Daily US Times: Death toll in Italy and Spain – the virus hotbed in Europe – are still high, but there are rays of hopes that the virus is slowing down it’s hunting in the continent.
Spain has suffered another 674 deaths in the last 24 hours, but it was the lowest daily rise in percentage terms since early March.
The country has now confirmed 12,418 deaths from the devastating outbreak, the most anywhere in the world apart from Italy.
But data shows the country is passing the peak of the pandemic, with the pace of new cases and deaths decelerating.
Spanish Health Ministry said, there are now 80,261 active cases of Covid-19 in the country, an increase of 1,488 from Saturday – but also the smallest daily rise since March 17. The rise in the number of new cases has been declining in percentage terms since March 24.
However, there was an uptick of 329 in the number of people admitted to intensive care units since the pandemic began – compared to Saturday’s number of 116.
According to the ministry report, 38,080 have now recovered from the virus – nearly 4,000 more than the number reported Saturday. For the first time since statistics were made available the daily increase in active cases was under 2%.
Cases in Italy and Germany – also the hotbed of the virus, are also slowing, means hope to the continent.
UK records 621 more deaths
The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed 621 more deaths. The tally says 4,934 people have died from the virus in UK hospitals so far, up from 4,313 the previous day – 47,806 people have now tested positive.
The UK, who is another hotbed for the virus, still fighting to stabilize the situation.
The Netherlands records significant drop in coronavirus deaths
According to new figures from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, the country has recorded a significant drop in the number of new coronavirus deaths.
In the past 24 hours, 115 new deaths have been recorded in the country, compares to 164 for the previous day.
However, the institution added: There is a delay between the day on which a person dies and the day on which the death is reported.”
Those who died in the past day, three of them are between the ages of 25 and 50, as the Institute said: “they all had serious underlying health conditions.”
Pope tells young people not to be afraid of helping others
Pope Francis has told young people during a Palm Sunday mass in a deserted church not to be afraid to put their lives on the line for others during the coronavirus pandemic.
In normal times, the celebration held in outdoors in front of thousands of tourists, the Pope instead spoke in the presence only of a small handful of priests and nuns and a reduced choir, who all maintained a safe distance from one another.
He said: “Look at the real heroes who come to light in these days: they are not famous, rich and successful people; rather they are those who are giving themselves in order to serve others.”
He added, ”Feel called yourselves to put your lives on the line. Do not be afraid to devote your life to God and to others, it pays!”
Iran to ease coronavirus restrictions despite rising death toll
On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that some of its restrictions imposed to slow down the spread of coronavirus will be eased in the coming days.
State news agency IRNA reported this. Rouhani’s decision comes in a time when the country’s death toll rose by 151 on Sunday and still shows no sign of slowing down.
Rouhani said during a meeting of the national response task force, low-risk businesses, such as printing houses, clothes stores, and book shops, will resume their activities on April 11 in different provinces other than Tehran.
Iran became a hotbed for the virus, the the western world does not believe the official figures provided by the country.
You may read: Palm Sunday mass held in a deserted church
