Here are the latest updates of the coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus latest - summary
- The United Kingdom became Europe's second worst-hit country on Wednesday after fatalities from care homes were included in official figures. It has now recorded more than 26,000 deaths. (More details in our live blog below).
- 'Most EU states' want Brussels to suspend refunds for cancelled flights law
- The World Health Organisation said it will reconvene its Emergency Committee on Thursday — three months to the day after declaring a global public health emergency
- The United States has recorded more than one million coronavirus cases — a third of the global total — while COVID-19 has now killed more Americans than the Vietnam War
- Most French businesses - except cafés, bars, and restaurants - can reopen on May 11
- Spain will lift lockdown restrictions in a series of phases, but schools will not reopen
- Nearly 18,000 more people with cancer 'could die sooner than they would have'
- German economy is set to contract by 6%, economic think tank says
- Coronavirus testing to be expanded in the UK
- Trump says US could test international air travellers for coronavirus
- EU will consider debt relief for African countries
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Live ended
UK second worst-hit in Europe by COVID-19
That's all from our live blog from tonight; Join us tomorrow, Thursday, from 0600 CEST for more updates.
'Most EU states' want Brussels to suspend refunds for cancelled flights law
EU states want Brussels to suspend refunds for cancelled flights law
A dozen EU states today called on Brussels to temporarily suspend a European law granting refunds for cancelled flights.Prague protest over Czech government's lockdown policy
Hundreds of people have been protesting what they say is a chaotic response by the Czech government to the coronavirus pandemic.
The organizers, who were behind the recent massive demonstrations against Prime Minister Andrej Babis, have asked the participants to keep the two-meter (two-yard) distance from one another in line with the government’s rule.
Wearing mandatory face masks, the protesters in Prague’s Letna park carried banners with comments such as “Let our children get back to schools!” or ”Why did we have to make our face masks by ourselves?”.
The day-to-day increase in new cases of COVID-19 in the Czech Republic has been under one hundred for a week, according to Health Ministry figures. (AP)
Nearly half of world’s workers 'risk losing livelihoods' over COVID-19 lockdowns
More on our earlier story (blog post 1445 CEST) on the International Labour Organization's warning about the potential impact of coronavirus lockdowns. Here's our report... Watch ILO Director-General Guy Ryder's comments in the video player:
Nearly half of world’s workers risk losing their livelihoods, says ILO
The ILO estimates that 1.6 billion people are in “severe danger” of losing between 60 and 80 per cent of their incomeDentists in France post nude photos to highlight lack of protective gear
Dentists in France have posted naked photos of themselves on social media in an effort to draw attention to their need for personal protective equipment.
With the hashtag #dentistesapoil, meaning "naked dentists", they've gone au naturel to show how it feels to be asked to work without protection. More below...:
French MPs approve COVID-19 tracing app despite privacy concerns
French MPs have approved the launch of a COVID-19 tracing app, as part of a wide-range set of measures for easing a national lockdown.
The app, named StopCovid, will be one of the first of its kind to be launched by a European government. Health agencies believe mobile phones can help efforts to track who COVID-19-infected people have been in contact with.
But there are concerns about how the data could be used after the crisis. Here's See Ryan Thompson's report below:
Germany expects sharp recovery in economy in 2021
Germany's economy minister on Wednesday said the government is predicting a 6.3% drop in its GDP because of the new coronavirus pandemic, but is predicting a sharp recovery in 2021.
Peter Altmaier told reporters in Berlin that by the end of second quarter of 2020 the country was likely to see a contraction of about 11% of GDP before signs of improvement, due to widespread lockdown measures put in place to slow the spread of the new virus.
The country has already embarked upon cautious steps to relax those measures and Altmaier said he hoped the government will be able to move ahead with more normalisation of the economy if the initial steps aren't seen to have again significantly increased the rate of infections.
At least 160,479 infections of the new coronavirus have been recorded in Germany, with 6,314 deaths, according to government figures.(AP)
Swiss minister apologises for warning against international travel until 2021
Switzerland's Economics Secretary of State has apologised after warning citizens not to travel internationally until 2021.
The comments triggered outcry within the country's tourism industry. More here:
Swiss Secretary apologises for warning against international travel
Erik Jacob had said that uncertainty in the aviation industry was likely to remain for a considerable period of time, but has since clarified his comments and says they were a "personal recommendation".Graduates struggling for job leads amid COVID-19 lockdown uncertainty
Young people are seeing uncertainty engulf their employment prospects amid the pandemic. What should the EU do to help? Read on:
Graduates struggling for job leads amid lockdown uncertainty
Now is a tough time for everyone, especially job-hunting graduates. Recruitment specialists say young people should use the time to improve their skills.Experimental drug remdesivir shortens COVID-19 recovery time: Study
COVID-19 kills more Americans than the Vietnam War
Italy records 323 new COVID-19 fatalities
DJ Bob Sinclar to perform from Arc de Triomphe on May 4
French COVID-19 death toll rises by 427
Online queries to buy hydroxychloroquine surge by 1,300% in the US: Study
'Over a million' have recovered from COVID-19: WHO
UK second worst-hit in Europe by COVID-19
Sweden has taken 'strong, strategic approach' to tackle COVID: WHO
‘We must not gamble away the progress we’ve made’
WHO 'aware' of reports of rare Kawasaki Syndrome seen in children
UK is struggling on COVID-19 testing pledge
WHO urges countries to 'work in unison'
WHO emergency committee to reconvene tomorrow
WHO head defends organisation's track record
Swiss shops, restaurants, museums, and schools to reopen May 11
EU approves France's €5 billion loan guarantee to Renault
Germany faces worst recession in 50 years: Minister
"We will experience the worst recession in the history of the federal republic," Altmaier said.
"The effects of the coronavirus pandemic will push our economy into a recession after 10 years of growth," he added.
The government forecasts GDP will rebound by 5.2% in 2021.
The forecast is more conservative than the one issued earlier this month by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which predicted that Germany's growth would contract 7% this year.
Ireland 'not ready yet' to ease lockdown - PM Varadkar
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said Ireland's COVID-19 figures do not yet justify an easing of lockdown restrictions.
He said the numbers relating to new deaths and cases, and intensive care admissions "just aren't good enough yet". However the prime minister added that an exit strategy from the lockdown would be announced by the weekend.
Ireland's lockdown introduced on March 28 runs until May 5.
Varadkar strongly denied that the decision not to ease restrictions yet was linked to testing capacity, an area where he said Ireland was performing 6th out of the EU's 27 countries.
Ireland has reported 1,159 COVID-19 related deaths and 19,877 confirmed cases.
Sweden reports over 20,000 COVID-19 cases
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Sweden has topped 20,000, according to latest official figures. Numbers rose by 681 to a total of 20,302.
The number of reported deaths over a 24-hour period rose by 107 to 2,462.
The Swedish government has announced plans to increase testing to between 50,000-100,000 a week.
Sweden's lockdown is less strict than in other countries but people are strongly advised to stay at home and respect social distancing guidelines. Gatherings of more than 50 people are banned, as are visits to care homes, while universities and high schools are closed.
India death toll tops 1,000, far fewer cases than feared
India reported on Wednesday a total of 1,000 deaths from coronavirus overall, with just over 31,000 confirmed cases, AFP reports.
The tally is much lower than had been feared in the world's second most populous country (1.3 billion inhabitants), where the health system is fragile and many people live in shantytowns in close contact with others.
Some experts say the reasons for the relatively low numbers are unknown -- although due to poor testing it's thought the actual figures could be a lot higher.
The country's strict national lockdown has been in place since March 25. Other factors mentioned as possibly having had an impact include the relatively young population, and also the nationwide programme of BGC vaccinations against tuberculosis. Several studies into this last factor have suggested a link, without providing any definitive proof.
The lockdown however is having a drastic impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. Many of the poorest have been left without income, often travelling hundreds of kilometres on foot from cities to return to their home villages.
Alcohol consumption slightly down in Belgium: Survey
Half of world's workforce at risk of losing livelihoods: ILO
US GDP contracts 4.8% in first quarter
Hotel chain offers rooms to the elderly to relieve pressure on care homes
World Bank allocates €180.5 million to poorest 64 countries to tackle COVID-19
France's temporary unemployment scheme extended to June 1
Boeing reveals plan to layoff 10% of its workforce
EU states want Brussels to suspend refunds for cancelled flights law
It comes amid anger from passengers who had their flights cancelled because of the coronavirus lockdowns but were only offered vouchers in compensation.
European regulations say passengers must be offered a refund if a flight is cancelled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE.
Return of 'exiled' Parisians will have to be organised: French Transport Secretary of State
Refugees prepare thousands of meals for frontline workers in Portugal
"I've decided to help because Portugal has helped me and my family when we passed through very difficult moments. To help people who have difficulties is a real pleasure for me," said Cameroonian refugee Nadege Ilick who has been working in a solidarity kitchen.
The initiative has already distributed more than 9,000 meals.
Watch the full report here:
German economy set to contract by 6%, leading economic think tank says
Europe's largest economy will contract by at least 6% in 2020, the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich said.
Michael Bauer, a professor at Hamburg University, told Euronews that there were a lot of open questions about how long the lockdown would last and its effects on the economy.
"When we reopen the economy, what will consumer spending do... will there be another wave of infections?" Bauer said, explaining what the open questions were on Europe's economic future.
He said that there could be a strong recovery in the latter half of the year and next year.
Watch the full interview here:
Russia coronavirus cases near 100,000
Another 105 people were confirmed to have died of the virus bringing the death toll to 972.
President Vladimir Putin recently extended coronavirus restrictions in Russia until at least May 11.
Spain records 325 deaths in 24 hours, a number slightly higher than the previous day
There are currently 212,917 registered coronavirus cases, with 24,275 deaths from the pandemic. The death toll was 453 higher than yesterday due to deaths calculated from previous days.
Despite the hundreds of daily deaths in Spain, the government announced plans to reopen the economy in May as part of phased reopening of the country.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and fiancée Carrie Symonds announce birth of their baby boy
Carrie Symonds, 32, gave birth to "a healthy baby boy at a London hospital earlier this morning'', a statement from Boris Johnson's office said on Wednesday, adding that both mother and child are doing "doing well".
The birth came just two days after Johnson returned to work in London after contracting COVID-19 earlier in the month and spending a week in hospital.
Symonds also had symptoms of COVID-19 and self-isolated earlier in the month.
The child is the couple's first together. Johnson, 55, is already a father to four children —two daughters and two sons.
Read more: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and fiancée Carrie Symonds announce birth of their baby boy
Research suggests coronavirus could spread through air
The peer-reviewed study was published in Nature on April 27 and found that the virus may be present in aerosols.
The researchers found that in patient areas with good ventilation, the virus was undetectable. It was in smaller, more confined spaces such as patient toilets that the virus was detected in aerosols.
"Our results indicate that room ventilation, open space, sanitisation of protective apparel, and proper use and disinfection of toilet areas can effectively limit the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in aerosols," the researchers said.
Viruses that are airborne include measles, chickenpox, and tuberculosis.
Coronavirus testing expanded in the United Kingdom
Symptomatic members of their household will also be eligible for testing.
Anyone who must continue working and who has coronavirus symptoms will also be able to get a test, the government has said.
"Expansion of our testing programme protects our most vulnerable and keeps people safe," said health secretary Matt Hancock in a statement.
It's part of an effort to reach 100,000 tests daily in the UK by Thursday. There are currently 73,400 coronavirus tests per day.
EU Council President says African debt relief will be discussed with member states
It's a topic that is being discussed already in some member states.
French President Emmanuel Macron is one leader favourable to cancelling debt which is worth hundreds of billions of euros.
African finance ministers recently called for a coordinated debt relief amid the COVID-19 crisis in a UN Economic Commission for Africa statement.
Deaths in people with cancer could rise by 20% during pandemic, new analysis says
Scientists at the University College London (UCL) and DATA-CAN: The Health Data Research Hub for Cancer in the UK analysed health records of 3.5 million patients in England.
The additional deaths are in part due to the researchers' finding that there has been "a 76% decrease in urgent referrals from GPs for people with suspected cancers and a 60% decrease in chemotherapy appointments for cancer patients compared to pre-COVID-19 levels."
"There are many factors operating here including rapid changes to diagnosis and treatment protocols, social distancing measures, changes in people’s behaviour in seeking medical attention and the economic impact of COVID-19, as well as deaths due to COVID-19 infection," said senior author Harry Hemingway, the director of UCL's Institute of Health Informatics.
Eight of the ten additional deaths could be in people with underlying conditions such as obesity, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease, the research (currently in preprint) says.
Credit rating agency downgrades Italy's rating
They lowered the country's rating to BBB- which is the last rating in the good credit category.
Fitch estimates that government debt in Italy will be 156% of GDP by at the end of 2020.
The rating came early with the agency not set to review Italy until July.
"The other rating agencies have indeed taken a more conservative stance," said economy minister Roberto Gualtieri in a statement, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Trump orders meat packing plans open amid fears of food supply shortage
The order came after some plants had to cut production due to coronavirus outbreaks.
"The food supply chain is breaking," warned John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. Tyson is one of the largest meat processing companies in the world.
France and Spain announce plans to reopen economies
France and Spain unveiled plans on Tuesday to reopen their economies.
The goal "is to recover daily life without putting collective health at risk," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said.
The school year in Spain will not restart until September, the Spanish prime minister said as he announced a phased lifting of restrictions.
In France, some primary schools and childcare will reopen on May 11 but high schools are unlikely to start until June.
Most businesses will be able to open on May 11 but cafés, bars, and restaurants will remain closed.
Both France and Spain are still recording hundreds of deaths a day from coronavirus.
Read more: https://www.euronews.com/2020/04/28/coronavirus-what-are-the-key-points-of-france-s-lockdown-exit-plan
US passes one million coronavirus cases
There are now more than one million coronavirus cases in the United States, meaning the country accounts for roughly a third of global infections.
Yet even as cases increase in the US, some states are working to reopen businesses as people begin to look ahead to a new normal.
A part of that new normal could involve testing international travellers for coronavirus, the US president said on Tuesday.
“We’re looking at doing it on the international flights coming out of areas that are heavily infected," Trump said, according to AP.
“We will be looking into that in the very near future."
Meanwhile, the US state of Ohio held a primary election by mail-in ballot. Joe Biden, the presumed Democratic candidate, won the vote.