According to a Downing Street spokesman, the UK Prime Minister began having breathing issues after being admitted to hospital on Sunday and was transferred to the ICU of St. Thomas’ hospital yesterday evening. Johnson is reportedly not connected to a ventilator and is still conscious, but his duties have been temporarily taken over by Foreign Minister Dominic Raab.
Johnson’s choice to be treated at St. Thomas’ instead of a private or military hospital is a source of pride for many Brits, who are showing their appreciation for the NHS via the nationwide “Clap for Carers” campaign. Every Thursday at 20:00 GMT, UK residents are encouraged to clap or otherwise make noise from their doorsteps, windows, and balconies in a show of support for the medical personnel on the frontlines of the coronavirus epidemic.
This Thursday will mark the third #ClapforCarers event, which has been expanded to include appreciation for delivery drivers, supermarket staff, care workers, and bin collectors.
Americans told to brace for the worst as US death toll tops 10,000
In the United States, residents are being warned to be prepared for what may be “the hardest and saddest week of most Americans’ lives,” according to U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Adams compared the coronavirus pandemic to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, with the added dimension that this tragedy would “not be localized” but would “be happening all over the country.”
Within the last 24 hours, nearly 1,200 patients across the US have died from COVID-19, with the nationwide death toll now topping 10,000 and the number of infected edging toward half a million. Several media outlets, including The Washington Post, have pointed out that more Americans are likely to die from this pandemic than died in the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq combined.
In a piece of promising news, death rates in New York, the epicenter of the US outbreak, dropped for the first time over the weekend while hospital discharges went “way up,” according to New York governor Andrew Cuomo, raising hopes that the pandemic may be starting to level off in that region.
Some European countries set to relax restrictions as coronavirus outlook improves
According to a Reuters report, the death rate in Spain has dropped for a fourth consecutive day, sparking hopes that lockdown measures may be eased in the weeks to come. Denmark has also announced plans to relax restrictions by opening some schools on April 15, while the Czech Republic has reported a slowing in the daily percentage rise of confirmed coronavirus cases.
In Poland, over 4,500 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed as of 10:00 on Tuesday, with the province of Mazovia reporting the most number of infections with 1065. The nationwide death toll stands at 111, with no deaths and 127 confirmed cases of infection reported in Pomerania.
In a speech to the Sejm yesterday, Prime Minister Morawiecki cautioned that the peak of coronavirus cases in Poland would not happen until May or June, and urged residents to “remain disciplined” in regards to social distancing and self-isolation measures.
Polish Parliament paves way for elections by post
Yesterday, the Sejm passed a controversial bill under which presidential elections in May would be held by post in response to the threat posed by coronavirus.
The hotly-debated measure–which Opposition politicians claimed would still put mail carriers and members of electoral commissions at risk–was narrowly passed in a second vote late last night.
The apparent victory for the ruling Law and Justice Party was not without its casualties, including the resignation of coalition partner and Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin. Gowin told reporters that the election should be postponed and authorities should focus on “battling the coronavirus epidemic and fighting for the Polish economy.”
The bill now goes to the Senate for further debate.
To stay updated on the latest political news follow us on Twitter at https://twitter/radiogdansknews.
Weather
Today will be sunny and warm with almost no chance of rain during the day and a light breeze coming in from the west. Temperatures will peak around a high 19°C, or 51°F with a drop to 4°C or 40°F overnight. Some clouds will return tomorrow but the warm weather will continue into Thursday.
EP/ako
