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Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
At least 4.3 million infected people.
The researchers say that at least 4,308,055 cases have been confirmed worldwide, while at least 293,514 people have died. The figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University are likely to be a great understatement of the true scale of the epidemic.
All African countries now affected
Lesotho, the last country in Africa not affected by the pandemic, announced its first case. The virus was detected in one of the 81 people tested after arriving last week from Saudi Arabia and neighboring South Africa, the Lesotho health ministry said.
The country closed on March 29 to protect itself from the possible spread of the virus from South Africa, which completely surrounds the kingdom and has the highest number of confirmed cases on the continent.
Afghanistan reaches 5,000 confirmed cases
The number of confirmed cases in Afghanistan exceeded 5,000 when the country’s Ministry of Health warned that reducing blockades would bring a “catastrophe.”
Of 619 suspicious patients examined in the last 24 hours, 259 tested positive, bringing the total number of infections to 5,226. The death toll reached 132, after five more patients died overnight. The number of recoveries was 648.
Sweden Seeks Thousands More Care Workers
Sweden’s public health authority reported 147 more deaths as the government announced plans to hire up to 10,000 more nursing assistants and health care workers to address deficiencies in elderly care exposed to the pandemic.
About half of the 3,460 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Sweden have been among nursing home residents, and another quarter among those receiving home care.
Mexico to reopen parts of the economy
Some Mexican municipalities may resume commercial and school activities if they do not have registered cases, said the country’s economy secretary, Graciela Márquez.
The measure, which comes after 51 days of closure, is being carried out despite the country reporting its highest number of daily deaths so far. Mexico has confirmed 1,992 new cases and 353 deaths, bringing the total number of deaths to 3,926 and the total number of cases to 38,324.
European hotels are asked to impose social distancing
Hotels and restaurants across Europe have been asked to enforce social distancing among guests to allow Europeans to take their annual summer vacations.
Announcing a set of measures aimed at rescuing Europe’s crisis-affected tourism industry, the European Union executive called for a “gradual and careful reduction of blockade restrictions across the continent”, while issuing advice to hotels, resort managers, restaurant owners and travel companies.
Ford factories will resume production.
The automaker Ford announced plans to restart production, including at two factories in the UK.
Work will resume on May 18 at the company’s engine plants at Dagenham in Essex and Bridgend in South Wales. The move, along with the reopening of the Valencia engine plant in Spain, will mean that all of Ford’s European manufacturing facilities will be operational again.
