France reports spike in coronavirus deaths – latest updates

The total number of global Covid-19 deaths has exceeded 284,000 with more than 4.2 million infections, according to a tracker. Here are more coronavirus-related developments for May 11:

A man and a woman wearing face masks walk on Trocadero Plaza as a French national flag flies on the Eiffel Tower in the background in Paris on May 11, 2020.
AFP

A man and a woman wearing face masks walk on Trocadero Plaza as a French national flag flies on the Eiffel Tower in the background in Paris on May 11, 2020.

Monday, May 11, 2020

France reports spike in coronavirus deaths 

Deaths from the Covid-19 epidemic in France rose by 263 on Monday, against 70 the day before, the Health Ministry said, as the country started unwinding an almost two-month national lockdown put in place to contain the spread of the disease.

In percentage points, the 1 percent rise is the highest in five days. But figures often tend to register a spike after the weekend lull.

The total death toll since the outbreak now stands at 26,643 the ministry said, the fifth highest in the world after those of the United States, Britain, Italy and Spain.

There were 2,712 people in intensive care on Monday, edging down from 2,776 on Sunday, maintaining a long-running decline.

Less than 1,000 virus patients in intensive care in Italy

Italy reported fewer than 1,000 people in intensive care treatment for the novel coronavirus for the first time since March 10 when the country went into confinement, the civil protection agency said.

The number of daily deaths rose slightly to 179 from the last report of 165, but was still the third consecutive day below 200 fatalities, it said.

On April 3 the number of Covid-19 patients in ICU units throughout the country peaked at 4,068.

Turkey's active coronavirus cases drop to 40,150

A total of 3,089 coronavirus patients have recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 95,780, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

The death toll from the pandemic rose to 3,841 as the country saw 55 more fatalities over the past day, Koca added.

The country registered 1,114 new cases, bringing the tally to 139,771, he said, citing Health Ministry data.

Canada's death toll nears 5,000

Canada has so far reported 69,156 cases of Covid-19, and 4,906 deaths.

The Canadian province of Quebec, where a majority of cases of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, have been tallied countrywide, reopened some of its schools on Monday, as some parents and teachers expressed uncertainty over the move's safety.

Quebec makes up 24 percent of the Canadian population, but it accounts for nearly 55 percent of Covid-19 cases and nearly 60 percent of the deaths.

China Wuhan plans city-wide testing 

Wuhan plans to conduct nucleic acid testing over a period of 10 days, an internal document seen by Reuters showed and two sources familiar with the situation said, with every district told to submit a detailed testing plan by Tuesday.

Older and densely populated residential compounds and those with a concentration of migrant populations should be the focus of the testing, the document also showed.

New outbreaks in China in the past two months have mainly developed in residential compounds or hospitals, while the number of asymptomatic cases is not known, as these only appear on the radar when they show up positive during tests.

UK death toll exceeds 32,000 with 210 more deaths

UK confirms 210 more fatalities, bringing coronavirus death toll to 32,065.

The total number of cases jumped to 224,326.

In a change of advice, the British government says people should wear masks covering their mouth and nose in enclosed spaces such as buses and subway trains.

The about-face comes as part of a plan to gradually lift a nationwide lockdown that was imposed in the UK on March 23.

Russia announces easing of lockdown measures

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said the country's non-working period imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus will be lifted from Tuesday.

"Starting from tomorrow, May 12, the national period of non-working days will be over for all sectors of the economy," Putin said, adding that Russia's regions will be able to keep in place any necessary anti-virus measures.

Cases surpass 10,000 in South Africa

South Africa confirmed 10,015 coronavirus cases after the country registered 595 new cases.

In a statement, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said eight people succumbed to Covid-19, bringing the death toll in the country to 194.

Mkhize said as many as 341,336 tests have been conducted since the beginning of the outbreak in the country.

The government might consider tighter restrictions in coronavirus hotspots such as Cape Town and Johannesburg which have the highest cases of infections in the country, he added.

Turkey ends volleyball season

Turkish men's and women's volleyball season were ended on Monday, as part of the response to coronavirus pandemic.

Turkish Volleyball Federation President Mehmet Akif Ustundag said they ended Vestel Venus Sultanlar Ligi and AXA Insurance Efeler Ligi with no champion and relegation due to Covid-19.

Gulf Arab region's cases touch 100,000

The number of coronavirus cases in the six Gulf Arab states surpassed 100,000 on Monday, with 557 deaths, according to Reuters calculations based on official figures. 

Coronavirus cases in the energy-producing region had initially been linked to travel. But despite taking early measures to combat the virus, Gulf states have seen a spread of the virus among low-income migrant workers living in cramped quarters, prompting authorities to ramp up testing.

Russia reports record rise in number of new cases

Russia's coronavirus cases overtook Italian and British infections to become the third highest in the world after a record daily rise hours before President Vladimir Putin was due to review the country's lockdown regime.

Moscow reported 11,656 new cases during the past 24 hours, a phenomenon authorities attribute to a massive testing programme. Moscow's mayor has warned the city's cases could be in the hundreds of thousands.

The country's coronavirus response centre also reported 94 new deaths, taking the overall death toll to 2,009 people.

Spain's daily coronavirus death toll falls to 123

Spain's daily coronavirus death toll fell to 123, the health ministry said, its lowest level in seven weeks.

The overall death toll from the epidemic rose to 26,744 from 26,621 on the previous day. 

The number of confirmed cases rose to 227,436 from 224,390 on Sunday.

Iran death toll rises by 45

The coronavirus death toll in Iran rose to 6,685 with 45 more fatalities during the past 24 hours, state media reported.

A further of 1,683 people tested positive for Covid-19, raising the overall count to 109,286, Iran's state broadcaster reported, citing a statement by the Health Ministry.

It said 87,422 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, while 2,703 patients remain in critical condition.

Philippines' infections breach 11,000 mark

The Philippines' confirmed coronavirus infections have crossed the 11,000 mark, the health ministry said.

In a bulletin, the health ministry reported 292 additional cases, bringing the total to 11,086. 

It confirmed seven more deaths, increasing the total to 726 while 75 more patients have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 1,999.

Belgium relaxes virus lockdown, opens shops

Belgium is taking a major step in relaxing its coronavirus lockdown by opening shops under strict conditions.

Even still, public transportation in the capital city of Brussels was hit by a strike because bus drivers didn’t feel safe under the current virus precautions.

Authorities earlier permitted people to start meeting with four close relatives or friends, allowing many families to celebrate a restricted Mother’s Day. Some hospitals began treating patients with non-urgent problems and courthouses opened again for limited business.

India records spike in cases

India reported its biggest daily increase in cases as it prepares to gradually resume train service while easing its virus lockdown.

The government reported 4,213 new cases of coronavirus infection during the past 24 hours. It has now more than 67,000 cases which include 2,206 deaths.

The rise in the number of infections come on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to meet various state heads to discuss the country’s lockdown exit strategy.

Footage of bodies, wrapped in plastic and lying next to coronavirus patients at a hospital in Mumbai, had gone viral on social media revealing the increasing burden on the country's health care system.

Easing of restrictions begins in Turkey

Turkey has begun easing lockdown measures, as the number of deaths and confirmed infections continue to decline in the country.

The first phase of those measures include the opening of shopping centres, and barber shops.

Total number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 138,657 out of which 92,691 people have recovered. The country's death toll is at 3,786.

Singapore's health ministry confirms 486 new cases

Singapore's health ministry said it confirmed 486 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally of infections to 23,822.

The health ministry said the number of cases, the lowest in a week, was partly distorted by fewer tests being processed as one of its laboratories was recalibrating apparatus after 33 false positives were identified. 

New Zealand to ease some restrictions from Thursday

New Zealand will allow restaurants, cafes, cinemas, malls and travel within the country to resume from Thursday in phase two of its return to normality. The Pacific country is easing most restrictions that were put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

Schools can open from May 18 while bars can only reopen by May 21, Ardern said.

Gatherings would be limited to 10 people, she said.

Thailand reports six new coronavirus cases, no new deaths

Thailand reported six new cases, bringing its total to 3,015 cases since the outbreak began in January. The death toll remained at 56, while 2,796 patients have recovered.

The new cases were all in Thailand's southern provinces, including four on the tourist island of Phuket and one each in Narathiwat and Yala provinces, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman of the government's Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

Daily new cases in the single digits have prompted Thailand to begin cautiously reopening some businesses that had been closed to slow the spread of the virus.

Germany's confirmed cases rise by 357 to 169,575 - RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 357 to 169,575, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.

The reported death toll rose by 22 to 7,417, the tally showed.

Japan could end state of emergency for stable regions

Japan could lift a state-of-emergency in many regions this week if new virus cases are under control, the economy minister said, as it inches towards a gradual return of economic activity.

The state of emergency, in place since last month, gives governors of the 47 prefectures stronger legal authority to urge people to stay at home and businesses to close, but there are no fines or arrests for non-compliance.

The government last week extended the emergency to the end of May, saying it would reassess the situation on May 14.

China reports 17 more cases

China reported 17 new Covid-19 cases for May 10, rising from a day earlier and marking the highest daily increase since April 28, according to official data published on Monday.

Of the new cases, seven were so-called imported cases involving travellers from overseas, compared with two imported infections on May 9.

Five of the new cases were reported in the central city of Wuhan, where the outbreak first emerged in late 2019, marking the highest since March 11.

The total case toll now stands at 82,918 and the death toll remained unchanged at 4,633.

The number of asymptomatic Covid-19 cases, those who were infected but not exhibiting symptoms, fell to 12 on May 10 compared with 20 reported a day earlier.

Panama's cases rise to nearly 8,500, deaths up to 244

Confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Panama reached 8,448, a rise of 166 from the previous day, and deaths climbed by seven to 244, the health ministry said.

Yemen reports 17 new cases, total now at 51

Yemen reported 17 new coronavirus cases and one death, raising the total number of infections to 51 and total fatalities to eight, the emergency coronavirus committee of Yemen's Saudi-backed government said on Twitter.

The committee said there are 10 new cases in Aden, three in Hadhramaut, two in Lahaj and two in Taiz.

Chief of US National Guard in limbo after conflicting tests

The chief of the US National Guard, which is at the leading edge of the domestic military response to the coronavirus, is in limbo after testing positive and negative in conflicting tests this weekend, officials said on Sunday.

One of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that in addition to General Joseph Lengyel from the National Guard, the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday had come in contact with a family member who was coronavirus positive.

Gilday tested negative for the coronavirus but would quarantine himself as a precaution.

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