Clashes in Spain as anger flares over virus restrictions – latest updates

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Clashes in Spain as anger at virus curbs rises

Protesters in several Spanish cities have clashed with security forces for a second night running, police said, as exasperation and anger over coronavirus restrictions grow worldwide.

The unrest in Spain came as more European nations started locking down to try and stem a worrying spike in infections on the continent which has registered more than 278,000 deaths since the virus first emerged in China at the end of 2019.

In Spain, anger spilled onto the streets in sometimes violent fashion overnight Saturday, with looting and vandalism breaking out in some cities on the fringe of protests.

The country has imposed a nationwide nighttime curfew and almost all of Spain's regions have imposed regional border closures to prevent long-distance travel.

The biggest disturbances were in Madrid where scores of demonstrators chanting "freedom!" torched rubbish bins and set up makeshift barricades on the city's main thoroughfare, the Gran Via, images on social media showed.

When police moved in to clear the gathering, they were pelted with stones and flares.

Other cities in the north also experienced unrest, as did Malaga in the south and Barcelona in the northeast.

Police said they arrested 32 people in total.

Already the worst-affected country with 230,556 deaths, Spain also registered 776 new fatalities on Saturday, the largest number in the world, according to an AFP tally from official sources.

UK records 23,254 new cases

Britain has said that an additional 23,254 people had tested positive for Covid-19, up 1,339 from Saturday's tally.

The data published by the government showed an additional 162 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus, compared with 326 in Saturday's tally.

Palestine records 6 new deaths

Palestinian health authorities have recorded six additional fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic in the occupied West Bank.

Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said 540 new virus cases were registered over the past 24 hours – 355 cases in the West Bank and 185 in the Gaza Strip.

According to the minister, 35 patients are still in intensive care units.

Sunday’s tally brings the overall count to 65,802 confirmed cases, including 561 deaths, and 58,143 recoveries.

Over 2,000 new cases reported in Turkey

Turkey has registered 2,106 new Covid-19 patients over the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data.

The country’s overall tally now stands at 377,473, the ministry said.

Some 1,515 more patients recovered over the past day, raising the count to 325,486, while the death toll rose by 74 to reach 10,326.

A total of 123,343 additional Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country, bringing the total to over 14.12 million.

The figures showed that the number of patients in critical condition currently stands at 2,177, with 5 percent this week suffering from pneumonia.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter the number of patients in critical condition continues to rise.

Iran registers 7,719 new cases, 434 deaths in one day

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Iran has increased by 7,719 to 620,491, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV.

The death toll rose by 434 to 35,298, she said.

Israel begins coronavirus vaccine trials 

Israel has begun clinical trials of a novel coronavirus vaccine, authorities said, as the government loosens a second lockdown imposed to stem soaring infections.

Israel will first test the vaccine on 80 people, before extending it to 980 in the second phase, and then 25,000 in the final stage, slated for April or May.

The Israeli trial is one of around 40 "vaccine candidates" being tested worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

The trial start in Israel coincided with a reduction in lockdown restrictions.

Covid-19 has killed over 2,541 people in Israel out of a total of 314,000 confirmed cases, official figures show.

UK virus lockdown may last longer than four weeks

British government minister has said a new national lockdown in England may have to last longer than the planned four weeks if coronavirus infection rates don’t fall quickly enough.

The lockdown is due to run from Thursday until December 2. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it is needed to stop hospitals becoming overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients within weeks.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove said Sunday that “with a virus this malignant, and with its capacity to move so quickly, it would be foolish to predict with absolute certainty what will happen in four weeks’ time”.

Under the new restrictions, bars and restaurants can only offer take-out, non-essential shops must close and people will only be able to leave home for a short list of reasons including exercise.

Other venues that must close including bowling alleys, gyms, pools, golf courses, driving ranges, dance studios, horse riding centers, soft play facilities, climbing walls, water parks and theme parks.

Malaysia reports 957 new coronavirus cases with no new deaths

Malaysia has reported 957 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 32,505.

The health ministry also reported no new fatalities, keeping the death toll at 249.

South Korea expands mask requirements as cases grow

South Korea said it will expand its mandatory mask policy to spas, wedding halls and other places as part of new social distancing rules aimed at preparing for a prolonged Covid-19 outbreak.

While South Korea has managed to contain the virus spread better than many western nations, which are struggling with a resurgent virus, daily new cases in the country have risen above 100 in recent days.

The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 124 new cases as of midnight Saturday, marking a fifth consecutive day of infections topping 100 due to small clusters emerging in places such as spas, schools and churches.

Currently, mask wearing is mandatory for 12 "high-risk" classes of venues, such as clubs, karaoke bars and internet cafes.

From November 7, these restrictions will be expanded to 23 types of places, which include department stores, theme parks and hair salons.

People caught failing to wear masks in such places face fines of up to 100,000 won ($87.99) from November 13, while operators of those places face fines of up to 3 million won.

South Korea on Sunday also announced a new five-tiered social distancing scheme, which replaces a three-level system. The more targeted approach to restrictions is designed to mitigate the impact of curbs on the economy, small businesses and people.

Indonesia reports 2,696 new infections, 74 deaths

Indonesia has reported 2,696 new coronavirus infections, taking the total amount of cases to 412,784, data from the health ministry website showed.

The data also showed 74 additional deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 13,943.

Indonesia has recorded the most cases and deaths from Covid-19 in Southeast Asia.

Australia records no new cases for the first time in five months

Australia has recorded no new daily coronavirus community infections for the first time in nearly five months, health officials said, paving the way for further easing of social distancing restrictions.

The state of Victoria, a coronavirus hot spot which accounts for more than 90 percent of Australia's 907 coronavirus-related deaths, saw zero new daily infections and no deaths for the second consecutive day.

Russia's new cases hit record high of 18,665

Russia's daily tally of cases has hit a record high of 18,665, including 5,261 in Moscow, taking the national tally to 1,636,781.

Authorities also reported 245 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 28,235.

India reports nearly 47,000 more cases

India’s coronavirus count has neared the 8.2 million mark after it registered 46,964 new cases over the past day, official figures revealed.

The country recorded its lowest daily death toll in four months with 470 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the toll to 122,111.

Germany's confirmed cases rise to 532,930

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has increased by 14,177 to 532,930, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed.

The reported death toll rose by 29 to 10,481, the tally showed.

Mexico reports 6,151 new cases, 464 more deaths

Mexico's health ministry has reported 6,151 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 464 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 924,962 cases and 91,753 deaths.

The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

Protesters against Covid-19 restrictions clash with police in Spanish cities

Spain's prime minister on Saturday condemned a series of violent protests in cities across the country against restrictions imposed to curb the surge of Covid-19 after a six-month state of emergency came into action this week.

Protesters pelted police with rocks and other projectiles in Barcelona in a second night of disturbances in Spain's second-largest city.

In the northern Spanish city of Logrono, about 150 people attacked police with stones, set fire to containers and looted shops, police reported. Riot police were draft ed in to quell disturbances in Haro, in the wine-growing region of La Rioja.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: "Only from responsibility, unity and sacrifice will we be able to defeat the pandemic that is devastating all countries. Violent and irrational behaviour by minority groups is intolerable. It is not the way."

Brazil reports 18,947 new cases, 407 deaths

Brazil recorded 18,947 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, and 407 deaths from Covid-19, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Brazil has registered more than 5.5 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began, the third-worst outbreak globally after the United States and India.

South America's largest country has also reported 159,884 deaths, making it the second-deadliest outbreak after the United States.

Portugal announces new partial lockdown

Portugal on Saturday announced a partial lockdown to take effect from Wednesday to try to limit the spread of Covid-19.

As in other European countries such as England and France, the restrictions will be less severe than those imposed earlier in the year, but will still affect around 70 percent of the population.

Measures already in place for nearly two weeks in three municipalities in northern Portugal will be expanded from Wednesday to 121 communes out of a total of 308, covering around 7.1 million people or 70 percent of the population.

People will still be able to work if they cannot work from home and to take children to school.

Shops will have to shut by 10pm and businesses will have to adopt staggered working hours.

Portugal recorded 656 new coronavirus cases and 40 deaths with nearly 2,000 people receiving treatment, of whom 275 were in intensive care on Friday.

French death toll up by 224 at 36,788

France said on Saturday that 224 more people had died from the new coronavirus over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 36,788, as the number of confirmed cases rose by 35,641.

That compared to just under 48,000 confirmed cases reported the previous day and a record daily high of 52,010 last Sunday. The total number of cases now stands at 1.36 million.

A new national lockdown came into effect on Friday in France in an effort to put the brakes on a Covid-19 epidemic that officials say risks spiralling out of control.

There were 2,507 people in intensive care units among new hospitalisations in the past seven days, the data on Saturday showed, up from 2,401 reported on Friday.