Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Global cases pass 1.85m
The number of confirmed cases worldwide has topped 1.85m, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. There have been more than 114,000 deaths globally. The US has the most confirmed cases at more than 557,000, with 22,108 deaths. In the UK, there are more than 85,000 cases and more than 10,600 deaths.
China reports highest daily infections in five weeks
Mainland China reported 108 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, up from 99 a day earlier and 46 reported on Friday. Chinese authorities are increasing restrictions and monitoring in the northern regions bordering Russia, after a rise in people with Covid-19 crossing the border.
France expected to continue lockdown for several weeks
French president Emmanuel Macron is expected to warn on Monday that the country’s lockdown will continue for several more weeks at least. On Sunday, France reported a lower number of Covid-19 fatalities over the past 24 hours, with 315 deaths in hospital over the past day, compared with 345 the previous day.
Spain readying to reopen parts of economy
Some companies are set to resume operations at the end of a two-week halt of all non-essential activity. Spain’s death toll has fallen over recent days, but as a small bump in deaths was reported on Sunday, the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, warned said: “We are all keen to go back out on the streets ... but our desire is even greater to win the war and prevent a relapse.”
Germany has third day of lower cases
Germany’s number of confirmed coronavirus infections has risen by 2,537 to 123,016. That was lower than a 2,821 increase reported on Sunday and marked the third decline after four days of increases.
Top oil-producing countries agree to ‘historic’ output cuts
The move comes in response to the coronavirus crisis and a Russia-Saudi price war, and with hopes to boost plummeting oil prices. The agreement between the Vienna-based Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and partners foresees deep output cuts in May and June followed by a gradual reduction in cuts until April 2022.
Judge rules Alabama cannot block abortions during coronavirus crisis
The ruling came after efforts in Texas, Ohio, Alabama and other US states to prohibit abortion services during the Covid-19 outbreak. States have argued they need to conserve medical equipment and potential hospital beds during the pandemic and that abortions are elective medical procedures.
