Confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia rise by over 10,000 for the second straight day, while in Italy people have finally emerged from lockdown but statistics warn the death toll there could be thousands higher.
This story is being updated regularly throughout Tuesday. You can also listen to the latest episode of the Coronacast podcast.
Today’s top stories
- Russia cases rise dramatically
- Italians show love on lockdown exit
- Indian police turn tear gas on citizens
- La Liga could finish season
- NYC’s plan to reopen
Russia again reports more than 10,000 new cases
Russia’s national task force dealing with the outbreak reported 10,581 new coronavirus cases on Monday [local time] including 5,795 in Moscow, bringing the nation’s total to 145,268, including 1,356 deaths.
The number of infections has been rising quickly over the past few days, fuelling concerns that hospitals there could be overwhelmed.
Russian authorities say broader testing has contributed to the recent surge in new cases and insist that hospitals so far have been coping with the influx of patients.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that the real number of infections in the capital could amount to 2 per cent of its population, which would total more than 250,000 in the city of 13 million.
In anticipation of a quick rise in the number of infections, authorities in Moscow are rushing to turn a massive ice arena and several exhibition pavilions into temporary hospitals for coronavirus patients, totalling 10,000 beds.
Many hospitals across the vast country have reported a shortage of equipment and protective gear.
Russia’s economy has been partially shut down since late March, and President Vladimir Putin extended the lockdown measures until May 11 to span the nation’s long public holidays.
Officials have voiced fears that the holidays could cause a surge in contagion, and police have beefed up patrols to prevent lockdown violations.
Police in Moscow said they would use helicopters and drones to prevent big gatherings of people in city parks.
Indian police use tear gas, batons to disperse crowds
