US coronavirus death toll exceeds 50,000: Live updates

• The World Well being Organisation’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the company is partnering with teams to speed up work on medicine and a vaccine for COVID-19, the illness brought on by the coronavirus, noting that “the world wants these instruments and wishes them quick”.

• A minimum of three,332 new coronavirus deaths have been reported in the USA in a 24-hour interval, based on a tally by Johns Hopkins College, one of many deadliest days for the reason that outbreak started. The loss of life toll within the nation has surpassed 50,000 amid greater than 870,000 instances. 

• The variety of optimistic instances in Qatar jumped by 761 in a 24-hour interval, marking the Gulf nation’s highest every day enhance. The overall variety of instances reported within the nation stands at eight,525, with 10 deaths.

• Greater than 190,000 individuals have died as a result of pandemic, with 2.7 million contaminated globally, out of whom virtually 750,000 have recovered.

Listed below are the most recent updates:

Friday, April 24

19:34 GMT – Liberia extends lockdown

Liberian President Geroge Weah extended by two weeks the nation’s measures in place to curb the unfold of the coronavirus. 

Weah prolonged the restrictions, first launched in April eight, including a brand new measure that requires everybody to put on a face masks in public.

19:00 GMT – Lebanon extends lockdown, shortens curfew 

Lebanon introduced an extension of its lockdown until Might 10, however stated its curfew would now be from 9pm-5am, one hour shorter than earlier than.

It additionally introduced a five-phase plan to reopen the nation on the next days: April 28; Might four, Might 11, Might 25 and June 6. Bodily distancing and carrying masks in public will probably be required all through all levels.

A call on alternating days between vehicles with odd/even license plates will stay in place until at the very least Might 10.

Personal companies can start working once more at stage three however with as little employees as doable. These 65 and over should stay dwelling, except for pressing issues, till the top of part three.

Is it the suitable time to calm down the lockdown, given variety of instances elevated in previous days? @manal_a_samad responds: Testing has elevated a lot that the variety of instances is definitely smaller than earlier than as a %.

1300 checks in final 24 hours versus mere 100s up to now.

— Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) April 24, 2020

18:08 GMT – UN launches international push to speed up work on COVID-19 therapy 

World leaders have pledged to speed up work on checks, medicine and vaccines for COVID-19 and to share them across the globe, however the USA didn’t participate within the launch of the WHO initiative.

Learn extra here.

17:35 GMT – France studies new instances

France reported 389 new instances, bringing the whole variety of optimistic instances within the nation to 22,245.

17:16 GMT – Trump says his remarks on utilizing disinfectant have been sarcastic

US President Donald Trump stated that he was being sarcastic when he raised the opportunity of utilizing disinfectant inside individuals’s our bodies to combat coronavirus.

“I used to be asking a query sarcastically to reporters such as you, simply to see what would occur,” he informed journalists on the White Home.

Trump stated at his every day information briefing on Thursday that scientists ought to discover whether or not inserting gentle or disinfectant into the our bodies of individuals contaminated with the brand new coronavirus would possibly assist them deal with the illness.

17:03 GMT – Belgium set to permit easing of restrictions 

Belgium is ready to permit a gradual easing of coronavirus restriction measures throughout Might, with outlets allowed to reopen and the beginning of some lessons in class.

Restrictions within the nation, among the many hardest hit by COVID-19, are set to be eased in phases ranging from Might four. Presently, solely outlets promoting meals, dwelling enchancment shops, backyard centres and pharmacies can open.

Non-food outlets can be allowed to re-open from Might 11, albeit with strict social distancing measures, Belgian broadcaster RTBF stated. Faculties would additionally reopen their doorways to a primary set of pupils from Might 18, newspaper L’Echo stated.

16:55 GMT – US warship hit with coronavirus

A US Navy destroyer has been hit with a coronavirus outbreak because it carried out a counter-narcotics mission, US officers stated, dealing one other blow to the navy because it grapples with the pandemic.

US officers, chatting with Reuters information company on situation of anonymity, stated greater than a dozen sailors on board the Kidd had examined optimistic for the illness.

The Pentagon confirmed an outbreak on the ship, which had been finishing up its mission within the Caribbean and Japanese Pacific, and declined to debate the precise variety of sailors contaminated.

16:30 GMT – Turkey studies new instances, deaths 

Turkey’s well being ministry reported three,122 new optimistic instances, brining the whole variety of instances to 104,912.

The variety of deaths rose by 109 up to now 24 hours, to a complete of two,600.

16:23 GMT – Sanofi CEO warns Europe on vaccine race

Sanofi’s chief government urged stronger European co-ordination within the hunt for a vaccine towards the coronavirus, criticising Europe for being too gradual to behave in a fiercely aggressive international race.

The French drugmaker is engaged on two vaccine initiatives, together with one in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline. That enterprise has acquired monetary help from the US Biomedical Superior Analysis and Growth Authority.

“It’s fairly conceivable that if they’re profitable the American authorities will ask for Individuals to be vaccinated first,” Hudson informed reporters.

“There was an excessive amount of of an absence of co-ordination at a European stage. It’s beginning to transfer now however the stage of preparedness to the pandemic may be very, very low,” he stated.

16:14 GMT – Coronavirus got here to New York from Europe, not China: NY governor

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that strains of the coronavirus that first contaminated his state’s residents got here from Europe, not China, and that the ban on vacationers from China got here too late to halt its unfold.

“We closed the entrance door with the China journey ban, which was proper, however we left the again door open,” Cuomo informed a every day briefing. 

15:39 GMT – France restricts gross sales of nicotine substitutes after research

France restricted gross sales of nicotine substitutes after new analysis recommended nicotine might supply some safety towards an infection by the brand new coronavirus.

The Well being Ministry stated in a decree it aimed to keep away from a scarcity of merchandise corresponding to nicotine patches for sufferers and to stop the improper use – and overuse – of substitutes used to combat nicotine dependence.

Below the decree, pharmacies are usually not allowed to promote greater than a month’s price of substitutes till Might 11 when France is to start easing lockdown measures and reopening faculties. The decree additionally stated that on-line gross sales have been suspended.

15:13 GMT – World leaders again WHO’s plan 

World leaders voiced their help for a WHO initiative to hurry the event of medication and vaccines to deal with COVID-19.

Britain’s International Secretary Dominic Raab stated the illness pandemic brought on by the brand new coronavirus was the “greatest international menace the world has confronted in a era”, whereas Spain voiced sturdy help for the WHO’s “central position” in dealing with it.

15:17 GMT – US loss of life toll tops 50,000

The overall variety of deaths in the USA stands at 50,031, based on information gathered by Jhons Hopkins College, whereas the variety of confirmed instances are 870,468.

Learn extra here.

15:08 GMT – Portugal ramps up testing at care properties 

Portugal hopes to conduct 70,000 coronavirus checks by the top of Might at care properties, amongst whose residents round two in 5 of the nation’s coronavirus deaths have occurred.

Round 17,000 checks have been performed to this point at some 200 properties.

The ramp-up, attributable to cowl about 750 properties, goals to comprise the unfold of the outbreak there “by testing all employees and residents with signs”, the labour ministry stated.

Portugal has reported 22,797 coronavirus instances and 854 fatalities.

14:58 GMT – Hillary Clinton says ‘do not poison your self’

Hilary Clinton Tweeted to her followers “do not poison your self” after Trump ssupport researchers ought to strive placing disinfectant into coronavirus sufferers’ our bodies.

“Please do not poison your self as a result of Donald Trump thinks it might be a good suggestion,” she stated. 

Please don’t poison your self as a result of Donald Trump thinks it might be a good suggestion.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 24, 2020

14:17 GMT – Closed buildings face one other threat: Legionnaires’ illness

Industrial buildings shuttered for weeks to stem the unfold of the coronavirus may gasoline one other grisly lung an infection: Legionnaires’ illness.

Public well being consultants are urging landlords throughout the globe to rigorously re-open buildings to stop outbreaks of the extreme, generally deadly, type of pneumonia.

The sudden and sweeping closures of faculties, factories, companies and authorities workplaces have created an unprecedented decline in water use. The dearth of chlorinated water flowing via pipes, mixed with irregular temperature modifications, have created circumstances ripe for the micro organism that causes Legionnaires’ illness, they stated.

14:04 GMT – Bigggest well being effort ‘in historical past’ wanted: UN chief

Ridding the world of the coronavirus would require the most important public well being effort ever seen, the UN’s chief stated.

“We face a world public enemy like no different,” Antonio Guterres informed a digital briefing, insisting that “a world freed from COVID-19 requires essentially the most large public well being effort in historical past”.

13:59 GMT – EU president says prepared to reply to disaster

European Union Fee President Ursula von der Leyen stated the the physique will launch a world pledging effort on Might four.

The intention is to lift greater than $7bn for prevention, diagnostics, and therapy.

13:55 GMT – Lebanon suggested to increase lockdown

Lebanon’s authorities was suggested to increase a lockdown in place by two weeks till Might 10, however the nation’s larger defence council stated it ought to step by step restore sure elements of the financial system within the coming weeks.

The defence council stated that the lockdown have to be prolonged in an effort to “keep away from a second wave from the epidemic that will represent an insufferable disaster”.

With eight new instances, Lebanon has to this point recorded 696 coronavirus instances and 22 deaths, based on the ministry of well being.

13:36 GMT – England’s hospital toll rises by 587

The COVID-19 loss of life toll in English hospitals rose 587 to 17,373, the well being service stated.

“34 of the 587 sufferers [aged between 50 and 102 years old] had no recognized underlying well being situation,” it added.

“When individuals say that COVID-19 has been good for nature it is true in some methods and it isn’t true in different methods.”

UK nature reserves wrestle amid #coronavirus lockdown. pic.twitter.com/A6eNq4dasO

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 24, 2020

13:24 GMT – WHO chief says company is partnering with teams for vaccine 

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the company is partnering with world leaders and the personal sector to speed up work on medicine and a vaccine for COVID-19.

“This can be a landmark collaboration to speed up the event, manufacturing and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for COVID-19,” Ghebreyesus informed a digital briefing.

“Our shared dedication is to make sure all individuals have entry to all of the instruments to defeat COVID-19,” he stated.

“The world wants these instruments and wishes them quick,” he added. “We face a typical menace which we are able to solely defeat with a typical strategy.”      

Hiya, that is Farah Najjar taking up from my colleague Joseph Stepansky.

12:55 GMT – US says is not going to participate in WHO international medicine, vaccine initiative launch

The US is not going to participate within the launching of a world initiative on Friday to hurry the event, manufacturing and distribution of medication and vaccines towards COVID-19, a spokesman for the US mission in Geneva informed Reuters information company.

“There will probably be no U.S. official participation”, he stated in an e mail reply to a question. “We look ahead to studying extra about this initiative in help of worldwide cooperation to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 as quickly as doable.”

US President Donald Trump has introduced a suspension of funding to the WHO, the place it’s the largest donor. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will assist launch the worldwide initiative on Friday.

12:50 GMT – Lebanon defence council urges extending lockdown two weeks, easing restrictions

Lebanon’s larger defence council has suggested the federal government to increase a coronavirus lockdown by two weeks till Might 10, however to start step by step easing restrictions within the coming weeks.

The cupboard is anticipated to take the choice in a session on Friday. In the course of the lockdown, Lebanon has ordered most companies closed, shut the airport and imposed an in a single day curfew

12:40 GMT – Spain: Was coronavirus already spreading a month earlier than lockdown?

Current scientific analysis means that Spain, the nation that at the moment has the most coronavirus cases in Europe, was hit by COVID-19 a lot sooner than beforehand thought.

The research by researchers from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid signifies that one clade – a virus “household” derived from a single ancestor – of coronavirus was current in mainland Spain as early as February 14.

That was a full month earlier than the nation went into lockdown, and a time when officers worldwide have been nonetheless attempting to know the size of the virus.

Learn extra here. 

12:20 GMT – Pandemic leaves Delhi riots victims twice displaced

On February 23, Jameela Begum’s neighbourhood in northeast Delhi was ravaged by the worst violence the Indian capital had witnessed in many years, which left at the very least 53 individuals useless.

The violence befell amid protests over a controversial new citizenship regulation, which critics stated violated India’s secular structure and was geared toward additional marginalising its Muslim minority. Dozens of individuals, together with a lot of Muslims, have been arrested for the violence.

Following the riots, Jameela’s household of eight was pressured to maneuver to a reduction camp arrange in an Eidgah (grounds the place Eid prayers are held), together with 600 others.

On March 24, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a nationwide lockdown and urged individuals to remain dwelling to stop the unfold of the coronavirus pandemic. As quickly because the announcement got here into impact the subsequent day, the Eidgah reduction camp was cleared and its residents forcibly evicted.

Learn extra here. 

12:10 GMT – Dutch instances rise by 806 to 36,535

The variety of confirmed coronavirus instances within the Netherlands rose by 806 to 36,535, well being authorities have stated, with 112 new deaths.

The nation’s total loss of life toll is now four,289, the Netherlands’ Institute for Public Well being (RIVM) stated in its every day replace. The RIVM emphasised it studies solely confirmed instances, and precise numbers are larger.

12:00 GMT – Czech gov’t backs plan to hunt state of emergency extension: Report

 The Czech authorities has authorised plans to ask the decrease home of parliament to increase a state of emergency till Might 25 to assist combat the brand new coronavirus epidemic, CTK information company reported, citing Inside Minister Jan Hamacek.

The plan ought to go to lawmakers on Tuesday, CTK stated. The present state of emergency is in place till April 30 and provides the federal government powers to restrict individuals’s motion or shut companies.

11:45 GMT – Vietnam studies two new instances, bringing complete to 270

Vietnam has reported two new COVID-19 instances, taking the tally to 270, its well being ministry stated, after the nation’s lockdown order was lifted a day earlier.

Each of the brand new instances are Vietnamese residents, who returned from Japan on April 22 and have been beneath quarantine upon arrival, the well being ministry stated in an announcement. The nation had stayed away from the virus for seven days and has reported no deaths.

11:35 GMT – East Timor has first medical employee contaminated

East Timor has introduced nurse at a centre caring for sufferers with COVID-19 had been contaminated by the coronavirus, the primary medical employee within the tiny Southeast Asian nation to contract the illness.

The nurse had been working at an isolation centre in addition to a hospital. A optimistic take a look at outcome was confirmed by a laboratory in Darwin, Australia, stated a spokesman for East Timor’s Built-in Disaster Administration Heart.

East Timor reported its first case on March 21 and now has 24 confirmed infections, whereas two individuals have recovered, Lobo informed a information convention.

East Timor’s prime minister, Taur Matan Ruak, withdrew his resignation this month, saying he would keep in energy to supervise the battle towards the pandemic as the federal government authorised a $250 million fund to combat it.

11:25 GMT – Qatar data 761 new instances, highest every day enhance

Qatar has reported 761 new instances of the coronavirus, the biggest every day enhance for the reason that outbreak started, based on the well being ministry. 

A complete of eight,525 instances have been reported within the nation, with 10 deaths. 

آخر مستجدات فيروس كورونا في قطر
Newest replace on Coronavirus in Qatar#سلامتك_هي_سلامتي #YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/pqq5fLbs3t

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) April 24, 2020

11:15 GMT – Lysol maker says do not inject disinfectant after Trump remarks

Lysol and Dettol maker Reckitt Benckiser has stated its disinfectants shouldn’t be administered to people, after US President Donald Trump stated researchers ought to strive placing disinfectant into coronavirus sufferers’ our bodies.

“Below no circumstance ought to our disinfectant merchandise be administered into the human physique (via injection, ingestion or another route),” the corporate stated.

11:00 GMT – Switzerland loss of life toll rises to 1,309

The Swiss loss of life toll from the brand new coronavirus has reached 1,309, the nation’s public well being company has stated, rising from 1,268 individuals on Thursday.

The variety of optimistic checks additionally elevated to 28,677 from 28,496 on Thursday, it stated. Switzerland is because of begin the primary part of its leisure of the coronavirus restrictions on April 27 with the reopening of hairdressers, florists, and backyard centres.

10:50 GMT – India have to be self-reliant towards virus: PM Modi

India’s prime minister says the nation’s 1.three billion persons are bravely preventing the coronavirus epidemic with restricted assets and the lesson they’ve realized to this point is that the nation needs to be self-sufficient for assembly its wants.

Addressing the nation’s village council heads via video conferencing on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the nation cannot afford to look outward to fulfill a disaster of this dimension in future.

Self-reliance is the most important lesson taught by the epidemic, Modi stated.

India has to this point reported 22,358 optimistic novel coronavirus instances and 718 deaths. India has been importing crucial medical provides, together with protecting gears, masks and ventilators from China.

10:40 GMT – Poland extends college lockdown till Might 24

Poland’s authorities is to increase the closure of faculties, and pre-schools by a month, till Might 24, Training Minister Dariusz Piatkowski has stated.

Piatkowski additionally informed a information convention that he was contemplating whether or not it will be doable to permit some academic institutions to supply day care for youngsters, however gave no additional particulars.

Beforehand the training system lockdown had been deliberate to final till April 26.

10:35 GMT – Iran loss of life toll rises by 93 to five,574: Well being official 

Iran’s loss of life toll from the brand new coronavirus has risen by 93, to achieve a complete of 5,574, Well being Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur stated on state TV.

The overall variety of individuals recognized with the illness is 88,194, of whom three,121 are in crucial situation, he added.

10:30 GMT – Spain data lowest variety of every day deaths in over a month

Spain has reported 367 new deaths from coronavirus, the bottom every day toll in over a month.

A complete of 22,524 individuals have died from COVID-19 in Spain, amid 219,764 instances.

10:25 GMT – Transport for London to furlough 7,000 employees, entry UK job retention scheme

Transport for London (TFL) has stated it will place 7,000 employees on furlough and entry the British authorities’s job retention scheme, saving practically $19.72 million a month within the face of the coronavirus disaster.

“TfL is to position 7,000 employees whose work has been diminished or paused because of the coronavirus pandemic on furlough from Monday. It will permit TfL to entry funding from the Authorities’s Job Retention Scheme, saving the organisation an estimated 15.eight million kilos each 4 weeks,” TfL, which runs the town’s Underground subway system and bus community, stated in an announcement.

“It will partly scale back the large monetary influence of coronavirus while constructive discussions proceed with Authorities on the broader income help that TfL might want to proceed the efficient operation of London’s transport community.”

10:20 GMT – Pandemic not altering EU priorities on Brexit: French minister

The brand new coronavirus outbreak disaster doesn’t change European priorities within the Brexit negotiations, French European Affairs Minister Amelie de Montchalin has stated.

She additionally informed a French Senate assembly no-deal Brexit can be an additional shock on high of the COVID-19 disaster however Britain would endure essentially the most.

Extra:

10:15 GMT – Russia to open 1,000-bed hospital in exhibition centre by finish of the week

A short lived hospital in St Petersburg with simply over 1,000 beds for coronavirus sufferers will open within the metropolis’s Lenexpo exhibition centre by the top of the week, RIA information company reported.

St Petersburg, Russia’s second greatest metropolis, had reported 2,700 coronavirus instances and 20 deaths as of Friday. Russia as a complete had practically 70,000 confirmed instances and 615 deaths.

To assist Russia’s well being system address the outbreak, hospitals throughout the nation, together with personal ones, are being requested to show their concentrate on the coronavirus outbreak.

The defence ministry can be constructing 16 model new hospitals throughout the nation, together with the central areas of Moscow and St Petersburg to the south and Volga river areas, in addition to in Siberia and much east. The ministry expects the brand new hospitals to be absolutely prepared by mid-Might.

10:10 GMT – UK submariners reprimanded lockdown get together

A British Royal Navy submarine commander has been placed on depart after ignoring social distancing guidelines and throwing a celebration for his crew on their arrival again dwelling.

Footage on social media confirmed two DJs enjoying dance music to the crew of the HMS Trenchant, who have been sitting at tables consuming a barbecue after the vessel docked for repairs at its base close to Plymouth, southwest England, following three months at sea.

“An investigation is beneath method. It could be inappropriate to remark additional,” stated a Royal Navy spokesman.
The BBC reported the captain of the nuclear-powered submarine had been despatched dwelling on depart following the get together.

10:00 GMT – Surges in Djibouti instances as inhabitants ignores measures  

Djibouti has seen a speedy spike in coronavirus instances, with the Horn of Africa nation now recording the very best prevalence on the continent because the inhabitants largely ignores measures imposed by authorities.

The tiny however strategically necessary nation that hosts main US and French navy bases has recorded 985 optimistic instances – small on a world scale, however the highest in East Africa. Two individuals have died.

That is largely attributable to testing. Djibouti, with a inhabitants of round a million, has performed simply over 10,000 checks – an analogous quantity to neighbouring Ethiopia, which has greater than 100 million individuals.

However extra alarming than the determine itself is the runaway charge of multiplication: in simply two weeks, Djibouti has recorded a seven-fold enhance in instances. The Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention on Thursday stated that with 98.6 instances per 100,000 individuals, Djibouti has the very best prevalence on the continent.

09:40 GMT – Hong Kong studies no new instances or deaths

Hong Kong has reported no new coronavirus instances or deaths for the second time in per week.

The overall instances within the nation stand 1,zero36, based on the well being ministry. On Monday, the semi-autonomous area additionally reported no new instances. 

09:20 GMT – UK Labour Occasion proclaims evaluation of influence on black, Asian and minority ethnic teams

The UK’s most important opposition Labour Occasion has introduced a evaluation into the influence of coronavirus on Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

The event comes amid rising fears that frontline NHS employees from ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected, in addition to non-white Britons total.

The Conservative led-UK authorities earlier promised a proper evaluation into why BME communities seem like extra susceptible.

“Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities have lengthy been deprived by the social and financial injustice which nonetheless exists in our nation. There’s a clear and tragic sample rising of the pandemic’s influence on these communities which have to be higher understood,” stated Doreen Lawrence, who has been appointed race relations advisor, in an announcement on Friday. 

Learn our evaluation here.

.@Keir_Starmer appoints Baroness @DLawrenceOBE as race relations adviser and launches evaluation into coronavirus influence on black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.https://t.co/pXUAvmmt9f

— Labour Press Group (@labourpress) April 24, 2020

09:10 GMT – Pompeo urges Egypt to maintain US prisoners secure

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo harassed to his Egyptian counterpart that Individuals detained in Egypt needs to be saved secure in the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

The State Division on Thursday didn’t give any particulars about US prisoners, however three Individuals held in Egypt have been talked about in a letter by a bipartisan group of US senators despatched to Pompeo this month, asking him to name for the discharge of Individuals detained in a number of nations, citing the chance from the virus.

Pompeo, in his name with Egypt’s International Minister Sameh Shoukry, “emphasised that detained US residents be saved secure and offered consular entry in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic”, the State Division stated in an announcement.

Learn extra here. 

09:00 GMT – Indonesia studies 436 new instances, greatest every day leap

Indonesia reported its greatest every day leap in coronavirus infections after figuring out 436 new instances, taking the whole to eight,211, information offered by well being ministry official Achmad Yurianto confirmed on Friday.

Forty-two extra individuals who had examined optimistic for the virus died, taking the whole variety of deaths to 689, based on the information.

08:55 GMT – Malaysia studies 88 new instances and one new loss of life

Malaysian well being authorities have reported 88 new coronavirus instances and another loss of life.

That introduced the cumulative complete to five,691 instances in Malaysia, with the every day rise remaining in double digits for the eighth straight day.

The nation has now reported 96 fatalities attributable to COVID-19 for the reason that outbreak started.

08:45 GMT – Pakistan utilizing intelligence companies to trace instances

Pakistan is utilizing a contact tracing system – developed by its intelligence companies to fight terrorism – to combat the coronavirus, the nation’s prime minister has stated, as COVID-19 instances proceed to spike within the South Asian nation.

Pakistan’s Inter-Providers Intelligence (ISI) service is supporting the federal government in tracing and monitoring individuals who might have been in touch in with those that take a look at optimistic for the virus.

“The ISI has given us an awesome system for monitor and hint,” stated Pakistani PM Imran Khan on a dwell telecast of a telethon on Thursday. “It was initially used towards terrorism, however now it’s has are available helpful towards coronavirus.”

Learn extra here. 

08:30 GMT – US studies three,332 deaths in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins tally

The US suffered one of many deadliest days of the pandemic with three,332 fatalities in 24 hours.

The general loss of life toll within the US now sits at to 49,963, based on a tally from Johns Hopkins College.

The US, the worst-hit nation on the earth, now has 868,000 confirmed instances of coronavirus, up 27,000 from yesterday. Due to an absence of testing, the precise variety of infections is more likely to be a lot larger.

08:15 GMT – Philippines’ infections high 7,000

The Philippines’ Well being Ministry has reported that confirmed instances of the brand new coronavirus have risen to greater than 7,000.

In a bulletin, the ministry recorded 211 new infections, 15 extra deaths and 40 extra recoveries. It introduced the whole instances to 7,192, deaths to 477 and recoveries to 762.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday prolonged a strict lockdown within the capital Manila till Might 15 to attempt to comprise coronavirus infections, however will ease restrictions in lower-risk areas.

07:55 GMT – China: cyber assaults on anti-pandemic establishments needs to be condemned

China has stated that cyber assaults towards establishments preventing the coronavirus pandemic needs to be condemned world wide.

International ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the remarks in response to a query a couple of report by the U.S. cybersecurity agency FireEye that Vietnamese government-linked hackers had tried to interrupt into the private and professional e mail accounts of employees at China’s Ministry of Emergency Administration and the federal government of Wuhan, the Chinese language metropolis the place the virus emerged final yr.

Vietnam’s international ministry known as the report “baseless” on Thursday. Geng didn’t straight touch upon whether or not such assaults towards Chinese language officers had occurred.

Extra:

07:45 GMT – Specialists react with horror to Trump disinfectant concept

Medical doctors and epidemiologists have reacted with alarm to feedback from US President Donald Trump that injecting disinfectant and publicity to ultraviolet rays may assist individuals with the coronavirus.

“Trump is totally improper and irresponsible,” Dr Eugene Gu, whose laboratory is concerned in coronavirus testing, wrote on Twitter, including “Clorox, Tide Pods and Lysol will kill coronavirus. No query about it. However if you’re contaminated then the coronavirus is inside your cells. Should you use any of these disinfectants to kill the coronavirus in your individual cells then you definately’ll die proper together with the coronavirus.” 

Learn extra here.

07:30 GMT – UN digital assembly accompanied by technical issues

The coronavirus pandemic is making international diplomacy extra difficult.

For the primary time in its historical past, the United Nations Safety Council has been assembly remotely.

However these periods have been stricken by technical difficulties.

07:25 GMT – Singapore data 897 new infections

Singapore has registered 897 new coronavirus infections, taking its complete variety of instances to 12,075.

The well being ministry stated the overwhelming majority of the brand new instances have been migrant employees residing in dormitories, a lot of that are beneath government-ordered quarantine attributable to mass outbreaks.

The island of 5.7 million individuals now has one of many highest an infection charges in Asia, based on official figures, behind solely China, India and Japan

07:15 GMT – Tons of of medical doctors in Bangladesh contaminated

As coronavirus instances mount in Bangladesh, its authorities struggles to maintain its front-line healthcare employees free from getting contaminated, which has additional strained the nation’s medical services.

A minimum of 251 medical doctors had examined optimistic for coronavirus by Thursday, based on the Bangladesh Medical doctors Basis (BDF), because the group blamed an absence of private protecting tools (PPE) and infections from sufferers for the outbreak among the many medical doctors.

Almost 200 medical doctors are contaminated within the capital, Dhaka. Thus far, Bangladesh has reported three,772 confirmed COVID-19 instances, with 120 deaths.

Learn extra here. 

07:00 GMT – Airways in Philippines prolong flight suspensions to mid-Might

The Philippines’ main airways have stated their home and worldwide flights will stay suspended till mid-Might following the extension of coronavirus lockdown measures within the capital and affected cities and provinces.

Philippine Airways, Cebu Pacific and the Philippine unit of Malaysia’s Airasia Group Bhd stated passenger flights, which have been halted in March, will stay suspended. Cargo and particular restoration flights will proceed, the airways informed Reuters.

06:50 GMT – Britain not asking medical doctors to compromise on protecting gear, minister says

Steerage for private protecting tools (PPE) in hospitals is predicated on medical recommendation and doesn’t ask medical doctors to compromise on security, British well being minister Matt Hancock has stated, after two medical doctors launched authorized motion towards the federal government.

The 2 medical doctors, a husband and spouse who’re anticipating a toddler, have been uncovered to sufferers with COVID-19 and are involved that present PPE steering and availability are insufficient to guard them from an infection.

“The rules for what PPE is used are supported by and fully primarily based on medical recommendation of what’s the simplest use of this valuable tools,” Hancock informed ITV.

Requested if medical doctors have been being requested to compromise on tools, Hancock stated: “I do not recognise that.”

06:40 GMT – UK PM Johnson in good condition, says minister

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in good condition and recovering after falling gravely in poor health with COVID-19, well being minister Matt Hancock has stated.

“I am certain he’ll come again as quickly as his medical doctors suggest it,” he informed Sky Information.

“That call is for the prime minister in session along with his medical doctors. I spoke to him yesterday, he is on superb kind and is clearly recovering.”

06:30 GMT – Daylight, warmth and humidity weaken coronavirus, US official says

The coronavirus seems to weaken extra rapidly when uncovered to daylight, warmth and humidity, a US official has stated, in a possible signal that the pandemic may grow to be much less contagious in summer time months.

US authorities researchers have decided that the virus survives finest indoors and in dry circumstances, and loses efficiency when temperatures and humidity rise – and particularly when it’s uncovered to daylight, stated William Bryan, appearing head of the US Division of Homeland Safety’s Science and Expertise Directorate.

“The virus dies quickest within the presence of direct daylight,” he informed a White Home information briefing.

Nonetheless, the virus confirmed deadly in a number of nations with heat climates, elevating questions on how a lot influence seasonal change within the US could have. 

Learn extra here. 

06:20 GMT – Surge in instances in India’s Maharashtra state

A surge in instances of the coronavirus within the central Indian state of Maharashtra has propelled the nation to a file 24-hour excessive.

Well being authorities stated Friday that Maharashtra recorded 778 new instances on Thursday, bringing India’s complete of confirmed instances of COVID-19, the respiratory sickness brought on by the virus, to 22,930.

India’s 1,680 new instances Thursday marked its greatest single-day leap since April 19, a day earlier than India relaxed some restrictions for business in a bid to assist make use of among the tens of millions of migrant employees who fled cities for his or her properties villages when the continuing lockdown was introduced March 24.

Fearing rampant unfold of the illness within the metropolis’s crowded slums, officers in India’s monetary capital of Mumbai, the state capital of Maharashtra, are creating a plan to manage doses of the Donald Trump-backed anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic towards COVID-19 amongst some slumdwellers.

Extra:

06:00 GMT – India lockdown worsens entry to psychological healthcare

Considered one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorities’s most-lauded achievements has been the passage of the Psychological Healthcare Act in 2017, which ensures Indians the suitable to psychological healthcare.

The regulation additionally discourages the sooner emphasis on institutionalising or incarcerating such sufferers, arguing as a substitute for integrating sufferers inside their communities.

Nonetheless, by not making preparations for sufferers in the course of the coronavirus lockdown, the federal government could also be violating its personal regulation.

Learn extra here. 

05:45 GMT – UK retail gross sales fall by most on file

British retail gross sales fell by essentially the most on file in March, official figures have proven, reflecting the hit from the coronavirus shutdown which closed many companies within the second half of the month.

Gross sales volumes fell 5.1 % in March from February, a much bigger fall than a median forecast for a drop of four.zero % in a Reuters information company ballot of economists. 

05:15 GMT – Hungary to scrap curfew, refocus anti-coronavirus protection: PM

Hungary plans to exchange the present lockdown that imposes a blanket curfew over the inhabitants with a extra fine-tuned model from early Might, Prime Minister Viktor Orban informed state radio on Friday.

Orban stated the brand new guidelines will concentrate on the aged, the sick and people dwelling in large cities, as these persons are uncovered to a disproportionate measure of threat. 

05:00 GMT – Australia PM says will probably be unlawful for non-health officers to get information from monitoring app

Individuals aside from authorised well being officers will probably be banned by regulation from accessing information collected in authorities smartphone software program to hint the contacts of individuals with the coronavirus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated.

“It will likely be unlawful for info to exit of that information retailer to another individual aside from that for whom the entire thing is designed, and that’s to help the well being employee within the state to have the ability to undertake the contact tracing,” Morrison informed reporters in Canberra.

Morrison additionally confirmed the information can be saved by on servers managed by AWS, a unit of US web big Amazon.com Inc, however added that “it is a nationally encrypted information retailer”.

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That is Joseph Stepansky in Doha taking up the dwell updates from my colleague Ted Regencia.

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04:45 GMT – Indonesia to ban air, sea journey till the top of Might – officers

Indonesia will briefly ban home and worldwide air and sea journey, with some exceptions, beginning this week to stop an additional unfold of the coronavirus, the transport ministry stated in an announcement on Friday.

The announcement got here because the holy month of Ramadan started on the earth’s largest Muslim majority nation, and the federal government has already banned residents’ conventional annual exodus from the cities to the provinces in the course of the vacation interval..

The ban on sea journey took fast impact, however the ban on air journey will begin on Saturday. The ban will apply across-the-board till Might 31.

04:35 GMT – El Salvador parliament evacuated for suspicion of COVID-19

The El Salvador Legislative Meeting all of a sudden ended its session Thursday night after information of a suspected Covid-19 contamination within the constructing, which was rapidly evacuated, was introduced.

“The Interdisciplinary Epidemiological Management Group in El Salvador has detected a critical suspicion of Covid-19 within the blue lounge of the Meeting,” Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele wrote on Twitter.

“We suggest closing the session and self-confining all MPs and employees, whereas dismissing or confirming suspect instances and their contacts,” stated Bukele.

04:18 GMT – Thailand studies 15 new instances, no new deaths

Thailand reported on Friday a complete of 15 new coronavirus instances and no new deaths, bringing the general variety of instances since its outbreak in January to 2,854 instances and 50 deaths.

Of the brand new instances, 9 have been linked to earlier instances and two had no recognized hyperlinks.

4 different new instances have been reported from the southern province of Yala the place the authorities are aggressively testing the inhabitants due to excessive an infection charges there, stated Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a authorities spokesman. Because the outbreak 2,490 sufferers have recovered and gone dwelling.

04:12 GMT – Tons of collect in Indonesia’s Aceh to mark begin of Ramadan 

Tons of of worshippers gathered at a mosque in Indonesia’s ultra-conservative Aceh province for prayers marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, regardless of fears over the unfold of the coronavirus.

Individuals have been seen standing shoulder to shoulder in the course of the night prayer, often called Taraweeh on Thursday on the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque. Just a few had face masks on.

“With us praying collectively we hope God Allah will bless the world and that this pandemic will probably be over quickly, as a result of we consider if we’re praying collectively (in mosques) Allah will reply our prayers,” stated Siti Ramadan, a kind of who attended the prayers.

03:42 GMT – US deaths high 50,000 

US coronavirus deaths hit one other grim milestone on Friday topping 50,000, because the variety of lives misplaced in April rises by a mean of two,000 a day, based on the Worldometers web site, which tracks the pandemic.

The Johns Hopkins web site additionally confirmed the loss of life toll inching nearer to 50,000.

The overall variety of US instances hit 868,000 with many states but to report early on Friday.

03:17 GMT – Lethal protest in Venezuela amid the coronavirus pandemic 

A person has been shot useless in southern Venezuela throughout a protest towards rising meals costs, the navy stated amid the coronavirus disaster.

Protesters in Venezuela’s provincial cities took to the streets for a second day on Thursday. Dozens of individuals demonstrated in Upata, a city of about 100,000 within the southern state of Bolivar, protesting towards “rising costs for meals and necessities,” based on a report by the Venezuelan military seen by the AFP information company. 

As of Thursday, Venezuela reported an estimated 311 infections with at the very least 10 fatalities.

03:05 GMT – Saudi G20 presidency urges extra donations to fund COVID-19 response

The Saudi presidency of the Group of 20 main economies has known as for additional fast donations to fund the emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic and develop wanted vaccines.

The G20 secretariat stated $1.9bn had been donated by nations, philanthropic organisations and the personal sector in direction of an $8bn goal set by the World Preparedness Monitoring Board, however extra funds have been wanted.

“World challenges demand international options and that is our time to face and help the race for a vaccine and different therapeutic measures to fight COVID-19,” Saudi G20 Fahad Almubarak stated in an announcement.

02:34 GMT – Trump suggests injecting disinfectant to combat coronavirus

US President Donald Trump has recommended that disinfectants might be injected into human beings as a part of an experiment to combat the coronavirus.

Throughout his newest information convention on Thursday, Trump additionally stated that ultraviolet rays might be launched via the pores and skin to check whether or not it will work in curing the lethal illness.

Learn extra here. 

This will probably be Exhibit #1 within the class motion lawsuit towards Donald Trump filed by victims who died after following Trump’s concept of injecting themselves with disinfectant to kill the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/vpRdIoOyi9

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 23, 2020

02:20 GMT – An infection tally rises to 91 on Italian cruise ship in Japan

As many as 91 crew of an Italian cruise ship docked in Japan’s southwestern port of Nagasaki are contaminated with coronavirus, officers stated on Friday, as questions persist over how and when they’ll return to their dwelling nations.

Authorities are racing to finish checks on about 290 of the 623 crew after one among them was discovered contaminated this week, Reuters information company reported.

Those that have examined unfavourable will probably be repatriated, Well being Minister Katsunobu Kato stated on Friday, based on Kyodo information company, a call welcomed by officers in Nagasaki prefecture.

02:11 GMT – Haiti receives extra deportees from US regardless of fears

Haiti has acquired 129 of its nationals, together with minors on a deportation flight from the USA, days after three deportees who arrived on the earlier flight examined optimistic for the brand new coronavirus, Reuters information company reported.

Haiti International Ministry senior official Israel Jacky Cantave informed Reuters that Haiti had requested for all of the deportees to be examined, however the US authorities had solely agreed to check these with signs – an issue given many carriers are asymptomatic.

The poorest nation within the Americas, which has restricted testing capability, is putting all deportees in a quarantine facility for 2 weeks upon arrival.

01:57 GMT – Ballot: Few belief Trump’s info

President Donald Trump has made himself the every day spokesman for the nation’s coronavirus response. But few Individuals recurrently look to or belief Trump as a supply of knowledge on the pandemic, based on a brand new survey from The Related Press-NORC Heart for Public Affairs Analysis.

Simply 28 % of Individuals say they’re recurrently getting info from Trump in regards to the coronavirus and solely 23 % say they’ve excessive ranges of belief in what the president is telling the general public. One other 21 % solely place a reasonable quantity of belief in him.

However at the same time as many Republicans query Trump’s credibility in the course of the pandemic, the overwhelming majority of 82 % say they nonetheless approve of how he’s doing, serving to him preserve his total approval ranking regular at 42 %.

01:42 GMT – Belgian port to check virus bracelets amid tech-tracing fears

The Belgian metropolis of Antwerp, Europe’s second-biggest port, is on the point of take a look at a tool geared toward serving to hundreds of individuals employed there to respect social distancing.

At Antwerp in Belgium, the place some 900 firms function in an space the dimensions of a small city, two groups of port employees will probably be carrying a bracelet initially designed to seek out tugboat crew members which have fallen overboard however now modified to assist cease the unfold of the illness subsequent month, the Related Press information company reported.

The bracelets are worn like a watch. Coated in black plastic, they vibrate after they transfer to inside three meters (about 10 ft) of one another. The vibration power, just like that of a cellular phone however extra apparent when hooked up to a wrist, will increase the nearer the bracelets get and warning lights flash.

01:28 GMT – China studies six new instances

Mainland China has reported six new coronavirus instances as of end-April 23, down from 10 reported yesterday, placing the whole variety of COVID-19 infections at 82,804.

China’s Nationwide Well being Fee stated in an announcement on Friday that two of the brand new instances concerned travellers from abroad. There have been six such imported instances reported a day earlier.

The variety of new asymptomatic sufferers, these contaminated with the virus however not exhibiting signs, rose to 34 from 27 reported a day earlier. The COVID-19 loss of life toll for mainland China remained unchanged at four,632.

01:11 GMT – Gilead’s remdesivir exhibiting vital negative effects

Researchers finding out Gilead Sciences Inc’s experimental coronavirus drug have discovered that it failed its first randomised medical trial, with some exhibiting vital negative effects.

The Chinese language trial confirmed the antiviral drug remdesivir didn’t enhance sufferers’ situation or scale back the pathogen’s presence within the bloodstream, based on a Monetary Instances report, which cited draft paperwork revealed by chance by the World Well being Group.

Remdesivir additionally beforehand failed as a therapy for Ebola.

00:55 GMT – US CDC releasing $631m extra in response to well being emergency

The US Division of Well being and Human Providers has introduced that the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) will probably be releasing $631m to state and native governments in response to the COVID-19 well being emergency.

Well being Secretary Alex Azar stated that the cash will probably be awarded to 64 native governments to assist states with their efforts to reopen, a controversial coverage that has drawn criticism by the opposition and lots of well being consultants.

00:11 GMT – Duterte extends lockdown of Metro Manila to Might 15

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has prolonged the lockdown of Metro Manila to Might 15.

The prolonged lockdown introduced on Friday additionally covers a number of provinces of Luzon, barely easing the restrictions that beforehand coated your entire northern island, affecting greater than 57 million individuals.

Duterte was scheduled to make the announcement on Thursday, however cancelled it on the final minute. 

00:01 GMT – Cruise ship linked to Australia’s greatest virus outbreak units sail

A cruise ship linked to a 3rd of Australia’s coronavirus deaths has left the nation after a month docked in native waters, the authorities stated on Friday, as an emergency cupboard assembly was anticipated to ease some social-distancing measures.

The Ruby Princess, owned by Carnival Corp, has grow to be a flashpoint of public anger after being allowed to unload hundreds of passengers in Sydney with out well being checks on March 19.

Tons of of its passengers later examined optimistic to COVID-19, about 10 % of the nation’s roughly 6,600 infections and a 3rd of the nation’s 77 coronavirus deaths have been traced to the ship.

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Hiya, I am Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with Al Jazeera’s persevering with protection of the coronavirus pandemic. Yow will discover updates from yesterday, April 23, here.