Coronavirus Latest News KEY POINTS:
- Total Global Cases: 3,563,686
- Total Global Deaths: 248,145
- Total Global Recoveries: 1,153,847
- Active Cases: 2,161,694 (2,111,654 in mild condition; 50,040 in critical condition)
- Closed Cases: 1,401,992 (1,153,847 recovered; 248,145 deaths)
- The COVID-19 pandemic is now affecting 212 countries and territories around the world, as well as 2 international conveyances.
- Philippines reports 295 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 9,223.
- Great Singapore Sale cancelled amid COVID-19 pandemic.
- Russia reports its highest daily rise in confirmed COVID-1 cases with 10,633 new cases.
- COVID-19 deaths in the UK rise by 315, bringing the country’s total to 28,446.
- Spain reports its lowest daily death toll in more than 6 weeks.
- Provinces to start easing COVID-19 restrictions as Canada’s death toll exceeds 3,600.
- Number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Poland rises to 13,693.
Below are some of the latest news and updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic that has swept across the world.
Philippines. On Sunday, the Philippines breached the 9,000 mark with the Department of Health reporting 295 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily increase in nearly a month. This brings the country’s total confirmed cases to 9,223. The DOH also reported 90 new recoveries the country’s highest number of recoveries in a day, bringing the total of recoveries to 1,214.
Unfortunately, four more people passed away due to COVID-19, bringing the country’s total death toll to 607.
Most of the new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Central Visayas, with 120 cases being reported there – of this number, 116 were in Cebu alone, while the two are from Mandaue and the other two are up for validation. Metro Manila follows with 116 new COVID-19 cases – of this number, 82 are still up for confirmation. Zamboanga Peninsula follows with 22 new COVID-19 cases, all of which were reported from Zamboanga City.
Authorities attribute the rise in COVID-19 cases due to the expanded testing measures. Presently, the country has a daily testing capacity of up to 6,420 per day. Authorities stress that this is bound to increase as the country receives more test kits.
Singapore. For the first time in the 26-year history of the event, there will be no Great Singapore Sale (GSS) this year. This event is typically held between June and August.
The Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), which organizes the Great Singapore Sale, stated that it will take a break this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rose Tong, SRA’s executive director stated, “It will return next year to offer local and tourist shoppers the ‘Great Singapore Experience’, both offline and online”.
Russia. On Sunday, Russia reported its highest daily rise in confirmed COVID-1 cases with 10,633 new cases, bringing the country’s total to 134,687. However, the mortality rates has slowed down and remains much lower than many other countries. According to Russia’s COVID-19 crisis response center, Russia’s nationwide death toll rose to 1,280 on Sunday after 58 people passed away in the last 24 hours.
To curb the spread of the pandemic, Russia has been in partial lockdown since the end of March. People in Moscow can leave home to visit food shops and pharmacies, throw out their trash, walk their dog, but they need special passes for other activities.
President Vladimir Putin has mandated the nationwide lockdown to remain in place until May 11, when Russia finishes celebrating its Labor Day and Word War Two Victory Day holidays.
United Kingdom. COVID-19 deaths in the UK rise by 315, bringing the country’s total death toll to 28,446. However, the number of tests conducted fell over the latest 24-hour period observed by the government to 76,496. Overall, a total of 1,206,405 COVID-19 tests have been carried out in the UK since the start of April.
The UK government is now including fatalities outside of hospitals in its daily toll, particularly those recorded in care homes and in the community. So far, the UK has one of the highest fatality rates of any nation.
Mr Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, stated at the daily Downing Street press conference, “Thanks to the hard work of so many across the NHS, Public Health England, our pharmaceutical sector and our universities, we have tested over 200,000 key workers and their families, allowing those who don’t have the virus to go back to work and protecting those who do.
We have now of course extended the criteria for testing beyond key workers to anyone over 65 displaying symptoms, and anyone who has to travel to get to work. And this week, we will be piloting new test, track and trace procedures on the Isle of Wight with a view to having them in place more widely later this month.
All of these steps will help us to get more people back to work and help to support the delivery of our public services.”
Spain. On Sunday, Spain reported 164 deaths from COVID-19, the lowest daily increase since March 18 and the beginning of the state of emergency. Sunday’s reported COVID-19 fatalities were 112 less than Saturday’s figure. It is also the lowest daily increase since March 18 when 107 deaths were recorded. However, Fernando Simon, the ministry’s emergencies coordinator, said that this figure has to be interpreted with caution as it comes on a long holiday weekend when reporting of fatalities is usually slower. Spain’s total COVID-19 death toll now stands at 25,264.
As of Sunday, Spain reported 217,466 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The country also reported a double number of recoveries – from 838 to 1,645 – bringing the country’s total number of COVID-19 recoveries to 118,902.
This news comes the day after Spaniards were allowed to exercise and go out for walks for the first time after 48 hours of home confinement.
Canada. Provinces across Canada will start easing COVID-19 restrictions on May 4, following a weekend in which thousands of new cases were identified, hundreds more reported dead, and some testing kits were recalled. Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba are among the provinces set to take another step out of the lockdown by allowing the re-opening of some economic and social activities that have been closed down for a month due to the pandemic.
Manitoba is set to go the farthest by allowing libraries, museums, and retail businesses – including restaurants – to re-open, though at half capacity. Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are also letting non-essential medical activities, such as physiotherapy and dentistry, to resume.
Poland. On Sunday, Poland’s Ministry of Health announced that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country increased by 318 since Saturday afternoon. Moreover, another 15 people have passed away, bringing the country’s total death toll to 678.
On March 20, Poland announced a state of epidemic. On March 31, the government implemented further restrictions on the movement of people. On April 20, some of the restrictions were lifted, with further easing to be implemented on May 4.
