New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 2.91 crore cases and more than 9.2 lakh deaths.
People of Jakarta are feeling ‘despondent’ over renewed Covid restrictions, inconsistencies in Covid data collection in Texas and why overcrowded prison in Lebanon face the risk of becoming a ‘health disaster’.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
Jakarta restrictions turn its people despondent
After the Indonesian government announced a second round of Covid-19 restrictions in the capital city of Jakarta, The Straits Times reports that the people there are “despondent — angry, anxious and pessimistic about the future”.
The first round of restrictions were imposed in April and then the public’s first reactions was fear of contracting the infection, but not anymore. Now, they are more concerned about loss of livelihoods.
“Most residents, perhaps grudgingly, now accept the need to reinstate tougher measures but the impact on livelihoods is hard to swallow,” notes the report.
Indonesia has reported 2,18,382 cases of Covid-19 and 8,723 deaths.
Also read: Germany is calling the shots in Europe and Merkel isn’t sorry
Lebanon prison could be ‘health disaster’ in the making
Several reports about coronavirus outbreak in Lebanon’s largest prison, Roumieh prison, have caused panic among the families of inmates, reports Arab News.
“Several guards and inmates are reported to have contracted the virus. Lebanon’s prisons already suffer from severe overcrowding, running at 160 per cent of capacity at the end of 2019. Roumieh, located east of Beirut, houses more than 5,500 prisoners and has a separate juvenile section,” states the report.
Lebanon has reported 24,310 cases of Covid-19 and 241 deaths.
Inconsistencies in Covid-19 data collection in Texas
Several inconsistencies have emerged in the Covid-19 data collection in the US state of Texas. It had “overlooked” thousands of Covid cases only to report them weeks after the infection, according to The New York Times.
“It has made major adjustments to its case and death counts, defining them one way and then another, suddenly reporting figures for some counties that were vastly different from those posted by the local health department,” notes the report.
US is the worst-affected country in the world and has recorded 67,08,458 cases of Covid-19 and 1,98,520 deaths.
Also read: Israel to enter tough, 3-week lockdown from Friday after bungled reopening
Inflatable testing lab in Hong Kong helping combat outbreak
Over hundreds of nucleic acid testing professionals are conducting testing for Covid-19 at Hong Kong’s fire eye laboratory — an inflatable laboratory — reports Global Times.
As of Saturday, the laboratory has screened 22.2 per cent of Hong Kong residents.
“The laboratory, consisting of 16 air-inflated film chambers, is divided into three areas. The chambers are arranged in accordance with the testing process, and the route of sample flow is strictly regulated,” according to the report.
Hong Kong has reported 4,958 cases of Covid-19 and 100 deaths.
Recession could be ‘trapping’ women in violent households
According to experts who study domestic violence, the economic impact of the outbreak is ‘disproportionately’ affecting domestic abuse victims.
It is also ‘trapping’ them in this situation because of financial dependence, reports Sydney Morning Herald.
“A survey of specialists at 34 community services across NSW (New South Wales) found rising rates of women experiencing domestic violence since the onset of the pandemic, with more than 85 per cent recording an increase in complexity of client cases,” states the report.
Also read: 6-people rule for social gatherings comes into effect in UK today as Covid cases spike
UK pubs may not survive new Covid rules
Tens of thousands of pubs and bars may not survive the increased restrictions introduced in the UK, reports The Guardian.
According to data from an analysis firm, one in four of 1,15,000 licensed pubs in the UK haven’t opened till August.
“The measures, coupled with local lockdowns, have stoked fears that a fledgling recovery among businesses that have managed to trade will be nipped in the bud, particularly if rumours of a 10 pm curfew in England — or even 9 pm in Scotland — prove to be true,” notes the report.
So far, the UK has reported 3,68,504 cases of Covid-19 and 41,628 deaths.
What else we are reading:
High Covid-19 recovery rates put GCC region in the limelight: Arab News
More than 3,500 tracking devices issues to those serving Covid-19 stay-home notices outside of facilities: The Straits Times