Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Global cases pass 5.1 million, deaths pass 332,000
Global cases stand at 5,102,573, with deaths reported at 332,924, according to the Johns Hopkins university tracker. Deaths in the US stand at 94,702. The UK’s death toll is 36,124, with 252,246 infections.
China abandons GDP target in due to ‘great uncertainty’
Beijing has taken the rare step of not setting a GDP target for the first time since it began publishing such goals in 1990. Instead, given “great uncertainty” caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, China said it would “give priority to stabilising employment and ensuring living standards”, Premier Li Keqiang told the opening of the National People’s Congress. He also said governments at all levels should “tighten their belts”, and that all types of surplus, idle and carryover funds would be withdrawn and re-allocated, to be put to better use. China reported four new cases of Covid-19 on Friday.
Trump doesn’t wear mask at factory visit
The US president toured a Ford plant in the battleground state of Michigan which has been recast to produce ventilators and personal protective equipment. He did not wear a face mask in front of TV cameras. This was despite Ford on Tuesday saying its policy was that all visitors must wear them. Trump told reporters he had put one on out of the view of cameras: “I had one on before. I wore one in the back area. I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it,” Trump said. Earlier Trump said there would be an announcement “very soon” on reopening churches to the public.
Brazil passes 20,000 deaths
Latin America’s biggest country passed the grim milestone with a record one-day death toll of 1,188, taking the confirmed total to 20,047. The country has 310,087 infections, third behind the US (1,577,287) and Russia (317,554). President Jair Bolsonaro, a long-running advocate of malaria drug chloroquine to treat Covid-19, said on Thursday he knew there was no proof it worked, but said there are cases in which it appears to have been successful.
Indonesia has biggest one day jump in cases
The world’s fourth most populous country reported 973 new infections on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 20,162. The authorities have asked the military and the police to prevent arrivals in Jakarta.
Russia’s industrial output drops 6.5% in April
The country’s economic performance was hit by the coronavirus lockdown. The state statistics agency said “consumer demand fell for a range of goods and services”. However, Russia’s commodities sector only decreased by 3.2% year-on-year, and oil production actually grew by 0.2%. Pharmaceutical industries grew by 13.5%, year-on-year.
South Korea reports 20 new cases
The new coronavirus cases came as health authorities worked to contain the cluster connected to Seoul nightclubs. South Korea has had a total of 11,142 infections and 264 deaths.
Australian’s most populous state further eases restrictions
New South Wales has announced cafes and restaurants will be allowed to have up to 50 patrons from 1 June, up from 10 currently allowed. Australia has had remarkable success in flattening the curve of infections from the coronavirus. The country of 25m has recorded 101 deaths and just over 7,000 cases and is now consistently reporting fewer than 20 new cases a day.
Tributes flow for former White House butler who died from Covid-19
Wilson Jerman, who has died from Covid-19, aged 91, was a fixture in the White House under 11 presidents. Jerman started working as a cleaner under Dwight Eisenhower and retired as an elevator operator during the presidency of Barack Obama. Michelle Obama said: “With his kindness and care, Wilson Jerman helped make the White House a home for decades of first families, including ours.”
