Iran's coronavirus death toll rises by 76 to 5,650: Health Ministry
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Slovakia lifts coronavirus quarantine from a Roma settlement
Slovak authorities have lifted a quarantine on one of five Roma settlements locked down in early April to prevent the spread of coronavirus from the communities, chief public health officer Jan Mikas said on Saturday.
Slovakia closed off the settlements on April 9 after reports of a cluster of coronavirus cases in them, highlighting difficulties faced by Europe’s largest ethnic minority during the pandemic.
“Sixteen days ago, we were forced to impose quarantine on five Roma settlements. Today, the first, at Bystrany, we can open and lift the quarantine here,” Mikas said during a televised press conference just outside the settlement.
Roma communities across eastern Europe are impoverished, plagued by high unemployment and historically the target of discrimination, and the coronavirus outbreak has many feeling more vulnerable reports Reuters.
Iran's coronavirus death toll rises by 76 to 5,650: Health Ministry
Iran’s death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 76 during the last 24 hours to reach a total of 5,650, a Health Ministry spokesman said on state TV on Saturday.
The total number of people diagnosed with the virus is 89,328, of whom 3,096 are in a critical condition, the spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said.
Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said the country’s daily death tally had fallen by about 70% from its peak, while the number of coronavirus patients in hospital had fallen by about half reports Reuters.
Iran is the Middle Eastern country worst-affected by the COVID-19 respiratory disease and has one of the world’s highest death tolls.
Nine more deaths from coronavirus, 309 new cases
Bangladesh today confirmed nine more deaths from the novel coronavirus and 309 new cases of infection after testing 3,337 samples in last 24 hours.
With this, the death toll from the deadly virus rises to 140 and the number of total infected person stands at 4,998.
Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 2,055 to 152,438
Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 2,055 to 152,438, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Saturday - a second day of deceleration after three days of acceleration in new infections.
On Friday confirmed coronavirus cases had increased by 2,337, Reuters reported.
The reported death toll rose by 179 to 5,500, the tally showed on Saturday.
Britain nears grim milestone of 20,000 coronavirus death
Britain could hit the grim milestone of 20,000 Covid-19 deaths later on Saturday, when the daily count is added to the current toll of 19,506 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus and died in hospital.
The death toll from Covid-19 in hospitals across the United Kingdom increased on Friday by 684 in 24 hours to 19,506, Reuters reported.
Passing the 20,000 mark will be an uncomfortable moment for the government, whose Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said on March 17 that keeping the toll under that number would be “a good outcome in terms of where we would hope to get.”
Britain has the fifth highest official coronavirus death toll in the world, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France. Scientists have said that the death rate will start to decline quickly only in another couple of weeks.
The total number of fatalities is likely to be thousands higher once more comprehensive but lagging figures that include deaths in nursing homes are added. As of April 10, the hospital toll underestimated deaths by around 40%.
The UK government, which was slower than European peers to impose a lockdown, has been heavily criticized over limited testing capacity and for failing to deliver enough personal protective equipment to front-line health workers.
In the latest setback, a website for essential workers to apply for a coronavirus test was shut down on Friday, just hours after the government announced that a greater range of people would now be eligible for testing.
Sri Lanka reimposes curfew
Sri Lanka has reimposed a countrywide 24-hour curfew after a surge in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases, most of them navy sailors who were hunting those evading quarantine.
The 46 new infections on Friday were the highest in a day. They brought to 420 the number of Covid-19 patients in the Indian Ocean island, including seven deaths, AP reported.
Sri Lanka partially lifted a monthlong curfew on Monday during daytime hours in more than two thirds of the country.
The new curfew remains in effect until Monday. Police have arrested more than 30,000 violators.
Among the newly infected were 30 navy sailors from a camp on the outskirts of the capital, Colombo. A total 60 sailors so far have been infected and the camp isolated.
The virus is believed to have entered the camp through sailors who were deployed to search for a group of drug addicts who had contact with a COVID-19 patient and were evading quarantine.
Nearly 60 new coronavirus cases confirmed on cruise ship in Japan
Nearly 60 new cases of coronavirus infections were confirmed among crew members of an Italian cruise ship docked in Japan, domestic media reported on Saturday.
With testing of all crew members now complete, the new number, reported by public broadcaster NHK, brings the total infections onboard the Costa Atlantica to around 150, roughly one quarter of the vessel's 623 crew members. TV Asahi said 57 crew members tested positive, Reuters reported.
The infection cluster onboard the vessel docked in Nagasaki comes as hospitals are running out of beds in some parts of Japan, where the national tally of virus cases has risen above 12,800. Some 345 people have died.
Of those infected onboard the Costa Atlantica, only one crew member has been admitted to hospital, NHK said, while others remain on board, having shown slight or no symptoms.
Nagasaki authorities were not immediately available for comment.
The vessel has been docked in Japan since February for repairs and maintenance after the pandemic prevented scheduled repairs in China. Nagasaki authorities had quarantined the vessel on arrival, and ordered its crew not to venture beyond the quay except for hospital visits.
But prefecture officials said earlier this week that some of the crew had departed without their knowledge, and sought detailed information on their movements.
The cruise ship infections follow a similar incident earlier this year, when more than 700 passengers and crew tested positive for the virus on the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Yokohama.
France reports lower coronavirus death toll, hospital numbers fall
France on Friday reported 389 more coronavirus deaths, a lower toll than in previous days, and also welcomed new falls in the number of patients in hospital and intensive care.
The latest deaths in both hospitals and nursing homes brought France’s total toll to 22,245, top health official Jerome Salomon told reporters, adding that there were now 561 fewer people in hospital and 183 fewer in intensive care, AFP reported.
But despite the gradually improving data, he said: “The circulation of the virus remai. ns high. We must be mobilised and respect social distancing, which must become a reflex.”
Thailand reports 53 new coronavirus cases, one new death
Thailand reported 53 new coronavirus cases and the death of a 48-year-old Thai man who was infected with the virus along with four other family members.
Of the new cases, three were linked to previous cases, one had no known links, and 42 are migrant workers who have been under quarantine at an immigration detention centre in the southern province of Songkhla, Reuters reported.
Seven other new cases were reported from the southern province of Yala, where authorities are aggressively testing the population because of high infection rates there, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.
Since the outbreak escalated in January, Thailand has reported a total of 2,907 cases and 51 deaths, while 2,547 patients have recovered and gone home.
Pakistan extends lockdown till mid-Ramazan
The government of Pakistan on Friday decided to extend lockdown till the middle of Ramazan As the confirmed coronavirus cases jumped past 11,700 with 248 deaths in the country.
The government warned the nation that the anti-virus fight had entered a decisive phase that would set the future course of action regarding the restrictions, The Dawn reported.
“Today we have decided to extend restrictions or lockdown for another 15 days till May 9,” said Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar while briefing the media about the decisions taken by the Centre and provinces at a meeting held at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
He said the second extension in the lockdown was made with consensus though some provinces were demanding longer and some shorter extension in lockdown. “But it was a consensus decision in the meeting that lockdown should be extended till May 9,” said Umar, who heads the NCOC.
China reports 12 new coronavirus cases, no new deaths
China reported 12 new coronavirus cases on April 24 compared with six new cases on the previous day, National Health Commission data showed on Saturday.
Of the new cases, 11 were imported, compared with two cases reported previously, Reuters reported.
The commission also reported 29 new asymptomatic cases, slightly down from the previous day's tally of 34. Four of these cases were imported.
The total number of confirmed cases in China is now 82,816. The death toll remained the same at 4,632, with no new deaths reported on April 24.
US coronavirus death toll tops 51,000
With the U.S. coronavirus death toll topping 51,000 and nearly one in six workers out of a job, Georgia, Oklahoma and several other states took tentative steps at reopening businesses on Friday, despite disapproval from President Donald Trump and medical experts.
Fitness clubs, hair salons, tattoo parlors and some other workplaces were allowed to open their doors by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, disregarding warnings from public health officials that easing restrictions too soon could lead to more infections and deaths, Reuters reported.
Georgia, one of several states in the Deep South that waited until early April to mandate restrictions imposed weeks before across much of the rest of the country to curb the outbreak, has become a flashpoint in the debate over how and when the nation should return to work.
While the Covid-19 illness is killing thousands of Americans daily, stay-at-home orders and business closures have thrown more than 26 million people out of work, a level of unemployment not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Italy to ease virus lockdown over four weeks
Italy is to ease its coronavirus lockdown, the toughest and longest in Europe, over the next four weeks, media reported on Friday although there was no official confirmation.
“The next four Mondays will mark the country’s reopening” following the lockdown implemented last month to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, AFP reported citing the Corriere della Sera daily.
The Covid-19 pandemic has killed at least 25,500 people in Italy, the world’s second highest death toll.
“Everything depends on the infection curve,” the best-selling daily said, but if it doesn’t rise again “factories making agricultural and forestry equipment can reopen on (Monday) April 27”.
Building sites as well as the textile and fashion industry can restart on May 4, followed a week later by clothing, shoe and other shops.
Finally, bars, restaurants and hairdressers can reopen on May 18, the paper said.
Other Italian media said that bars and restaurants could reopen some time “in the second half of May”.
The country’s gradual reopening will be accompanied by strict hygiene measures and continued social distancing.
Shops with a surface area of 40 square metres or less will be allowed only one customer at a time.
Bars and restaurants will have to keep a distance of one metre between customers who will preferably not be seated in air conditioned spaces where viruses spread more easily.
Italy’s national lockdown is the longest one currently in force anywhere in the world.
Its stay-at-home orders — introduced on March 9 — have since been replicated by other European nations.
The government ordered all shops except for pharmacies and grocery stores to close on March 12.
Iran says no longer at ‘red’ status, reports 93 new virus deaths
Iran’s health ministry said on Friday that the virus-hit country was no longer at “red” status as it announced another 93 deaths from its Covid-19 outbreak.
Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the novel coronavirus fatalities recorded in the past 24 hours took Iran’s overall death toll to 5,574, AFP reported.
Jahanpour also announced 1,168 new cases of coronavirus infection, taking the country’s total to 88,194.
But he said that 66,596 patients had been released from hospital after recovering from the illness.
“None of our provinces are in the red, but warnings remain, and the situation will not be considered normal at all,” he tweeted.
The actual numbers of those killed and sickened by the virus are widely thought to be much higher than the Iranian government’s official tolls.
Iran has been struggling to contain the virus that causes the Covid-19 disease since revealing its first cases more than two months ago.
The first cases it announced on February 19 were deaths in the Shiite holy city of Qom, south of the capital.
The outbreak was quick to spread to all of the country’s 31 provinces.
Despite still battling the virus, the Iranian government has allowed many businesses to reopen since April 11 after shutting most down in mid-March to prevent the spread of the disease.
UK virus death toll climbs 684 to 19,506
Britain’s health ministry on Friday said that 684 more people had died after testing positive for Covid-19 in hospital, taking the death toll to 19,506.
The figure, for the 24-hour period to 1600 GMT on Thursday, is more than the 616 reported the previous day and comes after the government claimed the virus had hit its peak, AFP reported.
