Virus case rise in China, South Korea, Obama bashes Trump

Both China and South Korea reported new spikes in coronavirus cases on Sunday, setting off fresh concerns in countries where local outbreaks had been in dramatic decline.

Former President Barack Obama, meanwhile, harshly criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus pandemic as an “absolute chaotic disaster,” while U.S. states began gradually reopening, even as health officials are anxiously watching for a second wave of infections.

China reported 14 new cases on Sunday, its first double-digit rise in 10 days. Eleven of 12 domestic infections were in rastern province of Jilin and one in Hubei, whose capital Wuhan was epicenter of global pandemic. Jilin cases prompted authorities to raise threat level in one of its counties, Shulan, to high risk, just days after downgrading all regions in country to low risk.

Jilin shares a border with rth Korea, where virus situation is unclear but whose vastly inadequate health system has been offered help by China in dealing with any outbreak.

South Korea on Sunday reported 34 additional cases as a spate of transmissions linked to clubgoers threatens country’s hard-won gains in its fight against virus. South Korean media reported it was first time that South Korea’s daily jump has marked above 30 in about a month.

On Sunday, President Moon Jae-in said citizens must neir panic r let down ir guard, but warned that “ dam to our ecomy is indeed colossal as well.”

Around world, U.S. and or hard-hit countries are wrestling with how to ease curbs on business and public activity without causing virus to come surging back.

During a conversation with ex-members of his administration, Obama said combating virus would have been bad even for best of governments, but it’s been “an absolute chaotic disaster” when mindset of “what’s in it for me” infiltrates government, according to a recording obtained by Yahoo News.

United States has suffered nearly 80,000 deaths from COVID-19, most of any nation.

In Australia, Health Minister Greg Hunt said government supports a European Union motion for an independent investigation into origins of COVID-19 in China, a proposal stiffly resisted by Beijing, Australia’s . 1 trading partner.

“We support EU motion which includes an independent investigation, regulatory work on wet markets and also potential for independent inspection powers,” Hunt told Sky News on Sunday.

Ursula von der Leyen, head of EU’s executive arm, said last week she would like to see China work toger with her organization, and ors, to determine how virus emerged.

While virus is believed to have originated in Wuhan, most scientists say it was most likely transmitted from bats to humans via an intermediary animal such as armadillo-like pangolin. That has placed focus on a wet market in city where wildlife was sold for food.

However, Trump and allies have expressed confidence in an unsubstantiated ory linking origin of outbreak to a possible accident at a Chinese virology laboratory in Wuhan, something Chinese officials and state media have called an attempt to divert attention from U.S. failings through dissemination of groundless accusations.

China says its too early to launch an investigation into virus' origin and angrily rejects accusations that it covered up initial outbreak and didn't do eugh to prevent global pandemic.

In New York, deadliest hot spot in U.S., Gov. Andrew Cuomo said three children died from a possible complication of coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems.

Three members of White House coronavirus task force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, placed mselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Worldwide, 4 million people have been confirmed infected by virus, and more than 279,000 have died, including over 78,000 in U.S., according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Spain, France, Italy and Britain have reported around 26,000 to 32,000 deaths each.

Businesses in U.S. continue to struggle as more employers reluctantly conclude that ir laid-off employees might t return to work anytime soon.

Some malls have opened up in Georgia and Texas, while Nevada restaurants, hair salons and or businesses were able to have limited reopenings Saturday or once again allow customers inside after nearly two months of restrictions.

About 1,500 opponents of Washington’s stay-at-home order to slow coronavirus rallied again Saturday at state Capitol, while

federal government said it was delivering supplies of

In U.S. Southwest, some small Native American vills are embracing extraordinary isolation measures such as guarded roadblocks to turn away outsiders as virus ravs tight-knit communities.

Italy saw people return to streets and revel in fine wear and Rome's Campo dei Fiori flower and vegetable market was also bustling in Rome. But confusion created frustrations for city’s shopkeepers.

Carlo Alberto, owner of TabaCafe, an Argentine empanada bar that was selling cocktails to a few customers, said that since reopening this week, police had threatened to fine him over crowds outside.

“Am I supposed to send m home? y need a guard here to do that,” he said. “ laws aren’t clear, decree isn’t clear. You don’t kw what you can do.”

Elsewhere, Pakistan allowed shops, factories, construction sites and or businesses to reopen, even as more than 1,600 new cases and 24 deaths were reported.

In Spain, certain regions can scale back lockdowns starting Monday, with limited seating at bars, restaurants and or public places. But Madrid and Barcelona, country’s largest cities, will remain shut down.