France becomes 4th country to pass 15,000 virus death toll – latest updates

Tuesday, April 14

France becomes 4th country to pass 15,000 death toll

France officially registered more than 15,000 deaths from coronavirus infections, becoming the fourth country to go beyond that threshold after Italy, Spain and the United States, while the rate of increase of fatalities is slightly up again after steadying the days before.

But the number of people in intensive care units fell to 6,730 from 6,821 over 24 hours, with this total declining for a sixth consecutive day, suggesting the national lockdown, extended to May 11 on Monday, is having positive effects in containing the disease.

During a news conference Jerome Salomon, head of the public health authority, said the number of people who died from the disease in French hospitals and nursing homes had risen by 5 percent in a day to a cumulative total of 15,729, versus 4 percent on Monday and Sunday. 

Turkey sees 107 more deaths, toll rises to 1,403

Turkey confirmed 107 more deaths from the novel coronavirus in the country over the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 1,403.

The total number of registered coronavirus cases surged to 65,111 as 4,062 more people tested positive for the virus, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told a news conference following the virtual meeting of the Coronavirus Science Board.

So far, a total of 4,799 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, Koca said.

He also said 33,070 tests were conducted over the past day, with the overall number of tests reaching 443,626.

Turkey is currently treating 1,809 patients in intensive care units, according to Koca.

Italy's daily death toll climbs by 602

Deaths from the Covid-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 602, up from 566 the day before, posting a second consecutive daily increase, but new infections slowed to 2,972 from 3,153, seeing the smallest daily tally since March 13.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on February 21 rose to 21,067, the Civil Protection Agency said, the second-highest in the world after that of the United States.

The number of officially confirmed cases climbed to 162,488, the third-highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain.

Czech Republic unveils plan to ease restrictions

The Czech government has unveiled a plan to gradually relax its restrictions imposed to help contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Vice Premier Karel Havlicek says the measures will be adopted in five waves in the coming weeks. The government will go ahead with the plan only if the outbreak is kept under control. Still, the rules for social distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks remain in place.

The day-to-day increase in the new cases of infected people stayed under 100 on Monday for the second straight day for the first time since March 17. It was 89 on Sunday and 68 on Monday though a lower number of tests was carried out over Easter holidays.

A total of 6,101 people have tested positive in the Czech Republic, 161 have died.

UK death toll rises to 12,107

The number of people who have died in hospital in Britain from the coronavirus has risen to 12,107, according to health ministry figures published on Tuesday.

This is an increase of 778 on the previous day and comes as care homes say Covid-19 deaths at facilities for the elderly are being excluded from the government's tally.

Official figures also showed that the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 has reached 93,873.

Sweden deaths surpass 1,000

Sweden reported that more than 1,000 people had now had died from the novel coronavirus, while the number of confirmed cases passed 11,000.

Sweden's Public Health Agency said it had recorded a total of 11,445 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1,033 deaths.

 It cautioned that the true number of deaths might be higher, as not all deaths had yet been reported over the four-day Easter weekend.

South Africa cases rise to 2,415

South Africa's health minister reported a rise in coronavirus cases of 143 in over the past day, taking the total to 2,415.

Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize provided no update on the number of deaths, which a day earlier stood at 27.

Dutch cases rise by 868 to 27,419

Confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 868 to 27,419, health authorities said, with 122 new deaths.

Total deaths in the country are at 2,945, the Netherlands Institute for Public Health said in its daily update.

Singapore cases rise to 3,252

Singapore's health ministry confirmed 334 more coronavirus infections, taking its tally to 3,252.

Most of the new cases were linked to outbreaks in migrant workers' dormitories, the ministry said.

Pakistan extends lockdown until April 30

Prime Minister Imran Khan announced another two-week extension in an ongoing lockdown following rising numbers of coronavirus cases in the country.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in Pakistan has risen to 5,716, with more than 340 confirmed over the past 24 hours, officials said.

Swiss death toll hits 900

Switzerland's death toll has reached 900 people, the country's public health agency said on Tuesday, rising from 885 people on Monday.

The number of people showing positive tests for the disease increased to 25,834 from 25,580, it said. 

Spain's overnight death toll at 567

Spain's overnight death toll from the coronavirus rose to 567 from 517 a day earlier, while the country reported its lowest increase in new cases since March 18.

Total deaths climbed to 18,056, while confirmed cases of the infection rose by 3,045 to 172,541, the Health Ministry said in a statement. 

WHO says there is a 'mixed picture' in Europe

The number of new cases of Covid-19 is easing in some parts of Europe, including Italy and Spain, but outbreaks are still growing in Britain and Turkey, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

"The overall world outbreak, 90 percent of cases are coming from Europe and the US.  So we are certainly not seeing the peak yet," WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris told a briefing in Geneva.

In China, "the biggest threat is imported cases," she said, referring to the latest data.

"We shouldn't really be expecting to see the vaccine for 12 months or longer," Harris added.

Malaysia reports 170 new cases and five deaths

Malaysian health authorities reported 170 new cases, raising the cumulative total to 4,987 as the country nears a full month in partial lockdown.

The health ministry also reported five new deaths, bringing the total fatalities to 82. 

Philippines' cases top 5,000, 20 more deaths

Philippines health ministry reported 20 more deaths linked to the new coronavirus and 291 more cases.

In a bulletin, the health ministry said total infections have reached 5,223, while deaths have increased to 335. 

At least 53 more patients have recovered, bringing the total to 295, it added.

Austria reopening thousands of shops 

Thousands of shops across Austria will reopen as it becomes one of the first countries in Europe to loosen its coronavirus lockdown, but the government is still telling the nation it is "not out of the woods" yet.

Austria acted early in its outbreak to close schools, bars, theatres, restaurants, non-essential shops and other gathering places roughly four weeks ago. 

It has fared relatively well so far, having reported 368 deaths in total. The daily increase in confirmed cases is in low single digits in percentage terms and hospitalisations have stabilised.

Indonesia reports its biggest daily jump in virus deaths

Indonesia reported its biggest daily jump in deaths, with 60 new fatalities, taking the total to 459, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.

Yurianto confirmed 282 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 4,839. 

A total of 426 people have recovered, he said.

More than 33,600 tests have been performed, Yurianto added.

Iran virus deaths drop below 100 for first time in month

Iran said on Tuesday that the number of lives lost in the country to the novel coronavirus dropped to double figures for the first time in one month.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 98 deaths from the Covid-19 disease were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall toll to 4,683.

"Unfortunately, we lost 98 of our compatriots infected with the disease... but after a month of waiting, this is the first day that the death toll has been double figures," he told a televised news conference.

Almost 13,000 in quarantine in dormitories in Turkey

Nearly 13,000 citizens who came from abroad are currently in quarantine in Turkey as part of measures to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, the country's youth and sports minister said on Tuesday. 

A total of 12,912 citizens are under quarantine at dormitories across 57 provinces, Mehmet Kasapoglu said. 

Over 20,400 citizens were discharged after their quarantine time ended, he added.

Russia's coronavirus cases surpass 20,000 in record daily rise

Russia reported 2,774 new cases of the coronavirus, a record daily rise, bringing its overall nationwide tally to 21,102, the country's coronavirus response centre said.

It said 170 people in Russia diagnosed with the virus have now died, an overnight rise of 22.

Kyrgyzstan extends coronavirus emergency

Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday extended until April 30 the state of emergency introduced in its two major cities and several districts due to the coronavirus outbreak, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's office said.

The Central Asian nation bordering China has confirmed 430 cases of the disease and has introduced a lockdown and a curfew in its capital, Bishkek

Thailand reports 34 new coronavirus cases, one more death

Thailand on Tuesday reported 34 new coronavirus cases and a death of a 52-year-old male bus driver in Bangkok.

Of the new cases, 27 patients are linked to previous cases, four with no links to old cases, while two people who tested positive are awaiting investigation into how they were infected, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

A Thai national who tested positive on Tuesday was already under quarantine after travelling to South Sulawesi province, Indonesia for a religious gathering last month.

Since the outbreak escalated in January, Thailand has reported a total of 2,613 cases and 41 fatalities, while 1,405 patients have recovered and gone home

India nationwide lockdown extended until May 3

India's nationwide lockdown, the biggest imposed in the world over the coronavirus pandemic, will be extended until at least May 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

The current three-week-old lockdown of the nation of 1.3 billion people had been scheduled to end at midnight Tuesday.

"From the economic angle, we have paid a big price," Modi said in a nationwide address. "But the lives of the people of India are far more valuable."

Germany's coronavirus cases rise by 2,082

Germany's number of confirmed coronavirus infections has risen by 2,082 to 125,098, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday, marking the fourth decline in the number of new cases after four days of increases.

The reported death toll has risen by 170 to 2,969.

Global cases reach two million

Worldwide confirmed cases of the coronavirus have crossed over two million, US-based according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The data showed that 118,966 people have died globally due to the pandemic as of 0000 GMT.

The United States has the highest number of 682,619 confirmed cases, followed by Spain with 170,099 and Italy with 159,516.

Trump says it's his call when to ease virus rules

US President Donald Trump claimed the authority to decide how and when to reopen the economy after weeks of tough social distancing guidelines aimed at fighting the new coronavirus. 

But governors from both parties were quick to push back, noting they have the primary constitutional responsibility for ensuring public safety in their states and would decide when it's safe to begin a return to normal operations.

Democratic leaders in the Northeast and along the West Coast announced separate state compacts to coordinate their efforts to scale back stay-at-home orders or reopen businesses on their own timetables, even as Trump tried to say it's his call.

"When somebody is president of the United States, the authority is total," Trump said at Monday's White House coronavirus briefing. "The governors know that."

Mexico reports 353 new cases

Mexico registered 353 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, bringing its total to 5,014cases and 332 deaths, the health ministry said.

Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell has acknowledged that Mexico likely has far more people infected with the fast-spreading coronavirus, citing government statistical models.

Last week, Lopez-Gatell said the country might have 26,500 cases, with many of those not showing symptoms or not diagnosed.

China reports 89 fresh infections

China reported 89 new coronavirus cases on April 13, down from 108 the previous day, the health authority said on Tuesday.

Of the total, 86 were imported, down from 98 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said.

China's state broadcaster had reported earlier that 79 of the day's imported cases were in the northeast province of Heilongjiang, which shares a border with Russia.

The number of total confirmed cases in China now stands at 82,249. Its death toll from the pandemic stands at 3,341, with no new deaths on April 13.

US records 1,509 deaths in past 24 hours 

The United States recorded 1,509 deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic over the past 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University as of 0030 GMT Tuesday.

The number of fatalities was similar to the previous day's toll of 1,514.

The outbreak has now claimed the lives of at least 23,529 people in the US, the most of any country. 

China approves two experimental coronavirus vaccines 

China has approved early-stage human tests for two experimental vaccines to combat the new coronavirus that killed over 100,000 people worldwide, state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

The vaccines are being developed by a Beijing-based unit of Nasdaq-listed Sinovac Biotech, and by the WuhanInstitute of Biological Products, an affiliate of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group.

In March, China gave the green-light for another clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by military-backed China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences and HK-listed biotech firm CanSino Bio, shortly after US drug developer Moderna said it had begun human tests for their vaccine with the US National Institutes of Health.