20% of the world on lockdown

The UK woke up to much stricter lockdown measures to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and the International Olympic Committee, after much deliberation, has agreed to delay the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by one year. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( One in five people in the world are on lockdown in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, as doctors in Italy fall ill fighting the disease. The number of reported COVID-19 cases in North Korea and Russia are questionably low. The World talks with a North Korean defector and a Russian doctor to find out why. Both the pandemic and climate change are calling into question society as we know it. What lessons might the response to COVID-19 have for fighting climate change? --------------------------------------------------------------- Our coronavirus coverage has never been behind a paywall. No paywalls, ever. Your donations help us make our nonprofit journalism available to everyone. [donate]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today US could be next epicenter, WHO says [A medical worker wearing a protective mask and suit speaks with a patient suffering from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in an intensive care unit at the Oglio Po hospital in Cremona, Italy, on March 19, 2020.]( Credit: Flavio Lo Scalzo/Reuters The UK woke up to [much stricter lockdown measures]( to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee, after much deliberation, has agreed to [delay the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games]( by one year. [Cases in Italy]( continue to climb, with nearly 64,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,000 deaths. The WHO warns [the US could be the next hotspot](, even as US President Donald Trump considers reopening the economy. One in five people worldwide are currently on lockdown. From The World: ['We are seeing many doctors falling ill' with coronavirus, Italian doctor says]( In the US, economic pressures mount After all-day talks following shouting in the US Senate on Monday, it appears the US Congress is close to approving a [massive economic stimulus]( in response to the coronavrius pandemic. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is questioning whether the limits on movement have gone too far, saying Monday, “America will, again, and soon, be open for business. Very soon." But health officials warn loosening stay-at-home measures could risk a viral surge. The US now has more than 46,000 confirmed cases. And many economists say that "abruptly reopening the economy could backfire, overwhelming an already stressed health care system, sowing uncertainty among consumers, and ultimately dealing deeper, longer-lasting damage to growth," the New York Times [reports](. From The World: [Trump's China tariffs hampered US coronavirus preparedness, expert says]( And: [Texas official: Older people would rather die than let COVID-19 harm US economy]( --------------------------------------------------------------- We're listening: How are you surviving quarantine across The World? As we spend more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic, we're recalibrating our routines. Instead of the gym, some of us are taking online exercise classes, picking up new or neglected hobbies, or finding new online groups to chat. We want to hear the most important part of your stay-at-home routine. Send us a voice memo at [myworld@theworld.org](mailto:myworld@theworld.org?subject=Surviving%20quarantine) and tell us us your name, the city you live in and what stroke of isolation creativity you are proud of. No or low cases of coronavirus in North Korea and Russia. Why? North Korea still [claims]( to have no reported cases of the novel coronavirus. Sharing a long border with China where the virus first broke out, and being in close proximity with South Korea, one of the world’s epicenters, the hermit kingdom remains obstinate. But what could the reality on the ground be like for an unfree country with a crumbling health system? The World hears from [one North Korean defector](. Russia is reporting less than 500 confirmed COVID-19 cases in a population of about 144 million — though it has seen a marked rise in pneumonia. Dr. Anastasia [Vasilyeva suspects]( many of those pneumonia cases are indeed coronavirus, but the lack of testing and insufficient equipment make it difficult medical staff to prepare for the virus. But one thing she says could be keeping the virus from quickly spreading in rural areas? [Poor roads and no money to travel](. And: [Is Russia prepared for coronavirus?]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Number in the News: 30 The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact primaries across the United States. Georgia postponed theirs for the end of May — but young Latinos are still looking forward to cast their votes. On today’s episode of [The Number in the News](, hear the story of Leticia Arcila, a first generation Mexican American and a first-time voter. The Number in the News is The World’s daily smart speaker show. You’ll learn one number you won’t forget and why it’s in the news today. [Click here]( to add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google flash briefing and hear a new episode seven days a week. [International Criminal Court says Pompeo threatened staff]( Diplomats and international officials are expressing outrage after Secretary of State Mike [Pompeo threatened members of the International Criminal Court]( prosecutor’s staff members by name. It’s the latest development in a long dispute between the US and the ICC over an investigation of war crimes in Afghanistan that may implicate American members of the military and the CIA. [The Big Fix: What can COVID-19 teach us about the global climate crisis?]( [Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg takes part in the ''Europe Climate Strike'' rally in Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2020.]( Credit: Johanna Geron/Reuters Both the [coronavirus pandemic and climate change]( call into question fundamental aspects of our society: How can we reconfigure the economy? How do we make high-stakes decisions about complex problems with high levels of uncertainty? The levels of global and local coordination needed to avert COVID-19 devastation are familiar to those who have stood at the frontlines of climate change for decades. The current upheaval and rapid response have [inspired ideas for similar mobilization]( for the climate. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme No track? No problem. Latvian ultramarathon competitor Diāna Džaviza managed to run 23 miles in six hours — [in her Vienna, Austria, apartment](. The charity race Džaviza was scheduled for was canceled, but that didn't stop her from [tracking her nearly 2,000-lap run]( at home (🇱🇻#paliecmājās). --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Breakdancing in the Olympics]( - [Canada says no to summer Olympics]( - [Coronavirus in Russia]( - [Online school in China]( - [What climate change action can learn from coronavirus]( - [Pompeo threatens ICC]( - [Medical supply shortage due in part to Trump tariffs]( - [Spanish countryside worries about coronavirus]( - [Italian doctors struggle to keep up]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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