UK Covid-19 hospital death toll passes 10,000 mark
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Singapore reports 233 new coronavirus cases taking total infections to 2,532
Singapore reported 233 new coronavirus cases on Sunday taking the city-state’s total infections to 2,532.
Canada coronavirus deaths rise by more than 12% to 674: public health agency
The number of people killed by the coronavirus in Canada rose by more than 12 percent to 674 in a day, official data posted by the public health agency showed on Sunday.
By 11:00 eastern time (1500 GMT), the total number of those diagnosed with the coronavirus had risen to 23,719. The respective figures at the same time on Saturday were 600 deaths and 22,559 positive diagnoses.
Etihad to operate special flights to Europe, Japan this month: statement
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways said on Sunday it would operate special flights to Brussels, Dublin, London, Tokyo and Zurich between April 14 and 22.
The United Arab Emirates is permitting a limited number of outbound-only flights for those wishing to leave the country after suspending regular services last month.
One in eight of Portugal's coronavirus-related deaths in care homes as outbreak spreads
The coronavirus outbreak spread further into Portuguese care homes over the Easter weekend, with 100 new cases of COVID-19 reported in a single residence and care homes accounting for around one in eight of the country's 504 deaths.
The death toll and 16,585 recorded cases are still a small fraction of the numbers in neighbouring Spain, but officials fear the disease could spread rapidly through care homes as it has in other parts of Europe.
With 20,500 coronavirus deaths, US spends Easter Sunday on lockdown
Americans spent Sunday on lockdown as the US toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic surpassed 20,500 deaths and more than half a million confirmed cases over the Easter weekend.
With most of the country under stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease, many turned to online church services to mark the holiest day in the Christian calendar.
Bulgarian churches open for Easter, but only most devout go
Clad in protective masks and gloves, a few dozen pious Orthodox Christians prayed for health on Sunday at the Bulgarian capital Sofia’s expansive Saint Nedelya Cathedral, in one of the few nations where churches are open over the Easter holidays.
In an effort to contain the spread of highly contagious new disease, Sofia has closed schools, restaurants, bars and banned access to parks and inter-city travel. Bulgaria has reported 669 cases of the virus and 28 deaths.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has agreed not to hand out blessed branches, a popular Palm Sunday custom, and has pledged to disinfect places of worship regularly, while the government urged people to celebrate from home.
England's coronavirus death toll rises by 657 to 9,594
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in English hospitals rose by 657 to 9,594, officials said on Sunday.
Of the 657, there were 42 patients aged between 30 and 98 who had no known underlying health condition.
Figures for the whole of the United Kingdom were expected to be published later on Sunday.
Italy orders migrants put in quarantine on a ship
Italy on Sunday ordered migrants aboard a rescue ship off its coast to be quarantined on another vessel to test them for the coronavirus instead of allowing them to disembark.
The Alan Kurdi, run by the German non-governmental group Sea-Eye, is sailing in international waters off the western coast of Sicily.
China's toughens restrictions on border with Russia as imported coronavirus cases hit record
Chinese cities near the border with Russia said on Sunday they would tighten border controls and quarantine measures on arrivals from abroad after the number of imported cases of COVID-19 hit a one-month high.
New daily confirmed cases in mainland China reached 99 on April 11, almost doubling from 46 the previous day. All but two of the new recorded cases involved people travelling from abroad, many of them Chinese nationals returning from Russia.
Spain's coronavirus deaths rise as some businesses prepare to reopen
Spain's coronavirus death toll rose for the first time in three days on Sunday, as some businesses prepared to reopen under an easing of the country's strict lockdown regime.
A total of 619 people died over the past 24 hours, health ministry data showed, bringing the cumulative toll to 16,972. Confirmed cases increased by around 2.6 percent to 166,019.
Tough lockdown measures have helped bring down a spiralling death rate that reached its peak in early April, and the new deaths reported on Saturday were the lowest in 19 days while the increase of confirmed cases has roughly halved from a week ago.
British PM Johnson discharged from hospital
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from a London hospital and will continue his recovery from COVID-19 at his country residence of Chequers, his office said on Sunday.
"The PM has been discharged from hospital to continue his recovery, at Chequers," a spokesman said.
Moscow restricts Easter week church service as coronavirus cases mount
Russia on Sunday reported 2,186 new coronavirus cases, the largest daily increase since the start of the outbreak, as authorities announced more measures to contain the spread of the virus, including restrictions on Easter services.
Moscow and many other regions have been in lockdown for nearly two weeks to stem the contagion, but the number of cases was on the rise and reached 15,770 as of April 12, while the number of deaths rose to 130.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which observes Easter this year on April 19, ordered churches in Moscow and the surrounding region to close their doors to large groups during the Holy Week leading up to the holiday.
Dutch coronavirus infections top 25,000, deaths rise to 2,737 deaths
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands has topped 25,000, health authorities said on Sunday, with the number of deaths rising by 94 to 2,737.
The Netherlands’ National Institute for Health (RIVM) reported 1,188 new infections over the past 24 hours, taking the total to 25,587.
The rate of increase in infections and deaths has slowed for several days helped by social distancing measures.
Seen everywhere in last US crisis, moral hazard is nowhere in this one
As the US Federal Reserve rolls out trillions of dollars to blunt the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, there's a notable difference to the last financial crisis: close to zero concern over "moral hazard" - the sticky business of bailing out those whose dilemma is of their own making.
That's freed up the US central bank to do more, and faster, than it dared to do a decade ago, when it was last called on to launch emergency moves to help protect the economy.
North Korea calls for tougher virus curbs, but leader wears no mask in photographs
North Korea called for tougher and more thorough countermeasures to keep citizens safe from the fast-spreading coronavirus at a meeting where leader Kim Jong Un presided, state media said on Sunday.
North Korea continues testing for the virus, with more than 500 people in quarantine, but has no confirmed infections yet, a country representative of the World Health Organization told Reuters this week.
'We are social animals': Hong Kong residents flout virus rules to throng popular sites
People in Hong Kong thronged beaches, ferries and outlying islands on Sunday, many of them violating a ban on gatherings of more than four people aimed at containing the spread of the new coronavirus.
Clear blue skies lured people to popular areas across the territory over the long Easter weekend and many of them were without surgical masks. People in the city of 7.4 million have made a point of wearing masks in the past months.
“We always stay at home and it is quite boring,” said Banny Mak, 24, a local resident.
Online, in parking lots and on TV, US Christians face uncommon Easter
Online, on television and even in their cars in church parking lots, American Christians will, due to the coronavirus pandemic, observe an Easter Sunday unlike any they have lived through.
Governors and health authorities across the United States have broadly asked residents to avoid gathering in large numbers, leading to the closure of schools, businesses and churches.
Easter isn't cancelled: UK's Queen Elizabeth says coronavirus will not overcome
Britain's Queen Elizabeth said on Saturday that coronavirus "would not overcome us" as she delivered her second rallying message to the nation in a week.
The 93-year-old monarch, who is the symbolic head of the Church of England, also stated that "Easter isn't cancelled" in her first ever address to mark the Christian holy day.
Banish 'self-centredness', pope tells the world as it faces coronavirus
Pope Francis called on Sunday for global solidarity in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout, urging the relaxation of international sanctions, debt relief for poor nations and ceasefires in all conflicts.
He also warned the European Union that it risked collapse if it did not agree on how to help the region recover.
The pope's Easter "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message, delivered from an empty St. Peter's Basilica instead of to the usual crowd of tens of thousands in the square outside, was by far his most pressing and political since his election in 2013.
Iran's death toll from coronavirus rises by 117 to 4,474: ministry
Iran’s death toll from COVID-19 has risen by 117 in the past day to 4,474, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said on Sunday.
The Islamic Republic has recorded 71,686 cases of the new coronavirus which causes the disease, Jahanpur said.
Iran has been the country hardest hit by the pandemic in the Middle East.
Spain's overnight coronavirus death toll rises, total at 16,972
Spain’s overnight death toll from the coronavirus rose to 619 on Sunday from a nearly three-week low of 510 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said, breaking a three-day streak of daily declines.
The country’s total death toll from the virus climbed to 16,972 from 16,353, the ministry said in a statement. Overall cases rose to 166,019 from 161,852.
'I owe them my life' - out of intensive care, Johnson praises medics
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he owes his life to the staff of Britain's state-run National Health Service, in his first comments since being released from intensive care for treatment for COVID-19.
Johnson, 55, was taken to St Thomas's Hospital in central London a week ago, suffering from persistent symptoms of the disease caused by the new coronavirus. On April 6 he was moved into intensive care, where he remained until April 9.
South Africa says police caught in liquor sales after coronavirus alcohol ban
South Africa, which banned the sale of all alcohol and cigarettes under a coronavirus lockdown that triggered a wave of lootings of liquor shops, said on Sunday it had caught police officers who were complicit in illegal alcohol sales.
South Africa’s police minister Bheki Cele says a ban on all sales of alcohol has helped lower crime during a coronavirus lockdown. But with liquor stores shut, the country has seen a growing black market for alcohol and a wave of attacks on shuttered shops.
Beijing to reopen some schools after coronavirus closures: state media
Beijing schools closed by the coronavirus outbreak will reopen to senior high school students and senior middle school students, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday, citing a spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
Senior high school students are set to return to campus on April 27, and senior students at middle schools will return to campus on May 11, said spokesman Li Yi at a press conference, according to the CCTV report.
Malaysia reports 153 new coronavirus cases with 3 new deaths
Malaysia’s health ministry reported 153 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, raising the cumulative total to 4,683, the highest in Southeast Asia.
The latest data includes three new deaths, raising the total number of fatalities from the outbreak to 76.
The ministry said 45 percent of all confirmed cases have recovered.
Indonesia reports biggest daily jump in coronavirus cases
Indonesia on Sunday reported 399 new cases of the coronavirus, its biggest daily jump so far, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,241, according to data provided by a health ministry official, Achmad Yurianto.
Yurianto said there were also 46 new coronavirus-related deaths, taking the total to 373.
UAE reduces service fees to support economy
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Economy said on Sunday it was cutting fees for 94 of its services to reduce the cost of business and support the economy amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The decision includes fees related to management licenses, commercial agency registrations and trademarks, Reuters reported.
The financial impact of the measures is estimated to have a value of 113 million dirhams ($31 million), the ministry said in a statement.
Philippines reports highest single-day death toll from coronavirus
The Philippines recorded 50 coronavirus deaths on Sunday, its highest in a single day, taking the toll to 297.
In a bulletin, the health ministry said 220 new infections took the tally of virus cases to 4,648. But 40 more patients recovered, for a total of 197 recoveries, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus cases top 1.7 million with 108,902 deaths
The worldwide number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to 108,902 with 1,778,562 Confirmed cases as of today, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
A total of 404,878 people have recovered from the virus so far.
Bangladesh reports 4 more deaths from coronavirus, 139 news cases
Bangladesh today confirmed four more deaths from the novel coronavirus and 139 new cases of infection in the country.
With this, the death toll rises to 34 from the virus and a total of 621 people are infected so far, The Business Standard reported.
Some 1,340 samples were tested for coronavirus in last 24 hours.
China's Harbin orders 28-day quarantine after rise in imported cases
China's northeastern city of Harbin will implement a 28-day quarantine measure for all arrivals from abroad, its government said in a statement posted online on Sunday.
People entering the capital of Heilongjiang province bordering Russia will be held at a quarantine center for 14 days at first, followed by another 14 days at home, it added, Reuters reported.
They will also be subjected to two nucleic acid tests and an antibody test.
The government will also lock down for 14 days residential units in which confirmed and asymptomatic coronavirus cases are found, it added.
Russia's coronavirus cases rise by more than 2,000; biggest daily increase
Russia on Sunday reported 2,186 new coronavirus cases, the largest daily increase since the start of the outbreak, bring9ng the national tally of confirmed cases to 15,770.
The number of coronavirus-related deaths rose by 24 to 130, the Russian coronavirus crisis response centre said, Reuters reported.
India reports over 900 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours
India reported 910 new cases of coronavirus and 34 more coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced on Sunday.
As of 9 a.m. Sunday local time, the ministry reported a nationwide total of 8,356 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 273 deaths.
The state of Maharashtra and the capital New Delhi have the highest number of cases, with 1,761 including 127 dead in Maharashtra, and 1,069 cases including 19 dead in Delhi.
India reported its biggest single-day jump in cases on Saturday, when it reported 1,035 new cases.
According to the Indian Council for Medical research (ICMR), 17,143 additional samples were tested on Saturday.
Germany's coronavirus cases rise by 2,821, deaths by 129
Germany's number of confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 2,821 on Sunday to 120,479, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed.
That was lower than a 4,133 increase reported on Saturday, and marked the second decline after four days of increases. The reported death toll rose by 129 to 2,673, Reuters reported.
New York City mayor orders public schools shut for rest of school year
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Saturday public schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year as the city battles the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“Having to tell you that we cannot bring our schools back for the remainder of this school year is painful, but I can also tell you it is the right thing to do,” he told a news conference, Reuters reported.
De Blasio had ordered public schools shut beginning March 16 to curb the spread of the disease, with an initial goal of reopening by April 20. But the mayor said it soon became clear that goal was unrealistic as the city emerged as a major US coronavirus hot spot.
A few hours later, New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed back on the mayor’s announcement, saying there had been no decision on school closures.
France reports fall in daily coronavirus deaths, toll tops 13,800
France on Saturday reported a lower daily toll for deaths from COVID-19, declaring a "plateau" had been reached in the country's coronavirus epidemic, albeit at a very high level.
The French health authorities said in a statement that 345 more people had died in hospitals and 290 in nursing homes — 635 over the last 24 hours — to bring the total death toll to 13,832, AFP reported.
The day earlier, 554 had died in hospitals and 433 in nursing homes, a total of 987.
Indonesia orders coronavirus transport curbs ahead of Ramadan exodus
Indonesia has imposed curbs on public transport ahead of the annual exodus to home villages that marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the government said today.
About 75 million Indonesians usually stream home from bigger cities at the end of Ramadan, due this year at the end of May, but health experts have warned against a surge in cases after a slow government response masked the scale of the outbreak, Reuters reported.
Public buses, trains, airplanes and ships will be allowed to fill only half their passenger seats, under a new regulation that also limits occupation of a private car to just half the seats, while a motorcycle may be ridden only by one person.
The capital Jakarta is the epicentre of the outbreak in the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, with the most infections and deaths among a national tally of 3,842 cases and 327 fatalities.
Sunday's directive also limits public transport vehicles to half capacity, shorter operational hours and set out guidelines for motorbike taxis in regions covered by Indonesia's large-scale social restrictions.
The ministry also ordered public transport operators to check passengers' temperature, while bus terminals, train stations, airports and seaports must provide soap and hand sanitizers and standby medical staff.
UK coronavirus death toll nears 10,000
Britain’s COVID-19 death toll neared 10,000 on Saturday after health officials reported another 917 hospital deaths.
Britain has now reported 9,875 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, the fifth highest national number globally. Saturday’s increase was the second day running that the number of deaths had increased by more than 900, Reuters reported.
Almost 80,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the virus, among them Johnson, who is in the early stages of recovery on a hospital ward after spending three nights in intensive care.
Sudan needs $120 million to fight coronavirus
Sudan urgently needs $120 million to fight the new coronavirus, the country’s health minister told Reuters on Saturday, amid a shortage of the equipment to fight the epidemic which has ravaged richer countries.
Although Sudan has so far reported relatively few cases, the global outbreak has arrived at a time when it faces an economic crisis, Reuters reported.
Until now, Sudan has reported 19 confirmed coronavirus cases, including two deaths.
Italy's daily coronavirus death toll and new cases push higher
Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 619 on Saturday, up from 570 the day before, and the number of new cases climbed to 4,694 from a previous 3,951.
The daily death toll was the highest since April 6 and the rise in infections was the biggest since April 4, Reuters reported.
After easing from peaks around the end of March, Italy's daily death and infection tallies have declined but are not falling steeply, as was hoped by Italians who have been in lockdown for a month.
Thailand reports 33 new coronavirus cases, three new deaths
Thailand reported 33 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, for a total of 2,551 cases, as well as three more deaths, taking the southeast Asian nation’s toll to 38.
Two Thai men aged 74 and 44, and a woman aged 65 died, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, Reuters reported.
Easter isn't cancelled: Queen Elizabeth says coronavirus will not overcome
Britain's Queen Elizabeth said on Saturday that coronavirus "would not overcome us" as she delivered her second rallying message to the nation in a week.
The 93-year-old monarch, who is the symbolic head of the Church of England, also stated that "Easter isn't cancelled" in her first ever address to mark the Christian holy day, Reuters reported.
"This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe. But Easter isn't cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever," she said.
Spain sets out back-to-work guidelines as coronavirus death rate slows
Spain's government on Saturday set out guidelines for people returning to work under a loosening of lockdown restrictions, while the country reported its lowest one-day increase in deaths from the coronavirus since March 23.
Most Spaniards have been confined to their homes since mid-March with only businesses in sectors deemed strategically important allowed to operate normally, Reuters reported.
US records 1,920 virus deaths in past 24 hours
The United States recorded 1,920 deaths related to the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University as of 8:30 pm Saturday (0030 GMT Sunday).
The number of fatalities was lower than the previous day’s record toll of 2,108, AFP reported.
The outbreak has now claimed the lives of at least 20,506 people in the US, the most of any country.
The US also leads the world in the number of confirmed infections, with 527,111 by the Baltimore-based school’s count.
Saudi Arabia extends curfew until further notice
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued an order approving the extension of the curfew across the Kingdom until further notice following the recent surge in coronavirus cases, Saudi Press Agency reported early Sunday citing an official source at the Ministry of Interior.
The curfew was initially enforced in the Kingdom on March 23 for 21 days (3 week) as part of the series of preventive measures taken by the relevant authorities to prevent the spread of the pandemic, Saudi Gazette reported.
'Be messengers of life in a time of death,' pope says on Easter eve
Pope Francis urged people to "not yield to fear" and focused on a "message of hope" as he led an Easter eve Mass in an empty St Peter's Basilica on Saturday amid the coronavirus pandemic and called for an end to wars.
The vigil, which normally takes place in a church packed with about 10,000 people, was attended by only about two dozen, including a few altar servers and a smaller-than-usual choir. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, it was scaled back to eliminate several traditional features, such as the baptism of adult converts and a long procession up the main aisle of Christendom's largest church, Reuters reported.
US Coronavirus deaths now highest in the world
The United States surpassed Italy on Saturday as the country with the highest reported coronavirus death toll, recording more than 20,000 deaths since the outbreak began, according to a Reuters tally.
The grim milestone was reached as President Donald Trump mulled over when the country, which has registered more than half a million infections, might begin to see a return to normality, Reuters reported.
The United States has seen its highest death tolls to date in the epidemic with roughly 2,000 deaths a day reported for the last four days in a row, the largest number in and around New York City. Even that is viewed as understated, as New York is still figuring out how best to include a surge in deaths at home in its official statistics.
Public health experts have warned the U.S. death toll could reach 200,000 over the summer if unprecedented stay-at-home orders that have closed businesses and kept most Americans indoors are lifted when they expire at the end of the month.
Father of modern Iraqi architecture dies of Covid-19
Rifat Chadirji, known as the father of modern Iraqi architecture, died late Friday in the United Kingdom after contracting the novel coronavirus, friends and Iraqi officials have said.
The 93-year-old architect and photographer is credited with designing some of Iraq's most well-known structures, including the iconic "Freedom Monument" in the now protest hub of Baghdad's Tahrir Square its name, AFP reported.
UK pledges £200 million in aid to help stop second coronavirus wave
Britain said today it was pledging 200 million pounds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and charities to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in vulnerable countries and so help prevent a second wave of infections.
The British government said 130 million pounds would go to United Nations' agencies, with 65 million for the WHO. Another 50 million pounds would go to the Red Cross to help war-torn and hard to reach areas, and 20 million pounds going to other organisations and charities, Reuters reported.
Dutch coronavirus cases rise by 1,316 to 24,413
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 1,316 on Saturday to 24,413, health authorities said, with 132 new deaths.
The country’s cumulative death toll is 2,643, the Netherlands’ National Institute for Health (RIVM) said in its daily update, Reuters reported.
Another 103 sailors from US carrier test positive for coronavirus
Another 103 crew members on the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Navy said on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases from the ship to 550.
In a statement on its website, the Navy said 92% of the carrier's crew members had been tested for the virus, with 550 positive and 3,673 negative results. It said 3,696 sailors had moved ashore, Reuters reported.
On Friday, the Navy had reported 447 positive cases and on Thursday, 416.
The outbreak aboard the nuclear-powered carrier led to the resignation on Tuesday of Thomas Modly as acting Navy secretary following a mounting backlash for his firing and ridiculing of the ship's commander, who had pleaded for help stemming a coronavirus outbreak onboard.
On Thursday, a sailor from the carrier was admitted to an intensive care unit in Guam after testing positive for the coronavirus last month.
Guatemala registers 16 new coronavirus cases, infections rise to 153
Guatemala reported 16 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the Central American nation’s total to 153 cases, President Alejandro Giammattei said.
Three people have died from coronavirus infections in Guatemala so far, officials say, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus cases doubles to 99 in mainland China as imported infections jump to record
Mainland China reported 99 new coronavirus infections on April 11, more than doubling from the previous day to reach a one-month high, as the number of single-day imported cases hit a record, official data released on Sunday showed.
In addition, highlighting another major source of risk, newly reported asymptomatic coronavirus cases nearly doubled to 63 on April 11, from 34 the previous day, according to China's National Health Commission (NHC), Reuters reported.
Almost all the new infections - the biggest daily count since March 6 - involve travelers from overseas. Just two out of the 99 cases were locally transmitted.
Shanghai, China's commercial hub, contribute to more than half of the imported cases. The city reported 52 new coronavirus cases on April 11, all involving Chinese nationals traveling from overseas, the municipal health commission said on Sunday.
Of Shanghai's new cases, 51 flew in on the same flight from Russia on April 10. The 52nd case involves a Chinese national arriving in Shanghai from a trip to Canada.
China's northeastern province of Heilongjiang reported 21 new imported cases on April 11, all involving Chinese nationals traveling from Russia.
The country's tally of infections now stands at 82,052, while the death toll stands at 3,339.