(AP) — From the United States to Europe and Asia, people in many parts of the world are emerging from their homes as virus-related restrictions begin to ease and springtime temperatures climb.
But
the global pandemic took a turn for the worse in other places. India on
Sunday reported more than 2,600 new cases, its biggest single-day jump.
That followed record increases in neighboring Pakistan and Russia the
previous day. There was also worrying news from Afghanistan, where about
a third tested positive in a random test.
China,
which reported two new cases, is seeing a surge in visitors to tourist
spots, many newly reopened, after domestic travel restrictions were
relaxed ahead of a five-day holiday that runs through Tuesday.
Nearly
1.7 million people visited Beijing parks on the first two days of the
holiday, and Shanghai’s main tourist spots welcomed more than a million
visitors, according to Chinese media reports. Many spots limited the
number of daily visitors to 30% of capacity or less, keeping crowds
below average.
Masks
were worn widely around the world, from runners in Spain to beach-goers
in the southern United States. In New York City’s Central Park, joggers
moved past each other without a glance on Saturday, and a steady stream
of folks left tips for a trio working their way through a set of jazz
standards alfresco.
“It’s
great to have an audience after all these weeks,” saxophonist Julia
Banholzer, a native of Germany, said. “All my dates have been canceled
through September, and I don’t know if any will come back this year. New
York is a tough place, but this is just another tough period we need to
get through.”
Neighboring
New Jersey reopened state parks, though several had to turn people away
after reaching a 50% limit in their parking lots. Margie Roebuck and
her husband were among the first on the sand at Island Beach State Park.
“Forty-six days in the house was enough,” she said.
In Spain, many ventured out Saturday for the first time since a lockdown began on March 14.
“I
feel good, but tired. You sure notice that it has been a month and I am
not in shape,” Cristina Palomeque said in Barcelona. “Some people think
it may be too early, as I do, but it is also important to do exercise
for health reasons.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez asked citizens to remain vigilant. COVID-19 has caused more than 25,100 deaths in Spain.
“Until
we have a vaccine, we are going to see more outbreaks,” Sánchez said.
“What we need to guarantee is that these outbreaks do not put our
national health system in danger.”
The
divide in the United States between those who want lockdowns to end and
those who want to move cautiously extended to Congress.
The Republican-majority Senate
will reopen Monday, while the Democrat-controlled House of
Representatives stays shuttered. Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell’s decision to convene 100 senators gives President Donald
Trump, a Republican, the imagery he wants of America getting back to
work, despite health worries and a lack of testing.
In
India, air force helicopters showered flower petals on hospitals in
several cities Sunday to thank doctors, nurses and police who have been
at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic. U.S. Navy and Air
Force fighter jets flew over Atlanta, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., on
Saturday in honor of health care workers.
The
number of confirmed cases in India neared 40,000 as the country of 1.3
billion people marked the 40th day of a nationwide lockdown that has
upended lives and millions of jobs. The official death toll reached
1,301.
Afghanistan’s
health ministry said Sunday that 156 people were confirmed positive out
of 500 randomly tested in Kabul, the capital. Ministry spokesman Wahid
Mayar called the results concerning and said that more cases would
surely be found if the government was able to conduct more tests.
Russia
announced 9,633 new cases Saturday, and Pakistan, nearly 1,300, both
one-day highs. More than half of Russia’s new cases were in Moscow,
which is considering establishing temporary hospitals at sports
complexes and shopping malls to deal with the influx of patients.
The
virus has killed more than 240,000 people worldwide, including more
than 66,000 in the United States and more than 24,000 each in Italy,
Britain, France and Spain, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins
University. Health experts warn a second wave of infections could hit
unless testing is expanded dramatically.
For
most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For
some, especially older adults and those with health problems, it can
cause severe illness such as pneumonia, or death.
There
are economic factors to consider as well. The shutdown of businesses
has plunged the global economy into its deepest slump since the 1930s
and wiped out millions of jobs.
Singapore
announced Saturday it will let selected businesses reopen from May 12
in a cautious rollback of a two-month partial lockdown, and Sri Lanka
said the government and private sector should resume work from May 11
“to ensure a return to normalcy in civilian life and to revive the
economy.”
Bangladesh,
which opened thousands of garment factories last month, confirmed 552
new cases on Saturday. The South Asian country’s health care system is
fragile, and authorities say they would not be able to provide
ventilation and intensive care support for more than 500 people at one
time.
___
Porter reported from New York. AP journalists around the world contributed to this report.
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