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Coronavirus live news: More new cases in China as parts of Europe to ease restrictions Coronavirus live news: More new cases in China as parts of Europe to ease restrictions
(32 minutes later)
Boris Johnson’s plans for UK labeled vague and divisive; China records new cases in Wuhan and Shulan; Mike Pence reportedly self-isolates Boris Johnson’s plans for UK labeled vague and divisive; China records new cases in Wuhan and Shulan; New Zealand to move to level 2 restrictions
So that was Jacinda Ardern announcing New Zealand will move from level 3 restrictions to level 2 on Thursday.
Ardern praised the public’s efforts in staying home to protect the country’s most vulnerable and thanked New Zealanders for the huge sacrifices they had made in protecting the country’s most vulnerable, including the elderly and the immunosuppressed.
She said parties, weddings, stag dos, and funerals will be capped at 10, both inside and outside, as the director-general of health had deemed these events “high-risk”, with the country’s largest Covid-19 clusters spreading from a wedding, a St Patrick’s day party and a conference.
Ardern says: “In 10 days time we will have reopened most businesses in New Zealand... Our plan was go hard, go early so we can get our economy going sooner.”
Malls, playgrounds and gyms will reopen.
“You can begin to move around New Zealand,” Ardern says.
On Monday 18 May, all schoolchildren will be able to return to school and nursery. On 21 May, bars will be able to reopen.
Ardern is talking about what has worked - including strong border controls and strict hand hygiene, but warns “we have not won the war.”
“There is still a chance of silent spread in the future... so today I am announcing that cabinet agrees we are ready to move to level 2, to open up the economy as safely as possible.”
We are expecting an update from New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern on her plans to ease lockdown measures further. New Zealand has recorded three new cases of coronavirus today. Stay tuned...
“Emerging from weeks of strict coronavirus lockdown, itself a cause of serious mental health disruption, the lifting of restrictions brings for many a sense of trepidation and unease. While some are bucking at the gate, waiting to return to life in the new normal, others are experiencing a lingering fear of contagion of the virus about which little is still understood.”
As several nations plot a course back to an approximation of normal life, Celina Riberio takes a look at the phenomenon of return anxiety:
Here is our full report on the latest from China, where new cases in two cities are causing concern:Here is our full report on the latest from China, where new cases in two cities are causing concern:
South Korea has reported 35 new cases on Monday, most linked to Seoul clubs and bars.South Korea has reported 35 new cases on Monday, most linked to Seoul clubs and bars.
It was the single biggest daily toll since 9 April, and the country’s containment measures are being put to the test, Yonhap News reports.It was the single biggest daily toll since 9 April, and the country’s containment measures are being put to the test, Yonhap News reports.
29 new cases are linked to clubbers in the Itaweon district after man in his 20s tested positive. More than 1,500 people, from 85 nationalities, are believed to have visited five venues at the same time as the man.29 new cases are linked to clubbers in the Itaweon district after man in his 20s tested positive. More than 1,500 people, from 85 nationalities, are believed to have visited five venues at the same time as the man.
Reuters: Japan could lift a state-of-emergency in many regions this week if new coronavirus cases are under control, the economy minister said on Monday, as it inches towards a gradual return of economic activity.Reuters: Japan could lift a state-of-emergency in many regions this week if new coronavirus cases are under control, the economy minister said on Monday, as it inches towards a gradual return of economic activity.
The state of emergency, in place since last month, gives governors of the 47 prefectures stronger legal authority to urge people to stay at home and businesses to close, but there are no fines or arrests for non-compliance.The state of emergency, in place since last month, gives governors of the 47 prefectures stronger legal authority to urge people to stay at home and businesses to close, but there are no fines or arrests for non-compliance.
The government last week extended the emergency to the end of May, saying it would reassess the situation on May 14. Some non-essential businesses, even in the 13 hardest-hit prefectures designated “special alert districts”, including Tokyo and Osaka, have already reopened despite the extension.The government last week extended the emergency to the end of May, saying it would reassess the situation on May 14. Some non-essential businesses, even in the 13 hardest-hit prefectures designated “special alert districts”, including Tokyo and Osaka, have already reopened despite the extension.
Japan has avoided an explosive outbreak of the novel coronavirus, with some 15,800 domestic cases and 630 deaths. The number of new infections has been on a declining trend over the past week.Japan has avoided an explosive outbreak of the novel coronavirus, with some 15,800 domestic cases and 630 deaths. The number of new infections has been on a declining trend over the past week.
“We have been able to proceed steadily towards an end,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliamentary session, referring to the epidemic.“We have been able to proceed steadily towards an end,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliamentary session, referring to the epidemic.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said the government could lift the emergency this week in regions that have seen a notable improvement, even among the 13 hardest-hit prefectures, while warning that any reversal of the trend could change that.Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said the government could lift the emergency this week in regions that have seen a notable improvement, even among the 13 hardest-hit prefectures, while warning that any reversal of the trend could change that.
“If signs of an overshoot emerge after the lifting, we would need to consider a re-implementation,” he said in parliament.“If signs of an overshoot emerge after the lifting, we would need to consider a re-implementation,” he said in parliament.
Abe has warned of a long battle against the virus and asked the public to continue practising social distancing. People would need to adopt a “new lifestyle” for the coronavirus era, he said, even after the state of emergency is lifted.Abe has warned of a long battle against the virus and asked the public to continue practising social distancing. People would need to adopt a “new lifestyle” for the coronavirus era, he said, even after the state of emergency is lifted.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 357 to 169,575, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 357 to 169,575, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday.
The reported death toll rose by 22 to 7,417, the tally showed.The reported death toll rose by 22 to 7,417, the tally showed.
In Ghana, one worker at a fish-processing factory in the Atlantic seafront city of Tema infected 533 other workers, according to President Nana Akufo-Addo.In Ghana, one worker at a fish-processing factory in the Atlantic seafront city of Tema infected 533 other workers, according to President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Via Reuters: Ghana’s health authorities reported the outbreak at the industrial facility late on Friday, but did not provide details.Via Reuters: Ghana’s health authorities reported the outbreak at the industrial facility late on Friday, but did not provide details.
“All 533 persons were infected by one person,” President Akufo-Addo said. He did not provide details of how the disease spread in the facility or if safety measures had been in place.“All 533 persons were infected by one person,” President Akufo-Addo said. He did not provide details of how the disease spread in the facility or if safety measures had been in place.
He said that the 533 positive cases, which represents around 11.3% of Ghana’s total infections, were part of a backlog of about 921 cases going back as far as April 26 that are only recently being reported.He said that the 533 positive cases, which represents around 11.3% of Ghana’s total infections, were part of a backlog of about 921 cases going back as far as April 26 that are only recently being reported.
The new cases pushed Ghana’s total since the pandemic was first reported in the West African nation in mid-March to 4,700 as of Sunday night, the highest number of infections in West Africa.The new cases pushed Ghana’s total since the pandemic was first reported in the West African nation in mid-March to 4,700 as of Sunday night, the highest number of infections in West Africa.
Reuters: New Zealand reported three new Covid-19 cases on Monday, ahead of a decision on whether to ease restrictions further and allow more business and recreational activities to resume after weeks of disruptions.Reuters: New Zealand reported three new Covid-19 cases on Monday, ahead of a decision on whether to ease restrictions further and allow more business and recreational activities to resume after weeks of disruptions.
The cases - two hospital nurses and one related to overseas travel - bring New Zealand’s total confirmed infections to 1,147, the ministry said, adding that 93% of all confirmed and probable cases have recovered.The cases - two hospital nurses and one related to overseas travel - bring New Zealand’s total confirmed infections to 1,147, the ministry said, adding that 93% of all confirmed and probable cases have recovered.
The Pacific nation was locked down for more than month under “level 4” restrictions that were eased by a notch on April 28. It has continued to enforce strict social measures on many of its citizens and businesses, helping prevent widespread community spread of the virus.The Pacific nation was locked down for more than month under “level 4” restrictions that were eased by a notch on April 28. It has continued to enforce strict social measures on many of its citizens and businesses, helping prevent widespread community spread of the virus.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce at 4pm local time her decision on easing restrictions further and putting the country under alert level 2, which would allow retail, domestic travel and local sport to resume.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce at 4pm local time her decision on easing restrictions further and putting the country under alert level 2, which would allow retail, domestic travel and local sport to resume.
If the country moves to alert level 2, children can return to schools while staff could return to offices, Ardern has said.If the country moves to alert level 2, children can return to schools while staff could return to offices, Ardern has said.
Malls, cafes, hairdressers and other services would be also be allowed to re-open, but the country’s borders would remain closed except for returning New Zealanders.TMalls, cafes, hairdressers and other services would be also be allowed to re-open, but the country’s borders would remain closed except for returning New Zealanders.T
hree new cases of CovidD-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, were confirmed on Monday, the health ministry said in a statement.hree new cases of CovidD-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, were confirmed on Monday, the health ministry said in a statement.
Disneyland Shanghai is the first Disney theme park to reopen after the pandemic caused global closures.
Chinese state media reports the park is reopening to guests with restrictions on numbers and traffic flow. Children’s playgrounds and indoor theatres are staying closed for the time being.
In Australia, restrictions in various states are beginning to ease.
Victoria’s premier has just announced the state’s residents can have five visitors inside their home, and can go outside for outdoor activities in groups of up to 10.
Schools will start looking at a return to on-site learning
Professional sports may restart training, and counselling services and community groups can restart for up to 10 people in a group, and with physical distancing measures.
In Queensland and New South Wales children also began returning to school on Monday after the outbreak saw many of them pulled from school before holidays began a few weeks ago.
From AP:
The NSW government said it has delivered thousands of litres of soap and hand sanitiser to schools, as well as personal protective equipment and temperature monitors. Class sizes will be reduced and activities will involve minimal physical contact between the students, many of whom have not attended school since mid-March.
“I know this is a huge relief for families,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.
“It is a huge relief for the state government because we know how important it is for students to receive that face to face teaching,” she added.
Final year students, whose exams were interrupted by the virus response, would attend at least three days per week in class, Berejiklian said, with the plan to return to full-time class attendance for all students by the end of May.
Reuters: In Indonesia a traditional market on the island of Java has moved outdoors and set stalls at least a metre (3.3 ft) apart as Indonesia looks to safely maintain the bazaars where most people go to get affordable food and are part of the fabric of society.
The 857 vendors at the Salatiga market in Central Java province, as well as visitors, are required to wear masks and avoid physical contact with each other to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, the head of the vendor association said.
A vegetable seller said the social distancing measures made him feel safe and comfortable at work. At least eight confirmed cases of the virus have been found in the city of Salatiga, local media has reported.
Indonesia, which had over 14,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, has been reluctant to enforce a complete nationwide lockdown. Instead, many cities have adopted “large-scale social restrictions” that have closed businesses and encouraged people to stay home.
The Chinese city of Wuhan has recorded its highest number of new infections since 11 March, reporting five new cases for 10 May.
The five are among 17 new cases nationwide, the highest in almost two weeks.
Of the new cases, seven were imported cases involving travellers from overseas, compared with two imported infections the previous day.
Five locally transmitted cases were in three provinces bordering Russia and/or North Korea - Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Liaoning.
China’s has reported a total of 82,918 cases and the death toll remained unchanged at 4,633.
The number of asymptomatic Covid-19 cases, those who were infected but not exhibiting symptoms, fell to 12 on 10 May compared with 20 reported a day earlier.
Scientists have found evidence for mutations in some strains of the coronavirus that suggest the pathogen may be adapting to humans after spilling over from bats.
The analysis of more than 5,300 coronavirus genomes from 62 countries shows that while the virus is fairly stable, some have gained mutations, including two genetic changes that alter the critical “spike protein” the virus uses to infect human cells.
Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine stress that it is unclear how the mutations affects the virus, but since the changes arose independently in different countries they may help the virus spread more easily.
“This is exactly what we need to look out for,” Martin Hibberd, professor of emerging infectious diseases and a senior author on the study, said. “People are making vaccines and other therapies against this spike protein because it seems a very good target. We need to keep an eye on it and make sure that any mutations don’t invalidate any of these approaches.”
We are seeking clarity on the reports that Mike Pence is self-isolating, or at least distancing somewhat, from others at the White House.
His office has just released a statement to say that despite reports, Pence is not in quarantine and plans to be at the White House on Monday, local time.
“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement.
“Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” the statement added.
NBC reported Pence had just had a “low key weekend”.
The Trump administration has no plans to keep President Donald Trump and Pence apart, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, as concerns rise about the spread of the coronavirus within the White House.
In Australia, a small group of people staged a protest in Melbourne echoing some of the wilder theories that we’ve been seeing in the US in recent weeks.
In India: One of the world’s largest train networks will “gradually” restart operations from Tuesday as India eases its coronavirus lockdown.
India has recorded more than 60,000 cases of Covid-19 including more than 2,000 deaths.
Some 30 train journeys - 15 pairs of return trips - will run from the capital New Delhi to other cities including Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, Indian Railways said late Sunday.
“Indian Railways plans to gradually restart passenger train operations from 12th May, 2020... Thereafter, Indian Railways shall start more special services on new routes,” the railways ministry added in a statement.
“It will be mandatory for the passengers to wear face cover and undergo screening at departure and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the train.”
The vast train network, which had carried more than 20 million passengers daily, was halted in late March as India imposed a strict lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.
Since early May, the government said some 366 special trains carrying up to 1,200 passengers on each service have operated to help stranded poor, rural migrant workers who lost their jobs in cities in the lockdown to return to their villages.
“I appeal to all the states to give permission to evacuate and bring back their stranded migrants so that we can get all of them back to their homes in the next 3-4 days itself,” Railways Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted Sunday.
Local media reported some provinces were charging for the rail tickets, which most migrants can’t afford.
AP has more details on reports that US vice president Mike Pence is self-isolating after an aide tested positive for the coronavirus last week.
He joins three of the nation’s top scientists in taking protective steps after possible exposure.
An administration official said Pence was voluntarily keeping his distance from other people in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He has repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 since his exposure but was following the advice of medical officials.
Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said Sunday. “Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow.
Pence has been at home since returning to Washington from a day trip to Iowa on Friday and did not appear at President Donald Trump’s meeting with military leaders Saturday at the White House. Pence was informed of the aide’s positive test shortly before departing for that trip.
An official initially said Pence planned to continue working from home, before Pence’s office clarified that he planned to work from the White House on Monday.
t was not immediately clear how Pence’s steps to self-isolate would impact his professional or public engagements.
Hello, and welcome to our continuing global coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which has now infected more than 4.09m people, killing 282,000.
You can catch up on the latest developments here.
In the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has announced plans to ease restrictions, but they’ve been labeled divisive, confusing and vague after he said some places could reopen and the government was “actively encouraging” people to return to work, without giving details of how.
The UK is about to start requiring all international arrivals to quarantine for 14 days “soon”. Arrivals from France are exempt. The measure, which is to ensure that any potential carriers of the virus do not spread it further before being tested, has been in place in numerous other countries for months.
Britain has the second highest number of recorded fatalities in the world, at almost 32,000.
Italy, which has the third highest number of fatalities (30,560), recorded 165 new deaths on Sunday. The number of new infections rose by 802, which was the lowest daily rise since 6 March. The country, which started easing lockdown restrictions last Monday, has recorded a total of 219,070 cases.
France and Spain are also preparing to lift their restrictions. In France hair salons, clothes shops, florists and bookshops will open again on Monday, while bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas remain closed. Primary schools will take small numbers of pupils, depending on space. Masks will be obligatory on public transport. Everyone will be able to move outside without having to present a form on demand but people will only be able to go 100km from their place of residence.
Half of Spain’s 47m people will be able to meet with family or friends in gatherings of up to 10, within provinces, as of Monday. Outdoor spaces at bars and restaurants can reopen with limited capacity. Hardest-hit Madrid and Barcelona are excluded from the easing, though football clubs FC Barcelona resumed training on Friday and Real Madrid will follow Monday.
US vice-president Mike Pence is reportedly self-isolating after an aid tested positive for Covid-19. It’s one of several cases of the illness among White House staff who are in close proximity to the president.
What Pence’s self-isolation actually entails isn’t clear, as both Reuters and the New York Times are reporting - per unnamed sources - that there is no plan to keep him separated from Donald Trump. The two are being tested daily.
Trump’s personal valet has been diagnosed with Covid-19, as has Pence’s press secretary, Katie Miller, the wife of Trump’s senior adviser, Stephen Miller.
Three members of the White House coronavirus taskforce are self-isolating: Top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci; director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn.
The US has recorded more than 79,000 Covid-19 fatalities.
More than 90% of the 2,000 hospital beds reserved for Covid-19 patients in Tokyo have already been occupied, the Japanese health ministry has announced.
In China the city of Wuhan, where it all began, has reported its first case in weeks, but in the northeast of the country there is a possible new wave of cases, with one city in Jilin province being reclassified as high-risk.
In Colombia Avianca Holdings, Latin America’s No. 2 airline and one of the oldest in the world, has filed for bankruptcy, after failing to secure aid from Colombia’s government and with a bond payment deadline looming.