Coronavirus: Nine latest global developments

Emergency medical personnel carries a patient affected with coronavirus (Covid-19) from a military hospital to an ambulance before being transported aboard a medicalised TGV (high-speed train) to be evacuated towards hospitals of other French regions on March 29, 2020 in Mulhouse, eastern France, amid the spread of the COVID-19 (new coronavirus) pandemic. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– More than one million cases –

At least 1,000,036 cases of infection, including 51,718 deaths have been reported in 188 countries and territories around the world since the epidemic started in December, according to an AFP tally compiled around 1900 GMT Thursday based on official sources.

With 234,462 cases, the pandemic is rampaging most quickly in the United States while Italy has the highest official death toll with 13,915 fatalities. Spain follows with 10,003, the US with 5,607 and France 5,387.

– Confinement for half of humanity -

More than 3.9 billion people, or half of the world’s population, has been called on or obliged by their authorities to stay at home, according to an AFP database count Thursday.

Thailand has introduced a six-hour night curfew beginning Friday.

Eritrea declares a 21-day confinement. Togo decares a three-month “state of emergency” and curfew.

President Vladimir Putin says Russians will continue not going to work while receiving pay until the end of the month. Moscow extends its confinement to May 1.

– Milan crematorium closed –

The city of Milan shuts its main crematorium for the rest of the month to deal with a surge of bodies that have accumulated in the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

– Soaring unemployment –

Another 6.65 million US workers filed for unemployment benefits in the United States last week, the most ever recorded.

Spain registers a leap of 302,265 jobless claims in March, the biggest on record.

Lufthansa says it has placed more than 60 percent of its workforce on government-backed shorter hours schemes.

Boeing unveils a voluntary worker layoff programme.

Global air passenger demand plunged 14 percent in February, the steepest decline in traffic since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the International Air Transport Association says.

– Aid –

The World Bank approves $160 billion in emergency aid over 15 months to help countries deal with the impact of the pandemic.

The European Commission proposes a bloc-wide guarantee that could raise 100 billion euros ($109 billion) to aid strained national unemployment schemes.

– Fresh lockdown in China –

The Chinese county of Jia in central Henan province, with around 600,000 residents, goes into lockdown after a woman who visited the area tests positive, underscoring concerns over a second wave of domestic infections.

– Telling lies? –

US lawmakers, pointing to a report by Bloomberg citing US intelligence, accuse China of lying about the extent of its deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Mainland China, where the epidemic started, has officially reported to date 81,589 cases and 3,318 deaths.

– Democratic convention postponed –

US Democrats postpone their national convention until August 17, pushing back by five weeks the gathering that nominates the party’s candidate to challenge Donald Trump in November.

– Zaandam cleared to dock –

The cruise ship Zaandam, which has dozens of ill passengers and crew on board, is cleared to dock in Florida after days stranded at sea.

{AFP} {Punch Mobile}