Philippines extends curbs in and around Manila for another month
MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday kept partial restrictions in and around the capital until the end of the month to stem the continual rise in coronavirus infections.
The country reported 3,483 additional infections and 39 more deaths. Total infections had reached 224,264, while deaths increased to 3,597.
Mr Carlito Galvez, head of the national coronavirus task force, said the government was working to boost hospital capacity and would add 1,000 beds in Manila and nearby provinces.
Meanwhile, Malaysia said long-term pass holders from India, Indonesia and the Philippines will not be allowed to enter the country from Monday next week, following a spike in Covid-19 cases in these countries, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday. He said the move would help prevent imported cases.
Malaysia reported 14 new cases, taking the total to 9,354. There was one death, taking the toll to 128.
Indonesia reported 2,775 new cases yesterday, bringing the total tally to 177,571. It had 88 deaths, taking the total number to 7,505.
India's tally of infections surged to nearly 3.7 million yesterday, as millions of masked students sat for college admission exams after the government refused to defer them.
India, the world's third most affected country, reported 69,921 infections yesterday, the lowest in six days.
It took total cases to 3.69 million, while the death toll rose by 819 to 65,288.
In Australia, inmates at a high-security Brisbane prison lit fires, smashed windows and flooded their cells, the authorities said yesterday.
The unrest began four days after the prison went into lockdown due to two staff members testing positive. A shortage of replacements for those getting testedresulted in problems delivering services such as meals and medication, the authorities said.
In Victoria, the epicentre for Covid-19 infections in the country, five people died in the past 24 hours, the lowest one-day rise since Aug 15, while 70 people tested positive, a seven-week low. - REUTERS, THE STAR
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