The Times: Fears grow as teachers die weeks into new school year
United States
Teachers in at least three states have died after contracting coronavirus since the start of the new school year, with teachers’ unions concerned that the return to in-person classes will have a deadly effect across the country if proper precautions are not taken.
AshLee DeMarinis, 34, who taught social skills at a school in Missouri, died on Sunday after three weeks in hospital. A third-grade teacher died on Monday in South Carolina, and two other teachers died in Mississippi. It is not clear how many teachers have become ill with Covid-19 since the school year began but Mississippi has reported 604 cases among school teachers and staff.
A child is tested at Hyderabad. Experts say that India is entering a more dangerous phase as the virus spreads to smaller towns and villages
India
India reported a record spike of 95,735 new infections in 24 hours as the virus spread beyond major cities. The health ministry reported 1,172 deaths in 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 75,062.
Nearly 4.5 million people are known to have been infected, putting India in second place behind the United States, where more than 6.3 million people are known to have been infected.
The ministry put the surge in cases down to increased testing, saying that more than one million were being tested each day.
There were 4,618 new cases in 24 hours in New Delhi, a record rise, and 19 deaths. Experts say that India is entering a more dangerous phase as the virus spreads to smaller towns and villages.
The authorities says that they have little choice but to continue reopening the economy, which contracted by 23.9 per cent between April and June, leaving millions unemployed.
Morocco
Morocco has extended a state of emergency until next month and locked down its biggest city.
Casablanca, the economic capital, which has a population of 3.3 million, has been under lockdown since Monday. The authorities have shut schools and imposed a night curfew.
Morocco, which has a population of 35 million, has recorded more than 1,000 cases daily since the start of August. It has registered more than 1,400 deaths from coronavirus and confirmed 75,721 cases.
The government has come under criticism for its handling of the crisis. Photographs posted online show patients lying on floors in crowded hospitals in Marrakesh and doctors have protested over a lack of equipment.
Last month King Mohammed VI said that if numbers of infections continued to rise Morocco could return to a complete national lockdown, a move that would have severe economic repercussions.
The full article: Fears grow as teachers die weeks into new school year