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Coronavirus live news: Italy records 766 more deaths but infection rate continues to slow Coronavirus live news: Italy records 766 more deaths but infection rate continues to slow
(31 minutes later)
Iran’s death toll reaches 3,294; Swiss death toll rises to 484; Australia’s medical chief says true global cases could be five to 10 million Spain records first drop in daily death toll in four days; Wuhan residents told to stay indoors; Iran’s death toll reaches 3,294
The WHO briefing ends with Georgieva saying the world will get through the epidemic, but how quickly that happens depends on the actions that countries take now.
Adhanom added that “both lives and livelihoods matter”.
When asked about the effectiveness of using masks, Ryan said there is a very healthy debate going on.
He said countries must prioritise giving surgical and medical masks for healthcare workers. WHO already advises that people use medical masks for people who are ill at home and people caring for people at sick at home.
He added the evidence suggests that wearing a mask in public doesn’t necessarily protect someone, but it can be of use to someone who is experiencing symptoms and thus reduce the rate that an infected individual infects others.
WHO said countries need a transition strategy that gets them in control of the virus. Countries need to avoid a scenario where they relax rules around a lockdown only to have to implement one again.
Ryan said WHO has repeatedly warned that young people are also at risk from this virus.
He said even in South Korea, which has managed to control the disease, one in six deaths have been of people under 60. In Italy, over the last six weeks, at least 10-15% of people in intensive care have been under 50, Ryan explained.
Ryan said:
When asked what WHO’s stance is on antibody testing and immunity passports, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said WHO is “working with a number of countries that are looking into the use of serologic assays in the form of research.” The test will estimate the antibody levels in populations in a country.When asked what WHO’s stance is on antibody testing and immunity passports, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said WHO is “working with a number of countries that are looking into the use of serologic assays in the form of research.” The test will estimate the antibody levels in populations in a country.
She added it is a positive sign that there are a number of tests being rapidly developed.She added it is a positive sign that there are a number of tests being rapidly developed.
The IMF has been asked whether it would grant debt relief to African nations where citizens who are following social distancing guidelines are now more worried about dying from hunger than the coronavirus.The IMF has been asked whether it would grant debt relief to African nations where citizens who are following social distancing guidelines are now more worried about dying from hunger than the coronavirus.
IMF’s Kristalina Georgieva said it’s important to provide significant financial support to African countries. She said the board approved emergency finances for Rwanda and two more African countries are in discussion for approval today.IMF’s Kristalina Georgieva said it’s important to provide significant financial support to African countries. She said the board approved emergency finances for Rwanda and two more African countries are in discussion for approval today.
The briefing has now moved to questions from journalists.The briefing has now moved to questions from journalists.
The first question asked if there is anything in the diet, lifestyle or drug protocol that Americans or Europeans use that make this virus more severeThe first question asked if there is anything in the diet, lifestyle or drug protocol that Americans or Europeans use that make this virus more severe
Dr Michael J Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said the evidence so far would indicate that antihypertensive drugs that many people are on does not have any impact on the severity of the disease.Dr Michael J Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said the evidence so far would indicate that antihypertensive drugs that many people are on does not have any impact on the severity of the disease.
The difference in mortality rates between countries could be down to the age profile of the country, some have a higher population of older populations, and the presence of underlying conditions.The difference in mortality rates between countries could be down to the age profile of the country, some have a higher population of older populations, and the presence of underlying conditions.
Italy registered 766 more deaths from Covid-19 on Friday - 6 more than Thursday - and remains the country worst affected by the outbreak with a total of 14,681 deaths. However, new infections continue to slow down, raising hopes of turnaround.Italy registered 766 more deaths from Covid-19 on Friday - 6 more than Thursday - and remains the country worst affected by the outbreak with a total of 14,681 deaths. However, new infections continue to slow down, raising hopes of turnaround.
Some 85.388 are currently infected with an increase of 2339 new cases, 138 less than Thursday. Some 1.480 have recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 19.758.Some 85.388 are currently infected with an increase of 2339 new cases, 138 less than Thursday. Some 1.480 have recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 19.758.
In total, 119.827 people have tested positive with coronavirus in Italy, including people who have died, recovered and the ones who are currently infected.In total, 119.827 people have tested positive with coronavirus in Italy, including people who have died, recovered and the ones who are currently infected.
Lockdown in the country could be extended until May 1 and ‘phase two’ of living with the virus can begin in mid-May, Emergency Commissioner Angelo Borrelli said Friday.Lockdown in the country could be extended until May 1 and ‘phase two’ of living with the virus can begin in mid-May, Emergency Commissioner Angelo Borrelli said Friday.
The government has officially extended the coronavirus lockdown until Easter in mid-April, but Borrelli stressed the importance of keeping to “the most rigorous conduct in observing lockdown rules’’.The government has officially extended the coronavirus lockdown until Easter in mid-April, but Borrelli stressed the importance of keeping to “the most rigorous conduct in observing lockdown rules’’.
‘’The date of emerging from lockdown is still not certain at all”, Borrelli added.‘’The date of emerging from lockdown is still not certain at all”, Borrelli added.
In the meantime, 77 health workers in Italy have died from coronavirus since the outbreak there began, as medics work relentlessly to try to turn the tide in Europe’s worst-affected country.In the meantime, 77 health workers in Italy have died from coronavirus since the outbreak there began, as medics work relentlessly to try to turn the tide in Europe’s worst-affected country.
The majority were on the frontline in the badly affected northern regions and contracted the illness at the start of the outbreak when protective equipment was lacking.The majority were on the frontline in the badly affected northern regions and contracted the illness at the start of the outbreak when protective equipment was lacking.
Adhanom said almost $690 million has now been pledged or received since it asked for support nearly two months agoAdhanom said almost $690 million has now been pledged or received since it asked for support nearly two months ago
Tedros Adhanom, WHO’s director general, is leading a press conference on the coronavirus. He has called for countries to provide free care and testing for covid-19, regardless of a person’s insurance, citizenship or residency status.Tedros Adhanom, WHO’s director general, is leading a press conference on the coronavirus. He has called for countries to provide free care and testing for covid-19, regardless of a person’s insurance, citizenship or residency status.
“This is an unprecedented crisis which requires an unprecedented response,” he said.“This is an unprecedented crisis which requires an unprecedented response,” he said.
Adhanom added that country’s should consider using cash transfers for the most vulnerable households.suspendAdhanom added that country’s should consider using cash transfers for the most vulnerable households.suspend
Ontario has been lagging behind other Canadian provinces in testing for coronavirus because in the early weeks of the outbreak its public labs relied heavily on a single company for needed chemicals, Reuters reports.
There are thought to be thousands of backlogged cases in Ontario, Canada’s most heavily populated region. The province is focused on ramping testing back up, particularly for healthcare workers.
As of Wednesday, Ontario had tested 4,188 per million residents, less than every Canadian province except New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, which have far fewer cases. Alberta had tested 11,139 per million, and Quebec 8,216 per million.
The provincial public health agency’s labs were heavily dependent on one company’s system to extract RNA, the virus’s genetic material, the agency told Reuters.
Hundreds of US citizens have been stranded in Moscow after an evacuation flight to New York was grounded at the last moment due to a Russian ban on all international flights.
The Aeroflot flight was meant to carry US citizens seeking to leave Russia, and then repatriate hundreds of Russians stranded in the US. Russia has closed its international borders for most travellers, and this afternoon announced it would impose a ban on all international flights in and out of Russia as of Saturday morning.
The cancellation came after passengers had already boarded the flight. Some had been trying to leave Russia for weeks. Others had been living in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport for days, waiting for a chance to leave the country.
Nicholas Mackay, a ballet photographer who lives in Russia, said that he has been trying to travel to the US for several weeks to reach his father, who has cancer.
“We were already on the flight, and then a flight attendant came on over the intercom and told us that we are not flying out, the flight is cancelled and all flights are cancelled by the Russian government,” he said by telephone. “There’s no information. We’re not even able to get any money back from our flight. We’re only able to change for a different day. A different day is no day, because no one knows when international travel will be OK in this whole situation.”
A video uploaded by his brother, Julian, showed angry passengers reacting to the flight cancellation. “It’s chaos,” he said.
A US embassy spokesperson said: “The US embassy is aware of the inexplicable cancellation of today’s Aeroflot flight to New York. The flight was full of US citizens anxious to get home. We are awaiting an explanation from the Russian Federation. We continue to work to find ways to help US citizens return home.”
Canada has recorded almost 12,000 cases of coronavirus, according to the country’s public health agency. The death toll increased to 152 on Friday.
Quebec, which has 5,518 confirmed cases as of Friday, is the country’s worst affected region, followed by Ontario, with 3,255 confirmed cases.
The Spanish government has said it is working to roll out some form of guaranteed income that could benefit as many as 5 million people as the country reels from the coronavirus epidemic.
“We’re working on a minimum income,” the country’s labour minister, Yolanda Díaz, said on Friday. “We need it now more than ever.”
Spain has emerged as one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, with the virus claiming 10,935 lives. More than 117,000 people have tested positive for Covid-19.
The rapid spread of the virus has decimated the country’s tourism industry – which accounts for nearly 12% of the country’s GDP – while the near-total lockdown has shuttered bars, restaurants and non-essential shops and halted construction.
Nearly 900,000 workers have lost their jobs since the lockdown began on 14 March, while another 620,000 people have been temporarily laid off, government data showed this week, sparking worry in a country where the unemployment rate already ranks among the highest in the Eurozone.
“The data is extraordinary,” the social security minister, José Luis Escrivá, said on Thursday. “It’s unprecedented.”
The government has announced a series of measures aimed at softening the blow of the epidemic, including a moratorium on mortgages payments and the suspension of evictions for those affected by the crisis.
The minimum income is aimed at complementing these measures, Díaz, the labour minister, told the Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser, as it will provide protection for vulnerable residents not served by other government measures. She declined to provide more details or a timeline for the measure.
The death toll in New York from the coronavirus has jumped to 2,935, governor Andrew Cuomo announced.
The death toll, which is up from from 2,373 a day earlier, represented the highest single-day rise since the coronavirus crisis struck the state.
There are 102,863 confirmed cases of coronavirus in New York. Cuomo said that hospitals have effectively turned into ICU hospitals for Covid-19 patients.
The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda has written to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to call for debt relief for his country and other small economies hit suffering economic crises caused by the coronavirus outbreak.In a two-page letter published on Thursday to his Facebook page, Gaston Browne, who also finance minister of the Caribbean nation, said that the crisis had already led to the loss of a fifth of GDP, and was only likely to get worse.With airlines grounded, cruise ships berthed and hotels closed in an effort to curb the international spread of the coronavirus, the tourism industry in the region had ceased and governments had taken a huge hit to revenue, Browne said.“All of this translates into very high unemployment, and an increase in poverty levels that, inevitably, will spur more and varied crime – drug trafficking, probably becoming rampant”He pointed out that his country and others in the region are trying to battle outbreaks at the same time as preparing what is forecast to be an “above average” hurricane season, with as many as four major hurricanes expected.“In the region’s already precarious state, the effects of a hurricane would be catastrophic.”
Slovenia will introduce a mandatory 14-day quarantine for most people entering the country from Saturday, Reuters reports.
The quarantine will apply to both Slovenian citizens and foreign nationals, the government said on Friday. The penalty for those flouting the decree will be 400 euros ($430), the government said.
The new rule will not apply to people who have to travel to the country for work and will not include those involved in cargo traffic or who are passing through Slovenia on their way to another country without staying overnight.
Last month, Slovenia closed all schools, bars, restaurants, hotels, sports centres, cultural institutions and shops, except food and drug stores. It has also shut down all public transport.
Slovenia has confirmed 934 coronavirus cases and 20 deaths.
Premier League players will be asked to take a 30% drop in their wages, via cuts or deferrals or both, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the clubs agreed at a meeting on Friday.
The move came as the 20 top-flight teams said they would give £125m to the EFL and National League to help their clubs through the crisis and donate £20m to support the NHS, communities, families and vulnerable groups.
A Premier League statement said: “In the face of substantial and continuing losses for the 2019-20 season since the suspension of matches began, and to protect employment throughout the professional game, Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30% of total annual remuneration.”
More than 250,000 European Union citizens are still trying to get home after the EU has repatriated some 350,000 people, Reuters reports.
“We have brought home 350,000 Europeans but there are still 250,000 remaining and many operations are under way,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief told reporters.
“One could not imagine that there are so many Europeans stranded in the world: tourists, visitors, short-term workers. We are not talking about permanent residents,” Borrell added.
With a mix of chartered and military planes, EU institutions are helping member states cover the costs of repatriation on flights with passengers of more than one EU country.
How has coronavirus affected global air traffic? Niko Kommenda, the Guardian’s visual projects editor, analysed the data and found thousands of planes are still in the air despite the mass cancellation of flights.