had got ARDS.
A similar report by the British Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, published in The Sunday Times on March 15, found that some 17 percent of intensive care patients whose treatments they analysed developed the syndrome. In addition, a few days before the British doctors released their findings, medical researchers in Hong Kong found that, out of a small study of 12 patients who left hospital after recovering from the coronavirus, two or three had diminished lung function.
‘The damage you can have is for a lifetime’
The coronavirus has been treated “as though it’s life and death – if you have the right medical care you can survive – but some survivors are having issues that are lingering”, noted Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. “Because of how serious the ARDS is, the damage that you can have for that is for a lifetime.”
“Large numbers of ARDS survivors are not able to go back to work,” added Onjen Gajic, a critical care specialist at the Pulmonary Medical Department of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
>> How long will coronavirus lockdowns last?
ARDS is not a new phenomenon – it was first described in 1967. Common causes include pneumonia, sepsis and serious influenza cases. Symptoms include extreme shortness of breath, and feelings of exhaustion and confusion. As well as the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, it can damage other vital organs by preventing the lungs from supplying them with sufficient oxygen.
With coronavirus, patients can suffer from “inflammation and the build-up of fluid in a significant portion of their lungs, which limits their ability to get enough oxygen into their blood to support normal organ function”, explained Julie Fischer, an associate research professor of microbiology and immunology at Georgetown University.
“The most severely ill patients require mechanical ventilation to keep their tissues supplied with oxygen until the inflammation subsides,” Fischer continued. “Both the inflammation and the mechanical ventilation required to help patients survive can damage the delicate tissues of the lung that are involved in oxygen transfer, which may affect the function of the lungs even after recovery from acute COVID-19 disease.”
‘Survival is just the beginning’
In serious cases of COVID-19, “the associated viral pneumonia progresses to ARDS more often than in influenza”, Gajic observed.
Over the medium- and long-terms “the decline in lung function itself is less pronounced than other consequences” for ARDS sufferers, Gajic continued. The most serious of these ramifications are a “decline in physical and functional status, changes in cognitive function and psychological effects”, he said.
A significant amount of the damage outside the lungs is a side-effect of necessary but invasive treatments in intensive care, explained Panagis Galiatsatos, a pulmonologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: “The challenge in critical care is that the two organs we put a lot of emphasis on are the heart and lungs, and when we put so much strategy into trying to protect them we know that’s going to come as a consequence for other organ systems.
“Kidneys for instance, begin to self-destruct, so it’s common that patients on medical ventilators for ARDS require dialysis – and flooding the brain with medications to provoke a medically induced coma will cause some level of delirium that’s going to be hard to undo,” he continued.
Galiatsatos agreed with Goldman that for some survivors, the effects of ARDS caused by the coronavirus may never go away: “Some patients will recover within three months, but for others it can be a lifetime.”
He said that the severity and duration of these complications will depend on three factors. Firstly, “how good your lungs are to begin with; if you’ve got good lungs and have breathed good air your entire life, you’re in a better position to recover quickly”. Secondly, “how bad the ARDS was”. Thirdly, given that breathing machines themselves can cause lung damage, “whether you needed a medical ventilator”.
“Survival is just the beginning of the journey for an individual,” Galiatsatos emphasised. “The more that we recognise that this is going to be the next chapter of the pandemic, the better.”
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france24--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: In France, professionals look to extend legal abortion time limit

In the midst of the coronavirus lockdown , concerned professionals are asking the government to extend the 12-week time limit to have an abortion by two weeks amid worries that women with unwanted pregnancies are afraid to leave their homes given the current health crisis .
Since the lockdown was imposed in France on March 17 , the hotline of the organisation Family Planning – responsible for answering questions on sexuality , contraception and abortion – has been inundated .
`` On the other end of the line , the majority of women have just taken pregnancy tests and found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Durocher , national co-president of Family Planning , told FRANCE 24 .
`` They 're worried .
They 're wondering whether they can have an abortion during the period of confinement . ''
The government , for its part , has taken emergency measures .
It said on March 23 that it had classified abortions as `` urgent interventions '' to ensure that they would continue to be performed .
But there have been numerous calls to Family Planning , evidence that that information has n't been clear during the past two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have access to abortion – wrongly ! ''
Durocher said .
`` Abortions are not suspended during quarantine .
The professionals continue their work .
If a woman is pregnant and the pregnancy is unwanted , she can go to a doctor 's office , to a midwife or to a health centre that performs abortions . ''
If women are calling more , they are moving less .
They 're coming in for fewer abortions than they were before the lockdown , abortion practitioners have observed .
`` Young women are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are decreasing , '' Ghada Hatem , an ob-gyn and the founder of the Saint-Denis Women 's Centre , told France Inter .
On the ground , areas dedicated to vacuum aspiration abortions , which require local or general anaesthesia , have been requisitioned for the resuscitation of patients with COVID-19 , according to Family Planning .
Despite that Durocher wants to reassure women : `` We are ensuring continuity .
That does n't mean that women ca n't have abortions , but they do have abortions in a different way . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice between several methods of abortion : by medication or by aspiration .
`` In the context of COVID-19 , the choice of method is restricted and medical abortions are preferred , '' said Durocher .
Tele-consultation , consolidation of examinations and abortion in a single medical visit ...
Solutions are being studied by all abortion professionals to meet the demand in the shortest possible time while limiting patient travel .
For their part , activists from Family Planning have identified every abortion centre still open and every available hospital service .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources , depending on their situation .
`` If some centres are closed to the public , there are offices that provide telephone assistance and information on social networks , '' said Durocher .
Family Planning , in fact , has a freephone number of 0800 081111 and it 's open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 8pm .
Concern for minors and victims of violence During the lockdown , the primary concern of these organisations is isolated women , minors and victims of violence , who have difficulty accessing abortion services at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some of these women may find themselves outside the legal time limit to have an abortion and so the organisations are looking into ways to reach them .
`` It is impossible for them to call in front of the people they are in lockdown with and they have to wait until they go outside to be able to call us , which significantly increases stress , '' Durocher noted , citing some of the women who have called the freephone number .
`` It is impossible to maintain confidentiality , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their parents ' home , if the parents are not supposed to know about it .
`` The lack of money to take a pregnancy test and the fact that there are no open facilities nearby '' are also among the obstacles to abortion as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic , added Durocher .
Faced with the urgency of the situation , more than a hundred abortion professionals published an opinion article in the newspaper Le Monde on March 31 .
They called on the government to extend the recommended time limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine weeks of pregnancy .
`` This option is endorsed by the WHO and does not present any particular danger , '' they wrote .
As for vacuum abortion , practitioners would like to be able `` exceptionally , during the period of confinement , to perform vacuum aspiration up to the 14th week of pregnancy ( a two week extension of the 12th-week maximum allowed by law ) , '' Durocher said .
`` These difficulties will force many women to keep their pregnancies against their will , threatening their autonomy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions . ''
As the signatories of the Le Monde article stated , in these circumstances they will not hesitate , if necessary , to `` outlaw '' themselves .
Among them , Saint-Denis Women 's Centre 's Hatem warned that if these concerns are not addressed , she will `` probably , maybe '' perform abortions outside of the time limit .
This article was translated from the original in French .

In the midst of the coronavirus lockdown, concerned professionals are asking the government to extend the 12-week time limit to have an abortion by two weeks amid worries that women with unwanted pregnancies are afraid to leave their homes given the current health crisis.
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Since the lockdown was imposed in France on March 17, the hotline of the organisation Family Planning – responsible for answering questions on sexuality, contraception and abortion – has been inundated.
"On the other end of the line, the majority of women have just taken pregnancy tests and found out they are pregnant," Sarah Durocher, national co-president of Family Planning, told FRANCE 24. "They're worried. They're wondering whether they can have an abortion during the period of confinement."
The government, for its part, has taken emergency measures. It said on March 23 that it had classified abortions as "urgent interventions" to ensure that they would continue to be performed.
But there have been numerous calls to Family Planning, evidence that that information hasn't been clear during the past two weeks.
"Some women think they don't have access to abortion – wrongly!" Durocher said. "Abortions are not suspended during quarantine. The professionals continue their work. If a woman is pregnant and the pregnancy is unwanted, she can go to a doctor's office, to a midwife or to a health centre that performs abortions."
If women are calling more, they are moving less. They're coming in for fewer abortions than they were before the lockdown, abortion practitioners have observed.
"Young women are afraid to go out and our consultations are decreasing," Ghada Hatem, an ob-gyn and the founder of the Saint-Denis Women's Centre, told France Inter.
Medical abortions preferred
On the ground, areas dedicated to vacuum aspiration abortions, which require local or general anaesthesia, have been requisitioned for the resuscitation of patients with COVID-19, according to Family Planning.
Despite that Durocher wants to reassure women: "We are ensuring continuity. That doesn't mean that women can't have abortions, but they do have abortions in a different way."
In France, women usually have the choice between several methods of abortion: by medication or by aspiration.
"In the context of COVID-19, the choice of method is restricted and medical abortions are preferred," said Durocher.
Tele-consultation, consolidation of examinations and abortion in a single medical visit... Solutions are being studied by all abortion professionals to meet the demand in the shortest possible time while limiting patient travel.
For their part, activists from Family Planning have identified every abortion centre still open and every available hospital service. They refer women who call in to local resources, depending on their situation.
"If some centres are closed to the public, there are offices that provide telephone assistance and information on social networks," said Durocher.
Family Planning, in fact, has a freephone number of 0800 081111 and it's open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 8pm.
Concern for minors and victims of violence
During the lockdown, the primary concern of these organisations is isolated women, minors and victims of violence, who have difficulty accessing abortion services at the best of times. They fear that some of these women may find themselves outside the legal time limit to have an abortion and so the organisations are looking into ways to reach them.
"It is impossible for them to call in front of the people they are in lockdown with and they have to wait until they go outside to be able to call us, which significantly increases stress," Durocher noted, citing some of the women who have called the freephone number. "It is impossible to maintain confidentiality, and medical abortion is often not feasible in their parents' home, if the parents are not supposed to know about it.
"The lack of money to take a pregnancy test and the fact that there are no open facilities nearby" are also among the obstacles to abortion as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, added Durocher.
Practitioners ready to defy the law
Faced with the urgency of the situation, more than a hundred abortion professionals published an opinion article in the newspaper Le Monde on March 31. They called on the government to extend the recommended time limit for home medical abortions from seven to nine weeks of pregnancy. "This option is endorsed by the WHO and does not present any particular danger," they wrote.
As for vacuum abortion, practitioners would like to be able "exceptionally, during the period of confinement, to perform vacuum aspiration up to the 14th week of pregnancy (a two week extension of the 12th-week maximum allowed by law)," Durocher said. "These difficulties will force many women to keep their pregnancies against their will, threatening their autonomy and the future of children born under these conditions."
As the signatories of the Le Monde article stated, in these circumstances they will not hesitate, if necessary, to "outlaw" themselves. Among them, Saint-Denis Women's Centre's Hatem warned that if these concerns are not addressed, she will "probably, maybe" perform abortions outside of the time limit.
This article was translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-04-02--France records 471 more virus deaths in hospitals as total toll tops 5,000

France 's director general of health Jérôme Salomon addresses a press conference on developments on the coronavirus toll in France .
France recorded 471 new deaths in hospitals and 884 deaths in retirement homes due to the coronavirus , the country 's chief medical adviser told a press conference on Thursday .
France 's Director General of Health , Jérôme Salomon , announced the figures during a daily press conference making for the first time a distinction between coronavirus deaths recorded in hospitals and those in retirement homes .
He said that a provisional tally showed that around 884 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after contracting the virus .
He added that the number of coronavirus-related deaths in hospitals rose 12 percent on Thursday to 4,503 from Wednesday .
This makes for a total of 5,387 lives lost to coronavirus in France , so far .
Salomon cautioned that coronavirus deaths in retirement homes could turn out to be higher than the reported number , as authorities were still gathering data from across the country .
Salomon said that the number of known infections rose nationwide to 59,105 from 56,989 .
The number of patients requiring life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
In a televised interview on TF1 Thursday night , Prime Minister Édouard Philippe urged the French to respect the lockdown measures imposed since March 17 , to ensure a levelling off of new cases of the virus .
`` This is the only way for the health service to overcome the peak '' of the virus , he said .
France lockdown will 'probably be extended' He conceded the nationwide lockdown `` would probably be extended '' beyond the current deadline of April 15 .
With the traditional spring break approaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering holidays away saying there would be checks and fines for those who violated the rules .
But he said that the French health system – which has ramped up its intensive care capacity – was bearing up amid the crisis .
`` I want to tell the French that the dam is holding , '' he said .
`` And we must all act together so it continues to hold . ''
According to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center , the global death toll from the virus on Thursday topped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the United States a total 234,462 infections and 5,607 deaths were reported Thursday where COVID-19 is currently spreading the most rapidly .
In Italy , the hardest-hit country in terms of the number of deaths , there were 115,242 reported cases and 13,915 deaths .
Spain reported 110,238 cases and 10,003 deaths , and China – where the coronavirus first emerged late last year – reported 81,589 infections and 3,318 deaths .
The number of actual infections , however , is believed to be higher since many countries are only testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @

France recorded 471 new deaths in hospitals and 884 deaths in retirement homes due to the coronavirus, the country's chief medical adviser told a press conference on Thursday.
France's director general of health Jérôme Salomon addresses a press conference on developments on the coronavirus toll in France.
Advertising Read more
France's Director General of Health, Jérôme Salomon, announced the figures during a daily press conference making for the first time a distinction between coronavirus deaths recorded in hospitals and those in retirement homes.
He said that a provisional tally showed that around 884 people in total had died in nursing homes after contracting the virus.
He added that the number of coronavirus-related deaths in hospitals rose 12 percent on Thursday to 4,503 from Wednesday.
This makes for a total of 5,387 lives lost to coronavirus in France, so far.
Salomon cautioned that coronavirus deaths in retirement homes could turn out to be higher than the reported number, as authorities were still gathering data from across the country.
🔴DIRECT | #Coronavirus #Covid19
➡ Suivez le point de situation du 2 avril
🎙 Par le Pr Jérôme Salomon, Directeur général de la Santéhttps://t.co/ua4M9CbF33 — Ministère des Solidarités et de la Santé (@MinSoliSante) April 2, 2020
Salomon said that the number of known infections rose nationwide to 59,105 from 56,989. The number of patients requiring life support rose to 6,399 from 6,017 on Wednesday.
In a televised interview on TF1 Thursday night, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe urged the French to respect the lockdown measures imposed since March 17, to ensure a levelling off of new cases of the virus.
"This is the only way for the health service to overcome the peak" of the virus, he said.
France lockdown will 'probably be extended'
He conceded the nationwide lockdown "would probably be extended" beyond the current deadline of April 15.
With the traditional spring break approaching, Philippe sternly warned the French against considering holidays away saying there would be checks and fines for those who violated the rules.
But he said that the French health system – which has ramped up its intensive care capacity – was bearing up amid the crisis.
"I want to tell the French that the dam is holding," he said. "And we must all act together so it continues to hold."
According to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, the global death toll from the virus on Thursday topped 50,000 with total infections surpassing one million.
In the United States a total 234,462 infections and 5,607 deaths were reported Thursday where COVID-19 is currently spreading the most rapidly.
In Italy, the hardest-hit country in terms of the number of deaths, there were 115,242 reported cases and 13,915 deaths. Spain reported 110,238 cases and 10,003 deaths, and China – where the coronavirus first emerged late last year – reported 81,589 infections and 3,318 deaths.
The number of actual infections, however, is believed to be higher since many countries are only testing severe cases or patients requiring hospitalisation.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-04-02--US unemployment soars to record high of more than 6.6 million people

More than 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week – doubling a record high set just one week earlier – a sign that layoffs are accelerating in the midst of the coronavirus .
The stunning report Thursday from the Labor Department showed that job cuts are mounting against the backdrop of economies in the United States and abroad that have almost certainly sunk into a severe recession as businesses close across the world .
The figure for last week is much higher than the previous record of 3.3 million reported for the previous week .
The surging layoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many as 20 million lost jobs by the end of April .
The unemployment rate could spike to as high as 15 % this month , above the previous record of 10.8 % set during a deep recession in 1982 .
Many employers are slashing their payrolls to try to stay afloat because their revenue has collapsed , especially at restaurants , hotels , gyms , movie theaters and other venues that depend on face-to-face interaction .
Auto sales have sunk , and factories have closed .
Stay-at-home orders , imposed by most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses , most of which face rent , loans and other bills that must be paid .
Congress significantly expanded the unemployment benefits system in last week 's $ 2.2 trillion economic rescue package .
That legislation added $ 600 a week in jobless aid , on top of what recipients receive from their states .
This will enable many lower-income workers to manage their expenses and even increase their purchasing power and support the economy .
It also makes many more people eligible for jobless aid , including the self-employed , contractors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers such as Uber and Lyft drivers .
Kathryn Lickteig , a cook in Kansas City , signed up for unemployment compensation last week after the city shut down dine-in restaurants .
She is hopeful that the extra $ 600 will help her ride out the shutdown instead of having to look for an interim job .
“ It has eased my mind so much , '' she said .
“ I do not have to actively go out and expose myself to the public and possibly get sick .
I can stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing.
” The legislation will also help fund unemployment benefits for workers whose hours have been cut .
That would enable these people to replace some of their lost income with unemployment aid even as they keep their jobs .
About 26 states allow workers with reduced hours to claim benefits .
Most economists support doing so because it encourages companies to cut back on hours rather than lay off workers .
Any program that encourages companies to maintain connections with their workers can help the economy rebound faster after the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who receive jobless aid are required to actively look for a new job and to document their searches .
But Congress has passed other legislation that encourages states to drop that requirement , given that so many businesses are closed , and most Americans have been ordered to stay mostly at home .
Mark Zandi , chief economist at Moody 's Analytics , said this week that just 6 % of companies surveyed by Moody 's say they ’ re hiring -- down dramatically from 40 % in the weeks preceding the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the difficulty that anyone out of work would have finding a new job .
On Friday , the government will issue the March jobs report , which economists forecast will show a loss of 145,000 jobs .
That report is based on data gathered mostly before the spike in layoffs began two weeks ago .
Though relatively small , that loss would still end a record-long 113-month streak of job growth .
Numerous state unemployment agencies have struggled to keep up with the flood of applications for jobless benefits .
New York 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different days depending on their last names .
Monday , for example , is reserved for those last names that start with A through F .

More than 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week – doubling a record high set just one week earlier – a sign that layoffs are accelerating in the midst of the coronavirus.
Advertising Read more
The stunning report Thursday from the Labor Department showed that job cuts are mounting against the backdrop of economies in the United States and abroad that have almost certainly sunk into a severe recession as businesses close across the world.
The figure for last week is much higher than the previous record of 3.3 million reported for the previous week. The surging layoffs have led many economists to envision as many as 20 million lost jobs by the end of April. The unemployment rate could spike to as high as 15% this month, above the previous record of 10.8% set during a deep recession in 1982.
Many employers are slashing their payrolls to try to stay afloat because their revenue has collapsed, especially at restaurants, hotels, gyms, movie theaters and other venues that depend on face-to-face interaction. Auto sales have sunk, and factories have closed.
Stay-at-home orders, imposed by most U.S. states, have intensified pressure on businesses, most of which face rent, loans and other bills that must be paid.
Economic rescue
Congress significantly expanded the unemployment benefits system in last week's $2.2 trillion economic rescue package. That legislation added $600 a week in jobless aid, on top of what recipients receive from their states. This will enable many lower-income workers to manage their expenses and even increase their purchasing power and support the economy.
It also makes many more people eligible for jobless aid, including the self-employed, contractors, and so-called “gig economy” workers such as Uber and Lyft drivers.
Kathryn Lickteig, a cook in Kansas City, signed up for unemployment compensation last week after the city shut down dine-in restaurants. She is hopeful that the extra $600 will help her ride out the shutdown instead of having to look for an interim job.
“It has eased my mind so much," she said. “I do not have to actively go out and expose myself to the public and possibly get sick. I can stay home now and do my part in social distancing.”
The legislation will also help fund unemployment benefits for workers whose hours have been cut. That would enable these people to replace some of their lost income with unemployment aid even as they keep their jobs.
Reduce hours over lay-offs
About 26 states allow workers with reduced hours to claim benefits. Most economists support doing so because it encourages companies to cut back on hours rather than lay off workers. Any program that encourages companies to maintain connections with their workers can help the economy rebound faster after the virus outbreak is contained.
Typically, people who receive jobless aid are required to actively look for a new job and to document their searches. But Congress has passed other legislation that encourages states to drop that requirement, given that so many businesses are closed, and most Americans have been ordered to stay mostly at home.
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, said this week that just 6% of companies surveyed by Moody's say they’re hiring -- down dramatically from 40% in the weeks preceding the coronavirus outbreak. The plunge in hiring underscores the difficulty that anyone out of work would have finding a new job.
On Friday, the government will issue the March jobs report, which economists forecast will show a loss of 145,000 jobs. That report is based on data gathered mostly before the spike in layoffs began two weeks ago. Though relatively small, that loss would still end a record-long 113-month streak of job growth.
Numerous state unemployment agencies have struggled to keep up with the flood of applications for jobless benefits. New York's Labor Department asks people to file on different days depending on their last names. Monday, for example, is reserved for those last names that start with A through F.
(AP)
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