India sees cases soar as curbs loosened

NEW DELHI－India has recorded its biggest single-day surge in coronavirus cases as the country entered a new phase of a nationwide lockdown to contain the pandemic.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday issued fresh guidelines for a lockdown that has been extended till May 31, announcing some relaxations like the opening of stadiums and other sports complexes but without spectators. The measures came into force on Monday.

The guidelines also allow the interstate movement of vehicles but with the mutual consent of the states and the movement of essential goods, while restaurants can offer home deliveries.

The country saw 5,242 new cases on Monday, taking its total to more than 96,000. The death toll rose by 157 to 3,029.

In the Middle East, the Iraqi Health Ministry on Sunday recorded 144 new cases, the highest daily increase, as Baghdad for the first time logged more than 100 cases.

Earlier that day, Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi said the health authorities have doubled the number of tests in several districts that have seen high numbers of infections.

Yemen's health authorities on Sunday recorded six new infections, taking the total confirmed cases in the government-controlled areas of the war-ravaged Arab country to 128.

The death toll climbed to 20 in areas of the government-controlled provinces, including the southern port city of Aden and the southeastern province of Hadramout.

Elsewhere in Yemen, health authorities in the Houthi rebel-held capital Sanaa on Saturday declared two new cases in the areas under their control, taking the total number of infections in northern Yemen to four, including one death.

In Turkey, senior citizens were allowed to leave their homes for a second time during the country's outbreak, as it continues to ease some coronavirus restrictions.

People above 65－the age group most at risk of COVID-19－can be outside for six hours on Sundays, but their lockdown on other days continues. The health minister urged them to wear masks and practice social distance.

The latest statistics from the health ministry put the confirmed infections in Turkey at 148,067 and the death toll at 4,096.

Contact-tracing app

In the Pacific region, New Zealand will launch a contact-tracing app on Wednesday to help people track their movements as the country eases one of the world's most rigid lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the app can be best described as a "digital diary" helping people to record their personal movements, adding the data would not be shared with anyone else besides the user.

The country reported no new cases on Monday. The number of new daily cases has been falling steadily over the past few weeks since reaching a peak in early April.

In Africa, South Africa will assign levels of lockdown restrictions for each of the country's roughly 50 districts, depending on the number of active coronavirus infections there, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday.

The National Coronavirus Command Council, the government body overseeing efforts to contain the virus, will review the restrictions for each district every two weeks, said Mkhize, adding that the country was moving away from a "one size fits all" approach.

South Africa has recorded 238 coronavirus deaths, with 12,739 confirmed cases.

Xinhua - Agencies