With 889 more deaths on Saturday, March 28, Italy's death toll has surpassed 10,000 to reach 10,023. In the United States, 19,452 more cases were reported, bringing its total to 123,578. With 844 new deaths, Spain's death toll reached 5,982.
With 5,974 new cases, the number of Covid-19 cases in Italy reached 92,472. USA's death toll reached 2,221 with 525 fatalities reported, on Saturday. Country's fatalities have doubled in just three days.
Coronavirus: new cases and fatalities
Spain, the second hardest-hit nation, in terms of fatalities, reported 7,516 new cases. Thus, its infection cases surged to 73,235, on Saturday. The figure includes 9,444 medicos, who were reportedly infected, as on Friday.
Although the daily cases are increasing by more than 7,000 in a day, Fernando Simon, Spain's health ministry's emergencies coordinator, said on Saturday, that the rate was "slowing" with the figures "very very close" to peaking, AFP reported.
But, although the numbers are decreasing, the cases would put a strain on the country's health infrastructure. "The patients who are getting infected today are going to need a bed within seven to 10 days," Simon warned. "We really need a sharper drop (in infections), so we don't reach this capacity crisis," he added.
Fresh steps taken by governments
The lockdown imposed on Italy, till April 3, isn't expected to be lifted anytime soon. "Is it time to reopen the country? I think we have to think about it really carefully," civil protection service chief Angelo Borrelli said as reported by AFP.
"The country is at a standstill and we must maintain the least amount of activity possible to ensure the survival of all," he added. "If one is being reasonable, one cannot envision a quick return to normal life," said Italy's PM Giuseppe Conte, in his latest television address, on Saturday. After Italy, Spain became the second country to halt all non-essential economic activities. "All workers in non-essential economic activities must stay at home for two weeks," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised address, on Saturday.
"The most important thing is to slow the number of people being taken to hospital. The virus is hitting us with relentless brute force, (and now) is the time to intensify the battle", the Prime Minister added. A second temporary morgue is being constructed in Madrid, the worst-hit region in Spain, with 21,520 cases and 2,757 deaths. An unused public building is being modified to house the dead. In the United States, residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have been asked to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days.
Meanwhile, Wuhan, capital of China's Hubei province, where the disease first originated and spread to other regions, was partially re-opened, to allow its residents to enter the city.
