Latest from Corona crisis: Army chief praises use of armed forces – News story

The ticker starts at 6:31 a.m.

• 8:15

  New Roche antibody test in May

  Roche wants to launch a blood test to diagnose the new coronavirus. The Swiss pharmaceutical company said it plans to launch the antibody test in European countries in early May. They also request emergency approval in the United States.

  Production capacity should be increased to a high double-digit figure in June, said the head of the diagnostic division, Thomas Schinecker. Antibody tests play a key role in identifying those people who may have been infected with the virus but have shown no symptoms, as the statement says.

  Additionally, an antibody test could support priority research for high-risk groups. These include, for example, health or food supply workers who may have developed some level of immunity and may continue to serve and / or return to work.

• 7:43

  Minus 3.5 percent: Credit Suisse sharply corrects GDP

  Economists at the large bank Credit Suisse are revising their economic outlook for Switzerland downward significantly this year. Now they expect gross domestic product (GDP) to decrease 3.5 percent in 2020. So far, they have assumed less than 1.0 percent.

  With the relaxation of the “blockade” beginning, the economy should also start to recover again, according to an analysis. However, the recovery is likely to be slower than expected, especially in the outward-facing sectors.

  The CS points out that the economic effects of the crown crisis are increasingly visible in statistics. For example, the closure of winter and border tourism in March may have led to a decrease in tourism sales, sometimes by more than 90 percent.

• 7:30 am.

  In Wuhan, 1,290 more deaths than reported

  The Chinese city of Wuhan surprisingly corrected the death toll from the crown by around 50 percent. Authorities reported that in the central Chinese metropolis where the pandemic started, another 1,290 people died from Covid-19. This increases the total number of deaths in Wuhan to 3,896.

  The national total of 3,342 deaths in China so far is expected to officially increase to more than 4,600. The new information confirms the long-standing assumptions that many cases were not included in official Chinese statistics.

  Several reasons were given for substantial correction: Patients initially died at home. Hospitals were also overwhelmed and medical personnel were too busy with the fever of the infected, “leading to late, missing and incorrect reports,” as the official Xinhua news agency reported.

  

• 7:06

  Swiss army chief pleased with use of armed forces

  The head of the Swiss army, Thomas Süssli, praised the use of the armed forces during the coronavirus pandemic. “The mobilization worked very well,” he told Neue Zürcher Zeitung on Friday.

  The military was able to demonstrate that the planned increase in readiness is correct and significant. The alignment via SMS has also proven its worth, he said. “More than 80 percent of calls answered within an hour,” said Süssli.

  He told NZZ about the improvement measures, “that we can shorten and optimize decision-making processes and processes in many areas.” This applies not only within the military administration and the army, but also in exchange for civilian partners.

  Our militia army has shown that they can mobilize in a matter of hours and protect and support our people.

• 6:43

  The most important thing of the night

  • The President of the United States wants to loosen the measures in the crown crisis in three steps. Contrary to previous announcements, it leaves the concrete implementation to the states.
  • The European Union strongly reprimanded Donald Trump after the United States suspended WHO contribution payments: the coronavirus pandemic must continue to be fought multilaterally.
  • China’s economy has shrunk for the first time in decades. Gross domestic product decreased by 6.8 percent in the first quarter compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
  • The Bulgarian government closed the capital Sofia indefinitely just before the Orthodox Easter holiday.
  • Read more news from last night and the last two days here.

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