Hundreds of millions of Christians celebrated Easter Sunday in unprecedented circumstances, under the weight of the new Corona virus that Pope Francis called to confront with the "infection of hope".
Covid-19 has claimed more than 109,000 lives worldwide since its appearance in China in December, and the number has doubled in just over two weeks. The United States became the most affected country, with 527,000 injuries, and more than 20,000 deaths on Saturday, according to a tally published by Johns Hopkins University.
In Europe, the epidemic has claimed the lives of more than 75,000 victims, 80 percent of whom are in Italy, Spain, France and the United Kingdom, according to an AFP count Sunday morning.
In a world "suffering under the weight of the global epidemic that constitutes a major ordeal for our vast human family," the Pope called for a response with "infection of hope", in a message on the occasion of Easter that was read out from St. Peter´s Basilica devoid of worshipers.
The Pope called for solidarity globally "through reduction, if not the cancellation of debts that weigh heavily on the budgets of the poorest countries."
As for global conflicts, he reiterated his call for "an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire throughout the world."
The Pope spoke of Europe, which has so far seemed divided against the epidemic, urging it to find a "true spirit of solidarity" and to resort to "innovative solutions" that forget "selfishness."
"It is Easter and many live in isolation, amid the mourning and the many problems that the epidemic raises, from physical suffering to economic problems," he said. And this year´s Easter celebrations are taking place in exceptional circumstances, as images of famous places and large arenas are unusually empty all over the world.
In Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was closed to believers for the first time in at least a hundred years, and the liturgy was attended only by clergy.
In the United States, New York State is still in the eye of the storm, with 8,638 deaths as of Sunday.
New York City Mayor Bill de Palacio announced that public schools will remain closed until the end of the school year, because "this will help save lives."
For his part, US President Donald Trump stressed on Friday that easing the measures of social separation and stone to restart the economy in the United States would be "the biggest decision of my life ever."
Europe remains the continent most affected by the epidemic (75,011 deaths out of 90,9673 cases). Italy is about to exceed 20,000 deaths, and Spain recorded 16,972 victims (the number of victims on Sunday rose to 619 after retreating for three consecutive days).
The toll has worsened in France (more than 13,800 deaths) and the United Kingdom, where about a thousand people died in a day including an 11-year-old child (more than 10,000 deaths in total as of Sunday).
Amidst these figures, some messages of hope are leaking: In Rome, Civil Defense Commander Angelo Borelli announced "a sick recovery of 94 years," and considered it "the most beautiful message to wish for a happy Easter."
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson left hospital Sunday after a week during which he received treatment for Covid-19 disease. "I can´t thank enough," the official said on Twitter, "the NHS staff," and I owe them my life. "
"We will defeat the new Corona virus, and we will defeat it together," he said in a video released by his office.
Despite its limitations, the decline in hospitalization in several countries shows that the stone is beginning to pay off.
However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the mixing of the elderly with their surroundings should remain limited until at least the end of the year, to prevent infection with the emerging coronavirus.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron is expected to deliver a speech to the nation on Monday evening, in which he will reveal the extension of the stone until at least May 10.
The French army embarked on an unprecedented landing operation that included 1,900 naval personnel, after the landing of the nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, due to the discovery of dozens of Covid-19 injuries on board, in Toulon (south) on Sunday.
In Spain, which is a Mecca for a large number of tourists, the Minister of Tourism said that the safety distance between people is supposed to remain valid during the summer, even on the beaches.
In Africa, where 13,000 cases and 700 deaths were recorded with Covid-19, the health organization expressed its concern that "the virus is spreading outside major cities."
China announced that 97 new "imported" infections had been recorded, mainly from Chinese returning from abroad, and that was an unprecedented level of infection since the beginning of March.
The major oil-producing countries will meet via video again on Sunday at 16:00 GMT, in an effort to curb the collapse of black gold prices.
Each according to his method, people continue to adapt to stone and "social estrangement".
In the United Arab Emirates, the authorities have decided to remotely marry to avoid gatherings that could exacerbate the spread of the virus, according to the official news agency.
In America, an American doctor recently became famous for his videos on this application and seeks to raise the morale of the medical staff in the first frontline against the emerging corona virus. Anesthesiologist Jason Campbell (31) paints a smile on the faces of millions of internet users with his funny dance.
Many in New York are participating in live concerts by musicians on Instagram-style sites, which extend for up to 10 hours, and some celebrities also attend.
However, one participant admitted, "It is strange to hear the sirens (belonging to the ambulances) ring every five minutes near my house, and to see people carrying bras. It is difficult to think about enjoying and listening to music."
