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Boris Johnson says UK is 'past the peak' of COVID-19 as he leads the daily briefing - watch in the video player and read our blog posts below
UK COVID-19 deaths increase by 674 in the last 24 hours, with 6,032 new infections
The PM promises a "comprehensive plan" next week for easing the lockdown
France and Italy in recession, Spain GDP in record fall, German unemployment soars
European Central Bank ramps up measures to cushion Europe's economic plunge
EU Commissioner Vestager lukewarm over plans to cancel flights refund scheme
Spain records lowest number of daily deaths in over a month -- 268 in 24 hours
'Clear-cut' evidence drug remdesivir shortens coronavirus recovery time
Trump will not extend social distancing guidelines even as US death toll passes 60,000
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Boris Johnson promises COVID-19 lockdown exit plan next week
The British prime minister, leading the daily coronavirus briefing for the first time since his return to work after being hospitalised earlier this month, said the UK was "past the peak" and on a "downward slope".
But he set no date for easing the lockdown, instead saying he would announce a "comprehensive plan" next week, and setting out conditions to be met.
It comes as other European countries have set out dates for reopening businesses and schools.
The Conservative government is also under pressure over the country's testing programme and rising deaths, especially in care homes.
Full story here:
COVID-19: Boris Johnson promises UK lockdown exit plan next week
The UK Prime Minister said five key tests must be met to ease lockdowns, to avoid a second spike in coronavirus cases.That's it for tonight. Join us for more live updates on Friday from 0600 CEST.
How and when do European countries plan to ease lockdown restrictions?
Most European countries have been setting out tentative plans to ease lockdowns imposed to combat the spread of the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus.
Here is a look at the state of play in a selection of them.
Bosnia: Lockdown failure led to virus case spike in Republika Srpska
Authorities in Bosnia's semi-autonomous Serb-run territory said that a failure to enforce strict social distancing over Orthodox Easter has led to a sharp spike in newly registered coronavirus cases.
Bosnian Serb authorities tolerated gatherings in several churches, despite Republika Srpska's restrictions on public activity during Orthodox Easter on April 19.
Epidemiologists in Republika Srpska reported Thursday that 53 confirmed virus cases were recorded in the region over the past 24 hours.
A day earlier, the region registered 59 new cases, more than on any other single day since Bosnia's coronavirus outbreak started in early March.
People have been urged to continue practicing social distancing and to keep wearing face masks in public despite the gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions that began this week.
Republika Srpska and a Bosniak-Croat federation make up ethnically divided Bosnia, which has a population of 3.5 million.
So far, over 35,000 people in the country have been tested for the novel coronavirus.
Officials reported that total COVID-19 confirmed cases during the pandemic reached 1,757 as of Thursday, including 69 deaths. (AP)
Russian PM tests positive to COVID-19
Mikhail Mishustin, Russia's Prime Minister, revealed he has contracted the virus and has told President Putin he needs to self-isolate.
"As a result, I must observe self-isolation and fulfill my doctors’ orders, which is necessary to protect my colleagues," he added.
Mishustin, 54 was named prime minister in January.
First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov will temporarily perform Mishustin’s duties, AP reports.
French death toll now at 24,376
France releases COVID-19 map
Italy's death toll rises by 285
Johnson 4/ Boris Johnson's briefing was followed by a video to illustrate the importance of getting infection rates down.
The prime minister said it was vital not to lose control and hit a "bigger mountain". The fifth test meant that nothing should lift the 'R' rate of infection above 1 -- the figure meaning a rate where every person with COVID-19 infects one other.
Boris Johnson's caution reflected a series of tweets he put out an hour or so before the briefing:
Johnson 3/ The 5 tests to satisfy in order to ease the lockdown are...
i) ensure the NHS (UK health service) is protected and able to cope
ii) there must be a sustained fall in deaths
iii) we must be sure the infection rate is falling
iv) we must be able to overcome operational and logistical challenges over PPE (personal protective equipment)
v) and most importantly, the government must be sure that measures taken do not risk a second spike in coronavirus cases that would overwhelm the NHS
Johnson 2/ The UK prime minister does not give a date for easing lockdown restrictions, but set out steps to be achieved in order to continue to suppress the disease and restart the economy.
He said he would set out a "comprehensive" plan for reopening schools and restarting the economy next week.
Boris Johnson said the government would be guided by science and would aim for a "maximum political consensus".
He said there were 5 key tests to satisfy...
Johnson 1/ Boris Johnson says for the first time the UK is "past the peak" of the disease and "on the downward slope".
He began the briefing by giving the latest figures: another 674 deaths in 24 hours since yesterday, making a total of 26,711 in all.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 6,032 in a day to 171,253.
The number of tests rose from just above 52,000 on Tuesday to 81,611 yesterday.
More people are leaving hospital after being treated for COVID-19. The number stands at 15,043 - down from 15,359 yesterday.
EU Commissioner Vestager lukewarm over plans to cancel flight refund scheme
Margrethe Vestager, the EU Commission's Executive Vice-President, has expressed caution over plans by a majority of member states to wave mandatory refunds for cancelled flights to help European airlines hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Euronews broke the news on Wednesday that transport ministers from a majority of the bloc's member states were lobbying the Commission to suspend rules forcing airlines to offer full refunds instead of a voucher for future travel.
The push, spearheaded by France and the Netherlands, aims to offer a financial lifeline to struggling airlines.
See Vestager's interview with Euronews Political Editor Darren McCaffrey:
Coronavirus: EU's Vestager lukewarm on plans to cancel flight refunds
A majority of member states are lobbying to suspend a rule that forces airlines to offer a full refund for cancelled flights. Margrethe Vestager, the EU's Competition czar, warned on Thursday that "some people may need the money".Swedish town spreads manure to deter festival goers
The spring festival of Valborg at Lund in southern Sweden usually attracts tens of thousands of visitors, especially students.
It's a spontaneous event so can't just be officially cancelled amid the pandemic.
The authorities, however, are not just asking people to stay away from the traditional "Valborg night" in the main park on Thursday.
They're also spreading a tonne of chicken dung on the ground in the hope that this will put people off.
"It smells terribly bad", the head of Lund's environmental service told AFP.
The town hopes to kill two birds with one stone: the manure should help maintain the park's lawn as well as keep visitors away.
Food markets open across Ukraine after protests
All 872 food markets across Ukraine have been allowed to open again from today, as the authorities prepare to ease lockdown measures in place since March 12.
It follows protests by business owners and farmers at the damaging economic impact.
Ukrainians going to shop in the markets have to wear face masks and observe social distancing rules, enforced by inspectors who can also check people's temperatures.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said lockdown measures will be lifted gradually from May 11 if there is no spike in new infections. The country has reported over 10,000 coronavirus cases and more than 250 deaths.
Slovakia: under 10 new COVID-19 cases for 5th straight day
Slovakia has reported a daily increase in positive COVID-19 cases of under 10 for the fifth consecutive day. The overall total in the country stands at just over 4,500 cases, and 23 deaths.
The government adopted strict restrictions on movement and it has been compulsory to wear face masks in public. The success of the measures has made it possible to begin relaxing them.
The new coalition led by Prime Minister Igor Matovic won a mandatory confidence vote in Parliament on Thursday. His centre-right Ordinary People made fighting corruption a central campaign theme in an election in February, and won 25% of the vote.
Africa: COVID-19 cases up by over a third in a week
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says coronavirus cases across the continent have increased 37% in the past week. The continent now has more than 36,000 cases including more than 1,500 deaths.
While Africa’s capacity to test for the virus is growing, shortages of test kits remain.
South Africa, which has the most cases in Africa with more than 5,300, has been praised for testing assertively and will slightly loosen a five-week lockdown on Friday. (AP)
European Central Bank ramps up measures to cushion economic plunge
The European Central Bank is ramping up its measures to cushion the region against a record economic downturn caused by the lockdowns.
The ECB lowered the interest rate on cheap loans it provides to banks. It also offered new credit lines to banks. This comes on top of already announced stimulus efforts that include an ongoing 750 billion euros in bond purchases.
Official figures showed the eurozone economy contracted by a record 3.8% in the first three months of the year, worse than the drop in 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crash. Across the EU the drop was 3.5%, the statistics agency Eurostat reported.
Unemployment rose only slightly however, from 7.3% in February to 7.4% in March. Millions of workers are being supported by short-term government programmes.
Figures from France and Italy showed both countries fell into recession, while Spain's economy reported a record fall.
More detail from Alice Tidey here:
France and Italy in recession as Spain sees record GDP decline
euronewsThe devastating impact of the coronavirus lockdowns came into sharp focus today when the latest economic data was released.30 million have sought US jobless aid since virus hit
More than 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the U.S. economy slid further into a crisis that is becoming the most devastating since the 1930s.
Roughly 30.3 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the six weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began.
It adds up to more than one in six American workers. (AP)
UK veteran raising millions amid COVID-19 promoted to colonel on 100th birthday
A British Second World War veteran raising millions of euros for healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic has been promoted on his 100th birthday.
Captain Tom Moore has raised nearly £30m (€34.3m) for the UK's national health service (NHS) - a huge leap past his initial hopes of raising just £1,000 (€1,145).
Read more:
Captain Tom Moore promoted to colonel on 100th birthday
The Second World War veteran has been raising millions of euros for healthcare workers during the coronavirus crisis by walking laps of his garden.Czech Republic goes another day without virus death
Nobody died of COVID-19 in the Czech Republic on Wednesday, the second day without a fatality this month after April 15.
So far, 227 people have died in the Czech Republic, according to Health Ministry figures released Thursday, after more than 7,500 have been tested positive.
The day-to-day increase of the new cases has been under 100 for the eighth day and less than 10 died daily since April 13.
It is now possible for the government to gradually ease its restrictive measures adopted to contain the pandemic.(AP)
Belgium to hire 2,000 call centre staff to track COVID-19 cases
Their role will be to speak to people who have the virus, figure out who they have been in contact with, and then notify anyone they think may have contracted it.
The initiative comes as European states prepare to make the transition out of lockdown without a spike in cases as citizens return to work, schools and public spaces.
More below:
Belgium to hire 2,000 call centre staff to track COVID-19 cases
The investigators will work the phones and connect the dots of who could be spreading coronavirus.Belgium's overcrowded prisons a 'powder keg' for infections
Prisoners are among those forgotten during the pandemic. In countries like Belgium, their situation was already precarious, now it is a powder keg.
We spoke to inmates who complain of poor hygiene and say it's impossible to maintain social distancing.
Watch and read the report from our Brussels bureau:
COVID-19: Belgium's overcrowded prisons a 'powder keg' for infections
"Since 23 April, I wash myself with water. I had to wash my cell by myself with just water. I picked up the dirt of the prisoner before. What more can I say? The situation here is very bad."Spain records lowest number of daily deaths in over a month
There have been a total of 24,543 deaths in Spain and 213,435 cases, the health ministry said.
Spain is one of several European countries looking to relax social distancing measures over the next few weeks.
Without health, there is no economy, WHO says
The World Health Organisation's regional director for Europe said that even countries with the best health systems can be overwhelmed, proving that health should be a top issue.
"Health really deserves to be at the top of the political agenda … it is a driver of the economy. Without health there is no economy, without health there is no national security," said the WHO's Hans Kluge at a press conference.
Kluge said the pandemic had also showed the need for countries to make decisions quickly.
World Health Organisation encourages people to continue getting vaccinated during coronavirus pandemic
Spain's GDP drops 5.2% due to coronavirus pandemic
Spain's GDP fell by 5.2% in the first quarter due to the coronavirus outbreak, the country's national institute for statistics said.
Spain had recorded a 2% growth in its GDP in 2019, but now the Bank of Spain expects an unprecedented decline of 6.6% to 13.6% of the GDP.
Spain is the fourth largest economy in the eurozone.
France's national institute of statistics said on Thursday that GDP fell by 5.8% in the first quarter.
Coronavirus cases in Russia pass 100,000
The death toll also rose to more than 1,000 people on Thursday.
Most of the cases were in Moscow and St Petersburg. There is currently a lockdown in place until May 11.
Number of unemployed increases by 13.2% in Germany, Labour Ministry says
The number of people unemployed increased by 13.2% in Germany in April, its largest increase in a month since 1991, the German Labour Ministry announced on Thursday.
There are now some 2,644,000 people who are unemployed in Germany with a total rate that has climbed to 5.8%, AFP reports.
Partial unemployment was claimed for another 10.1 million workers, the ministry said.
Switzerland reopens sooner than planned as UK still in 'dangerous moment'
Meanwhile, the UK government said the country is at a "dangerous moment" as the death toll rose to more than 26,000 with figures from care homes.
Other European countries are slowly planning to reopen their economies in phases.
Watch the full report here:
Reduction in air pollution leads to 11,000 fewer deaths in Europe, study says
A reduction in air pollution due to coronavirus lockdowns has resulted in 11,000 fewer deaths, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
The research shows a "40% reduction in average level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution and 10% reduction in average level of particulate matter pollution over the past 30 days".
The researchers estimated that 2,083 premature deaths due to air pollution had been avoided in Germany and 1,752 avoided in the United Kingdom.
The avoided deaths come from a reduction in coal burning and oil consumption.
The new centre was founded in Helsinki in 2019 and researchers used air quality data from more than 1,200 official stations to conduct their analysis.
French GDP falls by 5.8%, in biggest drop since 1949
France's GDP fell by 5.8%, in its biggest drop since 1949, according to the country's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
It was larger than recorded decreases of 1.6% in 2009 and 5.3% in 1968 and is linked to the closure of "non-essential" activities during the coronavirus lockdown.
Household consumption dropped by 6.1% and both exports and imports fell.
France is set to reopen some schools and activities on May 11 as it eases lockdown restrictions.
'Clear cut' evidence drug Remdesivir helps coronavirus recovery time
A potential coronavirus treatment has shown success in speeding up the recovery time in people with severe illness, a new study shows.
The median recovery time for patients given remdesivir was 11 days compared to 15 days for those who received a placebo.
Patients who received the drug remdesivir had a 31% faster time to recovery than those who received a placebo.
"The data shows that Remdesivir has a clear cut significant positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery," said Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which sponsored the study.
The study of 1063 patients with coronavirus also showed a mortality rate of 8.0% for the group receiving remdesivir versus 11.6% for the placebo group.
Remdesivir interferes with an enzyme that helps RNA viruses to replicate and has been shown to be successful against coronaviruses in laboratory studies.
It was initially developed to help treat Ebola during the outbreak in West Africa.
There are several major global studies of the drug which is manufactured by Gilead Sciences in the United States.
Full story below:
Remdesivir drug reduces recovery time from COVID-19, says study
euronewsRemdesivir interferes with an enzyme that helps RNA viruses to replicate and has been shown to be successful against coronaviruses in laboratory studies.US death toll passes 60,000 but social distancing guidelines won't be extended
The US coronavirus death toll passed 60,000 on Wednesday, a limit that President Donald Trump had projected as an upper limit in the country.
“The minimum number was 100,000 lives, and I think we’ll be substantially under that number,” Trump said on April 10, according to the AP.
“Hard to believe that if you had 60,000 — you could never be happy, but that’s a lot fewer than we were originally told and thinking.”
Trump said he would not extend social distancing guidelines due to expire Thursday.
South Korea records no new domestic cases
The country had the largest outbreak outside of China in February but has been largely lauded for its mass testing program to manage the epidemic.