The number of coronavirus cases registered globally reached 2,034,425, including 509,569 recoveries and 133,261 deaths, according to the statistics collected by Johns Hopkins University
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2020) The number of coronavirus cases registered globally reached 2,034,425, including 509,569 recoveries and 133,261 deaths, according to the statistics collected by Johns Hopkins University.
The United States still has the highest case count in the world, with 619,607. This includes 51,056 recoveries and 27,760 fatalities.
Italy has confirmed 165,155 cases, including 21,645 deaths and 38,092 recoveries. Spain reported 177,633 cases in total, including 70,853 recoveries and 18,579 deaths.
The member states of the European Union should notify each other and the EU Commission before lifting countermeasures that were imposed in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the commission said. It also urged member states to continue efforts against the coronavirus pandemic, namely reducing the spread, increasing the monitoring of the situation and enhancing the health systems' capabilities.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that social distancing rules will remain in place nationwide until at least May 3, adding that some curbs will be relaxed. Belgium has also extended the nationwide self-isolation until May 3, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes said.
Authorities in Lombardy, Italy's industrial heartland that became the national epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, said Wednesday it was ready to restart production.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said that he would sign an executive order requiring residents to wear a face-covering in public places to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Lithuanian government has temporarily closed the city of Nemencine some 15 miles northeast to the capital of Vilnius in a bid to abate spillover of the COVID-19 outbreak. Nemencine will go on complete lockdown on Thursday until April 23. The exceptions will be for people working in other cities or people in need of medical assistance who got permits from the National Public Health Center.
The Vietnamese government has prolonged the obligatory social distancing regime, which envisages complete self-isolation and restrictions on people's mobility in 12 major cities and areas over COVID-19 concerns.
The Lao government has ordered for a 14-day extension of nationwide lockdown in light of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The finance ministers and central bank governors of the world's 20 largest economies have endorsed an action plan to help the global economy, as well as economies of all countries, to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. The plan includes a $200 billion aid package and a debt relief. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) welcomed the plan.
Subsidies from governments to battle the coronavirus pandemic and the disease's economic impact total about $8 trillion thus far, the IMF said.
European Council President Charles Michel believes it is impossible to predict how much spending will be needed to help the European Union recover from the economic slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The European Union looks to set up a dedicated task force to help engage and coordinate military efforts to support the civilian population in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, a statement from the European External Action Service read.
More US businesses are expected to lay off workers due to the pandemic, the Federal Reserve said in a report on US economic conditions that indicated higher unemployment above the near 17 million job losses reported over the past three weeks.
Over 50,000 military personnel are currently working in relief efforts to help people suffering from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including more than 31,000 members of the National Guard, the US Department of Defense said.
A group of 25 Democratic Senators called on the Trump administration to halt the construction of the wall on the US border with Mexico during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
US retail sales fell by a record 8.7 percent in March from business closures due to the coronavirus crisis, the US Department of Commerce said.
New York City has launched a $170 million initiative to feed every resident facing financial hardship due to the economic crisis produced by the novel coronavirus outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
The United Kingdom's small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have received 1.1 billion pounds ($1.4 billion) in coronavirus bailout loans, the national banking and finance sector's association, UK Finance, said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Wednesday to allocate over 23 billion rubles ($307.9 million) to support air carriers, which have been severely affected by suspension of flights amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Chinese airlines lost about 33.62 billion yuan ($4.76 billion) in the first quarter of this year due to international travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said.
Venezuelan refugees have been severely impacted by mitigation measures and lockdowns placed in Latin America due to the pandemic, leading to job losses and life on the streets, UN Refugee Agency Communications Officer Olga Sarrado told Sputnik.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new monthly report on Wednesday that the global oil demand was expected to fall by record 9.3 million barrels per day in 2020 from the previous year due to the global measures designed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The emissions of CO2 will drastically fall this year due to the economic slowdown sparked by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, IEA chief Fatih Birol said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a call with Chinese Foreign Affairs Director Yang Jiechi underscored the importance of transparency and information sharing in the fight against the coronavirus. Earlier in the day, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper accused China of continuing to withhold information on the coronavirus outbreak and called for greater pressure to make Beijing cooperate.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will not be crippled by the US decision to stop funding due to support from other nations and possible changes in the US policy after presidential elections in November, Khalil Hamdani, former director of UNCTAD's Division on Investment, Technology and Enterprise Development told Sputnik.
Canada respects the work of the WHO and is committed to contributing funding to the UN agency, Health Minister Patty Hajdu said. The Finnish government even announced an increase in funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) to $6 million.
NATO allies have conducted more than 100 aerial missions to transport medical supplies and health care workers as part of the fight against the novel coronavirus, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
A commission on coronavirus response has been set up by the Vatican at the request of Pope Francis. The new body will comprise five working groups that will analyze the pandemic and its impact on the social, economic and cultural life, coordinate with and support local churches, and work with other countries and international organizations. It will be headed by Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana.
Ukraine sent the second batch of disinfectants to Italy on Wednesday as part of measures to support the coronavirus-hit nation, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said.
Healthcare workers in France involved in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic will receive a premium of 500 to 1,500 euros ($545-$1,635), which will not be taxed, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said.
Clinical trials have begun for three COVID-19 vaccines, over 70 are in development, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
The impact of temperature, humidity and other climate factors on the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 respiratory disease is still unknown, Michael J. Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said. Maria Van Kerkhove, the programme's technical lead, added that the new strain of coronavirus was known to spread fast in different climate conditions.
A laboratory study confirmed that N95 respirator masks, which are designed to be used once, can safely be worn up to three times if decontaminated by using one of four methods, the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Clinical trials on the potential effectiveness of the anti-tuberculosis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine against the coronavirus in a largely vaccinated population, in Russia for example, could reveal whether the BCG was able to provide extra protection against the disease, Dr. Gonzalo Otazu, the assistant professor at the New York Institute of Technology's department of biomedical sciences, told Sputnik.
Sudan has begun to develop its own ventilators amid the COVID-19 outbreak after some international manufacturers shared their designs online, a defense industry contractor told Sputnik, adding that the country planned to start manufacturing the equipment soon.
The European Commission drew up guidelines for COVID-19 testing to ensure its high quality and accuracy, saying that it is especially crucial as member countries are set to gradually loosen the lockdown.
The United Arab Emirates' state-owned flag carrier Emirates said it had become the first airline to conduct rapid on-site coronavirus tests for passengers
