Briefly

UNITED KINGDOM

Lawmakers approve virus lockdown plan

British lawmakers approved a month-long lockdown in England, voting on Wednesday in favor of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19 running out of control and overwhelming health services. Meanwhile, four regions in Italy-Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta and Calabria－are being put under severe lockdown, forbidding people to leave their homes except for essential reasons, in an effort to slow surging COVID-19 infections.

JAPAN

Farm minister confirms avian flu outbreak

The Japanese government on Thursday said an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian flu had been confirmed at a chicken farm in Western Japan's Kagawa Prefecture. Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Kotaro Nogami informed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of the outbreak on Thursday morning. Suga asked his Cabinet members to work closely together in taking swift measures to combat the virus. The outbreak was confirmed after the farm in Mitoyo reported almost 4,000 chickens had died between Sunday and Wednesday.

Agencies - Xinhua