Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
– British PM in intensive care –
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is fighting the virus in intensive care after being diagnosed late last month.
The 55-year-old was admitted to intensive care on Monday evening and given oxygen support but was not put on a ventilator, a minister said.
“The prime minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits,” his official spokesman tells reporters.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is deputising.
– New rebound in Spain –
Spain sees its daily death toll shoot up to 743 after falling for four straight days, but the health ministry emphasises the rise is due to weekend deaths being tallied and that the overall “downward trend” is continuing.
– China milestone –
No deaths in 24 hours -China reports no new coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January.
On Wednesday the government will lift travel curbs on the contagion’s original epicentre of Wuhan, a city of 11 million people placed under strict quarantine on January 23.
– Japan: state of emergency –
Japan declares a month-long state of emergency but stops short of strict lockdown.
The move allows governors in seven affected regions including Tokyo to ask people to stay indoors and request that businesses close, but there are no enforcement mechanisms and no penalties for those who fail to comply.
– More than 75,500 dead –
At least 75,542 people have died around the world, nearly three-quarters of them in Europe, since the virus emerged in China in December, according to an AFP tally based on official sources.
The pandemic has killed more than 53,928 people in Europe, including 16,523 in Italy, 13,798 in Spain, 8,911 in France and 5,373 in Britain.
The United States’ death toll tops 10,993 with at least 368,449 confirmed infections, the highest caseload in the world.
More than 1.35 million cases have been officially recorded around the world, a toll that represents only a fraction of the actual number of infections.
– France’s long road –
The French government warns confinement rules that came into force March 17 will remain in place as long as necessary as the country has not reached the peak of the epidemic.
It reports 833 more deaths in 24 hours, the highest daily death toll so far.
From Wednesday, Parisians will be banned from jogging and other solo outdoor sports between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm.
– Hydroxychloroquine exports –
India announces a partial lifting of a fresh export ban on hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that has shown early promise against COVID-19 in small-scale studies.
US President Donald Trump had hinted at “retaliation” after India banned exports of the drug on Saturday, citing domestic needs.
– Israel intercity travel ban –
Israel will ban intercity travel from Tuesday to Friday this week during the Passover holidays.
– Portugal cancels pilgrimage –
Portugal cancels an annual pilgrimage to Fatima, a Catholic site that attracts up to 300,000 people annually on May 13.
- AFP
