Irish intensive care units nearing capacity, PM says
Ireland’s intensive care units (ICU) will be at capacity within a few days given the rate of spread of coronavirus and the health service has plans in place to deal with the extra demand, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Friday.
Buckingham Palace to scale back Queen Elizabeth’s birthday parade
A parade to celebrate the official birthday of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth will not go ahead in its traditional form in light of restrictions on social gatherings due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.
Indonesia, in major shift, to allow lockdowns as coronavirus cases soar
Indonesia’s chief security minister Mahfud MD said on Friday the national government would allow regional authorities to impose lockdowns to control the coronavirus, in a major shift in strategy after previously resisting tougher restrictions.
Care homes in Portugal fear they will be ravaged by coronavirus
The plight of elderly residents in a care home in northern Portugal has prompted the government to send in the army to avert what desperate staff fear could be a disaster in the making.
Italy to extend coronavirus schools shutdown past current April 3 limit: minister
Italy’s education minister on Friday said schools across the country would remain closed beyond the current April 3 limit due to the coronavirus outbreak.
India rolls out coronavirus call centers to stop stampede to hard-pressed hospitals
Health authorities set up coronavirus call centers in urban centers across India on Friday, scrambling to stop people flooding hospitals demanding immediate tests to see if they have come down with coronavirus.
Singapore reports 49 new coronavirus cases, taking tally to 732
Singapore reported 49 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the city-state’s health ministry said, taking total infections to 732.
Swiss death toll from coronavirus hits 197, cases top 12,000
The Swiss death toll from the coronavirus hit 197 people on Friday, the health ministry said, up from 161 on Thursday, as the country makes drugs including painkillers from strategic reserves available to cover growing demand.
Swiss government allows regional economic shutdowns to curb coronavirus spread
Switzerland’s federal government has given regional authorities the authority to shut down or restrict sectors of the economy temporarily if needed to fight the spread of the coronavirus, it said on Friday.
Russia confirms coronavirus case in Putin’s administration, tightens curbs
The Kremlin confirmed a coronavirus case in President Vladimir Putin’s administration on Friday and the government said measures imposed in Moscow to fight the virus should be extended across Russia.
