This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, a disturbing trend has emerged: a significant increase in violence against children, particularly in areas where governments have failed to establish support programs.
According to a recent United Nations report, about a billion children suffer from physical, sexual, or psychological abuse each year, with the situation worsening due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization Director General, emphasized that 'there is never any excuse for violence against children.'
Meanwhile, in Iran, officials have announced plans to resume regular Friday prayers in Tehran next week, despite a surge in coronavirus cases.
Iran has reported over 198,000 confirmed cases and more than 9,200 deaths as of Thursday, according to trackers at Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus research center.
Brazil is rapidly becoming the world's new coronavirus hotspot, with over 978,000 cases and 50,000 deaths reported by the country's health ministry on Thursday.
Experts at the University of Washington's School of Medicine predict that Brazil's death toll may surpass that of the United States as early as next month.
Canadian officials have reported a slowing of the outbreak, with the number of confirmed cases climbing to just under 102,000 on Thursday, and more than 8,300 deaths.
Major restrictions remain in place in the country's two biggest cities, Montreal and Toronto, while the 13 Canadian provinces and territories are starting to reopen their economies.
Californians are now required to wear face masks in most indoor and outdoor settings, following an order from Governor Gavin Newsom.
President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by suggesting that many people wear masks simply to 'signal disapproval of him.'
He has declined to wear a face mask in public, citing his desire not to 'give the press the pleasure of seeing it.'
