Singapore reports 75 new coronavirus cases in biggest daily rise
Read the latest on the spread of the novel coronavirus around the world here
Singapore reports 75 new coronavirus cases in biggest daily rise
Singapore’s health ministry reported 75 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the city-state’s biggest daily increase, as local infections spiked.
Singapore has reported a total of 1,189 infections and suffered six deaths from the global pandemic reports Reuters.
UK coronavirus death toll rises to 4,313, up 20 percent on day earlier
The United Kingdom’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 20% to 4,313 at 1600 GMT on April 3, the health ministry said.
According to the health ministry as of 0800 GMT on April 4, a total of 183,190 people have been tested of which 41,903 tested positive, reports Reuters
Germany reports 6,082 more coronavirus cases, a slight daily fall
Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases have risen by 6,082 in the past 24 hours, a slight decrease from the day before, according to data from the government's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Saturday.
The reported reduction in new daily cases, which were down from 6,174 new cases a day earlier, could be a sign that the rate of infection is beginning to level off, but the government cautioned it was far too early to identify a trend.
Germany now has 85,778 cases, up from 79,696 infections on Friday, with the highest level of infections in Bavaria, according to the RKI statistics. Deaths have increased to 1,158, the RKI said, from 1,017 deaths as of Friday reports Reuters.
Swiss coronavirus death toll rises to 540, confirmed cases top 20,000
Switzerland’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has reached 540, the country’s public health agency said on Saturday, rising from 484 on Friday.
The number of people testing positive for infections also increased to 20,278 from 19,303 on Friday, it said.
The Swiss government is expected to give an update on the situation at 1300 GMT reports Reuters.
Confirmed coronavirus deaths in Netherlands rise by 164 to 1,651
The confirmed death toll from the coronavirus in the Netherlands has risen by 164 to 1,651, health authorities said on Saturday.
The National Institute for Health (RIVM) said the total number of infections had increased by 6 percent to 16,627 over the past 24 hours reports Reuters.
The actual number of deaths and infections is higher than the official figure due to a lack of widespread testing for the coronavirus, the RIVM has said.
Kuwait reports first death from coronavirus outbreak
Kuwait recorded on Saturday its first death from the coronavirus outbreak, state news agency KUNA reported, citing a health ministry spokesman.
The total number of people diagnosed with the disease increased by 62 in the past 24 hours to 479 cases, he said, according to KUNA.
Iran's coronavirus death toll rises to 3,452: Health Ministry
Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak climbed to 3,452 on Saturday, with 158 more fatalities recorded over the past 24 hours, Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpur said.
The total number of cases diagnosed with the disease reached 55,743, of whom 4,103 are in critical condition, he said on state TV. Iran is the country worst affected by the pandemic in the Middle East reports Reuters.
Spain's daily coronavirus death toll falls for second day in row
Spain’s death toll from the coronavirus rose to 11,744 on Saturday from 10,935 the previous day, the Health Ministry said on Saturday, though it was the second straight second day in which the daily number of new deaths had fallen.
A total of 809 people died from the disease over the past 24 hours, down from 932 in the previous period, the figures showed reports Reuters.
The total number of registered infections rose to 124,736 on Saturday from 117,710 on Friday, the ministry said.
Georgia records first death from coronavirus: clinic doctor
A 79-year-old woman who tested positive for the coronavirus died in Georgia on Saturday, the presiding doctor at the clinic where she was treated said, reporting the country’s first death related to the pandemic.
The patient had other illnesses and underlying conditions reports Reuters.
Georgia, a South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people, had reported 157 coronavirus infections as of Saturday.
15 medics at Egypt's cancer institute test positive for coronavirus
At least 15 medics at Egypt's main cancer hospital have tested positive for the novel coronavirus and placed under quarantine, an official said on Saturday.
Three doctors and 12 nurses are infected with the virus, Dr Reem Emad, the manager of the hospital of the National Cancer Institute affiliated to Cairo University, said in statements, Reuters reported.
"All the patients have been admitted to quarantine hospitals for treatment," she said, adding that all the medical staff and cancer patients are being tested and the institute has been sterilized.
Philippines records eight new coronavirus deaths, 76 more infections
The Philippine health ministry on Saturday reported 76 additional coronavirus infections and eight new deaths.
In a bulletin, the health ministry said a total of 144 people have died in the Philippines while 3,094 were infected, the majority of whom were reported in the past four weeks, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus: ‘Worst yet to come’ for countries in conflict, says UN chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Friday renewed his call for a global ceasefire, urging all parties to conflict to lay down arms and allow war-torn nations to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
"The worst is yet to come," Guterres said, referring to countries beset with fighting like Syria, Libya and Yemen, AFP reported.
"The COVID-19 storm is now coming to all these theatres of conflict."
Young people more likely to retest positive
A study by Chinese and US scientists showed that 14.5 percent of patients released from hospitals after undergoing Covid-19 treatment have retested positive for infection.
According to researchers, in a report undertaken by health authorities in southern China's Guangdong province at the end of February, 38 out of 262 participants – all of whom were studied for at least two weeks – retested positive, almost similar to the proportion – 14 percent, South China Morning Post reported.
However, last month's work by a Tongji Hospital team in Wuhan – the central China city at the epicentre of the original outbreak – produced a promising figure of just 3 percent.
Thailand suspends incoming passenger flights to fight coronavirus
Thailand will temporarily ban all passenger flights from landing in the country to curb the outbreak of the new coronavirus, the country's aviation agency said on Friday.
The ban on incoming flights will come into effect on Saturday morning and run until the end of Monday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said in an order published late on Friday, Reuters reported.
Anyone arriving on a flight that took off before the order came into effect will need to be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival in Thailand, the order said.
World Bank sees 'major global recession' due to pandemic
World Bank Group President David Malpass on Friday said the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic was expected to cause a "major global recession" that would likely hit the poorest and most vulnerable countries the hardest.
"We intend to respond forcefully and massively with support programs, especially for poor countries," Malpass said in a posting on the LinkedIn networking site, adding that he planned to speak soon with the leaders of Ethiopia, Kenya and other countries, Reuters reported.
France reports record 588 more coronavirus deaths
France on Friday reported 588 more coronavirus deaths in hospital, its biggest 24-hour toll in the country since the epidemic began, AFP reported.
The new deaths brought to 5,091 the total number of people who have died in hospital of COVID-19 in France, top health official Jerome Salomon told reporters.
There is no daily toll for those who have died of COVID-19 in old people's homes in France. But Salomon said that a total of 1,416 people had died in such establishments from COVID-19 during the epidemic. This brings the total French toll to at least 6,507.
Italy sees signs of hope despite 766 new virus deaths
Italy saw more evidence Friday that it might have made it through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic despite the world-leading death toll growing by 766 to 14,681.
In new data from the civil protection service the daily rise of officially registered infections dropped to a new low of just four percent, AFP reported.
The number of people who have been declared fully recovered has soared by 17.3 percent to 19,758 over the past 48 hours.
The situation in some of Italy's worst-hit regions also appears to be gradually easing.
Breathing or talking is enough to spread Covid-19: Scientist
The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) can spread through just breathing and talking, said a high-level US scientific panel on Wednesday, suggesting that the virus that causes the disease is airborne and is spreading more easily and sustainably between people than previously believed.
The virus can be stay suspended in air in the ultrafine mist that is produced when people exhale, according to scientists, Hindustan Times reported.
US sets new global record with 1,480 virus deaths in 24 hours
The United States recorded nearly 1,500 deaths from COVID-19 between Thursday and Friday, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the worst 24-hour death toll globally since the pandemic began.
With 1,480 deaths counted between 8:30pm (0030 GMT) Thursday and the same time Friday, according to the university’s continuously updated figures, the total number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic in the United States is now 7,406, AFP reported.
Thailand reports 89 new coronavirus cases, one more death
Thailand reported 89 new coronavirus cases and one more death on Saturday.
The latest numbers from the government's Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration took the total in the southeast Asian nation to 2,067. Twenty people have died, Reuters reported.
Iran coronavirus death toll rises 134 to 3,294
Iran on Friday announced 134 more deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the officially confirmed total to 3,294.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a news conference that 2,715 new infections had been confirmed in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 53,183, AFP reported.
Iran is one of the countries worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic and has been struggling to contain the outbreak since it reported its first deaths on February 19.
More than 900 virus deaths in Spain for second day
More than 900 people died in Spain over the past 24 hours for the second day running, government figures showed on Friday, although the rate of new infections and deaths continued to slow.
Spain has the world's second-highest death toll after Italy with the virus so far claiming 10,935 lives — 932 in the past day — from 117,710 confirmed cases, AFP reported.
Falkland Islands reports first case of the coronavirus
Falkland Islands has confirmed the island territory's first case of the coronavirus, the government said in a statement on Friday.
The patient has been hospitalized since March 31 and developed a range of COVID-19 symptoms, tested positive for the virus, and is now in a stable condition and being cared for with necessary isolation procedures, Reuters reported.
Panama registers 1,673 coronavirus cases, 41 deaths
Panama's health ministry said on Friday that it had registered 1,673 coronavirus cases in the Central American country, an increase of 198 cases from the previous day, and a total of 41 deaths, Reuters reported.
Mexico records 1,688 coronavirus cases, 60 deaths
Mexico's health ministry said on Friday that the number of people who have died of coronavirus in the country has risen to 60, up from 50 a day earlier. It registered a total of 1,688 coronavirus cases, up from 1,510, Reuters reported.