Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Singapore extends lockdown after second-wave rise in cases
Singapore, which has been lauded for its initial response to the outbreak, has seen a surge in cases, reporting a record 1,426 new coronavirus cases on Monday, mostly among foreign workers. The city state’s prime minister announced a lockdown would be extended by four weeks until 1 June.
Global deaths pass 170,000
More than 170,000 people have lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 2.47m cases worldwide. Just under a quarter of global deaths – 42,000 – have been in the US. The UK has nearly 126,000 cases and more than 16,500 deaths.
Trump announces plan to suspend immigration to US
US president Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he will “temporarily suspend” immigration to the US, referring to the “invisible enemy”, a term he has used in the White House press briefings and on Twitter to refer to coronavirus.
WHO says evidence suggests coronavirus came from bats
The World Health Organization said all available evidence suggested the coronavirus originated in bats in China late in 2019 and was not manipulated or constructed in a laboratory. Trump said last week the US was trying to determine whether the virus emanated from a lab in Wuhan in central China.
Italy to announce plan to ease lockdown this week as confirmed cases fall
The country’s prime minister said the government would unveil plans for the gradual reopening from lockdown before the end of this week. Italy reported 454 new deaths from coronavirus on Monday, 21 more than on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 24,114. For the first time, the number of people who are infected fell by 20 to 108,237.
Denmark bas gatherings of more than 500 until September
The country’s government has announced it will not allow gatherings of more than 500 people until at least 1 September, and that the current ban on gatherings of more than 10 people will stay in place until 10 May. Denmark was one of the first European countries to introduce lockdown restrictions on 12 March, before it had recorded any deaths. Three hundred and 64 people are now reported to have died in the country.
Oktoberfest is cancelled
Bavaria’s leaders have cancelled Oktoberfest, the world’s biggest beer festival, due to fears that it could become a breeding ground for the coronavirus. The 210-year-old festival, which attracts six million visitors and brings in around €1bn a year, is a major event in the German calendar.
Oil price falls to historic low due to coronavirus
The US oil market collapsed into negative prices for the first time as North America’s oil producers run out of space to store an unprecedented oversupply of crude left by the pandemic. However, Trump has downplayed the oil price drop, saying it’s only “short term”.
