Rwanda has suspended all "unnecessary movements" outside the home and clamped down on travel across its borders, in one of the toughest measures yet imposed in sub-Saharan Africa to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
"Unnecessary movements and visits outside the home are not permitted," the government announced in a statement late Saturday, excusing trips for healthcare, food, or banking.
All borders are closed except for the passage of goods and cargo and returning Rwandan citizens, read the statement, which also announced the closure of all but the most essential markets and restrictions on travel between cities and districts.
Rwanda as of Saturday had recorded 17 confirmed cases of coronavirus, the highest number in the East Africa region.
All commercial flights to the country had already been suspended, and all bars closed.
Anyone arriving in Rwanda will be subject to 14 day quarantine at designated locations.
International visitors for tourism and trade shows are a major source .

Rwanda imposes shutdown, suspends 'unnecessary movements': govt

PTI Automatic

Up to 1.5 million vulnerable people in Britain, identified as being most at risk from the coronavirus epidemic, should stay at home for at least 12 weeks, the government said Sunday.
Those with underlying health conditions such as bone or blood cancers, cystic fibrosis, or who have had an organ transplant have been advised by health officials to do all they can to shield themselves from the virus, including confining themselves at home for a long period.
"People should stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives," Communities secretary Robert Jenrick said in a statement.
He added that the government was asking "extremely vulnerable individuals" to take "extra steps to shield themselves".
A statement from the communities department outlined the time frame the government wanted the most vulnerable to follow.
"People identified as belonging to one or more of the at-risk groups will be contacted by their GP practice, specialist or both strongly advising them to stay at home for a period .

Stay home for three months, UK tells 1.5m most at risk

Authorities in Gaza confirmed the first two cases of novel coronavirus on Sunday, identifying the individuals as Palestinians who had travelled to Pakistan and were held in quarantine on their return.
Gaza's health ministry said in a statement that "two citizens tested positive (for COVID-19), after they returned from Pakistan," but stressed that neither person left the quarantine facility near the Egyptian border and did not mix with the wider population.

Gaza authorities confirm first two COVID-19 cases

Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Tribunal announced on Saturday it was indefinitely postponing May's general election due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Voters were due to head to the polls on May 3 to elect a permanent successor to former president Evo Morales, who resigned in November.
Interim President Jeanine Anez had announced earlier on Saturday a two-week total quarantine to begin on Sunday.
The court said in a statement that it hoped for a "broad and pluralistic dialogue with all the political organizations participating in the process" to determine "a new date" in 2020.
October's general election was annulled after an audit by the Organization of American States found clear evidence it had been rigged.
Socialist Morales had controversially won the election but that led to three weeks of at times violent protests before he resigned and fled the country.
Conservative Anez, who had been the Senate vice-president until then, assumed the interim presidency with a mandate to organize new .

Electoral court postpones Bolivia general election over virus

An 83-year-old woman has became Chile's first victim of the coronavirus pandemic, health authorities said Saturday.
Health Minister Jaime Manalich earlier in the day said that 103 new cases had been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total to over 500.  In Latin America, only Brazil has registered more cases.
Of Chile's cases, 33 have been hospitalized and 359 are in the capital Santiago, Manalich said.
While the government has advised people to stay indoors, no official quarantine measures have been announced.
Even so, the streets of Santiago have been largely deserted, and the now traditional Friday evening anti-government protests that began in October have attracted few demonstrators.
However seaside resorts in central Chile, around 100 kilometers from Santiago, have been full of people, causing concern among authorities.  Some local mayors have closed their towns to outsiders.
On Wednesday, President Sebastian Pinera declared a "state of catastrophe," and the next day ...

Chile records first coronavirus death

Flights were briefly suspended to New York and Philadelphia on Saturday because of staffing problems caused by the coronavirus, aviation officials said.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told air traffic controllers to stop all departures to New York's JFK, LaGuardia, Newark and other airports "due to staffing issues."
It lifted the order -- which also included airports in the Philadelphia area -- after around 30 minutes.
The airports are "now able to accept arrivals," the FAA said in its updated advisory.
It came a day after the FAA said an air traffic controller assigned to JFK airport tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The illness has claimed 278 lives in the US and infected more than 22,000 people, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus briefly halts flights to New York

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday said authorities' efforts to combat the COVID-19 epidemic would produce significant results within 15 days, as the country's official death toll from the virus surpassed 1,500.
There were 123 more fatalities -- taking the country's death toll to 1,556 -- and 966 more cases of the novel coronavirus reported in Iran over the past 24 hours, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour announced in a televised address.
He added that 20,610 people were now known to have been infected so far in the Islamic republic.
Despite the increasing toll, Rouhani said the government's response to the virus is producing "a lot of impact", indicating "the situation will change automatically within 10 to 15 days" if "everyone observes the directives", according to a statement by the presidency.
The Islamic republic is among the three countries hardest hit by the virus, with an official death toll behind only Italy and China. In contrast with these countries, ..

Iran president foresees virus relief, even as death toll tops 1,500

The British government on Saturday urged people to stop panic-buying during the coronavirus crisis, claiming there was enough food for everyone.
With supermarket shelves still being stripped of essential items, including toilet paper, officials said there was no need for panic.
"There's no risk of food running out," Environment Secretary George Eustice told reporters at the government's daily Downing Street briefing.
"The challenge we have is getting food to the shelves and keeping it there."
He told shoppers to "be responsible when you shop and think of others," warning that stockpiling items could leave others without crucial supplies.
When asked if the government would introduce rationing he said it was up to supermarkets to decide whether to limit purchasing of certain items.
The government said it was crucial to ensure there was enough food for medical staff such as doctors and nurses who can only visit shops after long and late shifts.
"It's incredibly important that they have ..

Britain tells shoppers to stop panic-buying

US Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that he and his wife would be tested for coronavirus after one of his office staffers contracted the illness.
Pence said that there was little reason to believe he had been exposed to the employee, who has not been to the White House since Monday.
However, he said, "Given the unique position that I have as vice president and as the leader of the White House coronavirus task force, both I and my wife will be tested for the coronavirus later this afternoon.

US VP Pence, wife to be tested for coronavirus after staffer infected

New Jersey became the latest American state Saturday to order residents to stay at home in a bid to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Governor Phil Murphy said all gatherings were canceled and non-essential businesses "must indefinitely close their physical stores" from 9:00 PM (0100 GMT Sunday).
"I don't take this action lightly," said Murphy.
The executive order is similar to effective lockdowns mandated in several other US states, including California, New York, Illinois and Connecticut.
Murphy said "essential public health, safety, and social services will remain accessible," adding that grocery stores, food banks, pharmacies and gas stations would stay open.
Restaurants and bars are permitted to operate for take-out and delivery only, he added.
Around 30 percent of Americans are on various phases of virtual lockdown, including in the country's three biggest cities of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Covid-19 has claimed the lives of 278 Americans, with more than 22,000 

New Jersey orders residents to stay at home over virus

Dubai carrier Emirates Airlines announced Saturday it would suspend flights to dozens more cities, taking its total route closures past 100, in a bid to forestall the spread of coronavirus.
The United Arab Emirates on Friday announced its first two deaths from the disease. Total recorded infections in the UAE stood at 153, of which 38 have recovered.
The latest suspensions by Emirates Airlines take the carrier's total closed routes to 111.
The airline normally serves 159 destinations.
"In response to the latest developments in the  COVID-19 outbreak around the world, Emirates is taking extra steps that go above and beyond industry and regulatory requirements to ensure our customers' health and comfort," the company said in a statement.
Emirates said flights to some destinations would be suspended for up to three months while others, including to Paris, Frankfurt and Islamabad "until further notice".
Gulf countries have imposed various restrictions to combat the spread of coronavirus, .

Emirates Airlines suspends flights to dozens more cities

US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un detailing a plan to develop ties, state media reported Sunday, as a prolonged hiatus in disarmament talks with the United States drags on.
"In the letter, he... explained his plan to propel the relations between the two countries of the DPRK and the US and expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work," an apparent reference to the coronavirus pandemic, a statement from Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, said.
It was reported by the North's Korean Central News Agency.

Trump sent letter to Kim with plan to 'propel' ties: KCNA

Lebanon Saturday called in the army and security forces to ensure people stay at home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed four people nationwide.
In a televised address, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the number of cases had risen to 230 in the country despite a call almost a week ago for all to remain at home.
Warning of a further spike to epidemic levels if people continued to flout social distancing rules, he said the government was calling in the army and security forces.
His administration decided to "task the army, Internal Security, General Security and State Security to... implement the order for citizens not to leave their homes, except out of extreme necessity, and prevent gatherings contravening" the order, Diab said.
This would take the form of patrols and road blocks, and those found disobeying would be pursued.
Diab again called on all Lebanese to observe a curfew, "as the state cannot face this creeping epidemic on its own".
Last Sunday, the ...

Lebanon calls in army to enforce coronavirus lockdown

France is calling up helicopters and drones to boost the government's attempts to keep people in their homes, police officials said Saturday.
"The helicopters will give us a larger vision and a panoramic view of the situation in real time to help guide the patrols on the ground," a national gendarmerie source said.
One helicopter was already in use on Saturday, hovering above major Paris parks to ensure that confinement rules were respected.
Drones will also be used to help keep people confined, in particular to keep an eye on the banks of the Seine.
France has been in lockdown since midday on Tuesday, with excursions from the home limited to buying food, visiting the doctor, walking the dog or going for a solitary jog.
The measures came as the government mulled expanding the two-week home confinement imposed on all residents in a bid to brake the epidemic that has seen more than 9,000 infected with the virus in France, and 372 deaths.
No gatherings are allowed, and workers can only ..

France to use helcopters, drones to enforce virus restrictions

Italy on Saturday reported 793 new coronavirus deaths, a one-day record that saw its toll shoot up to 4,825 -- 38.3 percent of the world's total.
The number of COVID-19 infections rose by 6,557 to 53,578, another record.
The total number of fatalities in the northern Lombardy regions around Milan surpassed 3,000. It accounts for nearly two-thirds of Italy's fatalities.
Italy has reported 1,420 deaths since Friday, a grim figure that suggests the pandemic is breaking through the government's various containment and social distancing measures.
The Mediterranean nation of 60 million has been under an effective lockdown since March 12, when public gatherings were banned and most stores shuttered.
Police were out in force across the streets of Rome on Saturday, checking documents and fining those outside without a valid reason, such as buying groceries.
Joggers were asked to run around the block of their houses, parks and beaches were closed, and the government in Rome prepared to extend ..

Italy's daily virus deaths climb to nearly 800

Italy on Saturday reported 793 new coronavirus deaths, a one-day record that saw its toll shoot up to 4,825 -- 38.3 per cent of the world's total.
The number of COVID-19 infections rose by 6,557 to 53,578, another record.
The total number of fatalities in the northern Lombardy regions around Milan surpassed 3,000. It accounts for nearly two-thirds of Italy's fatalities.
Italy has reported 1,420 deaths since Friday, a grim figure that suggests the pandemic is breaking through the government's various containment and social distancing measures.
The Mediterranean nation of 60 million has been under an effective lockdown since March 12, when public gatherings were banned and most stores shuttered.
Police were out in force across the streets of Rome on Saturday, checking documents and fining those outside without a valid reason, such as buying groceries.
Joggers were asked to run around the block of their houses, parks and beaches were closed, and the government in Rome prepared to extend .

Italy reports almost 800 new virus deaths, new daily record

The US retreat from Afghanistan is delayed, troops have pulled back from Iraq, crucial readiness exercises are cancelled, and soldiers are confined to bases: coronavirus is handicapping the world's most powerful military.
The Pentagon this week admitted that the global pandemic is a formidable foe like none other that it has confronted.
Proud of its ability to project force to the furthest corners of the globe and to react instantly to any threat, the US military has been forced to curb operations and promote social distancing to ensure its two million-plus active and reserve fighting force, along with hundreds of thousands of civilian employees, stay healthy.
The usually crowded halls of the Pentagon have thinned, with thousands told to work from home -- a shift that has introduced new security challenges.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and his deputy secretary, David Norquist, and their staffs are no longer meeting in person, to ensure at least one national leader and his team ...

Coronavirus challenges US military machine

The German government is planning an economic aid package worth 822 billion euros to prevent companies from going under during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a draft bill seen by AFP on Saturday.
The funds will go towards a slew of aid programmes, including help for employees forced into shorter work hours.
They may also be used to fund the partial nationalisation of large enterprises in order to keep them afloat, according to the text.

German plans 822-bn economic aid package to fight virus crisis: draft bill

Bolivia's government on Saturday announced a complete quarantine to come into effect from Sunday in a bid to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"It's a tough but necessary decision for the good of everyone," said interim President Jeanine Anez.
"We must be at home for 24 hours a day," she said, adding that "it's the way to beat coronavirus." Only one person per family will be allowed to go out to buy goods from food shops, which will be open until midday.
All vehicles will be barred from the roads except those carrying supplies.
In recent days, the calls for the government to impose a total quarantine had risen -- from political leaders, regional authorities and medical associations.
Bolivia has so far registered 19 cases, far fewer than neighbouring countries such as Brazil, with more than 900, and Chile, with more than 500.
A few days ago, Bolivia had already imposed a partial lockdown, reducing the length of the working day and nighttime travel.
From Saturday, a decree ...

Bolivia announces total quarantine to combat virus

Why Italy? Loads of people have been wondering why the beautiful Mediterranean country has become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts list a range of reasons -- from Italy's relatively high age to its strained healthcare system to some old fashioned bad luck -- that add up to a disaster not seen in generations.
None of the answers alone explain why the nation of 60 million accounts for over a third of the nearly 11,500 deaths officially reported across the 7.7-billion strong world.
But other countries will want to examine each of these factors and address them through various preventive measures in their bids to avoid becoming the next Italy.
One of the first factors almost everyone who looks at the figures points to is Italians' average age.
It is high.
The median age of the overall population was 45.4 last year -- greater than anywhere else in Europe.
It is also seven years higher than the median age in China and slightly above that of South Korea.
Figures ...

Why Italy? The factors behind a coronavirus disaster

Bolivia's government on Saturday announced a complete quarantine to come into effect from Sunday in a bid to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"It's a tough but necessary decision for the good of everyone," said interim President Jeanine Anez, adding that "we must be at home for 24 hours a day."
Bolivia has so far registered 19 cases, far fewer than neighbouring countries such as Brazil, with more than 900, and Chile, with more than 500.

AFP

AFP

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