South Korea restores restrictions to avoid a second wave of COVID-19

Seoul aims to extend throughout the territory by today's restrictions already in power in the capital.

The decision was made after the country, which so far had managed to contain the epidemic through a very broad strategy of testing and tracking infected persons, recorded more than 300 new cases with COVID-19 over two straight days, a record since March.

“We are in a very fragile phase which can see the beginning of a second national wave”, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo stressed during a press conference.

In Europe, fear of a second wave is very high, especially in Italy.

Rome's region has recorded a record number of cases over the past 24 hours since the beginning of the pandemic in March, mostly related to holiday returns.

Even in Germany, the number of new cases has increased significantly in recent days due to the massive return of German tourists who have spent their holidays in danger zones abroad, according to authorities.

In Ireland, authorities decided this week to tighten restrictions on gatherings, with a maximum of six people in a closed space.

In this context, an organized Gala dinner contrary to health restrictions is causing a storm in the political class.

Prime Minister Michel Martin announced today the Parliament meeting and called on European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan to resign.

He had attended this dinner organised for the 50th anniversary of the golf club in Parliament with 82 guests, despite restrictions in power.

Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary has already resigned.

In Ireland as elsewhere in Europe, authorities are preparing for the start of the new school year, while the World Health Organisation (OBSH) has recommended wearing masks for children aged 12 and older in the same adult conditions.

France has imposed systematic wearing of masks in college and high school classrooms in early September.

“We are in a dangerous situation in front of COVID-19”, French Health Minister Olivier Véran stressed in an interview for “Journal du Dimanche”.

At the global level, the balance of pandemic passed yesterday the threshold of 800 000 deaths from COVID-19.

Latin America and the Caribbean are the most affected regions of 254 897 and more than half of the world's deaths from COVID-19 have been registered in four countries, with 175 416 in Brazil with 113 358, in Mexico with 59 610 and India with 55 794.

The death toll as a result of COVID-19 has doubled since June 6th, and more than 100,000 other deaths have been registered on 17 days since August 5th.

Latin America and the Caribbean, regions of the world most affected by the death toll (254 897) and 675 960 cases, have recorded 17 095 others as a result of COVID-19 in the last seven days.

Followed by Asia with 8501 dead, Canada and the US with 664, Europe with 2 550 dead, Africa with 2227 dead, Middle East with 2 188 dead and Oceania with 99 dead.