Hard-hit area of Italy sees a jump in cases
CORONAVIRUS has infected more than 4.1 million people and killed over 286,000, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Here are the latest updates on the pandemic from around the world.
A big jump in confirmed Covid-19 cases in Italy’s hardest-hit region contributed to the country’s highest day-to-day increase in several days.
According to Health Ministry data, 1,033 new cases were confirmed in Lombardy yesterday, accounting for the majority of Italy’s 1,402 new cases.
In contrast, the last few days had seen Lombardy’s daily new caseload running in the few hundreds.
Overall, Italy has 221,216 confirmed coronavirus infections. Experts said the true number is doubtlessly much higher, pointing out that many people with mild symptoms often do not get tested.
Authorities registered 172 deaths in infected patients in the 24-hour period ending on Tuesday evening, raising to 30,911 the confirmed death toll. Nearly half of those deaths have occurred in Lombardy, where the country’s outbreak began in late February.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said he has been admitted to hospital with coronavirus.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency: “Yes, I’ve gotten sick. I’m being treated.”
Mr Peskov (52) has been Mr Putin’s spokesman since 2008, but started working with him in the early 2000s.
Russians who have the virus, but light or no symptoms of illness, are allowed to stay home, and it was not immediately clear if Mr Peskov’s admission to hospital reflects the gravity of his condition or was an extra precaution.
The country yesterday reported 176 new confirmed deaths for coronavirus during the previous 24 hours, bringing its death toll to 26,920. New infections confirmed by laboratory tests are up on Tuesday by 426. The total contagion, including antibody tests, stands at 269,520.
Nearly 140,000 people have recovered after contracting the virus, Spain’s Health Ministry said.
Roughly half of Spaniards are starting to enjoy a looser version of the country’s stringent lockdown adopted in mid-march.
Health authorities yesterday reported no new coronavirus cases, the third day since early last week the country of 5m people has recorded zero additional cases.
The news came as New Zealand prepared to relax many of the restrictions imposed since the outbreak began. Most businesses, including retail stores, shopping centres, restaurants and gyms, can reopen on Thursday. Bars will be able to start serving customers again on May 21.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says his country is winning the battle against the coronavirus, but it “still has the great potential to do enormous harm to the livelihoods of Australians”.
New South Wales, the most populous state, recorded no new cases of coronavirus for the first time since health authorities began documenting a daily total of infections in February.
Australia has reported nearly 7,000 cases, with fewer than 770 active.
The national death toll is 97, with New South Wales recording the highest number of fatalities at 46.