Global virus cases cross 2 million; 2,569 US deaths in a day

More than 2.07 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 138,482 have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories.

Seven Northeastern states on Thursday extended a shutdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic until May 15, even as President Donald Trump prepared to detail his plan to end the lockdown in the least-affected US states as early as May 1.

The United States on Wednesday recorded the death of 2,569 people as a result of COVID-19, the highest daily toll ever recorded by a country in the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The US death toll in the global pandemic is now more than 31,000, higher than any other nation.

The UAE has conducted over 25,000 additional COVID-19 tests among UAE citizens and residents over the past few days, in line with the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s (MoHP) plans to intensify virus screening in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The accelerated investigative measures resulted in the detection of 460 new coronavirus cases among various nationalities, all of whom are in a stable condition and receiving the necessary care, taking to 5,825 the total number of infections in the country, according to a MoHP statement on Thursday.

The ministry also revealed the death of two patients suffering from COVID-19. The total number of deaths has now reached 35.

The Ministry also announced the full recovery of 61 new cases after receiving the necessary medical treatment, taking to 1,095 the total of those now recovered from the virus in the UAE.

The Sharjah Airport Authority will resume operations of passenger flights for those wishing to return to their home countries. The airport will be ready to welcome returning citizens upon receiving the necessary orders.

In light of the current conditions, the move was implemented whilst complying with the highest safety protocols to ensure the well-being of employees and passengers.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has announced that it will set up clinics in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, to offer free coronavirus tests to workers.

Emirates Airlines has planned to operate three more flights from Dubai to Manila next week, on April 20, 22 and 24, to help more Filipinos in the UAE get home.

Sharjah Police’s Punitive and Correctional Establishment launched a new electronic platform to allow remote visual e-visits by the families of the inmates.

The UAE evacuated 11 foreign nationals from the Yemeni island of Socotra.

The individuals, who were stranded in Socotra after visiting the island for tourism, came from countries including the US, UK, France, Germany, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

The restrictions have strangled the US economy to an extent not seen since the Great Depression nearly a century ago. Another 5.2 million more Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department reported on Thursday, lifting total filings for claims over the past month to more than 20 million.

Governor Andrew Cuomo extended his stay-at-home order by another two weeks despite a downward trend in key metrics such as hospitalisations that pointed to a stabilisation in the outbreak in New York state.

Europe was still in the “eye of the storm” of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Thursday, as parts of the continent moved to ease restrictions but others extended lockdowns and postponed major events.

Kuwait announced that its civil aviation directorate general will operate 75 flights in the next phase for evacuating citizens abroad who face the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the state news agency reported.

India has banned the use of video-conferencing app Zoom for government remote meetings, the government said Thursday, in the latest warning about the platform’s security,

Around 58 per cent of Pakistan total coronavirus cases are locally transmitted, data released by the National Command and Operation Centre revealed on Thursday. As of Thursday, the total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has increased to 6,865 with 128 deaths.

WAM / Agencies