The World Health Organization chief has warned that a premature lifting of stay-at-home and other restrictions by countries to fight the coronavirus outbreak could spark a “deadly resurgence.” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged that some countries are already planning to transition out of stay-at-home restrictions, and insisted that the U.N. health agency “wants to see restrictions lifted as much as anyone.” “At the same time, lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence,” Tedros told reporters from WHO headquarters in Geneva. “The way down can be as dangerous as the way up, if not managed properly”
President Donald Trump said although Americans will not be able to gather as they normally would on Easter, they can use “this sacred time” to focus on prayer, reflection and on growing their relationship with God. The president participated in an Easter prayer from the Oval Office on Good Friday. He acknowledged the sacrifices that people are making to end the pandemic, saying “at this holy time, our nation is engaged in a battle like never before.” The President asked all Americans to pray that God would heal the nation, bring comfort to those who are grieving and to give strength to the nation’s health care providers
A 60-hour curfew has kicked off in Serbia, designed to keep the citizens in their homes during what is expected to be a warm spring weekend ahead. Serbia has introduced some of the harshest measures in Europe as part of efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The rules include a ban for all citizens over 65 years old from leaving their homes and daily and weekend curfews
Japanese and South Korean nationals boarded separate chartered flight out of Kathmandu, more than two weeks after Nepal went on a complete lockdown to stop spread of coronavirus. The flight to South Korea had 167 passengers on board and the Nepal Airlines flight to Tokyo had 199
European Council President Charles Michel called an EU leaders’ videoconference for April 23 to discuss how Europe can pick itself up from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “It is time to lay the ground for a robust economic recovery,” he said in a statement a day after EU financial ministers agreed a $550 bn emergency package for the bloc
