Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Pandemic delays vaccines for 13m people
Postponements to 14 vaccination campaigns because of the pandemic will affect more than 13 million people, the World Health Organization says.
The WHO director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says vaccination drives against polio, measles, cholera, human papillomavirus, yellow fever and meningitis have not gone ahead.
UK hospital deaths rise by 360
The health secretary, Matt Hancock, says 21,092 have now died in UK hospitals, as he announces 360 more deaths at the government’s daily briefing. The figure does not include deaths in other settings, which some estimates suggest will account for a significant proportion of the total.
Italy reports 333 more deaths
The total number of deaths in Italy rises to 26,977. The 333 new deaths represent a slightly accelerated increase compared to the previous 24 hours; up by 73. The number of people currently infected with the virus fell by 290 to 105,813. Italy has recorded 199,414 coronavirus cases to date, of which 66,624 people have recovered.
Mexico has tamed epidemic, president claims
Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, claims his country has managed “to tame” the outbreak, despite widespread suspicions that Covid-19 cases are being undercounted.
Mexico reported its first Covid case in late February and has now registered 1,351 deaths and 14,677 infections. Experts say they believe the country is still several weeks away from the peak of infections.
WhatsApp claims to have cut viral messages by 70%
The Facebook-owned social messaging service, WhatsApp, claims to have cut the number of viral messages spreading across its worldwide network by 70% after introducing a limit on the number of people to whom users could forward messages.
WhatsApp introduced the limit earlier this month amid claims that its service was contributing to the spread of misleading information about the pandemic.
Shops begin reopening in the Czech Republic
Many shops outside shopping malls are reopening in the Czech Republic as the government brings forward its five-stage lockdown exit plan. The UK government is understood to be closely studying the country’s approach as it seeks a route out of its own lockdown.
Switzerland also begins to ease lockdown
Dentists, hairdressers and massage salons are among the services once again receiving customers. Most shops, schools and food markets will follow suit from 11 May. In a third stage, vocational schools and universities are set to reopen from 8 June, provided there is no significant increase in cases.
Afghanistan records biggest one-day rise in cases
The health ministry warns two critical weeks lie ahead as the war-torn country records its biggest one-day rise of new cases, triggered by a continued surge of transmission in Kandahar.
UK warned crisis has ‘very long way to run’
The government’s chief medical adviser, Chris Whitty, warns that the UK’s epidemic has got a “very long way to run” as he acknowledges that the toll will be far worse than officials had hoped.
Health officials said in March: “If we can keep deaths below 20,000 we will have done very well in this epidemic.” Even counting only those who have died in hospitals, the UK has surpassed that figure.
NHS victims’ relatives to get payments worth £60,000
Hancock says families of NHS staff in the UK who die during their coronavirus work will get payments worth £60,000. And he says the government is looking at what can be done to help the families of other frontline workers who have died during the crisis.
Sunak announces ‘bounce back’ micro-loan scheme for businesses with 100% government backing
The UK’s chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announces a micro-loan scheme for businesses, under which they will be able to borrow up to 25% of turnover, with a maximum payment of £50,000.
He describes them as “bounce back” loans, and he says people will be able to apply from Monday next week.
Confirmed cases worldwide approaches 3m
Cases are nearing the 3 million mark, according to Johns Hopkins University, with 2,995,456 confirmed. At least 207,583 people have lost their lives in the pandemic, though the true toll is likely to be much higher due to underreporting and some countries not including deaths among those with underlying conditions.
