Dutch coronavirus cases rise by 1,316 to 24,413: health authorities
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Dutch coronavirus cases rise by 1,316 to 24,413: health authorities
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 reports Reuters.
England's coronavirus hospital death toll rises by 823 to 8,937
The coronavirus death toll in English hospitals rose over the past 24 hours by 823 to a total of 8,937, health officials reported on Saturday.
Those who died aged were between 11 and 102 years old, and 33 had no known underlying health condition, NHS England said reports Reuters
Swiss coronavirus death toll rises to 831
The Swiss death toll from the new coronavirus has reached 831, the country’s public health ministry said on Friday, rising from 805 people on Friday reports Reuters.
The number of positive tests also increased to 24,900 from 24,308 on Friday, it said.
Coronavirus spreads at major Kazakh oilfield's worker camp
Twelve people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at one of the worker camps located next to the giant Tengiz oilfield in Kazakhstan, its operator Tengizchevroil said on Saturday.
The Chevron-led group, the central Asian nation's No.1 oil producer, said critical activities in Tengiz had not been impacted and production was continuing as normal.
Spain's overnight coronavirus death toll at 510, lowest in 19 days
Spain’s daily coronavirus death toll fell for the third day in a row on Saturday after 510 fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said in a statement, marking the smallest overnight increase since March 23.
Total fatalities from the virus rose to 16,353, from 15,843 on Friday, the ministry said, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 161,852 from 157,022, reports Reuters.
Malaysia reports 184 new coronavirus cases, death toll rises by three
Malaysian health authorities reported 184 additional confirmed cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, raising the cumulative tally to 4,530, the highest number for any country in Southeast Asia.
The latest data includes 3 new deaths, raising total fatalities from the outbreak to 73, Reuters reported.
The ministry said 44% of all confirmed cases have recovered.
Brazil reports over 1,000 Covid-19 deaths
Brazil has become the first country in the southern hemisphere to exceed 1,000 coronavirus deaths, BBC reported.
The country has recorded at least 1,068 deaths and 19,789 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Most Brazilian state governors have imposed quarantine measures but President Jair Bolsonaro continues to challenge the restrictions.
Health officials say the outbreak is not expected to peak for a few weeks yet.
Philippines reports 26 new coronavirus deaths, 233 more infections
The Philippines reported 26 new coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, taking the total to 247.
It also confirmed 233 new infections for a tally of 4,428. Seventeen more patients have recovered, the health ministry said in a bulletin, bringing the number of recoveries to 157, Reuters reported.
Indonesia reports 330 new coronavirus cases, 21 deaths
Indonesia confirmed 330 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, taking its tally to 3,842, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.
It also confirmed 21 virus-related deaths, taking the total to 327, Yurianto told a televised news conference, Reuters reported.
Russia reports 1,667 new coronavirus cases in last day
Russia reported 1,667 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the national tally of confirmed cases to 13,584.
The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the country rose by 12 to 106, the Russian coronavirus crisis response center said, Reuters reported.
New Zealand reports 2 coronavirus deaths, Australia has 56
New Zealand said today there had been two new deaths due to the coronavirus - its biggest daily total to date despite the low number and bringing the total to four in a country that's halfway through a four-week nationwide lockdown.
The number of new confirmed cases in the nation of about 5 million rose by 20 for a total of 1,035, Reuters reported.
Neighbouring Australia has also seen the pace of infections slow dramatically in the past week. According to Australia's health ministry, the number of new confirmed cases rose today by 86 to 6,238, while there were 56 deaths.
New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian warned on Saturday, however, that despite the early encouraging signs of stabilisation in the rise of new cases, the country is not out of the woods yet.
"The worst is yet to hit us," she said in a news briefing.
Germany's coronavirus cases rise by 4,133, deaths by 171
Germany's number of confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 4,133 on Saturday to 117,658, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed.
That was lower than 5,323 reported on Friday, marking the first decline after four days of increases. The reported death toll rose by 171 to 2,544, Reuters reported.
Uruguay transports Australians, New Zealanders from virus-hit cruise ship
Uruguay started on Friday to repatriate 112 Australians and New Zealanders from a cruise ship hit by coronavirus and stranded in the La Plata River near the capital of Montevideo since March 27, the government said.
The operation began in the evening when the Greg Mortimer, an Antarctic cruise ship operated by Aurora Expeditions, docked in the port of Montevideo, Reuters reported.
The passengers, most of whom have tested positive for the coronavirus, went by bus to a special airport terminal with strict health controls. They are scheduled to board a Melbourne-bound charter flight in the early hours of Saturday.
Two Australian passengers could not be transported as they had to stay in intensive care at a hospital because of their poor condition, Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Ernesto Talvi said.
The “humanitarian corridor” will allow the 96 Australians and 16 New Zealanders to return home but excludes passengers of other nationalities, who will stay on board pending negotiations with their countries.
These include Americans, Britons, Jamaicans and people of various European nations, the ministry added.
UK Covid-19 daily death toll climbs by record 980
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Friday that Britain had recorded 980 deaths from coronavirus in the 24-hour period since the last report, the highest daily toll yet.
It brings the total number of fatalities from COVID-19 in UK hospitals to nearly 8,000, while the number of confirmed cases inside the country climbed to more than 65,000, AFP reported.
Boy from isolated Amazon tribe dies after being infected with coronavirus
A Yanomami indigenous boy has died after contracting the coronavirus, authorities in Brazil said Friday, raising fears for the Amazon tribe, which is known for its vulnerability to disease.
The 15-year-old boy, the first Yanomami to be diagnosed with the virus, was hospitalized a week ago at an intensive care unit in Boa Vista, the capital of the northern state of Roraima, officials said, AFP reported.
Isolated indigenous peoples in the Amazon rainforest are particularly vulnerable to diseases brought in from the outside world, and a Yanomami rights group said the boy had come in to contact with "many" other indigenous people after he began showing symptoms.
Thailand reports 45 new coronavirus cases, two new deaths
Thailand reported on Saturday 45 new coronavirus infections and two more deaths.
The dead were Thai men, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman of the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, Reuters reported.
The Southeast Asian nation has registered a total of 2,518 cases and 35 deaths since its outbreak emerged in January.
Panama registers 2,974 cases of coronavirus and 74 deaths
Panama registered 222 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, bringing the country’s total to 2,974 cases and 74 deaths, the healthy ministry said, Reuters reported.
Mexico registers 3,844 cases of coronavirus and 233 deaths
Mexico reported 403 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, bringing the country’s total to 3,844 cases and 233 deaths, the health ministry said, Reuters reported.
Iran reports 122 virus deaths, raising total to 4,232
Iran on Friday announced another 122 deaths from the novel coronavirus, taking the overall toll in the Middle East’s worst-hit country to 4,232.
The health ministry said 1,972 people tested positive for the COVID-19 virus in the past 24 hours, putting the total at 68,192, AFP reported.
“In the last 24 hours, we have unfortunately seen an increase in cases of disease in perhaps five to eight tourist provinces, including Tehran,” spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a televised news conference
The announcement comes a day before Iran is scheduled to reopen “low-risk” businesses in a move aimed at protecting its sanctions-hit economy.
In response to the health crisis, Iran shut schools and universities as well as cinemas, stadiums and revered Shiite Muslim shrines.
US marks record 2,108 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours
The United States on Friday become the first country to record more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths in one day, with 2,108 fatalities in the past 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.
The US has now recorded 18,586 deaths and is closing in on the toll of 18,849 dead in Italy, which has seen the most fatalities so far in the global pandemic, AFP reported.
America is also approaching half a million confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 496,535 as of 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Saturday), an increase of 35,098 in the past 24 hours.
Coronavirus found in air samples up to 13 feet from patients
A new study examining air samples from hospital wards with Covid-19 patients has found the virus can travel up to 13 feet (four meters) — twice the distance current guidelines say people should leave between themselves in public.
The preliminary results of the investigation by Chinese researchers were published Friday in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AFP reported.
High levels were also found on frequently touched surfaces like computer mice, trashcans, bed rails and door knobs.
Italy PM extends virus lockdown, says euro zone rescue plan inadequate
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday extended a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus until May 3, though he said a few types of shops would be allowed to re-open next week.
The draconian curbs on movement and the closure of most shops and businesses across Italy were imposed on March 9, and were scheduled to expire on Monday, Reuters reported.
"This is a difficult but necessary decision for which I take all political responsibility," The PM told a news conference.
Spain sees lowest daily toll in 17 days, with 605 deaths
Spain recorded its lowest daily death toll from coronavirus in 17 days, with 605 people dying, the government said on Friday.
The update raised the overall number of fatalities to 15,843 in Spain, which has suffered one of the worst outbreaks of COVID-19 in the world, and where the total number of cases now stands at 157,022, AFP reported.
WHO warns about dangers of premature lifting of Covid-19 restrictions
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned countries on Friday to be cautious about lifting restrictions introduced to curb the spread of the new coronavirus and voiced alarm it was taking hold in Africa.
The United Nations agency would like to see an easing, but at the same time "lifting restrictions could lead to a deadly resurgence," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, Reuters reported.
He said there had been a "welcome slowing" of epidemics in some European countries - Italy, Germany, Spain and France - but there had been an "alarming acceleration" elsewhere including community transmission in 16 countries of Africa.
Death toll due to COVID-19 rises to 239 in India; cases climb to 7,447
The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 239 and the number of cases to 7,447 in India on Saturday, according to the Union Health Ministry.
While the number of active COVID-19 cases is 6,565, as many as 642 people were cured and discharged and one had migrated, it said, PTI reported.
As many as 33 new deaths have been reported since Friday evening, the ministry said.
Seventeen deaths were reported from Madhya Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, two from Gujarat and one from Assam, it said.
Maharashtra has reported the most coronavirus deaths at 110, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 33, Gujarat at 19 and Delhi at 13.
Punjab registered 11 deaths while Tamil Nadu has reported eight fatalities and Telengana seven.
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have reported six deaths each while West Bengal has registered five deaths each.
Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh have reported four deaths each while Haryana and Rajasthan have recorded three deaths each.
Two deaths have been reported from Kerala. Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Assam reported one fatality each, according to the health ministry data.
The 7,447 figure includes 71 foreign nationals.
The death toll on Friday evening was 206.
However, a PTI tally of numbers reported by various states as on 9:30pm on Friday showed a total of 7,510 people having been affected by the virus nationwide with at least 251 deaths.
Turkey's coronavirus death toll rises to 1,006
Turkey's confirmed cases of coronavirus increased by 4,747 and 98 people died in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll from the disease to 1,006, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Friday.
The total number of recovered cases stood at 2,423, with 281 recoveries in the last 24 hours, and the number of tests carried out in that time was 30,864, Koca said on Twitter, Reuters reported.
Turkey's total confirmed cases stood at 47,029, he added.
Global coronavirus death toll hits 100,000, cases over 1.6 million
The number of deaths linked to the novel coronavirus reached 100,000 on Friday, as the tally of cases passed 1.6 million, according to a Reuters tally.
The toll has been accelerating at a daily rate of between 6% and 10% over the past week, and there were almost 7,300 deaths globally reported on Thursday.
The death toll now compares with that of London's Great Plague in the mid-1660s, which killed an estimated 100,000 people, about a third of the city's population at the time.
Mainland China reports 46 new coronavirus cases, up from 42 a day earlier
Mainland China reported on Saturday 46 new coronavirus cases, including 42 involving travellers from overseas, up from 42 cases a day earlier.
China’s National Health Commission said in a statement that 34 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases were also reported, down from 47 the previous day Reuters reported.
Mainland China’s tally of infections now stands at 81,953, while the death toll rose by three, to 3,339.
Argentina extends coronavirus lockdown through April 26
Argentina will extend until April 27 the lockdown it imposed last month to control the spread of the coronavirus, President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised address on Friday, adding that the measure would be applied only in major cities.
Most Argentines live in metropolitan areas like Buenos Aires, Mendoza and Cordoba. The country has wide expanses of sparsely populated agricultural area including the Pampas farm belt, which has made Argentina a top world food exporter, Reuters reported.
“The situation will remain the same in all major cities,” Fernandez said. The lockdown, which started on March 20, has slowed the spread of the virus and remains the best way of controlling the pandemic, he added.
“We have managed to flatten the curve of new infections,” he said. Argentina has had 1,975 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, of which 82 have been fatal, according to official data.
“Without the lockdown we could have had 45,000 cases by now,” Fernandez said. “The lockdown has not been in vain.”
The country’s banks will resume normal activity, albeit under strict health protocols, on Monday, the president said.
Ecuador announces humanitarian account and social measures to address pandemic
Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno announced on Friday the creation of a humanitarian assistance account that will be funded with contributions from companies and citizens to address the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The pandemic hit us at a critical moment, when we were trying to get ahead after a very tough economic crisis,” Moreno added in a televised speech. “It hit us without a cent in the state’s accounts.”
Ecuador reported more than 2,196 new infections in one day on Friday, raising the total number to 7,161. Some 297 have died and another 311 were likely killed by the virus, according to official data, Reuters reported.
The government has said deaths could reach 3,500 due to the outbreak in the province of Guayas, where the epicenter of the country’s outbreak is located, which accounts for 70% of infections.
The humanitarian assistance account will be funded, in part, by a contribution of five percent of profits from companies that earned more than a million dollars. The money will serve to finance smaller companies that require capital.
The other funds will come from a progressive contribution based on workers’ monthly income for nine months. The contribution will be for those who earn more than $500 per month.
