Rep. Hayes tests positive for coronavirus

WATERBURY, Conn. — Rep. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut has tested positive for the new coronavirus and will quarantine for 14 days, she announced Sunday on Twitter.

“After going to 2 urgent care centers yesterday, I finally got an appointment at a 3rd site and was tested this morning,” the first-term Democrat said. Hayes said she has no COVID-19 symptoms “except for breathing issues which are being monitored.”

Hayes sought testing after one of her staff members tested positive for the virus on Saturday.

Hayes, 47, said she contracted the virus despite taking “every possible precaution.” She said her experience underscores the need for a national testing strategy “with a coherent way to receive speedy, accurate results,” adding, “This level of anxiety and uncertainty is untenable.”

Myanmar announces tightened restrictions

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar, faced with a rapidly rising number of coronavirus cases and deaths, has announced the tightest restrictions so far to fight the spread of the disease.

The measures announced Sunday by Health Minister Dr, Myint Htwe cover Yangon, the country’s biggest city and main transportation hub.

Measures effective Monday allow just one person per household out of their homes for shopping, and two for hospital visits, although a driver is also permitted when traveling by car. Wearing face masks is mandatory.

All office staffs must work from home, while factories, finishing and construction enterprises must halt operations from Sept 24 to Oct. 7.

Personnel of essential services, including banks, gas stations, food shops and pharmacies are exempt from the order.

Travel out of Yangon was already banned and all domestic flights grounded on Sept. 11.

Until an upsurge in coronavirus cases last month in the western state of Rakhine, Myanmar had appeared to have largely been spared from the pandemic, having recorded just 353 virus cases as of the beginning of August.

The country as of Sunday has 5,541, including 92 deaths.

Greece announces 170 new cases

ATHENS, Greece — Greek health authorities announced a further 170 coronavirus cases Sunday and seven deaths.

The total number of cases is now 15,142, with 338 deaths.

Monday will see further restrictions in the capital Athens and the surrounding region following a spike in cases. The measures include a ban on gatherings exceeding nine persons in both open and closed spaces, a ban on concerts and cinemas — but not theaters — and the obligation of 40% of employeesto work from home, which is combined with a ban on employers using cameras to check on employees.

Also, those over 65 are encouraged to refrain from leaving home, using public transport or meeting with anyone except close relatives for the next 14 days. The measures will be enforced at least until Oct. 3.

Hundreds protest restrictions in Germany

DUESSELDORF, Germany — Hundreds of people demonstrated in downtown Duesseldorf Sunday against government coronavirus restrictions and in support of a host of other causes.

People waved signs with slogans like “end to panic, corona pandemic is a lie” and “corona rebels” as songs decrying coronavirus restrictions were played.

They chanted “free Julian Assange” along with one speaker, and formed a “W” — symbolizing “we all” — with their hands, which they raised over their heads as the theme to Chariots of Fire played.

No masks were to be seen, aside from on journalists covering the rally, and a few children mingled among the crowd.

Before breaking away to walk along a route through the western city, the crowd swayed to Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” and a man in a Superman costume sang along.

Police reported no incidents.

Spaniards rally against tight rules

MADRID — Spaniards are protesting in Madrid against the handling of the coronavirus pandemic by the city’s regional head, who has placed new restrictions on neighborhoods with the highest contagion rates.

Wearing face masks and trying to maintain social distancing, protestors clapped in unison while shouting for regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso to step down. The protesters gathered at noon Sunday around the city, making it difficult to estimate the size of the protest.

In the Vallecas neighborhood, protesters chanted “For everyone or no one!” in a criticism of the restrictions Díaz Ayuso announced Friday for some of the poorest areas of Madrid where local authorities say the virus is spreading the fastest.

The restrictions affect around 860,000 people who won’t be able to leave their neighborhoods except for work, study or a medical appointment. Parks in the area are closed and shops and restaurants have to limit occupancy to 50%,

Spain is struggling to contain a second wave of the virus, which has killed at least 30,400 people according to the Spanish Health Ministry. Madrid’s rate of transmission is more than double the national average, which already leads European contagion charts.

Britain will fine those who don’t self-isolate up the $13,000

LONDON — Britain’s government will fine people who refuse an order to self-isolate up to $13,000 as the country sees a sharp surge in coronavirus infections.

The new rule obliges people to self-isolate if they test positive for the coronavirus or are traced as a close contact. The rule comes into effect on Sept. 28.

The government will help those on lower incomes who face a loss of earnings as a result of self-isolating with a one-time support payment of 500 pounds ($633).

The latest figures show that new daily coronavirus cases for Britain have risen to 4,422, the highest since early May. An official estimate also shows that new infections and hospital admissions are doubling every seven to eight days in the U.K.

The Conservative government is widely expected to impose further restrictions after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that Britain is seeing a second wave of infections, following the trend elsewhere in Europe. London’s mayor has also said tighter restrictions could be needed soon in the British capital.

Indian cases continue to skyrocket

NEW DELHI — India has registered 92,605 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and is expected to surpass the United States as the pandemic’s worst-hit country within weeks.

The Health Ministry on Sunday also reported 1,133 additional deaths for a total of 86,752.

Sunday’s surge raised the country’s virus tally to over 5.4 million. India, however, also has the highest number of recovered patients in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University. Its recovery rate stands at about 80%.

Over 60% of the active cases are concentrated in five of India’s 28 states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has faced scathing criticism for its handling of the pandemic amid a contracting economy that left millions jobless.

Melbourne close to easing restrictions

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has moved close to easing severe lockdown restrictions after recording only 14 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

It was the second day in a row new infections fell below 30. There were also five deaths recorded Sunday.

Melbourne’s lockdown restrictions are due to be eased next weekend when child care centers will be allowed to reopen and gatherings of up to five people from two different households will be permitted. But that depends on the rolling 14-day average of new cases being below 50. It now stands at 36.2.

Victoria state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos praised residents for adhering to lockdown rules, saying, “The huge sacrifices made by Victorians are saving many lives.”

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described an unexpected fall in Australia’s unemployment rate to 9.3% — down 14 percentage points from its peak during the pandemic — as “pleasant encouragement.”

The figures show about 400,000 Australians recently have returned to work.

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