Communications across the globe collapsed in the last two-three days as many countries suspended their flights and stopped issuing tourist visas in an effort to contain the rapid spread of coronavirus. Triggering a pandemic, the virus (COVID-19) is spreading fast across the globe, infecting at least …… people in countries of Asia, Europe and America and forcing cancellation of conferences to sport events.
During the last week, people around the world became increasingly closed off from one another as sweeping travel bans accelerated, walling regions apart, according to news agencies.
Even for a crisis that has brought no shortage of headlines, dizzying developments were flashing across screens on Thursday -- an official designation of ‘pandemic’ from the World Health Organization, suspension of travel from Europe to the United States for 30 days and the Indian government’s announcement to suspend visas for visitors from all other countries for at least a month.
Many countries of Europe and America also imposed restrictions on traveling with France, the UK, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and a number of other countries suspending thousands of flight. In Bangladesh, state-run Biman Bangladesh Airline and other three private airlines have suspended around 75 international flights. Following the Indian ban, activities in country’s three land ports at Changrabandha in Lalmonirhat, Banglabandha in Panchagarh and Hili in Dinajpur will be suspended from today (Saturday).
More than 4,900 people have died and over 132,000 have been infected globally, according to the WHO. About 68,000 victims have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the virus. Although the virus is spreading at an alarming rate in Asia, Europe and America, China wherefrom the virus originated, has won the fight against the deadly virus.
Chinese hospitals overflowing with COVID-19 patients a few weeks ago have now become empty. With the number of daily new cases plummeting during past few weeks, most of the makeshift hospitals have been closed in China. In Europe, Italy tightened its coronavirus quarantine, ordering bars, restaurants and hairdressing and beauty salons to close, after the highest daily increase in deaths of any country outside China since the outbreak began.
The death toll in Europe's worst-affected country surged past 1,000 with more than 12462 cases of infection. Apart from these, 55 people died in Spain with more than 2,277 cases of infection and 48 people died in France with 2,284 cases of infection. In Asia, 429 people died in Iran with more than 10,074 cases of infection while 66 people died in South Korea with 787 cases of infection. At least 17 people died in Japan where over 640 people have been infected with the virus while eight people died in Iraq with 71 cases of infection.
Moreover, the virus claimed lives also in Austria, Bulgaria, Egypt, Indonesia, Ireland, Morocco, Panama, Poland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and other countries.
