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Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Global number of confirmed deaths exceeds 285,000
The number of people known to have died since the pandemic started reaches at least 285,307, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers. They say that at least 4,165,752 people are known to have been infected.
The figures are likely to significantly underestimate the true scale of the pandemic because they are based on official and media reports.
White House staff ordered to wear masks
The White House directs staff working in the West Wing, where the daily operations of the Donald Trump administration are conducted, to wear masks. A senior administration official says the directive will apply at all times, except when staff are at their own desks.
Trump accused of racism over press conference comments
The president was criticized for telling an Asian-American journalist to direct his questions about the U.S. epidemic to China, rather than him.
Trump insisted that he would have answered the question the same way, regardless of who asked it. After other reporters helped ensure Trump couldn’t simply dismiss CBS’s follow-up question “Weijia Jiang,” Trump declined to answer more questions and abruptly ended the press conference.
Influential CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter said Trump’s actions had “racist overtones,” adding: “It is racist to look at an Asian-American correspondent and say” ask China. “It is part of a pattern. of the president “.
Senegal eases restrictions
The West African nation is reopening mosques and churches and easing other restrictions, even as it sees its biggest one-day increase in cases.
The President, Macky Sall, he had ordered the places of worship to close in March and imposed a curfew from dawn to dusk. Since then, the daily rate of new cases has accelerated, 177 on Monday from a previous high of 104, with increased community broadcast in critical points such as the holy city of Touba.
Algeria promotes rapid test kits
Algeria begins producing rapid test kits with a detection time of 15 minutes and a production capacity of 200,000 units per week, says its government.
A laboratory in the capital Algiers developed the test kits in association with Canadian and Jordanian companies, the junior minister in charge of pharmaceutical production, Lotfi Benbahmed, He says.
“No guarantee” of vaccine, says UK Prime Minister
There is no guarantee of a Covid-19 vaccine, says British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but adds that the United Kingdom is heavily involved in work to develop one.
The chief scientific adviser to the British government, Sir Patrick Vallance, agrees that the development of a vaccine cannot be guaranteed, but says: “I would be surprised if we don’t end up with something.”
“Extreme surveillance” needed as blockades end – WHO
The World Health Organization says “extreme vigilance” is needed as countries begin to pull out of imposed blockades to slow the spread of the virus.
Germany has reported an acceleration in new infections after taking initial steps to ease its blockage. South Korea, another country that managed to limit infections, has seen a new outbreak in nightclubs.
Putin eases Russia blockade despite increased infection
The Russian President announces relief from the national blockade, even as the country sees a record number of new infections.
Vladimir Putin says people in some sectors will return to work, although restrictions on public meetings will remain in place. “We have a long and difficult process ahead with no room for error,” he tells the Russians.
