Slovakia
More than 3.6 million people in the Slovakia were tested for the coronavirus. The move was the first round of nationwide testing held across the country. More than 38,000 people—1.06 percent—tested positive Prime Minister Igor Matovič described the effort as the first time the country “put our shoulders to the wheel” in its fight against COVID-19. (Slovak Spectator)
Australia
For the first time in five months, including many weeks in lockdown, Australia boasted its first day with zero locally acquired cases of COVID-19 last week. This week New South Wales has reported one new case. Rather than seeking to eliminathe country has focused on “aggressive suppression,” meaning no community transmission, rather than elimination. (ABC)
United Kingdom
When police in the UK attempted to disband an illegal warehouse rave of 700 partygoers, members of the crowd began throwing objects and attacking. Within days of the rave, the British Parliament voted the country back into a month-long lockdown to help stem the surge of COVID-19 cases. (BBC)
Brazil
While most Western countries and parts of Latin America are reporting their highest single-day surges of coronavirus infections over the past few weeks, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has called measures to lock down again to control the virus “crazy.” Many governments are taking stronger measures to bring COVID-19 under control, but Bolsonaro is a skeptic of lockdowns. (Rio Times)
Peru
Machu Picchu, the ancient Andean city and Peru’s most famous tourist attraction, has reopened after nearly eight months. The authorities organized an Incan ritual to thank the gods after its long closure to help stem the tide of COVID-19 transmission. Numbers will be limited to 675 people a day. Last month, Machu Picchu opened for just one solitary visitor—a Japanese tourist—after he found himself stranded in a locked-down country one day his arrival. (BBC)
