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| Sri Lanka to impose national curfew as South Asia accelerates coronavirus battle |
South Asia appears to have been less hard hit than elsewhere in the world but the rate of new infections in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka is accelerating with the total across South Asia passing 800. Seven people have died.
Officials worry that these countries could prove especially in danger due to poor health facilities and infrastructure in much of the region. The virus has already infected more than 245,000 people worldwide and killed more than 10,000.
A police curfew took effect nationwide in Sri Lanka at 6 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday and will run until 6 a.m. on Monday, as authorities on the island acted to slow transmission of the virus, which has infected 70 people there.
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| Sri Lanka to impose national curfew as South Asia accelerates coronavirus battle |
CURBS EXPAND
In India’s financial hub Mumbai, authorities on Friday ordered all businesses and offices other than those providing essential services to shut down until further notice.
In a nationally televised address late on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to stay home and avoid panic-buying, and suggested a one-day nationwide curfew for Sunday to practice social distancing.
India, the world’s second most populous country, also plans to halt all incoming international flights to help stem the number of cases, which passed 220 on Friday.
That number could rise sharply when India begins to ramp up testing on suspected carriers.
Authorities have so far tested fewer than 14,000 people for the virus, the Indian Council of Medical Research said on Friday - a tiny fraction of its 1.3 billion people.
MOSQUES CLOSED
Mosques in Sri Lanka were shut indefinitely on Friday, but others in South Asia remained open on the most sacred day of the week in Islam. Many worshippers remained defiant despite state advisories in several countries to avoid large crowds.
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