Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 19.86 million

More than 19.86 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 728,534 have died, according to a Reuters tally published on Monday.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

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Australia has reported fewer new daily cases from its virus hotspot in the city of Melbourne than on any single day since last month. But it has also reported the nation’s highest daily death total since the virus outbreak began.

The state of Victoria reported 322 new infections and 19 new deaths on Monday, with 14 of the deaths connected to outbreaks at aged care facilities. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was more hopeful now that cases are stabilizing in Victoria than he has been at any time over the past week.

Members of the Melbourne Fire Brigade prepare to take food parcels to residents in Melbourne. AFP

But state premier Daniel Andrews cautioned that not too much could be read into a single day’s worth of data, and that some of the state’s most stringent lockdown measures had only come into effect at midnight Sunday.

The number of new cases was the lowest recorded in Victoria since July 29. The figures did not include new infections and deaths from other Australian states, although Victoria has been accounting for the vast majority of both in recent weeks. Since the outbreak began, Australia has reported more than 21,000 infections and more than 300 deaths.

Sri Lanka reopened schools Monday, nearly five months after shutting them to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The government decision says state-run schools and government-approved private schools were to reopen in stages.

Students in grades 5, 10, 11, 12 and 13 should attend daily to prepare for government exams. Students in grades 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 must attend once a week while students in grades 4 and 9 must come two days per week.

Schools were shut in mid-March when Sri Lanka detected its first COVID-19 patient.

The arrangement will continue until Oct. 9 when the school holiday is expected to start.

Schools were shut in mid-March when Sri Lanka detected its first COVID-19 patient, but health authorities say the outbreak has been under control in the Indian Ocean island nation.

Sri Lanka health officials say they have prevented community spread of the virus and current patients are tied to two known clusters.

The country has reported 2,841 patients with 11 deaths.

Agencies