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Virus deaths soar in US, Europe as Trump sees light at end of tunnel

By Herve Bar with AFP bureaus
Africa A cashier wearing a face shield for protection against the deadly new coronavirus bags groceries for a customer at the Local Market Foods store in Chicago.  By KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI AFP
APR 9, 2020 LISTEN
A cashier wearing a face shield for protection against the deadly new coronavirus bags groceries for a customer at the Local Market Foods store in Chicago. By KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI (AFP)

The United States saw nearly 2,000 coronavirus deaths for a second day running as the toll soared again in Europe, despite US President Donald Trump's insistence that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Governments are grappling with how to balance public safety against the devastating economic impact of stay-at-home orders that have erased millions of jobs in a matter of weeks.

More than 86,000 people worldwide have died in the virus crisis, which has sent the global economy spiralling and forced billions of people to remain at home as much as possible.

As the economic downturn starts to bite, health experts stressed that any premature loosening of restrictions could accelerate the spread of a contagion that has already infiltrated nearly every country.

World toll of coronavirus infections and deaths as of April 8 at 1900 GMT.  By Valentine GRAVELEAU AFP World toll of coronavirus infections and deaths as of April 8 at 1900 GMT. By Valentine GRAVELEAU (AFP)

In France, one of the hardest-hit nations in Europe with more than 10,000 deaths, President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation next week to explain the path forward.

The confinement order issued on March 17 "will be extended" beyond the current deadline of April 15, an official close to Macron told AFP.

The United States reported the highest one-day toll on record, with 1,973 deaths over a 24-hour period -- reaching nearly 2,000 for the second day in a row.

Italy and Spain are still recording hundreds of deaths a day, and the situation is also deteriorating in Britain, which saw a record 938 fatalities Wednesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a third day in intensive care.

The 55-year-old leader's condition is "improving" and he is in "good spirits", officials assured the public.

In New York, the epicentre of the US outbreak, the state's governor noted the new single-day high for virus deaths at 779, but offered an optimistic view for the weeks to come.

"We are flattening the curve," Andrew Cuomo told reporters, as he cited a decreasing hospitalization rate due to stay-at-home orders.

That optimism was shared by US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, who both said the data seemed to indicate a turn for the better.

"We are hopefully heading towards a final stretch, the light at the end of the tunnel," Trump told reporters.

Pence chimed in: "We're beginning to see glimmers of hope."

A woman wearing a face mask adjusts her child's mask as they arrive at Wuhan's Hankou rail station to take one of the first trains to leave the Chinese city since a ban on outbound travel was lifted.  By NOEL CELIS AFP A woman wearing a face mask adjusts her child's mask as they arrive at Wuhan's Hankou rail station to take one of the first trains to leave the Chinese city since a ban on outbound travel was lifted. By NOEL CELIS (AFP)

In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus first emerged in December, there was cause for celebration as a ban on outbound travel was lifted.

But Malta joined the ranks of those in mourning, recording its first death.

Global trade to plummet

Chart showing world merchandise trade volume, expected to plummet by up to a third in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to WTO data.  By Gal ROMA AFP Chart showing world merchandise trade volume, expected to plummet by up to a third in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to WTO data. By Gal ROMA (AFP)

The head of the World Trade Organization, Roberto Azevedo, issued a dire warning, saying the economic fallout from the health emergency could be "the deepest economic recession or downturn of our lifetimes".

Germany and France, the EU's two largest economies, are bracing for a painful hit.

Gross domestic product in export powerhouse Germany is expected to shrink by nearly 10 percent in the second quarter, the country's leading research institutes said.

A banner reading Stay at home is displayed on a fence at a closed crossing point of the French-German border in Seltz, eastern France.  By PATRICK HERTZOG AFP A banner reading "Stay at home" is displayed on a fence at a closed crossing point of the French-German border in Seltz, eastern France. By PATRICK HERTZOG (AFP)

France is already in a technical recession, the Bank of France said. Its first-quarter performance was its worst since 1945.

But officials at the US Federal Reserve said the wide-ranging shuttering of businesses should not have the lasting impact that was seen in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008.

As some European countries weighed easing lockdown measures to allow economic activity to resume in earnest, the World Health Organization urged against it.

"Now is not the time to relax measures," said WHO's Europe director Hans Kluge.

"It is the time to once again double and triple our collective efforts to drive towards suppression with the whole support of society."

Stages of grief

A health worker walks a patient through a disinfection chamber set up in front of a hospital in Mitrovica, Kosovo.  By Armend NIMANI AFP A health worker walks a patient through a disinfection chamber set up in front of a hospital in Mitrovica, Kosovo. By Armend NIMANI (AFP)

Around the world, medical staff are bearing a heavy physical and emotional toll as they work in overflowing intensive care units and makeshift hospitals erected in sports stadiums, on ships and even in a New York cathedral.

In Spain, another 757 deaths were reported Wednesday, bringing the toll up for a second day after several days of decline.

Antonio Alvarez, a 33-year-old nurse at a Barcelona hospital, described his experience as akin to bereavement.

"I've had my phases of anger, of denial -- you go through all of them," he told AFP. "Now we are still a little overwhelmed but it is better. Fewer patients are dying."

In Italy, police have started to tighten lockdown controls as cabin fever and a slowing of the death toll tempted residents out in increasing numbers.

With New York synagogues closed, social distancing mandates curtailing travel, and the virus hospitalizing community elders, Jewish religious leaders warned of an unusually hard Passover.  By Angela Weiss AFP With New York synagogues closed, social distancing mandates curtailing travel, and the virus hospitalizing community elders, Jewish religious leaders warned of an "unusually hard" Passover. By Angela Weiss (AFP)

Jews around the world marked the start of Passover without the large family gatherings normally organised for the seder meal, with some turning to virtual platforms.

"The Passover holiday is celebrated with friends and families," Yigel Niasoff, 45, told AFP from his balcony in New York's Crown Heights neighbourhood.

"Right now with the pandemic, it's a very, very sad time."

Bailout efforts

Governments worldwide are rolling out staggering stimulus measures to ease the economic pain.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer are calling for 500 billion in additional emergency coronavirus funding -- double what the White House asked for.  By MANDEL NGAN AFPFile Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer are calling for $500 billion in additional emergency coronavirus funding -- double what the White House asked for. By MANDEL NGAN (AFP/File)

In Washington, Democrats demanded an additional $500 billion to battle the crisis, doubling the government's request to help small businesses and imperilling the rapid approval of emergency aid lawmakers sought this week.

The eurozone is also mired in bickering over a bailout plan for its hard-hit members that would come on top of measures enacted by individual governments. Talks resume Thursday.

The markets continued their volatile movement, with the Dow closing up 3.4 percent in New York after European stocks faltered.

For those who have lost their jobs during the crisis, survival is already a struggle.

"With the coronavirus, I'm suffocating," 55-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez told AFP in Miami, where he spent five hours in line to apply for unemployment benefits.

"I have to pay for the car, I have to pay the phone bill -- how am I going to pay that? And the rent too!"

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