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Coronavirus live news: US states start to reopen as detained Wuhan journalist reappears Coronavirus live news: US states start to reopen as detained Wuhan journalist reappears
(32 minutes later)
World has ‘a long way to go’, warns WHO chief; Singapore cases pass 10,000; first case among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Follow the latest updates.World has ‘a long way to go’, warns WHO chief; Singapore cases pass 10,000; first case among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Follow the latest updates.
And here’s South Korea’s response to the coronavirus pandemic explained in video form:
Test, trace, contain: how South Korea flattened its coronavirus curve
Late last week millions of South Koreans queued patiently at polling stations to cast their votes for a new national assembly.
Going out for dinner, let alone voting in a national election, would have seemed almost inconceivable weeks earlier when the coronavirus threatened to exact the same relentless toll on South Koreans as it has in the US and parts of Europe.
Long before politicians in Britain accepted that the illness posed a serious threat to public health, South Korea watched the rise in reported daily infections with growing alarm. After the country reported its case on 20 January, numbers initially remained low before climbing sharply, reaching a peak of 909 daily infections on 29 February.
Then something extraordinary happened. The steep rise in cases began to plateau. By late March, daily infections were being counted in the dozens, and then in single digits. In the space of a few weeks, South Korea had flattened the curve.
Podcast: Surviving ICU, a story of recovery from Covid-19
Dave Lewins is a healthy, 60-year old helicopter pilot, who in March found himself in intensive care with Covid-19. He describes the experience and how it has changed his life:
South Korea’s economy saw its worst performance in more than a decade in the first quarter as the coronavirus epidemic raged across the country, the central bank said Thursday, with officials warning of a bigger impact still to come, AFP reports.South Korea’s economy saw its worst performance in more than a decade in the first quarter as the coronavirus epidemic raged across the country, the central bank said Thursday, with officials warning of a bigger impact still to come, AFP reports.
The world’s 12th-largest economy endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the disease outside China, although it appears to have largely been contained thanks to an extensive “trace, test and treat” programme.The world’s 12th-largest economy endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the disease outside China, although it appears to have largely been contained thanks to an extensive “trace, test and treat” programme.
Gross domestic product shrank 1.4% year-on-year during the January to March period, the Bank of Korea said, its biggest decline since the fourth quarter of 2008 during the global financial crisis.Gross domestic product shrank 1.4% year-on-year during the January to March period, the Bank of Korea said, its biggest decline since the fourth quarter of 2008 during the global financial crisis.
Private consumption fell 6.4% - the sharpest fall in more than two decades, the central bank said.Private consumption fell 6.4% - the sharpest fall in more than two decades, the central bank said.
Exports contracted by 2% due to decreases in automobiles, machinery and chemical products, while imports fell 4.1%.Exports contracted by 2% due to decreases in automobiles, machinery and chemical products, while imports fell 4.1%.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast the world economy will contract three percent this year, as it is expected to “experience its worst recession since the Great Depression” over the pandemic.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast the world economy will contract three percent this year, as it is expected to “experience its worst recession since the Great Depression” over the pandemic.
The IMF has predicted the South Korean economy will shrink 1.2 percent in 2020.The IMF has predicted the South Korean economy will shrink 1.2 percent in 2020.
Staying in Asia Pacific for now: Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has announced that Australians have withdrawn a total of AU$3.8bn (US$2.4bn) from their superannuation (Australia’s compulsory retirement savings scheme).Staying in Asia Pacific for now: Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has announced that Australians have withdrawn a total of AU$3.8bn (US$2.4bn) from their superannuation (Australia’s compulsory retirement savings scheme).
The government has allowed early access to superannuation savings as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic. 456,000 people have applied for early access.The government has allowed early access to superannuation savings as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic. 456,000 people have applied for early access.
The pandemic has also, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today, seen 587,686 jobseeker applications being processed – more than the service that handles these usually does in a year.The pandemic has also, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today, seen 587,686 jobseeker applications being processed – more than the service that handles these usually does in a year.
These figures are an insight into the economic toll on an economy that famously avoided a recession after the Great Financial Crisis – and last year celebrated 28 years of uninterrupted growth.These figures are an insight into the economic toll on an economy that famously avoided a recession after the Great Financial Crisis – and last year celebrated 28 years of uninterrupted growth.
The New Zealand government will spend NZ$50m (£25m) on ailing media businesses during the coronavirus-induced downturn.The New Zealand government will spend NZ$50m (£25m) on ailing media businesses during the coronavirus-induced downturn.
News organisations have pleaded with Jacinda Ardern’s government for support over the past month, given the advertising streams that funded commercial operations have all but dried up.News organisations have pleaded with Jacinda Ardern’s government for support over the past month, given the advertising streams that funded commercial operations have all but dried up.
On Thursday, two deaths and three new cases were recorded. More than 1,450 people have been infected with coronavirus in New Zealand. A total of 16 have died and eight are in hospital.On Thursday, two deaths and three new cases were recorded. More than 1,450 people have been infected with coronavirus in New Zealand. A total of 16 have died and eight are in hospital.
Every media business in New Zealand has taken up the government’s wage subsidy program, which covers a portion of salaries for a 12-week period for workers in struggling industries.Every media business in New Zealand has taken up the government’s wage subsidy program, which covers a portion of salaries for a 12-week period for workers in struggling industries.
Trump disagrees with Georgia governor’s decision to reopen businessesTrump disagrees with Georgia governor’s decision to reopen businesses
Donald Trump has rebuked a state governor and Republican ally over his decision to reopen bowling alleys, hair salons and other businesses on Friday “in violation” of the phased federal guidelines.Donald Trump has rebuked a state governor and Republican ally over his decision to reopen bowling alleys, hair salons and other businesses on Friday “in violation” of the phased federal guidelines.
Trump was speaking on Wednesday at a wide ranging coronavirus task force briefing in which he announced he had signed a “very powerful” order curbing immigration, contradicted experts on how long the virus will linger and compared the crowd size at his last 4 July celebration to Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech.Trump was speaking on Wednesday at a wide ranging coronavirus task force briefing in which he announced he had signed a “very powerful” order curbing immigration, contradicted experts on how long the virus will linger and compared the crowd size at his last 4 July celebration to Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech.
Georgia’s huge gamble is likely to be watched with closely by state governors across the nation. Trump released national guidelines last week for states to pursue a staggered reopening of their economies once they achieve 14 days of declining new infections – criterion that the Peach State has not met:Georgia’s huge gamble is likely to be watched with closely by state governors across the nation. Trump released national guidelines last week for states to pursue a staggered reopening of their economies once they achieve 14 days of declining new infections – criterion that the Peach State has not met:
Australian mining billionaire Kerry Stokes “exempted from [the country’s] strict quarantine rules after arriving in Perth from Aspen by private jet,” The Sydney Morning Herald reports.Australian mining billionaire Kerry Stokes “exempted from [the country’s] strict quarantine rules after arriving in Perth from Aspen by private jet,” The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Australia has called on G20 nations to end wet wildlife markets over concerns they pose a threat to human health and agricultural markets, a move which could further strain ties with China after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reports. The pandemic which originated in China was thought to have started in a wet market in the city of Wuhan. Wet markets are a key facet of China’s daily life, and not all sell wildlife.China imposed a temporary ban on selling wildlife on 23 January and is now reviewing its legislation to restrict commercial wild animal trading on a permanent basis.Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said on Thursday he had asked government officials from the Group of 20 major economies to back a plan to end wet wildlife markets.“There are risks with wildlife wet markets and they could be as big a risk to our agricultural industries as they can be to public health,” Littleproud told Australia’s Channel 7 television.US officials have also called for wet wildlife markets across Asia to be closed.Australia has called on G20 nations to end wet wildlife markets over concerns they pose a threat to human health and agricultural markets, a move which could further strain ties with China after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reports. The pandemic which originated in China was thought to have started in a wet market in the city of Wuhan. Wet markets are a key facet of China’s daily life, and not all sell wildlife.China imposed a temporary ban on selling wildlife on 23 January and is now reviewing its legislation to restrict commercial wild animal trading on a permanent basis.Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said on Thursday he had asked government officials from the Group of 20 major economies to back a plan to end wet wildlife markets.“There are risks with wildlife wet markets and they could be as big a risk to our agricultural industries as they can be to public health,” Littleproud told Australia’s Channel 7 television.US officials have also called for wet wildlife markets across Asia to be closed.
New Zealand Says It Has Recorded Two New Deaths Related To Covid-19, and three new cases.New Zealand Says It Has Recorded Two New Deaths Related To Covid-19, and three new cases.
The deaths announced today take the country’s total to 16.The deaths announced today take the country’s total to 16.
Despite the new cases, the official total number of cases remains at 1451, however. NewsHub has this handy explainer:Despite the new cases, the official total number of cases remains at 1451, however. NewsHub has this handy explainer:
Fourteen more cases of coronavirus infections have been confirmed on an Italian cruise ship docked for repairs at Japan’s Nagasaki prefecture, bringing the total to at least 48, public broadcaster NHK said on Thursday.As of Wednesday, 34 crew members on the Costa Atlantica had tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising concerns about the impact on the local community.Nagasaki prefecture will hold a press conference from 10:30am (01:30 GMT), according to NHK.Fourteen more cases of coronavirus infections have been confirmed on an Italian cruise ship docked for repairs at Japan’s Nagasaki prefecture, bringing the total to at least 48, public broadcaster NHK said on Thursday.As of Wednesday, 34 crew members on the Costa Atlantica had tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising concerns about the impact on the local community.Nagasaki prefecture will hold a press conference from 10:30am (01:30 GMT), according to NHK.
The Costa Atlantica infections come after the cases on the Diamond Princess in Yokohama two months ago, where more than 700 were found to be infected, although this time only crew members were on board.The Italian cruise ship is carrying 623 crew members and no passengers, officials have said.The Costa Atlantica infections come after the cases on the Diamond Princess in Yokohama two months ago, where more than 700 were found to be infected, although this time only crew members were on board.The Italian cruise ship is carrying 623 crew members and no passengers, officials have said.
The US government will assess whether the World Health Organization is being run the way that it should be, after President Donald Trump paused US funding to the global body, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Acting Administrator John Barsa said on Wednesday.Reuters reports Washington will also use this pause to look for alternative partners outside the WHO to continue to carry out “important work” such as vaccines, to ensure it does not have a disruption in its aid efforts, said Barsa, who heads USAID, the key US government agency that administers foreign aid.“The review is going to be all encompassing, get into all manners of management operation questions,” Barsa told a news conference at the State Department. “There’s numerous questions in terms of the management of the WHO; how they have been operating holding member states accountable in their actions.”“Is the management of the World Health Organization running it the way it should be run?,” was the question at the heart of Washington’s review, Barsa added.Trump announced a halt to US funding for the Geneva-based WHO last week while Washington reviews the organization’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.The US government will assess whether the World Health Organization is being run the way that it should be, after President Donald Trump paused US funding to the global body, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Acting Administrator John Barsa said on Wednesday.Reuters reports Washington will also use this pause to look for alternative partners outside the WHO to continue to carry out “important work” such as vaccines, to ensure it does not have a disruption in its aid efforts, said Barsa, who heads USAID, the key US government agency that administers foreign aid.“The review is going to be all encompassing, get into all manners of management operation questions,” Barsa told a news conference at the State Department. “There’s numerous questions in terms of the management of the WHO; how they have been operating holding member states accountable in their actions.”“Is the management of the World Health Organization running it the way it should be run?,” was the question at the heart of Washington’s review, Barsa added.Trump announced a halt to US funding for the Geneva-based WHO last week while Washington reviews the organization’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first confirmed cases in companion animals in the US, federal officials said Wednesday.
The cats, which had mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to recover, are thought to have contracted the virus from people in their households or neighborhoods, the US Department of Agriculture and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The finding, which comes after positive tests in some tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo, adds to a small number of confirmed cases of the virus in animals worldwide. US authorities say that while it appears some animals can get the virus from people, there is no indication pets are transmitting it to human beings.
China has reported ten new coronavirus cases today, six of which are imported infections, according to the People’s Daily.
There were 27 new asymptomatic cases, and no coronavirus-related deaths for the sixth day in a row.
My escape from Covid-19-free Samoa to the US felt ironic from the start
Hayley Canal writes for the Guardian:
A federal appeals court has allowed Arkansas to enforce a ban on most surgical abortions, as part of a state directive aimed at postponing medical procedures not deemed urgent during the coronavirus outbreak.
The ruling from the eighth US circuit court of appeals in St Louis, Missouri, lifted a federal judge’s order which had allowed abortions to continue. The new ruling does not affect abortion induced through medication in the early stages of pregnancy, which is still allowed.
The ruling comes two days after another federal appeals court, the fifth circuit, allowed Texas to enforce curbs on abortions via medication, as part of its response to the pandemic.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the United States strongly believes that China’s ruling communist party failed to report the outbreak of the new coronavirus in a timely manner to the World Health Organization, Reuters reports. Speaking at a State Department news conference, Pompeo also accused Beijing of failing to report human-to-human transmission of the virus “for a month until it was in every province inside of China.”Citing WHO rules implemented in 2007, Pompeo said, “We strongly believe that the Chinese Community Party did not report the outbreak of the new coronavirus in a timely fashion to the World Health Organization.” He said that even after Beijing notified the WHO of the outbreak “it did not share all of the information it had. Instead it covered up how dangerous the disease is.”
China has rejected charges that it mishandled the outbreak, saying it has been transparent and open about the spread of the virus.In fresh criticism of the WHO, Pompeo said the organization’s director general, Tedros Adhanom, had failed to use his ability “to go public” when a member state failed to follow the new rules.US President Donald Trump last week suspended US funding for the WHO, charging that the organisation promoted China’s “disinformation” about the outbreak of the virus.
The UK is embarking on a large-scale study of 300,000 people to find out what proportion of the population has already had the coronavirus and how many may have some immunity to it as a result.
Studies are being undertaken around the world to work out how widespread the infection is. So far, they have found the proportion of people with antibodies showing they have been infected is low. The World Health Organization said this week it appears that only around 2 to 3% of people in the general population have been infected – with or without symptoms.
The results of the new major British study will be crucial for planning a strategic endgame to the pandemic in the UK. Some 25,000 people will be invited to take part in the first wave of the study in England. It is expected it will be extended to 300,000 people over the next 12 months.
The world is on track for a recession of “unprecedented depth in the post-war period”, ratings agency Fitch says.In a note issued on Thursday, Fitch chief economist Brian Coulton said the agency now expected world gross domestic product to tumble by 3.9% in 2020.“This is twice as large as the decline anticipated in our early April GEO [global economic outlook] update and would be twice as severe as the 2009 recession,” he said.Fitch said the slump implied a US$2.8tn fall in global income levels from last year.Coulton said unprecedented floods of cash pumped into the economy by governments “will serve to cushion the near-term shock”.“But with job losses occurring on an extreme scale and intense pressures on small and medium-sized businesses, the path back to normality after the health crisis subsides is likely to be slow,” he said.
Other things that happened in that White House press briefing include Trump saying he would hold Independence Day celebrations on the Washington Mall on July 4th this year, before comparing photographs of the crowd at his celebrations last year to Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s address at the Washington Mall in 1963, during the civil rights March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
On Trump’s crowds:
The day Trump is talking about was also when Dr King delivered his “I have a dream” speech.
On Trump’s speech last year:
Trump also announced he had signed an executive order halting immigration to the US for 60 days – he flagged earlier this week that he would be doing so.
The Guardian’s Washington Correspondent, David Smith, will be bringing you the full story on the ban shortly.
The US president also took the opportunity to say he had discouraged Georgia’s governor from reopening the state. The US president says he told Georgia governor Brian Kemp that he disagreed “very strongly” with the decision to reopen businesses in the state. “I think it’s too soon,” he says.
Just to recap that appearance by the Director of the US Centers for Disease Control at today’s White House Press briefing:
Trump said Dr Robert Redfield, current Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was misquoted in the media.
Dr Redfield warned yesterday that a wave of coronavirus next winter would coincide with the normal influenza season.
Dr Redfield was then called upon to confirm that he was misrepresented, and said it was important to emphasise that he didn’t say next season would be “worse”, but that it would be “more difficult and potentially complicated”.
Trump took particular issue with the Washington Post’s coverage of Dr Redfield’s comments.
Dr Redfield was asked by a reporter whether he was accurately quoted by the Washington Post. He was, he said. Trump then jumped in to say the headline was the problem.
The Post’s headline was “CDC director warns second wave of coronavirus is likely to be even more devastating”. Here is their response to Trump’s criticism.
Dr Redfield was then asked why he retweeted the article if it was inaccurate. Trump stepped in, immediately, to say that the journalist speaking wasn’t called upon to ask a question.
Here is our coverage of Dr Redfield’s comments yesterday:
Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
I’m Helen Sullivan and I’ll be with you for the next few hours. A reminder that you can get in touch at any time on Twitter @helenrsullivan.
In today’s White House press briefing, which included an extraordinary appearance by CDC chief Dr Robert Redfield (more on this in a moment), Trump announced that he had signed the order halting immigration to the US for 60 days. The text of that oder has not yet been released to the public.
The US president also said he had discouraged Georgia’s governor from reopening the state.
Here are the most important recent developments from around the world:
Trump signs immigration order. Trump said he had signed the order halting immigration to the US just before coming into the room to deliver the White House press briefing.
Trump also said his discouraged Georgia’s governor from reopening. The US president says he told Georgia governor Brian Kemp that he disagreed “very strongly” with the decision to reopen businesses in the state. “I think it’s too soon,” he says.
Missing Wuhan citizen journalist reappears. A Chinese citizen journalist who was missing for almost two months after posting videos from Wuhan during the coronavirus outbreak has re-appeared, claiming that he was detained by police and forcibly quarantined.
World has ‘a long way to go’, warns WHO chief. The director general of the World Health Organizsation has said that there is still “a long way to go” in tackling the coronavirus crisis around the world.
Covid-19 infections in Singapore pass 10,000. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Singapore has passed 10,000, despite concerted and strenuous attempts to contain the spread of the infection in the city state.
“US handling Covid-19 like 3rd world country,” says Nobel prize economist. Donald Trump’s botched handling of the Covid-19 crisis has left the US looking like a third world country and on course for a second Great Depression, Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has said.
The first coronavirus case has been recorded at among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. The outbreak of the virus at crowded camps has been feared since the start of the crisis.
Spain announced it plans to phase out its lockdown in the second half of May. The prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, also asked lawmakers to extend the country’s state of emergency until 9 May.
Germany approved its first human trials for a Covid-19 vaccine. 200 healthy people between 18 and 55 will receive several variants of the vaccine candidate.
Pope Francis called for unity among EU member states on the eve of European Ccouncil summit to discuss a huge but divisive economic stimulus package to respond to the coronavirus crisis. EU states have clashed repeatedly over financial responses to the epidemic.
At least 34 crew members have tested positive for coronavirus on a cruise ship docked in Japan for maintenance. The outbreak onboard the Italian-operated Costa Atlantica adds to concerns about testing and hospital capacity in Nagasaki, where only 102 beds are available.
Half of France’s working population has signed up to the country’s temporary unemployment scheme, according to the minister of labour, Muriel Pénicaud. 10.2 million private sector workers have applied for support, or one employee out of two and six companies out of 10, she said.
Coronavirus-related deaths in the UK may be as high as 41,000, according to a Financial Times analysis of the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Their findings include deaths that occurred outside hospitals updated to reflect recent mortality trends.
The European commission has said the UK was well aware of its coronavirus procurement initiative when it decided not to participate. Its account contradicts the UK government claim that a “misunderstanding” was to blame for the UK not getting involved.
Officials in Beijing dismissed the US state of Missouri’s move to sue the Chinese government over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak as “nothing short of absurdity” and lacking any factual or legal basis.