EUROPE VIRUS TOLL TOPS 100,000 GOVT. BANS A WIDE AN INSIDER CALLS MONDAY AS ONLINE MEGA-CONCERT RANGE OF IMPORTS AMID FOR HELP APRIL 20, 2020 RAISES SPIRITS CORONAVIRUS CRISIS VOL: 4 - ISSUE 346 HOT TOPICS PAGE 04 COMMENTARY 30. PAGE 02 PAGE 03 GLOCAL Registered in the Department of Posts of Sri Lanka under No: QD/146/News/2020 COVID-19 and curfew in Sri Lanka • 15 more patients were confirmed as COVID-19 positive yesterday (19), taking Sri Lanka’s tally of the novel coro- navirus infection to 269. One hundred and fifty six indi- viduals are receiving treatment, 122 are under observation, 91 have been deemed completely recovered and seven have succumbed to the virus. • The 24-hour indefinite curfew in 19 out of the 25 districts will be removed at dawn today (20), replaced by a nine- hour night curfew (8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.). -Six districts, including Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Put- talam, Ampara and Kandy will see lockdown measures re- laxed from Wednesday (22), but night curfews will be im- posed until further notice. • A ban on public meetings, religious gatherings and pro- cessions will remain, with schools and universities closed until further notice. • Those with suspected COVID-19 symptoms are urged to call 1390 - emergency hotline- set up for free medical ad- vice and assistance, and to facilitate hospital admissions. • Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has set up a 24-hours hotline – 0710301225- for pregnant women to address issues faced by them including COV- ID-19 infection and pregnancy related complications. • Other areas declared as ‘isolated’ in the districts of Co- lombo, Kalutara and Kandy remain under lockdown with no one allowed to enter or leave. • The Dedicated Economic Centre in Dambulla recom- menced its operation yesterday after being shut down for 15 days. • The Department of Excise announces licenced liquor stores will be permitted open during the non-curfew hours, but they must strictly adhere to COVID-19 prevention guidelines and social distancing rules. - Glyn KIRK / AFP Coronavirus toll Rainbow pictures, offering messages of hope to the suggestion to re-use personal protective equipment, containing personal protective equipment, including public and support for the NHS (National Health Ser- or PPE. A spokesman for the Department of Health 400,000 protective gowns. A British foreign office vice) seen in the windows of The DLD College close said the guidance was to ensure that staff knew what spokesperson cited “clearance and paperwork” for 160,685 deaths at to St Thomas' Hospital in central London yesterday to do to minimize risk if shortages did occur, and the delay. Britain is at or near the peak of a health (19). The British government has admitted a short- that the rules remained in line with international crisis in which more than 16,000 people have died age of crucial masks and gowns for healthcare staff as standards. Meanwhile, a delivery of protective equip- in hospitals alone - the fifth highest national death 1100 GMT yesterday it faces mounting criticism from doctors and medi- ment that was due from Turkey yesterday has been toll of a pandemic linked to at least 150,000 deaths PARIS- The worldwide death toll from the novel coronavi- cal workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. Medical delayed, a British government official said. Minis- worldwide. The true toll is likely to be substantially rus pandemic rose to 160,685 yesterday (19), according to workers treating patients who have the highly conta- ters had on Saturday (18) highlighted an 84-tonne higher as data on deaths in the community, such as in a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT. gious COVID-19 disease have criticized a government consignment that was due to arrive from Turkey care homes, takes much longer to trickle in More than 2,334,130 declared cases have been registered in 193 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 518,900 are now considered re- covered. US and Russia blocking UN plans for a global The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national au- thorities and information from the World Health Organiza- tion (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. ceasefire amid crisis Many countries are testing only the most serious cases. In the United States, now the worst-hit country, the death NEW YORK - The Trump admin- Germany, as well as human rights member states. The US objections based Foreign Policy website, “both toll stood at 39,090 with 735,287 infections. At least 66,819 istration and Russia are blocking groups, charities and the pope, the arise from White House, Pentagon governments fear that a universal patients have recovered. efforts to win binding UN Security Trump administration is refusing to and State Department concerns that ceasefire could potentially constrain Italy is the next most-affected country with 23,227 deaths Council backing for a global cease- be bound by the measure. an all-encompassing measure could their own efforts to mount what and 175,925 confirmed infections. fire to help fight the coronavirus In an attempt to break the im- hinder their ability to prosecute they consider legitimate counter- It is followed by Spain with 20,453 fatalities and 195,944 pandemic, which has claimed more passe, Emmanuel Macron, the military operations against terror- terrorism operations overseas. confirmed infections, France with 19,323 deaths and 151,793 than 160,000 lives worldwide. French president, has proposed a ist groups, for example ISIS in Iraq, In addition, analysts say, presi- infections and Britain with 15,464 deaths and 114,217 cases. The UN secretary-general, draft security council resolution and other targets that are deemed dent Donald Trump and his advis- China - excluding Hong Kong and Macau - has to date AntónioGuterres, called for an im- which attempts to overcome US hostile to US interests. ers want to retain the freedom to declared 4,632 deaths and 82,735 cases. mediate end to fighting involving and Russian objections by, in effect, Russia’s president, Vladimir Pu- launch attacks on pro-Iranian mi- Europe has listed 1,153,148 cases and 101,493 deaths to governments and armed groups in making it impossible to enforce. tin, is believed to have similar res- litia in Iraq, as happened recently, date, the US and Canada together have 768,670 cases with all conflict areas almost one month The resolution, as drafted, is un- ervations regarding the impact on or carry out opportunistic strikes 40,619 deaths, Asia 162,256 cases with 6,951 deaths, the ago. “The fury of the virus illustrates derstood to welcome the UN secre- Russian military operations in Syria against Iran’s military leaders, Middle East 122,819 cases with 5,559 deaths, Latin America the folly of war,” he said. tary-general’s appeal and express and on Moscow’s unacknowledged similar to the US drone strike in and the Caribbean 98,202 cases with 4,915 deaths, Africa Yet despite strong support for support for his efforts. But it does support for proxy groups and non- January that killed the Revolution- 21,165 cases with 1,058 deaths and Oceania 7,879 cases a universal truce from dozens of not insist on a binding, universal state militias in war-torn countries ary Guards Corps general, Qassem- with 90 deaths. countries, including leading US al- ceasefire, allowing exceptions to be such as Libya. According to a spe- Suleimani. -AFP lies such as Britain, France and made at the discretion of individual cial report published by the US- -The Guardian 44 suspected Boko Haram fighters Indian police order ‘cave-dwelling' Wuhan lab denies virus link, rejects found dead in Chad prison foreign tourists into quarantine US allegations N'DJAMENA – At least 44 sus- of Boko Haram had been taken RISHIKESH - Six foreign tourists who tried to sit out the cor- pected members of Boko Haram prisoner and sent to N’djamena BERLIN - The head of the Insti- "But its bad when some are de- onavirus pandemic in an Indian cave have been sent to quaran- tute of Virology in the Chinese city liberately trying to mislead people," who were arrested during a recent for the purposes of the investiga- tine at an ashram near a town made famous by the Beatles after operation against the group have tion," Tom said, referencing the of Wuhan has rejected allegations said Zhiming. "I know it's impos- running out of money, police said yesterday (19). in the United States that the novel sible," he added. "This is entirely been found dead in their prison central African country's capital. The four men and two women - from France, the United cell in Chad after apparently be- "On Thursday morning, their jail- coronavirus could have originated in based on speculation." States, Ukraine, Turkey and Nepal - had been living in the cave his laboratory. The lab director also contested the ing poisoned, the country's chief ers told us that 44 prisoners had near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand state since March 24, police in- prosecutor has announced. been found dead in their cell." "There's no way this virus came thesis, already rejected by scientists, spector Rajendra Singh Kathait told AFP. out from us," said Yuan Zhiming in that the virus could have been origi- The prisoners were found dead "We have buried 40 bodies and They have now been moved to Swarg Ashram, where they will an interview with state television, nally generated in the laboratory. on Thursday (16), Youssouf Tom sent four bodies to the medical be quarantined for 14 days - although none have shown corona- said on television, and an autopsy examiner for autopsy," he added.