The Latest: 6-day lockdown ordered in South Australia state

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South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, third from right, wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus salutes during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the Memorial Day for Martyred Ancestors in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Attendees wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pay their respects while maintaining social distancing during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the Memorial Day for Martyred Ancestors in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Attendees wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus salute while maintaining social distancing during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the Memorial Day for Martyred Ancestors in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

People wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus wait to cross a street during the morning rush hour in Beijing, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Commuters wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus are reflected on a panels they ride an escalator at a subway station during the morning rush hour in Beijing, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Commuters wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus ride an escalator at a subway station during the morning rush hour in Beijing, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Commuters wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk on a street in Tokyo, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Locked tables of a coffee house are pictured in a pedestrian zone in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The Austrian government has moved to restrict freedom of movement for people, in an effort to slow the onset of the COVID-19 disease and the spread of the coronavirus.

Locked chairs and tables of a coffee house are pictured in a pedestrian zone in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The Austrian government has moved to restrict freedom of movement for people, in an effort to slow the onset of the COVID-19 disease and the spread of the coronavirus.

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of a man to test for COVID-19 at a facility erected in a market in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. A country of nearly 1.4 billion people, India is the world's second most coronavirus affected country after the United States.

A coffeehouse area is separated with barrier tapes in a pedestrian zone in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The Austrian government has moved to restrict freedom of movement for people, in an effort to slow the onset of the COVID-19 disease and the spread of the coronavirus.

Locked tables of a coffee house at a pedestrian zone are pictured in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The Austrian government has moved to restrict freedom of movement for people, in an effort to slow the onset of the COVID-19 disease and the spread of the coronavirus.

Medical workers begin installing a 60-year-old COVID-19 patient into an ICU room with oxygen and dialysis machines after he was transferred to the main ICU at the La Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, from a makeshift wing that was unable to continue supporting his worsening condition on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020.

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of a woman to test for COVID-19 at a facility erected in a market in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. A country of nearly 1.4 billion people, India is the world's second most coronavirus affected country after the United States.

A 60-year-old COVID-19 patient is transferred to the main ICU at the La Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, from a makeshift wing which could not support both the dialysis and respirator machines necessary for his worsening condition on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. France is more than two weeks into its second coronavirus lockdown, and intensive care wards have been over 95% capacity for more than 10 days now. Marseille has been submerged with coronavirus cases since September. The port city, on France's Mediterranean coast, was spared the worst of the virus last spring only to be hit with a vengeance as the summer vacation wound down.

A nurse dressed in protective gear during the night shift rubs her protective gloves with sanitizer after entering a makeshift ICU room containing a COVID-19 patient at the La Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020.

At the end of her shift, 26-year-old Nurse Pauline Reynier, center left, updates the night shift nurses on the statuses of COVID-19 patients in a makeshift ICU at the La Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020.

A man wearing a face mask passes the Christmas tree in Covent Garden Piazza, as England continues a four week national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, in London, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2020 file photo British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in London. Johnson is self-isolating after being told he came into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Sunday Nov. 15. "He will carry on working from Downing Street, including on leading the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic," a statement from his office said.

FILE- In this Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 file photo, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks in Sioux Falls, SD. North Dakota and South Dakota have the nation's worst rate of coronavirus deaths per capita in the last 30 days. Despite advances in treating coronavirus patients, hundreds more people in the Dakotas have died in recent weeks than during any other time of the pandemic.

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2020 file photo, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers speaks during a news conference in Kenosha, Wis. The Wisconsin Supreme Court was hearing arguments Monday, Nov. 16, on whether to strike down the state's mask mandate being challenged by conservatives as an unconstitutional overreach of power by Gov. Evers.

A general view of closed shops on an empty New Bond Street, as England continues a four week national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, in London, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Chairwoman of the Assembly of Kosovo and acting President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kosovo capital Pristina on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. Kosovo’s acting president complains that the European Union is not treating Kosovo on “an equal footing” with its former war foe, neighboring Serbia in the negotiations on normalizing their ties. Osmani on Friday said that Brussels was not learning from the mistakes of the past and was treating Serbia as “a spoiled child.”

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds gives a primetime televised address announcing new efforts to combat COVID-19 in the state, on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, at Iowa PBS, in Johnston, Iowa.

FILE - In this July 31, 2020, file photo, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government's top infectious disease expert, testifies during a House Subcommittee hearing on the coronavirus crisis on Capitol Hill in Washington. Fauci and a number of other public health officials across the country have faced threats and political reprisals as they recommended temporarily closing businesses and requiring people to wear masks.

In this Oct. 12, 2020 file photo, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, listens during a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Grassley, the longest-serving Republican senator, says he is quarantining after being exposed to the coronavirus. Grassley is 87. He did not say how he was exposed.

Closed cafe's are seen in Piazza della Signoria Square in Florence, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The regions of Italy that include the cities of Naples and Florence have been declared coronavirus red zones in a sign of the increasing struggle by Italian hospitals to handle a surge of new admissions.

A merry-go-round is closed in Piazza della Repubblica Square, in Florence, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The regions of Italy that include the cities of Naples and Florence have been declared coronavirus red zones in a sign of the increasing struggle by Italian hospitals to handle a surge of new admissions.

FILE - This Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, file photo shows Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, speaking during a news conference in Washington. Portman is participating in a COVID-19 vaccine study, hoping to encourage others to volunteer to take part in testing. Portman said in an interview that as much as he supports such precautions as masking and social distancing, vaccine development, distribution and use are the best hope for reducing the pandemic's toll, and he wanted to what he could to help "explain the great potential for these vaccines" and the need for volunteers for trials.

Funeral home workers move the body of a person who died of COVID-19, in a mortuary in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Nov. 17, 2020. Spain is reporting its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths since cases surged after the summer. The Health Ministry said Tuesday it had officially recorded 435 deaths. That takes the country's total to almost 41,700.

A street musician plays for passers-by in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Spain continues with new measures against the COVID-19 while suffering a second strong pandemic crisis by Coronavirus.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks following a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. Turkey is re-introducing a series of restrictions, including partial weekend lockdowns, in a bid to slow the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.

People wearing masks to help protect from the spread of the coronavirus walk past a picture of Mustafa Kemala Ataturk, modern Turkey's founder in Istanbul, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

People wearing masks for protection against the spread of coronavirus, walk in the Spice Market, or the Egyptian Bazaar, in Istanbul, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Ufuk Nazlim, a mayoral worker, wears a mask to help protect against the spread of coronavirus as he cleans in the Seymenler public garden, in Ankara, Turkey, early Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Volunteer Sean Armstrong bag turkeys at Harlem's Food Bank For New York City, a community kitchen and food pantry, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in New York. Five hundred turkeys and produce food boxes were given away by lottery to needy families for Thanksgiving.

Volunteers check-in people online for a food giveaway at Harlem's Food Bank For New York City, a community kitchen and food pantry, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in New York. Over five hundred turkeys and produce food boxes were given away by lottery to needy families for Thanksgiving.

Workers off-load boxes of frozen food from a truck, people wait in line, right, for a food giveaway at Harlem's Food Bank For New York City, a community kitchen and food pantry, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in New York. Over five hundred turkeys and produce food boxes were given away by lottery to needy families for Thanksgiving.

Michelle Gruss enjoys lunch at the Winking Lizard Tavern, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in Beachwood, Ohio. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a new health warning Sunday to limit mass gatherings. Ohio coronavirus cases have spiked since last week.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a videoconference with representatives of the sporting world at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks during a news conference in Oklahoma City, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. Stitt is imposing new restrictions on bars and restaurants and requiring masks in state buildings as officials attempt to control the surging number of coronavirus infections.

A worker, wearing a full protective equipment, disinfects the casket of someone who died of coronavirus COVID-19 at the Fontaine funeral home in Charleroi, Belgium, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. One of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, Belgium has reported more than 535,000 confirmed virus cases and more than 14,400 deaths linked to the coronavirus.

People light candles during the celebrations of the 31st anniversary of the pro-democratic Velvet Revolution that ended communist rule in 1989, in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Medical workers, wearing masks for protection against the COVID-19 infection, hold black balloons in memory of those who lost their lives while in the care of the state health system in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. A fire last week at a hospital treating COVID-19 patients in northeastern Romania killed 11 people who were intubated in the intensive care unit.

A runner passes by a window displaying portraits of people wearing face coverings to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in Lewiston, Maine. An executive order by Gov. Janet Mills' requires Maine citizens to wear face coverings in public settings, regardless of the ability to maintain physical distance.

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2018, file photo, float riders toss beads and trinkets during the Krewe of Thoth Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. There won’t be any parades on Mardi Gras or during the weeks leading up to it because they just can't fit within restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, a city spokesman said Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The 250-person cap on outdoor crowds is “a hard number. You can’t have traditional parades with that small a group,” city spokesman Beau Tidwell said.

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2020, file photo, a man walks past a coffee shop as the store displays information signs in Chicago. An increasing number of governors and mayors are imposing restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving for fear that holiday travel and family gatherings will only worsen the record-breaking, coast-to-coast resurgence of the coronavirus.

A woman, accompanied by a child, looks over as an airline crew wearing full personal protective equipment against COVID-19 walks through the international terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

Employees wait for testing supplies as Los Angeles International Airport is offering walk-up coronavirus testing for $150 in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

People line up outside a popular pub and restaurant in St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Melbourne, Australia's former coronavirus hot spot, emerged from a lockdown at midnight Tuesday, restaurants, cafes and bars were allowed to open and outdoor contact sports can resume.

Fans wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the coronavirus cheer during Game 1 of the Korean Series, the Korea Baseball Organization's championship round, between Doosan Bears and NC Dinos at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. South Korea says it will tighten social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area and some parts of eastern Gangwon province to try to suppress a coronavirus resurgence there.

By The Associated Press

SYDNEY — The Australian state of South Australia will begin a six-day lockdown at midnight Wednesday, with schools, universities, bars and cafes closed.

Only one person from each household will be allowed to leave home each day, and only for specific reasons. The restrictions also require most factories to close, aged-care facilities to go into lockdown, and weddings and funerals to be put on hold. Outdoor exercise is banned, and wearing masks is mandatory.

Officials announced the severe move Wednesday after a cluster of new coronavirus cases grew to 22. Premier Steven Marshall says he believes the lockdown will act as a “circuit-breaker” and reduce the risk of the outbreak spreading further.

Officials plan a further eight days of restrictions following the lockdown.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Dr. Fauci recommends ‘uniform wearing of masks’ to help curb US outbreak

— France surpasses 2 million coronavirus cases, 4th highest in world

— British PM Johnson tests negative for virus; still in self-isolation

— Some vaccines may be nearing the finish line, but scientists say it’s critical that enough people volunteer to help finish studying other candidates.

— Russian President Vladimir Putin touts coronavirus vaccines developed in Russia.

— States in the U.S. are renewing their push for more federal money to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.

Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has recorded its largest daily rise in coronavirus infections in about 80 days as officials are preparing to tighten social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area.

Officials on Wednesday reported 313 new virus cases over the previous 24-hour period — the first time for the daily caseload to exceed 300 since late August.

South Korea is struggling to contain a spike in new cluster infections since it eased stringent physical distancing rules last month.

Under rules taking effect Thursday for two weeks, no more than 100 people can attend rallies, festivals and concerts. People will have to sit at least one seat apart at theaters, concert halls and libraries, while sporting events are limited to 30% of a stadium’s capacity.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County has imposed new restrictions on businesses and is readying plans for a mandatory curfew for all but essential workers if coronavirus cases keep spiking.

The county of 10 million people has seen daily confirmed cases more than double in the last two weeks to nearly 2,900.

On Tuesday, officials ordered non-essential retail businesses to limit indoor capacity to 25% and restaurants to 50% capacity outdoors. All such businesses must close by 10 p.m. The changes take effect Friday.

If daily cases rise to 4,500 and hospitalizations top 2,000, the county will impose a three-week lockdown that will restrict people to their homes for all but essential trips. A nighttime curfew would run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

WASHINGTON — The White House coronavirus task force is warning of “aggressive” and “unrelenting” spread of the coronavirus as the nation heads into the Thanksgiving holiday.

A senior administration official said Tuesday that scientists and public health experts sounded alarm about the spread of the virus, which is on the upswing across the entire nation.

In its weekly report, the task force says there is “aggressive, unrelenting, expanding broad community spread across the country, reaching most counties, without evidence of improvement but rather, further deterioration.”

It says existing efforts to slow the spread “are inadequate and must be increased to flatten the curve.” The panel also says Thanksgiving travel and gatherings could “amplify transmission considerably.”

The guidance is a departure from the public comments of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, who have emphasized progress in vaccine development. But experts warn that tens of thousands of Americans will die before there is widespread distribution of a vaccine.

CHICAGO — Public schools in Chicago will resume in-person learning beginning in January, with officials saying remote learning instituted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic has not well-served many students.

Officials said Tuesday that pre-kindergarten and students enrolled in intensive and moderate cluster classrooms will begin in-person learning Jan. 11. Kindergarten through 8th grade students will return to classrooms Feb. 1. A return date for high school students is still under consideration.

The school district will allow parents to decide whether they want their children to return to school. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says in a statement that many students did well with remote learning but the youngest children, Black and Hispanic students, and highest-need learners haven’t been served.

NEW ORLEANS — The raucous Mardi Gras parades where riders on elaborate floats toss trinkets to adoring throngs have been canceled in New Orleans because the close-packed crowds could spread the coronavirus.

At least for the 2021 season, the pandemic has put an end to the New Orleans Mardi Gras as it has long been celebrated. City spokesman Beau Tidwell said Tuesday that no parades will roll during the weeks leading up to and including Fat Tuesday because they can’t meet restrictions meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The cancellation is based largely on a 250-person cap on outdoor crowds. Tidwell says: “You can’t have traditional parades with that small a group.”

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is imposing limits for operating hours and capacity of businesses amid a surge in coronavirus cases. He said Tuesday that “we’re in a war right now, and the virus is winning.”

Beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, bars and restaurants have to close by 10 p.m. Retail businesses, religious institutions, personal services, fitness centers and social clubs will be limited to 50% capacity.

In addition, state health officials have barred barring all hospital visitation, except for end-of-life care, obstetrics, parents or guardians of minors, and support for people with disabilities.

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The announcement came as Maryland reported 2,149 more confirmed coronavirus infections.

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi health officials have released statistics showing that newly confirmed cases of coronavirus infections among students in the state have just about doubled in a week.

The number of students who tested positive increased from 579 during Nov. 2-6 to more than 1,000 for Nov. 9-13. Last week, schools reported 70 outbreaks, which is defined as more than three cases over the course of two weeks.

Officials said Tuesday that more than 14,000 students in Mississippi have been placed in quarantine within the last week. That’s compared with about 9,000 students during the previous week.

LONDON — The British government says another 598 people across the U.K. have died after testing positive for the coronavirus, the highest daily figure since May.

Since the onset of the pandemic, daily death figures released on Tuesday have invariably been higher than the 7-day average because of an evident weekend reporting lag effect.

The daily increase takes the country’s total to 52,745, the highest virus-related death toll in Europe. The actual toll is believed to be higher as the government tally only includes those who died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus and doesn’t include those who died without having been tested.

The government also said another 20,051 people tested positive for the virus. That is the lowest level in two weeks and marks the fifth straight daily decline. There have been signs in recent days that the restrictions imposed across the U.K., particularly the current lockdown in England, are helping to suppress the virus’ spread.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said he placed himself in quarantine Tuesday after finding out he was near someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Wilson said he feels fine and has no symptoms, but will take the precaution to isolate himself and work from home to follow federal health guidelines.

Wilson’s statement did not specify who the Republican attorney general was in close contact with.

COVID-19 cases in South Carolina are rising again after an outbreak this summer. The seven-day average number of new daily cases is above 1,400 for the first time since early August. During the pandemic’s first peak in July, the average was more than 1,900 new cases a day.

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette announced she had COVID-19 back in September.

CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced new COVID-19 restrictions that will cap crowds in retail stores and temporarily close museums and casinos.

The first-term Democrat said Tuesday that he hopes the limits will help curb soaring coronavirus cases in the state.

Starting Friday, retail stores must lower capacity to 25% from the current 50%. Grocery stores will be excluded. Pritzker says hospitals are starting to see a real strain and will soon be overwhelmed if the current infection rate continues.

The new restrictions came as Illinois reported 12,601 new cases and 97 deaths. Overall, Illinois has reported nearly 600,000 cases with 10,875 deaths.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The largest city in South Dakota appears ready to reverse course and pass a mask mandate Tuesday after enforcement was removed from the ordinance and medical groups said hospitals have exceeded capacity dealing with COVID-19 patients.

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, who cast a tie-breaking vote against a mandate last week, said he was ready to get behind the requirement after the state’s largest physicians’ organization and a hospital system came out in support.

The ordinance faces a City Council vote Tuesday night. But the council said violations of the requirement, which applies to retail businesses and public buildings, will not carry any penalty.

Gov. Kristi Noem opposes mask mandates or other government interventions aimed at slowing the spread of infections.

Just over 1,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the state, and the number of hospitalizations increased to 582 people, pushing some facilities close to capacity.

PARIS — France has surpassed 2 million confirmed cases of coronavirus, the fourth-highest total in the world.

The United States leads with 11.2 million cases, followed by India with 8.8 and Brazil with 5.8.

France health chief Jerome Salomon says with 33,500 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the situation is far from good. However, he suggested the “collective efforts are starting to bear fruit” since the nation returned to a lockdown until at least Dec. 1.

Hospitals are so stretched that 150 patients have been transferred since Oct. 23 to hospitals around France. The nation added 437 more deaths, increasing the total to 46,273.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a three-week retail business curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

DeWine says the measure, effective Thursday, is needed to reduce cases and stop the state’s hospitals from being overrun. He says the retail business curfew, paired with increased mask-wearing, could help cut contacts between people by 20% to 25%.

The Republican governor also asked Ohioans to reduce their daily contact with others.

Ohio hospital and intensive care admissions for the coronavirus are at record highs, with more than 3,600 people hospitalized Tuesday.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases has risen from 3,097 cases per day on Nov. 2 to 7,199 cases on Monday, according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by The COVID Tracking Project.

PHOENIX — Arizona reported nearly 3,000 coronavirus cases on Tuesday.

The state reported 2,984 new cases with 10 more deaths, increasing the state’s totals to 279,896 cases and 6,312 confirmed deaths.

The Department of Health Services says COVID-19-related hospitalizations reached 1,624 on Monday, including 385 patients in intensive care unit beds.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman urged a statewide mask mandate and new quarantine and testing requirements for seasonal visitors. She also called for a pause of winter sports, expanded outdoor dining and limits on social gatherings.

Seven-day rolling averages of daily cases increased from 1,311 on Nov. 2 to 2,459 on Monday. The daily death average rose from 15 to 19 during the same period, while the positivity average increased from 11.8% to 16.5%.

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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