Italy sees 464 more Covid-19 deaths but new cases fall – latest updates

Thursday, April 23

Czech Republic eases restrictions

The Czech government will cancel restrictions on free movement as of Friday and allow groups of up to 10 people to meet in public as it scales back measures to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, Health Minister Adam Vojtech said.

The government had earlier banned movement aside from work, family visits and trips to nature as well as meetings of more than two people in public. 

The government also lifted a ban on its citizens travelling abroad for reasons other than work following an improvement in conditions of the coronavirus outbreak.

Italy's daily death toll up by 464

Deaths from the Covid-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 464, against 437 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, but the daily tally of new infections declined to 2,646 from 3,370 on Wednesday.

The total official death toll since the outbreak came to light on February 21 now stands at 25,549, the agency said, the second highest in the world after that of the United States.

The number of confirmed cases was 189,973, the third highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain.

For the first time, the civil protection unit published data on how many people had been tested for the virus so far inItaly, putting the number at 1.053 million, out of a population of around 60 million.

Turkey's death toll rises by 115 to 2,491

Turkey's confirmed cases of the Covid-19 disease increased by 3,116 in the past 24 hours, and 115 more people have died, taking the death toll to 2,491, Health Ministry data showed.

The total number of cases in the country stood at 101,790, the data showed, the highest total for any country outside Europe or the United States. 

A total of 18,491 people have recovered from the new coronavirus so far, and the number of tests carried out over the past 24 hours stood at 40,962.

S Africa to gradually 'ease' virus lockdown 

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday said a five-week nationwide coronavirus lockdown would start slowly "easing" next month.

"We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday the 30th of April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery," Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation.

"We will implement what we call a risk adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions."

French death toll close to 22,000

The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France rose by 516 to 21,856, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The 2.4 percent increase was slightly slower than on Wednesday and Thursday, when the death toll increased by 2.6 percent, but well below the more than 4 percent rate seen last week.

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 infection fell further to 29,129 from 29,741 on Wednesday and the number of people in intensive care fell to 5,053 from 5,218 on Wednesday. 

Both have been on a downward trend for several days.

EU leaders agree on need for EU recovery fund

European Union leaders agreed that they must work together to set up a fund to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic although they were still at odds on some points, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

After a video conference of EU leaders, Merkel said such a fund was also in German interests and Berlin would have to make higher contributions to the future EU budget.

"It was clear to everyone that we need such a recovery fund," Merkel told reporters. "I want to say very clearly that such a joint solution is in Germany's interest, because things can only go well for Germany if they go well for Europe."

Dubai opens cafes, resumes public transportation

Dubai allowed cafes and restaurants to resume business, and shopping malls to be opened partially from 12 pm until 10 pm [local time], but with a maximum capacity of 30 percent, Dubai's media office announced in a statement.

The statement added that it would also allow resuming public transportation services including subways starting April 26.

About 4.4 million workers in US file for jobless benefits

Job losses from the coronavirus pandemic deepened last week with data on Thursday showing another 4.4 million US workers filed new claims for jobless benefits, bringing the total to 26.4 million since mid-March.

The total for the week ending April 18 is a drop from the initial claims filed in the previous three weeks, but remains at staggeringly high levels due to government-ordered shutdowns to stop the pandemic from spreading and intensifying.

The outbreak in the US has grown into the world's largest, with deaths reaching 46,583 on Wednesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

UK virus death toll climbs 616 to 18,738

Britain's Health Ministry on Thursday said 616 more people had died after testing positive for Covid-19 in hospital, taking the country's overall death toll to 18,738.
The figure, for the 24-hour period to 1600 GMT on Wednesday, was less than the 759 reported the previous day, after government claims the virus had hit its peak and as debate grows about easing lockdown measures.

Return to school in France to be on voluntary basis 

French President Emmanuel Macron told mayors that the return to schools would be on voluntary basis from May 11, the presidency said on Thursday.

From May 11, French authorities will ease lockdown measures that were ordered from March 17 to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Dutch cases tops 35,000 with 123 new deaths 

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 887 to 35,729, health authorities said on Thursday, with 123 new deaths.

The country's death toll stands at 4,177, the Netherlands Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said in its daily update. 

The actual numbers are likely higher, as not all likely cases are tested, the RIVM said.

Swiss death toll rises to 1,268, cases at almost 28,500

The Swiss death toll from the new coronavirus has reached 1,268, the country's public health agency said, rising from 1,217 people on Wednesday.

The number of positive tests has increased to 28,496 from 28,268 on Wednesday, it said. 

The increase in new cases has eased in recent days as Switzerland prepares to loosen restrictions introduced to slow the spread of the disease.

Malaysia reports 71 new cases, with two new deaths

Malaysia reported 71 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the cumulative total to 5,603.

The health ministry also reported two new deaths, raising the total number of fatalities from the outbreak to 95. Curbs have been extended till May 12.

South Asia coronavirus cases top 37,000

Home to around a quarter of the world's population and with the lowest Covid-19 testing rates around the globe, South Asia's infections have crossed 37,000, with more than half cases in India, official data showed.

The increase in cases complicates the task of governments looking to scale back lockdowns that have destroyed the livelihoods of millions.

India has reported 21,392 cases, including 681 deaths, Pakistan reported 10,513 cases, including 224 deaths, Afghanistan reported 1,176 cases, including 40 deaths, Sri Lanka with 330 reported cases and seven deaths, Bangladesh reported 3,772 cases, with 120 deaths while the Maldives has reported 34 cases and no deaths.

Spain's death toll from coronavirus rises to 22,157

The Spanish health ministry said on Thursday that 440 people died from the coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, which brought total fatalities to 22,157.

That was slightly higher than the previous day when 435 people died. The number of diagnosed cases rose to 213,024 from 208,389 the day before.

Indonesia finds 357 new coronavirus cases, 11 new deaths

Indonesia reported 357 new Covid-19 cases and 11 new deaths, taking the total number of infections and fatalities to 7,775 and 647, respectively, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.

The number of patients who have recovered from the novel coronavirus was 960, Yurianto said, adding that more than 48,600 people have been tested. 

China pledges $30 million more for WHO's coronavirus fight

China said it would donate a further $30 million to the World Health Organization (WHO), which is seeking more than $1 billion to fund its battle against the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 people worldwide.

The pledge comes about a week after US President Donald Trump suspended funding to the WHO and accused the Geneva-based organisation of promoting Chinese "disinformation" about the virus, which emerged in the central city of Wuhan last year.

"At this crucial moment, supporting WHO is supporting multilateralism and global solidarity," Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman of China's foreign ministry, said on Twitter.

Hungary eyes easing restrictions to allow economy to restart after May 3

Hungary will decide next week on the future of lockdown measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said.

Current lockdown rules will be in effect until May 3, and a new set of rules will be needed after that date to gradually allow the economy to go back to normal, Gergely Gulyas said.

The new set of restrictions after May 3 will ensure that those who are the most endangered by the virus are protected and economic activity can be re-started, he added.

Philippines nears 7,000 cases, reports 16 new deaths

The Philippines' health ministry reported 16 new Covid-19 deaths and 271confirmed infections, ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte's decision whether to lift or extend quarantine measures on the country's main island.

In a bulletin, the health ministry said total deaths have increased to 462 while infections have risen to 6,981. But 29 more patients have recovered, bringing the total recoveries to722.

"Dreadful" that Britain can't get more people tested for Covid-19 – minister

It is dreadful that more Britons are not getting tested for Covid-19, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said, saying the authorities were putting a phenomenal effort into meeting targets.

Britain has pledged to carry out 100,000 Covid-19 tests a day by the end of the month. But fewer that 23,000 people were tested in the latest daily figures published on Wednesday.

"I think it's dreadful we can't get more people tested. That's why ... we do upscale the ability for people to access these tests," Lewis told ITV.

Russia's new coronavirus cases fall for third day running as total passes 62,000

Russia recorded 4,774 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, a fall in the number of daily new cases for the third day running, bringing its nationwide tally to 62,773, the Russian coronavirus crisis response centre said.

Forty-two people with the virus died in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 555, it said.

Pandemic is fast becoming 'human rights crisis' – UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the coronavirus pandemic is “a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis”.

The UN chief said in a video message that there is discrimination in the delivery of public services to tackle Covid-19 and there are “structural inequalities that impede access to them”.

Guterres said the pandemic has also seen “disproportionate effects on certain communities, the rise of hate speech, the targeting of vulnerable groups, and the risks of heavy-handed security responses undermining the health response”.

He warned that with “rising ethno-nationalism, populism, authoritarianism and a push back against human rights in some countries, the crisis can provide a pretext to adopt repressive measures for purposes unrelated to the pandemic”.

Thailand reports 13 new cases, one new death

Thailand reported 13 new coronavirus cases and one more death, a 78-year-old woman who had other health complications. Of the new cases, five were linked to previous cases and five had no known links.

Three other new cases were reported from the southern island of Phuket where the authorities are aggressively testing the population because the infection rate there is severe, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

Since the outbreak escalated in January, Thailand has reported a total of 2,839 cases and 50 fatalities, while 2,430 patients have recovered and gone home.

Germany's confirmed cases rise by 2,352 to 148,046 – RKI

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 2,352 to 148,046, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed, marking a third consecutive day of new infections accelerating.

The reported death toll rose by 215 to 5,094, the tally showed.

14 more crew members on Italian cruise ship test positive

Japanese officials said that 14 more crew members on an Italian-operated cruise ship docked in southern Japan have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total of the on-board outbreak to 48.

The Costa Atlantica, with 623 crew members and no passengers, has been docked in Nagasaki since late January for repairs and maintenance by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry.

As infections in Japan continue to spread nationwide, the outbreak on the cruise ship has raised concerns about testing and hospital capacity in Nagasaki. All of Japan is now under a coronavirus state of emergency.

Trump suspends immigration to US 

US President Donald Trump has announced he had signed an order partially suspending immigration to the US, arguing the drastic measure would protect jobs during the coronavirus crisis.

"In order to protect our great American workers, I've just signed an executive order temporarily suspending immigration into the US. This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens," he told a press conference. 

The suspension hits people applying for permanent residency, or green cards. Seasonal workers, such as immigrants vital to US farm labour, are still allowed to enter.

Ten more infections reported in China

Mainland China reported 10 new coronavirus cases as of the end of April 22, down from 30 a day earlier as the number of so-called imported cases involving travellers from overseas declined, the National Health Commission said.

The commission said six of the new Covid-19 cases confirmed on Wednesday were imported, down from 23 a day earlier. The number of new asymptomatic patients, who are infected but do not show symptoms, also declined to 27 from 42 a day earlier.

Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases for mainland China now stands at 82,798. No new Covid-19 deaths were reported, leaving the toll unchanged at 4,632.

Mexico cases top 10,000

Mexico has reported that it now has over 10,000 cases of coronavirus, the fifth-highest tally in Latin America, as containment measures and rock-bottom crude prices wreak economic havoc on the oil-producing country.

Mexico has so far registered 970 coronavirus deaths and10,544 confirmed infections.

The first confirmed infection was reported on February 28 and it took 32 days to reach 1,000. Barely two weeks later, it hit 5,000 cases, according to a Reuters tally. It took just another nine days to double to 10,000 cases.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has frequently expressed optimism that Mexicans will overcome the outbreak, arguing that tight-knit families offer the best protection, even as he has balked at more aggressive stimulus measures to help both businesses and individuals.

Mexico's economy, Latin America's second biggest and already ailing before the outbreak, is expected to contract by as much as 10 percent this year.

Panama reports 171 new cases

Panama posted 171 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the country's total to nearly 5,000 infected persons, the health ministry said.

Officials also confirmed three more deaths stemming from the 4,992 confirmed cases, raising Panama's death toll to 144.

Bahrain extends closure measures 

Bahrain extended the closure measures it took to limit the spread of coronavirus for two additional weeks which set to start from April 23 until May 7, state news agency has reported. 

Those measures include closing all cinemas, sports centres, gyms, salons and restricting restaurants operations to food delivery and takeaway only, among other measures. Bahrain has so far registered 2,009 cases and seven deaths. 

Global air traffic could drop by up to 1.2 billion passengers 

International air passenger traffic could drop by as many as 1.2 billion travellers, or two-thirds, by September 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic weighs on demand, the UN aviation agency has said in a statement, citing projections. 

The International Civil Aviation Organization estimates that international capacity could drop by as much as two-thirds from previous forecasts for the first three quarters of 2020.