New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 5 crore cases and more than 12 lakh deaths.
Tiny villages in Italy face the threat of becoming ghost towns owing to the coronavirus pandemic. In Asia, companies in Japan are opting for early retirement to cut costs. Meanwhile, Israel has decided to decrease the mandatory isolation period to 12 days.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
Tiny Italian villages ‘cower’ from pandemic’s threat
Several small villages across Italy have been declared coronavirus ‘red zones’, which means the risk of infection is particularly high and people cannot leave or enter, reports The Guardian.
“Of Italy’s 8,000 villages, towns and cities, almost 70% have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. Two thousand have fewer than 1,000 inhabitants, and in some places the birth of a baby is so rare that the village bells toll to celebrate the news,” the report states.
Mario Alvano, secretary general of the National Association of Italian Municipalities in Sicily, said, “These are tiny villages that were already destined to become ghost towns in a few decades, where the birth rate is 30 times lower than the death rate. Now Covid risks accelerating their demise.”
Italy has recorded 9,35,104 cases of Covid-19 and 41,394 deaths.
Covid-hit firms in Japan turning to early retirement to cut costs
According to a survey conducted by research firm Tokyo Shoko Research, the number of Japanese companies opting for early retirement in the first 10 months of the year was more than double the previous year, reports The Japan Times.
A drop in demand induced by the pandemic is forcing executives to cut costs by reducing staff.
“Early retirement was offered by 72 listed companies to a total of around 14,000 employees as of 29 October, topping a total of 35 companies and about 11,350 employees in the previous year,” says the report.
Japan has recorded 1,07,086 cases of Covid-19 and 1,812 deaths.
Covid to reshape Sydney in ‘biggest way’ since Spanish flu
New South Wales’ Planning Minister Rob Stokes has said the coronavirus pandemic will have a massive influence on ‘reshaping’ Sydney since the Spanish flu, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
His comments come at a time when the population of Greater Sydney is predicted to rise by just 500 in the year to June 2021.
“We know that pandemics affect urban planning, and it will again. At every level of the land use planning system, there will be marked change,” Stokes said.
Australia has recorded 27,665 cases of Covid-19 and 907 deaths.
Myanmar witnesses strong voter turnout despite Covid-19
On 8 November, Myanmar held its second election since its military rule ended in 2011. Despite the pandemic, millions of people stood in long queues outside polling booths to cast their vote, reports The Straits Times.
“Officials ensured social distancing at voting booths and temperature checks were taken. Masks and face shields were handed out to those entering the voting area,” says the report.
Myanmar had recorded 61,377 cases of Covid-19 and 1,420 deaths.
Israel to reduce isolation period to 12 days
Israel’s health Ministry has decided to decrease the mandatory isolation period to 12 days from 14 days, reports The Jerusalem Post.
However, this reduced period of isolation is only allowed if the patient receives two negative test reports.
“The new guidelines will take effect on Thursday, under which people who receive a negative result on the first or second day of isolation, and another negative result on the tenth day, will be able to be released from isolation on day 12,” says the report.
Israel has recorded 3,19,241 cases of Covid-19 and 2,674 deaths.
What else we are reading:
UK faces pre-Christmas slump on back of new Covid restrictions: The Guardian
Some workers who have recovered from Covid-19 exempted from routine testing: The Straits Times