India, the second largest epidemic area in the world, on May 8 discovered 409,300 new cases of nCoV infection in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected people to 22,295,911.
Although the number reported by the Indian government is so high, experts say it does not accurately reflect the actual situation, when what happens in hospitals is considered much more serious.
Opposition members called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose a nationwide blockade to prevent the spread of nCoV, but the government has not yet applied it, due to concerns about the economic and psychological consequences of the people.
Half of Indian states have imposed a complete lockdown, the rest have implemented a partial lockdown.
The world has so far recorded 155,781,573 cases of nCoV infection and 3,073,547 deaths, an increase of 613,895 and 8,460 respectively, while 134,566,460 people have recovered, according to real-time statistics site Worldometers.
As the pandemic continues to develop complicatedly, French President Emmanuel Macron called on the US to end the ban on exporting Covid-19 vaccines and their components, which is said to be blocking the production process.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also joined the debate on free export of Covid-19 vaccines, saying European Union (EU) member countries have exported the majority of their products and the US should follow suit.
`I don’t think waiving patents is the solution to getting more vaccines to people. Instead, I think we need the creativity and innovation power of companies. To me, this includes
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that countries should not vaccinate children against Covid-19 until they have completed vaccination of the elderly and people at high risk.
Indian medical staff examine Covid-19 patients at a hospital in the capital New Delhi on May 7.
Nepali officials announced 8,287 new cases and 53 new deaths, bringing the total cases and deaths to 385,890 and 3,632 respectively.
Thousands of Indian migrant workers have fled to Nepal, turning this country into the next `hell on earth`.
Pakistan recorded 854,240 cases of infection and 18,797 deaths, an increase of 4,109 and 120 respectively. India’s neighboring country closed tourist attractions for 9 days, starting on May 8, and mobilized the army
Businesses, hotels, restaurants, markets and parks in Pakistan will have to close, while public transport within the city and between provinces will be suspended.
The US, the largest epidemic region in the world, recorded a total of 33,427,215 infections and 595,047 deaths due to nCoV, an increase of 8,389 infections and 136 deaths compared to the previous day.
About 149.5 million Americans, or 45% of the population, have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while nearly 109 million, about 33% of the population, have completed the vaccination program, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nearly 252 million vaccine doses have been administered in the US, accounting for 78% of the more than 324.6 million distributed in this country.
Brazil is the third largest epidemic area in the world with 15,087,360 cases and 419,393 deaths, an increase of 78,337 and 2,217 respectively.
Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said Brazil is about to sign a second contract with Pfizer to buy an additional 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, of which 35 million doses will be delivered in October. With the new contract, Brazil will have 200 doses.
In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the largest epidemic area in the region with 1,709,762 cases, an increase of 6,130, of which 46,842 people died, an increase of 179.
About 18 million people, or 7% of the population, still plan to enjoy the Eid al-Fitr holiday despite the government’s travel ban, according to a survey by state news agency Antara.
Indonesia issued a travel ban from May 6 to May 17 to prevent the spread of the epidemic.
About 155,000 security personnel, including 90,000 police and 11,500 military officers, are deployed to checkpoints across the country to enforce travel bans and other restrictions during the holiday.
The Philippines is the second largest epidemic region in Southeast Asia, recording 1,094,849 cases of infection and 18,099 deaths, an increase of 6,979 and 170 cases respectively.
President Rodrigo Duterte requested immediate enforcement of the order to arrest people who violate mandatory mask wearing regulations, such as wearing masks incorrectly, according to an announcement from the Philippine Department of Justice.
Cambodia recorded 538 more cases of nCoV infection, bringing the total number of infections to 18,717, of which 114 deaths.
The Phnom Penh government ended the three-week blockade on May 5, but people must continue to comply with regulations such as the blockade period, applied according to the color code of each area.
People living in the red zone must stay at their place of residence and not go out `unless there is an emergency`, while people in the orange zone can move `if necessary`.
Laos reported 28 new infections, bringing the country’s total number of Covid-19 cases to 1,233, with no deaths.
The Lao government decided to extend the blockade order for another 15 days until May 20.
Laos’s Covid-19 Prevention and Control Team on May 6 also called on authorities and people to continue to comply with government directives on epidemic prevention, and urged authorities to monitor the epidemic.
