More than 3.5 million cases

More than 3.5 million cases of the novel coronavirus have been recorded in the world since the epidemic surfaced in China in December, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT . There have been 3,521,607 cases and at least 247,503 people have died, of which more than three quarters in Europe and the United States. On a per capita basis, Belgium has the highest death toll, with 684 deaths per million inhabitants. Spain follows with 544, Italy with 478, Britain (419) and France (381). US (204.5) and Germany (80) come far behind.

Japan extends emergency

Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe extends a nationwide state of emergency over the pandemic until May 31. The state of emergency, imposed on April 7, falls far short of measures seen in parts of Europe and the United States. With its population of 126 million, Japan has to date registered only 510 deaths linked to the coronavirus.

Vaccine disagreement

Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn says developing a vaccine for the coronavirus could take “years”, after US President Donald Trump predicted it could be achieved by the end of 2020. European leaders are backing an initiative from Brussels to raise 7.5 billion euros ($8.3 billion) via an online pledging conference on Monday to find a vaccine to curb the pandemic.

Equities tumble

Asian markets suffered steep losses, tracking a selloff in New York after Trump sparked fears of a renewed trade war with China over its role in the coronavirus pandemic. Claims by the US president and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the disease started in a lab in Wuhan, and that those responsible would be held to account, overshadowed a further slowing of infections and deaths from COVID-19.

Zero cases in New Zealand

New Zealand reported no new cases of the coronavirus yesterday, marking the first time the country recorded zero cases since its outbreak took hold in mid-March. The development comes less than a week after the Pacific nation ended a strict lockdown that appears to have contained the outbreak. The total number of confirmed cases in the country is 1,137.

Source: AFP, reuters