Asia Virus Latest: China Reports No New Deaths, Indonesia Issues 'pandemic Bonds'

Asia virus latest: China reports no new deaths, Indonesia issues 'pandemic bonds'

Here are the latest developments in Asia related to the coronavirus pandemic: - China reports no new deaths - China reported no new coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January, just a day before it will lift curbs on travel out of the contagion's epicentre city of Wuhan

Hong Kong, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Apr, 2020 ) :Here are the latest developments in Asia related to the coronavirus pandemic: - China reports no new deaths - China reported no new coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January, just a day before it will lift curbs on travel out of the contagion's epicentre city of Wuhan.

Cases on the mainland have been dwindling since March, but the country faces a second wave of infections from overseas.

However, there are suspicions -- denied by China -- that Beijing continues to intentionally under-report the real number of deaths and infections.

- 'Pandemic bonds' - Indonesia will issue some $27 billion in so-called "Pandemic bonds" to finance efforts to deal with the health crisis and economic impact.

Factory activity in Southeast Asia's biggest economy hit a record low, with Japanese automakers Suzuki and Honda becoming the latest firms to announce temporary production suspensions at their plants in the archipelago.

The government has slashed annual growth projections and warned the economy could even contract in a worst-case scenario.

It will spend an extra $25 billion to mitigate the economic impact of the virus. Meanwhile, the rupiah earlier dropped to a near-record low and is one of Asia's worst-hit currencies.

- Philippines extends quarantine - The Philippines has extended the home quarantine order covering roughly half its population -- around 55 million people.

The lockdown, due to end next week, will be prolonged to April 30 as confirmed infections hit 3,660 with 163 deaths.

Schools, public places and most businesses have been shuttered since mid-March, with residents told to remain at home except for food shopping and doctor visits.

- Markets gain as hope glimmers - Asian equities rose again as investors seized on signs of a slowdown in the spread of the coronavirus in key hotspots and some governments began making plans to ease restrictions aimed at containing the disease.

- Cambodia cancels public holiday - The much-anticipated Khmer New Year public holiday next week has been postponed, Cambodia's strongman premier said, due to coronavirus fears.

Hun Sen, who in February played down the severity of the virus, urged people to celebrate where they were rather than return to their home provinces.

- Tackle animal trafficking to save lives - World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) called on governments across Asia to stop the trade of illegal and unregulated wildlife parts to prevent an "even worse" pandemic in the future.

After surveying 5,000 people across Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar, the conservation group said 93 percent of people would support such a move.

- Mask up, or make one - Citizens in Indonesia's Padang city on Sumatra island face a unique punishment if they go out in public unmasked.

Violators must produce -- with the help of an online instructional video should they need it -- two cloth masks as a fine, one for themselves and another for a person in need.

The consequences if they can't produce a mask on the spot were unclear.

- 'Idiot' Kiwi minister -New Zealand's health minister described himself as "an idiot" for breaking lockdown restrictions, but kept his job coordinating the South Pacific nation's coronavirus response.

Health Minister David Clark -- whose resignation to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was not accepted -- after revealing he took a 20-kilometre (12-mile) drive to the beach with his family.