Deja vu: Millions return to lockdown on Easter

There have been worrying spikes in infections in many parts of the world, even as vaccine roll-outs gather pace, forcing the reimposition of deeply unpopular restrictions including in European nations.

Millions of people around the world prepared on Saturday to spend another Easter weekend under restrictions because of Covid-19 surges, but there was good news from the hard-hit United States, which crossed the milestone of 100 million coronavirus vaccinations.

Italy began a strict Easter lockdown on Saturday, with the entire country considered a high-risk coronavirus “red zone” during a time when families usually hold reunions.

There have been worrying spikes in infections in many parts of the world, even as vaccine roll-outs gather pace, forcing the reimposition of deeply unpopular restrictions including in European nations.

Italy began a strict Easter lockdown on Saturday, with the entire country considered a high-risk coronavirus “red zone” during a time when families usually hold reunions.

At the Vatican on Good Friday, a handful of onlookers caught a glimpse of Pope Francis presiding over the “Way of the Cross” ceremony in an empty St Peter’s Square, with Covid-19 restrictions preventing large gatherings there for a second year in a row.

New restrictions also came into force on Saturday in France, where authorities are scrambling to deal with a dramatic rise in cases that have overwhelmed hospitals in the capital Paris.

Curbs had been intensified in other European nations such as Belgium, and Germany - where the government scrapped plans for a strict Easter lockdown - saw Chancellor Angela Merkel urge people to limit their social contacts ahead of the break.

Cases in Latin America cross 25 million mark

Latin America and the Caribbean passed the 25 million mark on Friday for recorded coronavirus cases as a surge in infections saw countries place restrictions on travel and movement while vaccine campaigns catch up.

An AFP tally showed the region reaching the grim milestone of 25,001,533 infections, putting it in third place after Europe with 44.2 million cases and the US and Canada with over 31.5 million.

The death toll for Latin America and the Caribbean exceeded 788,000, according to AFP’s count, second only to Europe which has lost some 936,000 people in the pandemic.

Infection rates in South America have soared in recent months, fuelled by a more contagious variant, dubbed P1, first detected in the continent’s largest country, Brazil, and since found in several other countries.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez has tested positive for the coronavirus, the first-term Peronist leader tweeted.

Canada, meanwhile, has prohibited the use of face masks containing graphene due to the possibility of risks from inhalation of particles, health officials have announced.

With inputs from Anirudh Bhattacharyya in Toronto