Europe frets over virus spikes as WHO warns against lockdowns

Florian Cazeres, Agence France-Presse Posted at Aug 21 2020 04:28 AM BERLIN - European concerns were growing on Thursday over spikes in coronavirus cases in Germany and France but the World Health Organization (WHO) said the continent should be able to fight the pandemic without reimposing full lockdown measures. Germany, which has fared better than most of its neighbors, announced it would extend its quarantine rules to parts of Croatia, a popular holiday destination for many Germans, strengthening the idea that the new spread of COVID-19 is being fuelled by returning holidaymakers. The full extent of the virus spread in India was once again under the microscope as a new study suggested that more than a quarter of Delhi's 20 million people may have been infected without showing symptoms, following on the heels of several similar studies. There was more encouraging data from Africa, where health officials said they were "hopeful" after a drop in the number of infections last week. "We have begun to bend the curve slowly... it's important to recognize those slight tendencies that are positive," said Dr John Nkengasong, head of the African Union's health body, Africa CDC. The continent has suffered far less harm than most other regions from the pandemic, which has now infected more than 22 million and killed hundreds of thousands since it first emerged in China late last year. EXCEPTIONAL E-COMMERCE The United States continues to bear the brunt of global cases and deaths, and the economic fallout there has been stark -- millions have been tossed out of their jobs and its economy has plunged into recession. Just over 1.1 million people filed new claims for jobless benefits in the week ended August 15, US officials said on Thursday -- a surprise increase in the previous week. The airline and travel industry has been among the hardest-hit parts of the economy, underscored once again on Thursday as Australian flag carrier Qantas posted an annual loss of almost $2 billion after a "near-total collapse" in demand. The crushing economic damage has sprung not just from the virus itself but also from the lockdowns that largely halted business activity across the world. With many nations creeping back towards restrictive measures, the WHO said European health authorities are now better prepared and should not need to resort to the complete closures endured particularly by the Spanish and Italians. "We can manage the virus and keep the economy running and an education system in operation," said Hans Kluge, head of the WHO's European branch. Online shopping is one of the few sectors still thriving in the pandemic, and second-quarter results from Alibaba once again bore this out as the Chinese e-commerce giant recorded growth of 34 percent. ANTI-SOCIAL BUBBLES The contrast between China and the rest of the world was once again laid bare on Thursday after a row broke out over a pool party attended by thousands in Wuhan -- the city where the virus was first reported. Chinese officials defended the party after viral images sparked a wave of online anger, with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian saying it showed how the city had defeated the disease. "This shows that Wuhan has won a strategic victory in its fight against the epidemic," he said. However, even the most privileged circles of Chinese society continued to find themselves at the mercy of tough restrictions. The country's football season has six weeks to go and the players are finding life tough. They are living largely in isolation and playing two matches a week in temperatures that have surpassed 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). "When I think about being walled in for the next one-and-a-half months, my head is spinning, so I don't dare think too much," an unnamed player told Soccer News. One football club manager added: "I feel like the players can't stand it anymore." The social distancing rules for passengers aboard the Mediterranean's first cruise since the pandemic hit Europe were also too much for one family, who were kicked off the ship after they left a tour group to go sightseeing on their own. "By departing from the organized shore excursion, this family broke from the safe 'social bubble'," MSC Cruises said in a statement, adding that they would not be allowed to reboard.

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