Coronavirus: Latest Global Developments

Paris, July 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2020 ) :Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - 'Wake up': WHO - The World Health Organization urges countries hit by serious coronavirus outbreaks to "wake up" and says that "too many countries are ignoring what the data is telling them".

WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan says, of the situations in nations like Brazil and Mexico, which have been moving away from lockdowns despite ballooning tolls: "The problem will not magically go away." - England gives quarantine exemptions - Travellers from more than 50 countries including Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand and Spain -- but not the United States -- can stop self-isolating on arrival in England from July 10, the UK government announces.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will announce their own rules.

- EU authorises remdesivir - The European Union authorises the conditional use of anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat the new coronavirus, in what it describes as "a first medicine to treat COVID-19".

- More than 522,000 dead - The pandemic has killed at least 522,246 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT on Friday based on official sources.

The United States is the hardest-hit country with 128,740 deaths. It is followed by Brazil with 61,884, Britain with 44,131, Italy with 34,833 and France with 29,893 fatalities.

- Saudi passes 200,000-case mark - Saudi Arabia passes the milestone of 200,000 confirmed cases, weeks ahead of an annual hajj pilgrimage drastically cut back because of the pandemic.

The Gulf's worst-hit country has now 201,801 confirmed infections and 1,802 deaths.

- France probes ex-PM over response - A French court is opening an inquiry into former prime minister Edouard Philippe and two other ministers over their handling of the coronavirus crisis, says senior public prosecutor Francois Molins.

The inquiry will be led by the Law Court of the Republic (CJR), which deals with claims of ministerial misconduct. Along with Philippe, who was replaced Friday, former health minister Agnes Buzyn and her successor Olivier Veran will be probed.

- Air France to slash jobs - Air France says it plans to eliminate 7,580 jobs at the airline and its regional unit Hop! by the end of 2022 because of the coronavirus crisis.

- China moves to ban live poultry markets - China vows to gradually phase out the slaughter and sale of live poultry at food markets.

The virus is believed to have emerged at a market that sold live animals in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

- Israeli, Emirati companies to fight coronavirus - Two leading Israeli defence companies say they have signed deals with an Emirati tech firm to develop a "non-invasive testing system" capable of detecting the novel coronavirus "within minutes".

Israel has no formal ties with Arab countries apart from neighbouring Jordan and Egypt.