As of 12.39 today more than 1,356,292 people have been infected across the world and over 75,758 have died but at the same time 290,550 people have recovered.
The USA is now the country with the most infected cases (367,650) ahead of Spain (136,675) who overtook Italy (132,547) in the last couple of days. Germany and France follow with 103,375 and 98,010 cases respectively
Confirmed deaths by country:
Italy: 16,523
Spain: 13,341
USA: 10,943
France: 8,911
UK: 5,373
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
10.35 Russia’s daily rise in coronavirus cases tops 1,000 for first time
The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose by more than 1,000 for the first time to reach 7,497 in the past 24 hours, the country’s crisis response centre said on Tuesday.
The number of reported cases rose by 1,154 while deaths rose by 11 to 58, the centre said.
10.29 European shares climb as coronavirus cases slow
European shares rallied for a second straight day on Tuesday, with investors focusing on early signs that the coronavirus pandemic may be easing, even as major companies still take steps to shore up cash after lockdowns crushed global demand.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 2.7% at 0716 GMT – hitting its highest in almost a month, with governors of several hard-hit U.S. states pointing to tentative signs the outbreak might be starting to plateau.
Spanish stocks jumped 2.2% as coronavirus deaths slowed for a fourth day on Monday, prompting the government to contemplate a gradual easing of a nationwide lockdown.
10.27 UK minister says unaware of any pneumonia diagnosis for PM Johnson
One of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s most senior ministers said on Tuesday he was unaware of any possible pneumonia diagnosis for Johnson who is in intensive care with serious coronavirus symptoms.
When Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove was asked by BBC radio if he know whether doctors had diagnosed Johnson with pneumonia, he said: “I’m not aware of that”
Few details have been released about Johnson’s diagnosis.
10.20 Finland extends border controls until May 13
Finland’s government on Tuesday extended and tightened border controls restricting travel to and from the country until May 13 in order to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Finland has followed with mounting concern neighbouring Sweden’s liberal pandemic strategy, fearing cross-border commuters could speed up the spread of the virus in northern parts of Finland with an ageing population and limited intensive care resources.
“The government’s aim is to further reduce movement in the inherent commute area across the borders with Sweden and Norway,” Finland’s government said in a statement.
10.09 Austrian finance minister says flexible on ESM, rules out euro bonds
Austrian Finance Minister Gernot Bluemel is willing to use a lot of flexibility with the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to help European partners recover economically from the coronavirus crisis but reiterated his opposition to common euro zone debt.
“There are other possibilities, like the European Investment Bank, and other things and the fact is that the existing instruments have not been used so I don’t understand the debate when you say you need this,” he told Germany’s ZDF television, when asked about euro bonds.
10.04 Swiss jobless expected to rise as coronavirus hits companies – govt
Switzerland’s jobless figures will rise in the coming months as the strict measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic could force even successful companies to shut down, a government official said on Tuesday.
“I believe unemployment will clearly increase,” said Boris Zuercher, the head of the labour department at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco).
“The longer this situation lasts, the harder it is to get out. If it continues like this for another three or four months, it will also affect solvent companies.”
09.40 France’s COVID-19 epidemic has not yet peaked- health minister
France has not yet reached the peak of its COVID-19 epidemic, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Tuesday.
“We are still in a worsening phase of the epidemic,” Veran told broadcaster BFM TV. He also said that the country’s lockdown would last as long as necessary.
France’s coronavirus figures on Monday showed that the rate of increase in fatalities – at almost 9,000 – sped up again after several days of slowing.
08.57 Dubai extends closure of commercial activities until April 18
Dubai, the commercial hub of the United Arab Emirates, has extended the closure of commercial activities until April 18 as part of efforts to contain coronavirus, the Dubai Economic Department said in a statement on Twitter.
During this period, sectors exempted from the lockdown will operate as usual, the statement said.
Dubai announced a two-week lockdown starting on April 4 at 8 p.m. (1600 GMT) to disinfect the emirate and contain the coronavirus.
08.55 Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise to 99,225, deaths to 1,607
Germany’s confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 3,834 in the past 24 hours to 99,225 on Tuesday, rising again after four consecutive days of drops, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed.
The reported death toll rose by 173 to 1,607.
Tuesday’s number of new cases was higher than the 3,677 new infections reported on Monday. Deaths had risen by 92 on Monday.
08.38 No change in British PM Johnson’s condition – sources
There has been no change in Boris Johnson’s condition, two sources close to him said on Tuesday, after the British prime minister was taken into intensive care following a deterioration in his coronavirus symptoms.
08.20 India will allow some exports of anti-malaria drug after Trump appeal
India will allow some exports of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump urged New Delhi to release supplies of the drug seen as a possible treatment for COVID-19.
The Indian government had earlier put a hold on exports of hydroxychloroquine as well as on the pain reliever, paracetamol, saying it had to meet its internal demand. But Trump spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the weekend seeking supplies and later hinted that India may face retaliation.
08.17 Thailand reports 38 new coronavirus infections, one death
Thailand reported 38 new coronavirus infections and the death of a 54-year-old man on Tuesday, a spokesman for a government agency said.
In addition to 16 new cases, including imported ones, there are 17 patients linked to previous cases and five people who tested positive but await investigation into how they caught the disease, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
05.46 Philippines extends coronavirus lockdown, home quarantine to end-April
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday approved the extension of lockdown and home quarantine measures covering more than half of the population, a crisis panel official said, in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The Philippines was among the first countries to adopt strict home quarantine measures.
05.36 Indonesia approves large-scale social restrictions for Jakarta -media
Indonesia’s health ministry has approved a request by the government of Jakarta to impose large-scale social restrictions in the city to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, media on Tuesday cited a ministry official as saying.
A health ministry spokeswoman, however, subsequently told Reuters that Jakarta’s request has yet to be approved.
05.30 China posts drop in coronavirus cases, Wuhan lockdown due to end
Mainland China reported on Tuesday a drop in new coronavirus cases after closing its borders to virtually all foreigners to curb imported infections, while the central city of Wuhan, epicentre of the outbreak, saw no new deaths for the first time.
China had 32 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Monday, down from 39 cases a day earlier, the National Health Commission said.
All of the 32 cases involved travellers arriving from overseas, compared with 38 imported cases a day earlier. The overall number of imported infections so far stands at 983, the health authority said.
3.39 Mexico reports 296 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 2,439
Mexico has registered 296 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s total to 2,439 cases and 125 deaths, the health ministry said in a press conference on Monday.
3.09 Colombia extends coronavirus quarantine by two weeks
Colombia will extend a nationwide quarantine meant to stem the transmission of the coronavirus until April 27, President Ivan Duque said on Monday.
The lockdown was originally set to last 19 days, ending just before midnight on April 13. The Andean country announced its nationwide quarantine measures last month, before its infections passed 200.
“This isolation – which seeks the best of all of us – is exactly so we can keep saving lives, breaking the exponential growth of this pandemic,” Duque said during a live television broadcast.
More than 1,500 people have been confirmed infected with the coronavirus in Colombia and 46 have died. Infection numbers are lower than initially expected, Health Minister Fernando Ruiz said during the broadcast.
2.56 Panama reports 112 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 2,100
Panama has registered 112 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s total to 2,100 confirmed cases and 55 deaths, the health ministry said on Monday.
What happened on Monday
EUROPE
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care on Monday after his coronavirus symptoms worsened but he is still conscious.
- The coronavirus is the European Union’s biggest ever challenge and member states must show greater solidarity so that the bloc can emerge stronger from the economic crisis unleashed by the pandemic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
- Residents in Lombardy, Italy’s worst-hit region, scrambled for scarce protective face masks and makeshift alternatives after authorities ordered anyone moving outside to cover up.
- The rate of deaths in Spain slowed for the fourth day on Monday as the government contemplated a gradual easing of a lockdown in the nation with the second-highest death toll.
- France’s coronavirus figures on Monday showed that the rate of increase in fatalities – now at almost 9,000 – sped up again after several days of slowing.
- Switzerland said it was too early to ease measures that restrict the spread of the new coronavirus, as neighbouring Austria sketched out plans to start loosening a national lockdown.
- Norway’s health minister said the country’s epidemic was under control, pointing to low transmission rates.
- The Czech Republic reported its slowest daily percentage rise in confirmed cases as the country entered a fourth week of restrictions.
- Ireland’s prime minister re-registered as a medical practitioner and will work one shift a week to help out during the crisis.
- Military forces across Europe have scaled back operations and imposed stricter rules on personnel to try to stem the spread among staff who often live and work in close quarters.
- Denmark plans to reopen day care centres and schools for children in first to fifth grade on April 15 as a first step to gradually relax a three-week lockdown.
- Poland’s ruling nationalists edged closer to a green light for holding a May presidential election as a postal ballot due to the pandemic.
AMERICAS
- The governors of New York and New Jersey said on Monday their states were showing tentative signs of a “flattening” of the outbreak, but they warned against complacency as total cases in the country reached 330,891, and death toll rose to 8,910.
- Democratic Governor Tony Evers moved to postpone Wisconsin’s primary election from Tuesday until June 9, citing health risks from the pandemic, but Republicans said they would challenge the order in the state Supreme Court.
- The White House trade adviser said members of the coronavirus task force clashed over the weekend about the efficacy of a malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, for use against the disease.
- Canada said it was pressing Washington over a complaint that U.S. officials had blocked the export of three million face masks bought by the province of Ontario.
- Mexico’s president unveiled an economic plan vowing to help the poor and create jobs, but his promise of fiscal discipline sparked criticism that the measures fell far short of what was needed.
- Brazil’s education minister accused Chinese medical equipment makers of profiteering from the coronavirus pandemic, further souring diplomatic relations.
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
- China said it will work to further prevent cases imported through its land borders, as its number of asymptomatic cases surged.
- Japan is to impose a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday, while the government prepares a $990 billion stimulus package.
- Migrant workers living in vast Singapore dormitories cut off from the outside world due to the outbreak fear these are fast becoming a hotbed for infection.
- India hopes to be testing 20,000 people daily by the end of the week, twice the current rate, while a statistical oddity in its testing data has sparked questions.
- Indonesia announced its biggest daily increase in cases and a medical association said 24 doctors had now died.
- Carnival Corp’s troubled Ruby Princess cruise liner, the biggest single source of coronavirus infections in Australia, docked south of Sydney.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
- Saudi Arabia placed its capital Riyadh and other big cities under a 24-hour curfew, while Kuwait announced a full lockdown of two densely populated districts and extended a public holiday by two weeks until April 26.
- Iran will never ask the United States for help in the fight against the coronavirus, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.
- Kenya’s president ordered a halt to all movement in affected areas, including the capital Nairobi.
- Ivory Coast police clashed with protesters who had begun dismantling a half-built coronavirus testing centre, afraid that people using the facility would spread the epidemic.
- Syria is dragging its feet on releasing prisoners under an amnesty declared by President Bashar al-Assad, raising fears of mass infections, rights groups said on Monday.
- More than 20,000 Pakistani workers stuck in the United Arab Emirates are seeking to return home, as the Gulf Arab state tightens restrictions.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
- World stock markets jumped on Monday, encouraged by a slowdown in coronavirus-related deaths and new cases in some global hot spots, although a delay in talks between Saudi Arabia and Russia to cut supply sent oil tumbling again.
- A near total closure of U.S. businesses as authorities try to control the spread of the novel coronavirus could make U.S. economic data unreliable in the coming months and harder to get a clearer picture of the severity of the recession caused by the virus.
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to roll out an unprecedented economic stimulus package, equal to 20% of economic output. * The IMF cited limited but encouraging signs of recovery in China, but said it could not rule out a resurgence in China and elsewhere.
- About 20 million jobs are at risk in Africa as the continent’s economies are projected to shrink this year.
- Nigeria has requested a total of $6.9 billion from the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank, the finance minister said on Monday.
- Taiwan’s central bank pledged to double the amount of money earmarked to support small and medium-sized companies if needed.
- Singapore unveiled $3.55 billion in additional economic spending such as wage support, waiver of levies and one-off payments.
- JPMorgan Chase & Co’s top boss, Jamie Dimon, said he sees a “bad recession” in 2020.
SPORTS
- This year’s 149th Open Championship due to be held at Royal St George’s has been cancelled.
- IndyCar cancelled a doubleheader race weekend in Detroit.
- German soccer clubs were allowed to return to training on Monday, with some opting to train players in small groups.
- The Indonesia Open has been cancelled, the Badminton World Federation said on Monday.
REUTERS