As of 15.00 today more than 1,937,268 people have been infected across the world and over 120,606 have died but at the same time 459,131 people have recovered.
The USA is now the country with the most infected cases (587,173) ahead of Spain (170,099) who overtook Italy (159,516) last week. France and Germany follow with 139,779 and 130,072 cases respectively
Confirmed deaths by country:
USA: 23,664
Italy: 20,465
Spain: 17,756
France: 14,967
UK: 11,329
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN NUMBERS (updated continuously)
TRACKING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS
THE VIRUS IN THE USA
All the latest news in brief as it happens
12.45 S.Korea set to double supply of coronavirus tests to U.S.
South Korea’s SolGent has secured an order to supply a U.S. government agency with an additional 7,500 kits which can each perform 100 coronavirus tests, the CEO of the biotech firm told Reuters.
That will double the number of tests U.S. authorities can perform using kits sourced from South Korea to 1.5 million.
SolGent has already sent kits for 150,000 tests while South Korean peers Osang HealthCare and SD BIOSENSOR are due to ship kits capable of performing 600,000 tests on Tuesday, company sources told Reuters.
12.40 Turkish parliament passes bill to free thousands from prison
Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday passed a law that will allow the release of tens of thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding in jails and protect detainees from the coronavirus, but which critics slam for excluding those jailed on terrorism charges.
President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party and nationalist MHP allies supported the bill, which was accepted with 279 votes for and 51 votes against, deputy parliament speaker Sureyya Sadi Bilgic said.
The law will open the way for the temporary release of around 45,000 prisoners to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Those eligible will be released under judicial control until the end of May and the Justice Ministry will be able to extend the period three times by a maximum of two months each time, according to the law.
12.23 Spain’s overnight coronavirus death toll at 567; infection rate slows
Spain’s overnight death toll from the coronavirus rose to 567 on Tuesday from 517 a day earlier, while the country reported its lowest increase in new cases since March 18.
Total deaths climbed to 18,056, while confirmed cases of the infection rose by 3,045 to 172,541, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
12.18 Indonesia reports its biggest daily jump in coronavirus deaths
Indonesia on Tuesday reported its biggest daily jump in coronavirus deaths with 60 new fatalities, taking the total to 459, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.
Yurianto confirmed 282 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 4,839. A total of 426 people have recovered, he said.
More than 33,600 tests have been performed, Yurianto added.
12.10 Malaysia reports 170 new coronavirus cases and five deaths
Malaysian health authorities reported 170 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, raising the cumulative total to 4,987 as the country nears a full month in partial lockdown.
The health ministry also reported five new deaths, bringing the total fatalities to 82.
11.55 Unrealistic for Italian Serie A to restart in the next few weeks
A leading Italian health official says he does not see how Serie A, which has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, could resume in the next few weeks.
Giovanni Rezza, director of infectious diseases at the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), said,
“If I had to give a technical report, it would not be favourable,” he told reporters.
“Football is a contact sport with a risk of transmission.
11.52 Beijing says people arriving from Wuhan test negative for coronavirus
The municipal government of Beijing said on Tuesday it had tested 1,056 people arriving from Wuhan since the lockdown ended on April 8, and all had tested negative for coronavirus.
Gao Xiaojun, spokesman of Beijing’s municipal health commission told a news conference that the results show returnees from Wuhan – the original epicentre of the outbreak – are “generally safe”.
11.43 Deaths in England from coronavirus 15% higher than previously reported
Deaths in England caused by the coronavirus by April 3 were 15% higher than previously reported, according to official data published on Tuesday.
“The latest comparable data for deaths involving COVID-19 with a date of death up to April 3, show there were 6,235 deaths in England and Wales,” said Nick Stripe, head of health analysis at the Office for National Statistics.
“When looking at data for England, this is 15% higher than the NHS numbers as they include all mentions of COVID-19 on the death certificate, including suspected COVID-19, as well as deaths in the community.”
11.37 Moscow warns it will face hospital bed shortage soon
Authorities in Moscow have warned that the Russian capital may run out of hospital beds to treat a rising influx of coronavirus patients in the next two to three weeks despite frantic efforts to get more beds in place.
Moscow, Russia’s worst-hit region, has rushed to reconfigure hospitals to treat patients of the new virus and made thousands of new beds available but officials said that may prove not to be enough.
11.22 Germany can’t say yet that new coronavirus cases are falling – institute
A lower number of new coronavirus cases in Germany in recent days is likely due to less testing over the Easter holiday, the head of the Robert Koch health institute said on Tuesday.
“We can therefore not yet conclusively assess whether the number of cases is actually falling,” Lothar Wieler told a regular news conference, adding that Germans must wait and remain disciplined with social distancing measures.
11.16 Philippines’ coronavirus cases top 5,000, 20 more deaths
The Philippine health ministry on Tuesday reported 20 more deaths linked to the new coronavirus and 291 more cases.
In a bulletin, the health ministry said total infections have reached 5,223, while deaths have increased to 335. Fifty-three more patients have recovered, bringing the total to 295, it added.
11.14 France considering Ligue 1 restart in June: L’Equipe
France is considering restarting Ligue 1 on June 3 or June 17, with the latter date more likely, sports daily L’Equipe has reported, citing a document from league organisers (LFP).
Soccer in France was suspended indefinitely last month due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday French President Emmanuel Macron extended the lockdown in the country to May 11.
10.41 UK shares lag Europe on coronavirus worries, BAT slumps
UK stock markets edged lower on Monday as shares in British American Tobacco slumped on reports of a U.S. criminal probe, while signs that Britain will remain under lockdown for a longer period dented the mood.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.35% by 0728 GMT, giving up early gains and underperforming its European peers as the UK government signalled that there would be no easing of lockdown measures this week.
A newspaper reported Britain’s finance minister as saying the economy could shrink by up to 30% this quarter.
10.37 Taiwan reports no new coronavirus cases for first time in a month
Taiwan on Tuesday reported no new cases of the coronavirus for the first time in more than a month, in the latest sign that the island’s early and effective prevention methods have paid off.
Taiwan has won plaudits from health experts for how it has fought the virus, including starting as early as Dec. 31 checks on passengers arriving from China’s Wuhan city, where the first cases were reported late last year.
10.34 Russia’s coronavirus cases surpass 20,000 in record daily rise
Russia on Tuesday reported 2,774 new cases of the coronavirus, a record daily rise, bringing its overall nationwide tally to 21,102, the country’s coronavirus response centre said.
It said 170 people in Russia diagnosed with the virus have now died, an overnight rise of 22.
10.30 Kyrgyzstan extends coronavirus emergency
Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday extended until April 30 the state of emergency introduced in its two major cities and several districts due to the coronavirus outbreak, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov’s office said.
The Central Asian nation bordering China has confirmed 430 cases of the disease and has introduced a lockdown and a curfew in its capital, Bishkek
10.15 European shares jump on China trade data, coronavirus hopes
European shares rose on Tuesday after a strong rally last week, as better-than-expected trade data from China added to relief from early signs that sweeping lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic were working.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 1.1% at 0703 GMT, after a strong finish last week that was powered by another aggressive round of stimulus and tentative signs of the virus peaking in some hot spots.
The focus this week will turn to U.S. corporate earnings, with investors bracing for a rough season as the health crisis crushed business activity and sparked mass furloughs.
In Europe, first-quarter earnings for STOXX 600 firms are expected to decline 15.7%, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
10.05 French economy to contract 8% this year – finance minister
The French economy is expected to contract 8% this year, the finance minister said on Monday, revising the governments outlook for the second time in a week.
“We will have a growth forecast of -8 in the updated budget law,” Bruno Le Maire told BFM TV, revising the estimate down from -6% flagged on Thursday.
The budget deficit is set to hit a post-war record of -9% of economic output this year, down from -7.6% that was flagged last week.
09.25 UK new welfare benefit claims soar to 1.4 million, minister says
Britain has received about 1.4 million new benefit claims for welfare payments as the coronavirus lockdown stalls swathes of the economy.
“It’s now up to about 1.4 million,” British Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said, adding that the figure included Universal Credit and job seekers’ allowance or employment support allowance.
“We are capable of processing and managing those claims.”
09.22 Poland likely to lift coronavirus limits on shops first – government
Poland will likely lift restrictions on shops first when it eases curbs put in place to cope with the coronavirus, government spokesman Piotr Muller said on Tuesday.
“Decisions will take place tomorrow or the day after on the future scenario that should be put in place,” Muller said on public radio.
09.20 UK’s Heathrow Airport sees passenger demand down by 90% in April
Heathrow Airport, traditionally the busiest in Europe, forecast that passenger demand would plunge by over 90% in April, as coronavirus restrictions stop most people from travelling.
Heathrow said on Tuesday that its passenger numbers were down 52% in March compared with the same period last year, with many of those journeys being made by Britons returning home from abroad.
09.12 British clothing retailer Next to reopen online business
British clothing retailer Next said on Tuesday it would reopen its online business having implemented “very extensive” additional safety measures to cope with the coronavirus emergency.
The online operation, which has been closed since March 26, will initially offer only categories that customers most need, Next said.
08.23 Vietnam says domestic flights will remain suspended
Vietnam’s civil aviation authority (CAAV) said on Wednesday that domestic flights would remain suspended, after airlines announced they were set to resume after the expiry of a government order for 15 days of social distancing.
“In order to strictly implement social distancing and curb the spread of the coronavirus, airlines are not allowed to sell tickets for flights from April 16,” the CAAV said in a statement.
08.02 Thailand reports 34 new coronavirus cases, one more death
Thailand on Tuesday reported 34 new coronavirus cases and a death of a 52-year old Thai female bus driver in Bangkok.
Of the new cases, 27 patients are linked to previous cases, four with no links to old cases, while two people who tested positive are awaiting investigation into how they were infected, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
07.57 Indian PM extends lockdown to May 3
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended a nationwide lockdown until May 3 as the number of coronavirus cases crossed 10,000 despite a three-week shutdown.
Modi, in an address on national television on the world’s biggest shutdown, said the challenge was to stop the virus from spreading to new parts of the country.
“Till May 3, every Indian will have to stay in lockdown. I request all Indians that we stop the coronavirus from spreading to other areas,” he said.
07.48 Germany’s coronavirus cases rise by 2,082, deaths by 170 – RKI
Germany’s number of confirmed coronavirus infections has risen by 2,082 to 125,098, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday, marking the fourth decline in the number of new cases after four days of increases.
The reported death toll has risen by 170 to 2,969.
06.26 China’s Guangzhou city says 111 Africans tested positive for coronavirus
A total of 111 Africans in China’s southern city of Guangzhou had tested positive for the novel coronavirus as of Monday, the Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.
Among them, 19 were imported cases, Xinhua quoted Chen Zhiying, executive vice mayor of Guangzhou, as saying.
A total of 4,553 African people in the city had undergone nucleic acid testing since April 4, Chen said.
06.19 NZ eyes further fiscal support to limit job losses, slowdown
The New Zealand government said on Tuesday it will unveil further fiscal stimulus this week as it forecast a surge in the unemployment rate to 26% if tough lockdown measures to fight the spread of the coronavirus are extended.
New Zealand’s offices, schools and non-essential services have been closed for the last three weeks, with the country experiencing one of the strictest lockdowns globally.
04.36 China approves two experimental coronavirus vaccines to enter clinical trials
China has approved early-stage human tests for two experimental vaccines to combat the new coronavirus that killed over 100,000 people worldwide, state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday.
The vaccines are being developed by a Beijing-based unit of Nasdaq-listed Sinovac Biotech, and by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, an affiliate of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group.
In March, China have the green-light for another clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by military-backed China’s Academy of Military Medical Sciences and HK-listed biotech firm CanSino Bio, shortly after U.S. drug developer Moderna said it had begun human tests for their vaccine with the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
03.39 China reports 89 new coronavirus cases on April 13, 86 imported
China reported 89 new coronavirus cases on April 13, down from 108 the previous day, the health authority said on Tuesday.
Of the total, 86 were imported, down from 98 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said.
China’s state broadcaster had reported earlier that 79 of the day’s imported cases were in the northeast province of Heilongjiang, which shares a border with Russia.
03.23 Mexico registers 5,014 cases of coronavirus and 332 deaths – health ministry
Mexico registered 353 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, bringing its total to 5,014 cases and 332 deaths, the health ministry said.
Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell has acknowledged that Mexico likely has far more people infected with the fast-spreading coronavirus, citing government statistical models.
02.44 Panama registers 3,472 coronavirus cases and 94 deaths – health ministry
Panama registered 72 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the country’s total to 3,472 cases with 94 deaths, the health ministry said.
01.15 Fauci says Trump listened to his advice about coronavirus mitigation
Top U.S. health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Monday that President Donald Trump listened to his advice when he recommended that mitigation efforts be taken to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Fauci made the comments after saying in a separate interview that lives could have been saved if the country had shut down sooner during the novel coronavirus outbreak.
00.48 Britain to remain in lockdown till at least May 7 – the Times
British foreign minister Dominic Raab is set to announce on Thursday that the lockdown in the country will stay in place until at least May 7, the Times reported.
Raab, deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is recovering from COVID-19, earlier on Monday said he did not expect the government to make any changes to the lockdown measures currently in place until it was confident they could be made safely.
What happened on Monday
EUROPE
- The death toll from COVID-19 in British hospitals rose to 11,329 and the government, which is having to operate without its convalescing leader Boris Johnson, signalled that there would be no easing of lockdown measures this week.
- French President Emmanuel Macron announced he was extending a virtual lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak until May 11, adding that progress had been made but the battle not yet won.
- President Vladimir Putin said Russia might need to call in the army to help tackle the virus crisis and warned the contagion was getting worse after the number of confirmed cases rose by a record daily amount.
- Turkey will impose a fresh lockdown next weekend as part of measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus, President Tayyip Erdogan said, after a 48-hour curfew in 31 provinces that ended at midnight.
AMERICAS
- Total number of infections in the United States were nearly 570,000 and deaths topped 23,000, according to a Reuters tally.
- A total of nine states on the U.S. East and West coasts said they had begun planning for the slow reopening of their economies and lifting of strict stay-at-home orders amid signs the worst had passed in the U.S. pandemic.
- Wyoming reported its first death from the novel coronavirus on Monday, the final U.S. state to report a fatality from the outbreak.
- Brazil likely has 12 times more cases of the new coronavirus than are being officially reported by the government, with too little testing and long waits to confirm the results, according to a study released.
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
- China reported 108 new cases on Sunday, the highest in nearly six weeks, bringing the total cases in mainland China at 82,160, while the death toll rose by two to 3,341.
- India and Pakistan are planning to partially reopen their economies to minimise the cost of restrictive measures imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus, officials in the two countries said.
- Singapore’s health ministry confirmed 386 more cases of coronavirus infection on Monday in the city-state’s biggest daily jump, taking its total to 2,918.
- China dismissed allegations leveled by African and U.S. diplomats that foreigners of African appearance in the city of Guangzhou were being subjected to forceful testing for coronavirus, quarantine and ill treatment.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
- Iran’s death toll from the outbreak has risen to 4,585, with 111 more overnight, a health ministry official said, adding the total number of infected cases had reached 73,303 in the most-affected Middle Eastern country.
- Sudan will impose a lockdown on the capital Khartoum for three weeks after 10 more cases of the new coronavirus were discovered on Monday, its information minister said.
- Nigeria will extend lockdowns in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states for an additional 14 days to combat the new coronavirus, President Muhammadu Buhari said in an address to the nation that acknowledged the sacrifices of the country’s poor.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
- Stocks on Wall Street mostly slid on Monday over concerns of what the coronavirus pandemic will do to corporate earnings, while crude prices were mixed as a global deal on record output cuts failed to quell doubts the pact would head off an oil glut.
- A steep economic downturn and massive coronavirus rescue spending will nearly quadruple the fiscal 2020 U.S. budget deficit to a record $3.8 trillion, a staggering 18.7% of U.S. economic output, a Washington-based watchdog group said.
- Argentina’s inflation rate is expected to rise to 3% in March, a Reuters poll of analysts showed, up from a month earlier even as the government tries to keep consumer prices in check during the coronavirus pandemic and resulting nationwide lockdown.
- India’s retail inflation dropped to a four-month low in March, increasing the chances that the central bank will ease interest rates further in its efforts to encourage economic activity that has stalled amid the coronavirus outbreak.
- Brazil’s economy will shrink this year by 5.0% due to the direct and indirect economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to The World Bank, which would mark the country’s biggest crash in at least half a century.
- The International Monetary Fund said it would provide immediate debt relief to 25 member countries under its Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust to allow them to focus more financial resources on fighting the pandemic.
- Some large U.S. passenger airlines are close to accepting the terms of a $25 billion offer for government coronavirus payroll aid, with announcements possible as early as Tuesday, people briefed on the matter said.