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(Reuters) – The number of confirmed infections of the new coronavirus exceeded 1.41 million worldwide and the number of deaths exceeded 83,400, according to a Reuters count at 1400 GMT.
Two people gesture as they look out of the window after the applause in honor of health workers, amid the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the center of Ronda, southern Spain, on 7 April 2020. The sign says, “Go ahead! Efforts are our pride.” REUTERS / Jon Nazca
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* For an interactive graph that tracks global spread, open tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.
* USA focused tracker USA With state by county and state map open tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.
EUROPE
* The increase in deaths from hospital deaths in France slowed again, but the presidential palace said the national closure aimed at containing the disease would be prolonged.
* Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Italy must continue its rigid blockade to try to stem the COVID-19 epidemic.
* The official number of deaths from coronavirus in Spain rose again, but doubts persisted about the veracity of the numbers.
* British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was “clinically stable” in intensive care on Wednesday and responded to treatment.
* President Vladimir Putin compared Russia’s fight against the coronavirus to its battles against medieval invaders and said that the next few weeks would be decisive.
* The president of the main scientific organization of the European Union resigned out of frustration at the response to the pandemic.
* The Swiss government, which said its economy could contract as much as 10.4% this year, extended the nation’s restrictions for another week, but said this month would begin a gradual relaxation of the measures.
* The regional director of the World Health Organization described the outbreak in Europe as “very worrying” and urged governments to give “very careful consideration” before relaxing measures to control its spread.
* Pope Francis condemned people who said they were exploiting the pandemic for a quick profit and denounced the “hypocrisy” of how some politicians are dealing with the crisis.
* The European Union is developing common rules for using mobile apps to track the spread, with the goal of making better use of technology and addressing privacy issues.
* Refugees in eastern Germany are sewing facial masks for pensioners in a retirement home.
AMERICAS
* The number of cases in New York State alone approached 150,000, most anywhere in the world, even as authorities warned that the actual death toll in the state could be higher.
* Some 60,000 Americans could die in the pandemic, a university model often cited by projected US and state politicians, a 26% reduction in its most recent forecast, as total cases in the country reached 395,011, with a 12,754 deaths.
* The head of the World Health Organization gave a strong defense of the management of the pandemic by his agency, in response to criticism from US President Donald Trump.
* The United States immigration authorities have quickly deported nearly 400 migrant children intercepted at the United States-Mexico border in the past two weeks under new rules.
* At least 20 doctors in a public hospital on the outskirts of Mexico City have tested positive for coronavirus
* Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra extended the country’s state of emergency for two more weeks until April 26.
ASIA
* The Chinese city of Wuhan ended its two-month blockade, even as a small northern city ordered restrictions on its residents amid concerns over a second wave of infections.
* India is considering plans to close hotspots in Delhi, Mumbai, and parts of the south, while easing restrictions elsewhere as a way out of a three-week blockade that has caused deep economic distress.
* Tokyo recorded its biggest daily jump on Wednesday since the start of the pandemic, the city governor said on the first day of a state of emergency.
* Expats in Hong Kong are buying masks to send family and friends home when supplies return to stores.
* Thailand automatically extends visas for all foreigners who entered legally, to avoid long lines at immigration centers and stop the spread, a senior immigration official said.
* The Prime Minister of East Timor withdrew his resignation when the government approved a $ 250 million fund.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Ethiopia and Liberia declared states of emergency, a day after cases on the continent exceeded 10,000.
* Lebanese food importers, already hit by a slump in the dollar, have struggled to reserve new shipments as the pandemic threatens supplies and raises fears of more painful price increases.
* Egypt will extend the nightly curfew across the country for 15 days until April 23.
* Ethiopia declared a state of emergency.
* A coronavirus blockade kept the streets of Jerusalem and other Israeli cities nearly empty during the Jewish Passover holiday, which generally attracts crowds of people.
* The Gaza Strip has no more coronavirus test kits, Palestinian health officials said.
* Somalia has recorded its first coronavirus death. ECONOMIC FLOLOUT
* Global equity markets rose and oil prices rose on Wednesday in hopes that the coronavirus pandemic is nearing its peak and that more government stimulus measures may be on the way. [MKTS/GLOB]
* Democratic congressional leaders said they would support the Trump administration’s request for another $ 250 billion for small businesses if the bill includes more funding for hospitals, local governments and food aid.
* In the face of a rapid global health crisis, Federal Reserve officials agreed last month that they needed a full withdrawal response.
* Canada said it would temporarily loosen the rules for an emergency wage subsidy program to ensure more companies qualify, while unemployment claims brought on by the outbreak rose more than 4 million.
* The European Union finance ministers failed in the overnight talks to agree on greater economic support, encouraging Spain to warn that the bloc’s future was at stake without a joint response to the crisis.
* The European Central Bank told euro zone finance ministers that the area may need fiscal measures worth up to € 1.5 trillion this year.
* Germany’s economy is likely to shrink by 9.8% in the second quarter, its biggest decline since records began, the country’s leading think tanks said.
* The pandemic has cost Austria $ 12 billion so far, or 2.8% of its annual gross domestic product, according to its central bank.
* A second stimulus package that India is about to announce in the coming days will be worth around $ 13 billion and will focus on helping small and medium-sized businesses, senior officials said.
* Hong Kong announced aid measures worth $ 17.7 billion to help businesses and people paralyzed by the outbreak stay afloat.
* Nearly 140 campaign groups and charities urged the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the G20 governments, and private creditors to help the world’s poorest countries by canceling debt payments.
Compiled by Sarah Morland, Milla Nissi and Aditya Soni; Edition by Tomasz Janowski, Arun Koyyur and Anil D’Silva
