Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Spain sees another fall in daily death toll
Spain’s overnight death toll from coronavirus fell to 517 on Monday from Sunday’s 619, bringing the total death toll to 17,489, the health ministry said, adding that it was the smallest proportional daily increase since tracking began. The ministry said in a statement that overall cases rose to 169,496 from 166,019. Meanwhile, restrictions have been lifted for some businesses after shutting down all non-essential operations nearly two weeks ago. This will allow businesses that cannot operate remotely, including construction and manufacturing, to reopen. The move has been criticised by some as risking a resurgence in the spread of the virus.
Major oil-producing nations agree historic 10% cut in output
The world’s largest oil producers have agreed a historic deal to cut global oil production by almost 10% to protect the market against the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the Opec oil cartel and its allies have agreed to withhold almost 10m barrels a day from next month after the outbreak of Covid-19 wiped out demand for fossil fuels and triggered a collapse in global oil prices.
Iran’s death toll rises to 4,585 – up by 111
The country’s death toll from the new coronavirus has risen to 4,585, with 111 deaths overnight, a health ministry official said, adding the total number of infected cases had reached 73,303 in the most-affected Middle Eastern country. “Fortunately 45,983 of those infected with the virus have recovered ... There were 1,617 new infected cases in the past 24 hours,” tweeted Alireza Vahabzadeh, an adviser to Iran’s health minister.
China reports 108 new virus cases
According to reports, 98 of the 108 cases were imported from overseas, its highest figure since early March. The country where the disease first emerged has largely brought its domestic outbreak under control, but it faces a fresh battle against imported infections, mostly Chinese nationals returning home.
Widespread testing needed in the US
The US needs to ramp up testing for the coronavirus, health experts have said, as the White House considers when and how to lift stay-at-home restrictions and lockdowns triggered by the pandemic. Diagnostic testing determines if somebody is infected with the virus and antibody testing shows who has been infected and is therefore immune. Both will be important in getting people back into the workplace and containing the virus as that happens, the experts said.
WHO looking at reports of patients testing positive again
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was looking into reports of Covid-19 patients testing positive again after clinically recovering from the disease. South Korean officials had reported on Friday that 91 patients cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a briefing that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.
Pop-up bike lanes help with coronavirus social distancing in Germany
German cities are redrawing road markings to create “pop-up cycle lanes” for the duration of the Covid-19 lockdown, as cyclists demand more space to socially distance on their commute to work. Local authorities in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district trialled a temporary widening of two cycle lanes on 27 March, arguing it would help cyclists keep the required 1.5-metre distance apart while car traffic was down owing to Germany’s current coronavirus restrictions.
