13/05/2020 - 23:08 GMT+2

Britain's iconic Old Vic theatre facing financial collapse due to pandemic

London's Old Vic theatre has had to furlough most of its staff since the government shut down cultural institutions around the country to contain the spread of the deadly virus. No date yet has been set for when theatres and cinemas may be allowed to reopen.

Other theatres are also under pressure, including the Nottingham Playhouse. Its artistic director told Euronews that "the arts and theatre specifically do need more help (than other sectors) because until we can get back on our feet, until we can get the audiences in, we're not going to be able to become financially stable."

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13/05/2020 - 22:05 GMT+2

US COVID-19 death toll increases to 82,246

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the number of fatalities from the pandemic increased by 1,426 over the previous day, bringing the death toll to 82,246.

The number of confirmed cases rose by 21,467 to 1,364,061.

13/05/2020 - 21:50 GMT+2

Only 5% of the Spanish population was infected by COVID-19: Minister

Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa has released results from a government study that found that only 5% of the country's population was infected with COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.

13/05/2020 - 20:50 GMT+2

Coronavirus: France records sharp drop in crime during lockdown

Recorded cases of thefts, sexual violence and burglaries have fallen across France since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, official statistics show.

The most noticeable decline pertained to non-violent thefts on people with some 4,000 victims identified last week, down from 12,000 during the same week in 2019 and nearly 14,000 in the first week of March.

Thefts involving vehicles have meanwhile more than halved since the beginning of March to reach 4,500 last week. Law enforcement noted, however, that this represented a "significant" rise from the previous week when fewer than 4,000 instances had been recorded.

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13/05/2020 - 20:21 GMT+2

Russia records more than 10,000 new cases for 11th day in a row

A further 10,028 infections were recorded in Russia over the previous 24 hours, the country's Coronavirus Crisis Centre said on Wednesday.

It's the 11th consecutive day that the country has recorded more than 10,000 new cases.

With 242,271 confirmed cases, Russia is now second to the US in terms of infections.

Its death toll currently stands at 2,212 after a one-day increase of 96 fatalities.

13/05/2020 - 20:10 GMT+2

Italian COVID-19 death toll now over 31,000

The latest figures from the Health Ministry revealed that a further 195 people succumbed to the novel coronavirus in Italy over the past 24 hours.

The number of known COVID-19 fatalities in the country now stands at 31,106.

Italian has so far recorded 222,104 infections.

13/05/2020 - 20:02 GMT+2

French coronavirus death toll passes 27,000, with 83 new deaths

The number of people who have died in France of coronavirus passed 27,000 on Wednesday as authorities announced 83 new deaths.

The number of patients in intensive care in France continues to decrease, the French health authority said. From the first time since 24 March, there were less than 2,500 patients in intensive care (2,428).

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed 27,074 people in France since 1 March.

13/05/2020 - 19:53 GMT+2

Greece to reopen some beaches from Saturday

Greece will allow the reopening of some beaches on Saturday when a heat wave is expected to hit the country.

The Civil Protection Agency has said the measure would affect 515 beaches in Greece, where shade umbrellas must be planted at least 4 meters (13 feet) apart, and a maximum 40 people will be allowed per 1,000 square meters of beach.

It’s part of the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in the country.

On Wednesday, health officials announced 16 confirmed infections and three more deaths, bringing the total to 2,760 and 155, respectively.

13/05/2020 - 19:42 GMT+2

100-year-old Russian woman recovers from coronavirus

A Moscow hospital has discharged a 100-year-old woman after she successfully recovered from the new coronavirus Wednesday.

Pelageya Poyarkova was admitted to a hospital for treatment after being diagnosed with the virus at an early stage.

"Despite a certain number of complications in her cardiovascular system, she turned out to be a tough grandma," said Vsevolod Belousov, a doctor at the hospital where Poyarkova was treated.

"She didn't have to go to intensive care, she was in the ward the whole time and received the standard therapy: anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-coagulants," he added.

Upon here recovery, she was greeted by a crowd of journalists who brought gifts and flowers, and then wheeled out of the hospital by a volunteer to return home.

Russia has recorded 242,271 official cases of the coronavirus, with 48,003 official recoveries.

13/05/2020 - 19:29 GMT+2

Coronavirus: UK should have quarantined airport arrivals 'much earlier' in COVID-19 outbreak

Introducing a two-week quarantine on travellers arriving into UK airports should have been done much earlier in the outbreak, an expert has told Euronews.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans for the isolation measure as he addressed the nation on Sunday (May 10) evening and laid out a plan for gradually easing the country’s COVID-19 lockdown.

He said that with the transmission rate of the disease now “significantly lower” it was time to introduce the quarantine.

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13/05/2020 - 18:45 GMT+2

UK PM unveils €680 million package for care homes

Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that the government would invest £600 million (€680 million) to control the novel coronavirus in the country's care homes.

The Prime Minister described the number of deaths from COVID-19 in care homes as "too high".

Fatalities in care homes account for 40% of the COVID-19 death toll in England and Wales.

13/05/2020 - 18:44 GMT+2

COVID-19 pandemic to shrink the world economy by 3.2% for 2020: UN

The United Nations forecasts that the COVID-19 pandemic will shrink the world economy by 3.2% this year, the organization said on Wednesday.

13/05/2020 - 18:24 GMT+2

UK to extend working hours for construction industry

Britain's Housing and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick stressed that the housing marking has always "been key to recovery and revival" of the country's economy.

He announced that the government is taking "further steps" to support safe housebuilding including allowing more flexible working hours.

Construction companies will therefore be allowed to extend their working hours to 9pm Monday to Saturday in residential areas and beyond that in non-residential areas.

Jenrick argued this will make it "much easier for sites to observe social distancing, take the pressure off public transport".

13/05/2020 - 18:18 GMT+2

Britain's lockdown exit strategy in more detail

Jenrick also offered more detail about the country's lockdown exit strategy.

Phase 1 started this week with people allowed to move house and to meet one person outside their household in an outdoor setting. Jenrick also encouraged those who cannot work from home to speak to their employers about going back to work.

Phase 2 will begin on June 1 -- if the data says it's safe -- will see some primary schools reopen as well as some non-essential shops. Cultural and sporting events should also be allowed to restart but will take place behind closed doors.

Phase 3 will start "no earlier than July 4" with more businesses and premises allowed to reopen their doors including leisure centres and places of worship.

13/05/2020 - 18:08 GMT+2

UK death toll now at 33,186

Britain's Housing and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that 494 people have died from COVID-19 over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities above 33,000.

The number of confirmed cases has meanwhile risen by 3,242 to 229,705 with more than 87,000 tests carried out on Tuesday.

13/05/2020 - 17:49 GMT+2

Majority of Britons think government's lockdown exit strategy is unclear: Poll

According to pollster YouGov, 65% of the British public think that the government's message on easing lockdown has not been clear.

13/05/2020 - 17:38 GMT+2

Forced repatriation of migrants must be suspended because of COVID-19: UN

The United Nations Network on Migration (IOM) called on Wednesday for nations to "suspend forced returns during the pandemic, in order to protect the health of migrants and communities, and uphold the human rights of all migrants, regardless of status."

The IOM said that it is concerned by reports that some countries are using forced returns as a measure to contain to spread of COVID-19.

"Forced returns can intensify serious public health risks for everyone – migrants, public officials, health workers, social workers and both host and origin communities. Forced returns place additional strain on countries of return," it also argued.

13/05/2020 - 17:26 GMT+2

French Planned Parenthood group asks for abortion delay extension in France after lockdown

French doctors, MPs and rights groups have called for France's limit for women to have abortions, which currently is 12 weeks, to be extended to 14 weeks.

They fear an increase of abortion requests in the next weeks following the country's two-months lockdown that was lifted on Monday.

"What is important today is to guarantee to all women the choice to have an abortion and to guarantee all methods," Sarah Durocher, the president of Planning familial, the French equivalent to Planned parenthood, said on Wednesday.

The recent decision to extend to 9 weeks the legal limit for medicinal abortions is a "first step" but "doesn't solve everything", the group and other participants, which included doctors and MPs, said during a digital meeting.

13/05/2020 - 16:57 GMT+2

Watch live: UK government gives COVID-19 update

Watch live as the UK government gives an update on COVID-19 from 18:00 CET by clicking on the video player above.

13/05/2020 - 16:49 GMT+2

Volkswagen to stop production again for a few days due to low demand

German carmaker Volkswagen said on Wednesday it will stop production for a few days due to low demand for cars.

The Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, just reopened at the end of April after weeks of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On 15, 20, 25 and 29 May, the factory will reduce hours and fully close two assembly lines.

"The number of orders coming in is desperately low," president of the Volkswagen board Bernd Osterloh said.

Car sales dropped in March and April in Europe. According to Moody's, the car sector is expected to shrink by 20% in 2020 around the world. In Europe, it could drop as much as 35%.

13/05/2020 - 16:16 GMT+2

Coronavirus lockdown: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia re-open borders to each other

Baltic trio Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia will open their borders to each other from Friday (May 15) after having so far avoiding the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citizens of each country will be free to move across the area, but anyone entering from outside will have to go into quarantine.

Watch the video in the player above | READ OUR FULL ARTICLE

13/05/2020 - 15:48 GMT+2

New Zealand reports no new cases for second day in a row

New Zealand reported zero new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, the second day in a row without any new cases.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said it was encouraging news as the country prepared to ease many of its lockdown restrictions starting at midnight.

Most businesses, including shopping centres, retail stores and sit-down restaurants, will be able to reopen.

Social distancing rules will remain in place and gatherings will be limited to 10 people.

The lifting of restrictions coincide with the release of the government's annual budget on Thursday.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Southern Hemisphere nation faces the most challenging economic conditions since the Great Depression because of the virus.

"New Zealand is about to enter a very tough winter,'' she said.

"But every winter eventually is followed by spring, and if we make the right choices we can get New Zealanders back to work and our economy moving quickly again."

13/05/2020 - 15:29 GMT+2

US Federal Reserve warns of prolonged recession from coronavirus crisis

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned on Wednesday of the threat of a prolonged recession resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.

He urged the US Congress and the White House to act further to prevent long-lasting economic damage.

The Fed and US Congress have taken far-reaching steps to try to counter what is likely to be a severe downturn resulting from the widespread shutdown of the U.S. economy.

But Powell warned that there still could be widespread bankruptcies among small business and extended unemployment for many people.

"Deeper and longer recessions can leave behind lasting damage to the productive capacity of the economy,'' the chairman said.

"Avoidable household and business insolvencies can weigh on growth for years to come.''

The U.S. government "ought to do what we can to avoid these outcomes, and that may require additional policy measures,'' Powell said.

13/05/2020 - 15:16 GMT+2

Confusion persists as England goes its own way in relaxing lockdown rules

Lockdown loosening measures for England are in place from today despite criticism that the rules remain confusing and may endanger the lower-paid.

It comes as the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer extends the furlough scheme until October.

Watch the video in the player above | READ OUR FULL ARTICLE

13/05/2020 - 14:58 GMT+2

Austrian border with Germany to reopen on 15 June

Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15 and border checks would be reduced starting from Friday.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors "as long as the infection figures allow.''

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel to European destinations before other places, such as Asia or North America, but didn't specify when.

Germany's warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until June 14.

"It will certainly be possible to lift the travel warning earlier for Europe than for other destinations - so long as the current positive trend in many countries solidifies,'' Maas said.

"Freedom to travel is part of the foundation of the European project, but in times of corona, Europe must ensure more: the freedom to travel safely."

13/05/2020 - 14:38 GMT+2

Furlough schemes reach 12.4 million workers in France

About 12.4 million workers have been furloughed in France due to the coronavirus pandemic, the French Labour minister Muriel Pénicaud said on Wednesday, confirming a progressive decrease of the state's furlough scheme from June.

As of 11 May, one million businesses had furloughed 12.4 million workers, an increase of 300,000 workers from the previous week. This week-on-week increase was much lower than earlier in March and April.

"We have reached a stage," Pénicaud said on France 2 TV channel. "It's starting to feel like things are picking up again."

13/05/2020 - 14:20 GMT+2

Belgium eases lockdown but 'cultural, sport, entertainment events' still banned until 30 June

All "cultural, sport and entertainment event" will remain banned until 30 June, Belgium's Prime minister Sophie Wilmès said on Wednesday.

The country has started easing its lockdown, with businesses reopening since Monday and schools scheduled to start welcoming students again from 18 May.

But PM Wilmès warned during a press conference on Wednesday that "there will probably be no return to normal this summer".

13/05/2020 - 14:02 GMT+2

Hong Kong reports two new coronavirus cases after 24 virus-free days

Two Hong Kong locals have tested positive for coronavirus, Hong Kong authorities announced on Wednesday. This puts an end to 24 consecutive days without any new local case of coronavirus.

Hong Kong had almost reached the threshold of 28 coronavirus-free days, which is the criteria used by scientists to declare the end of a pandemic.

A 66-year-old woman and her 5-year-old granddaughter have tested positive for coronavirus, the authorities said, adding that these two cases are due to local transmission of the virus.

The woman has not travelled away from Hong Kong and her family hasn't travelled either, nor have they had contact with confirmed cases, Dr Chaung Shuk-kwan explained at a press conference.

Authorities will test the woman's neighbours for the virus.

For the last three weeks, the only new coronavirus cases declared in Hong Kong came from people arriving from abroad, authorities said.

Anyone arriving in Hong Kong is placed under strict quarantine.

13/05/2020 - 13:46 GMT+2

Lebanon to reinstate total lockdown amid spike in infections

Lebanese rushed to food stores to stock up on vegetables and basic items, hours before the government was to reinstate a four-day nationwide lockdown on Wednesday, following a spike in reported coronavirus cases.

The government called on the public to stay home, starting from Wednesday evening and until dawn on Monday, reversing measures earlier this month that phased out restrictions imposed since mid-March.

The new shutdown is a rare reversal and comes as many countries, seeking to balance economic and health care needs, have started easing restrictions despite grave concerns of a setback.

Restaurants will close down after they partially opened 10 days ago, and food deliveries will be halted altogether.

The country's top Sunni Muslim cleric announced that communal Friday prayers in mosques will also be halted, only a week after they were allowed to resume at limited capacity.

The public health crisis comes at a particularly turbulent period for Lebanon. The country is facing an unprecedented economic and financial crisis, putting pressure on a population that is seeing its savings erode.

The currency, pegged at a fixed rate to the dollar since 1997, has lost 60% of its value in a few weeks. Unemployment had been rising even before the coronavirus restrictions as economic growth and investment dropped. Officials say 45% of the population now lives in poverty.

The government has asked the International Monetary Fund for financial assistance, and talks over the rescue plan are due to begin with the IMF later on Wednesday.

Lebanon began a phased-out plan to relax a national lockdown late last month that allowed small businesses to reopen, and shortened a nighttime curfew.

But after a few days of single-digit cases detected, there was a spike in reported infections this week, including among Lebanese returning home during repatriation programs who did not observe quarantine measures.

Lebanon, a country of just over 5 million, has so far been able to contain the virus, recording only 870 infections, including 117 repatriated Lebanese, and 26 deaths

13/05/2020 - 13:36 GMT+2

Norway's top military official in Iraq says virus helps Islamic State

The coronavirus crisis is helping the Islamic State in Iraq, Norway's top military official in Iraq has warned.

Islamic State militants hide in sparsely populated farmlands in Iraq from where they stage attacks on Iraqi forces scrambling to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country, the head of the 70-man Norwegian contingent in this Mideast nation was quoted as saying Wednesday.

Iraq is not just facing the global pandemic but also a resurgence of attacks by the Islamic State group.

The militants "reside in agricultural areas and are thus not particularly susceptible to the virus infection,'' Lt. Col. Stein Grongstad told Norway's VG newspaper.

In recent weeks, they have been targeting Iraqi forces "that are not currently coordinated to the same extent as before the virus struck.''

Grongstad described the situation as a "paradox,'' that at a time when the world is grappling with the pandemic, IS attacks are on the rise.

13/05/2020 - 13:12 GMT+2

France will pay tribute to health workers on Bastille Day

France will pay tribute to health workers during celebrations on the country's Bastille Day, held on 14 July, the spokesperson for the French government said on Wednesday.

The spokesperson added that parks and gardens will remain closed in Paris for now.

13/05/2020 - 12:49 GMT+2

Watch back: European Commission outlines plan for travel and tourism amid COVID-19:

13/05/2020 - 12:36 GMT+2

EU Commission calls for progressive return of tourism

The EU Commission called on Wednesday for the progressive return of tourist activity in EU countries, following the ease of European countrie's lockdowns.

"This will not be a normal summer, but if we make an effort, we won't have to face spending the summer stuck at home, and the summer will not be fully lost for the tourism industry," the executive vice-president of the EU Commission Margrethe Vestager told reporters in Brussels.

13/05/2020 - 12:12 GMT+2

EU Commission publishes travel and tourism plan

The European Commission has just published its new guidance for easing up travel and saving tourism in the EU. It's giving a news conference now, you can watch it here.

Here is an extract from the Commission's statement:

"As the health situation gradually improves, this balance should change, towards a return to the unrestricted free movement of persons and restoring the integrity of the Schengen area, one of the major achievements of European integration. Lifting restrictions is key for the economic recovery. Restricting free movement and reintroducing internal borders harm the Single Market and the smooth operation of supply chains. More than this, they harm our European way of life in a Union where citizens can travel freely across borders, whether as workers, students, family members, or tourists. We must work to restore this key achievement of European integration."

13/05/2020 - 12:05 GMT+2

Germany plans to loosen its border controls this weekend

Germany plans to start loosening its border controls this weekend after two months of restrictions.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Wednesday that checks on the border with Luxembourg will be dropped after Friday. On the borders with France, Switzerland and Austria, all border crossings will be opened — rather than selected ones at present — and authorities will switch to spot rather than systematic checks.

Seehofer said that the aim is to restore free travel across those three borders on June 15, so long as coronavirus infections allow.

Germany imposed checks on its borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg and Denmark on March 16 and people “without a valid reason to travel” haven’t been allowed to cross. Eastern neighbors Poland and the Czech Republic closed their own borders.

Seehofer said Germany is prepared to relax controls on the Danish border, but Denmark is in the process of consulting with its other neighbours. (AP)

13/05/2020 - 10:41 GMT+2

EU summer holiday rescue package?

More on the earlier blog entry (08.54 CEST) on the European Commission's anticipated advice to try to save Europe's tourist season.

The EU wants countries to reopen borders in a coordinated manner. It also wades into the thorny issue of compensation for cancelled flights.

Here's what we know, from Joanna Gill of Euronews' Brussels Bureau:

Summer holiday rescue package? EU set out plan to save your vacation

euronews With lockdowns being lifted and summer months approaching, the EU is looking at how citizens can safely travel - an issue critical for saving the tourism industry.

13/05/2020 - 10:22 GMT+2

Priests detained after religious gathering in Montenegro

Eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests have been detained after several thousand people turned up for a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday that the priests are facing charges of violating health regulations during the virus outbreak by organising Tuesday's event in the western town of Niksic.

People taking part did not wear face masks nor keep distance from each other.

The detentions could heighten tensions between the Montenegrin government and the Serbian Orthodox Church which earlier this year led weeks of protests against a religious law that it says would strip the church of its property.

A country of 620,000 people, Montenegro has reported nine deaths caused by the new coronavirus and more than 300 infections. (with AP)

13/05/2020 - 10:12 GMT+2

Wuhan to test all residents after handful of new infections

Authorities in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began were moving forward Wednesday with efforts to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of fresh infections were found there.

District health commissions and neighborhood committees in Wuhan have been told to develop a plan to test all residents in their jurisdictions, local media reports said. The directive also said the testing should focus on the elderly, densely populated areas and places with mobile populations.

A cluster of six new cases was recently found in one part of the city, the first local infections the government has reported in Wuhan since before the lockdown was eased in early April.

It wasn’t clear how many people would actually still need to be tested, as one expert at Wuhan University told the Global Times newspaper that up to 5 million residents have already been tested since the outbreak began.

The first cases of the new coronavirus were found in Wuhan in December, and by the end of January the government had placed the entire city and the surrounding region, home to more than 50 million people, under a strict lockdown. (AP)

13/05/2020 - 9:59 GMT+2

Coming up on Good Morning Europe...

Hot off the press from presenter Rosie Wright. On the hour and every half hour throughout the morning. Watch here.

13/05/2020 - 9:43 GMT+2

UK economy suffers biggest monthly fall since records began

UK economic output fell by 5.8% in March, the largest monthly fall since records began in 1997, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The pandemic and social distancing measures brought in under the lockdown led to a fall in consumer demand, business and factory closures and supply chain disruptions, the ONS says.

Services, production and construction all took massive hits.

To give an idea of just how devastating the impact has been, the stats body says that over a 13-month period during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, GDP fell by 6.9%.

BUT amid all the gloom there was good news for some: "panic-buying" of some goods led to a boost for a small number of manufacturing industries, the ONS says.

The paper and paper products industry saw record monthly growth of 11.3%, due to demand for the likes of toilet roll, kitchen roll, facial tissues, and paper-based products to meet the needs of the food and medical supplies industries.

13/05/2020 - 9:07 GMT+2

Coronavirus statistics: Latest COVID-19 data

The pace of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak means information is changing all the time. Chris Harris has compiled the latest data on infection hotspots and deaths from the virus -- including a look at key European countries:

Coronavirus: Latest data on new COVID-19 infections and deaths

13/05/2020 - 8:54 GMT+2

EU seeks to save tourist season

The European Commission is due to publish guidance today to try to save the summer tourist season, drastically impacted by the pandemic. It's calling on countries to gradually reopen borders.

It's understood that the Commission will call for coordinated, non-discriminatory action by member states. The guidelines are purely voluntary, as border controls are within the remit of individual countries during the pandemic.

Brussels is calling on countries affected in a similar fashion by the virus to adopt the same measures -- and not open borders with one bordering nation in a different manner to another if their situation is comparable.

If borders are opened then entry to the country should be the same for all the neighbouring nation's inhabitants, not specific groups and regardless of nationality, AFP reports.

Freedom of movement within the Schengen zone is crucial to Europe's tourist industry, a sector which contributes 10% of GDP and 12% of jobs in the EU.

Reports from Austria say the authorities have agreed with Germany to reopen the border between the two countries on June 15, and will reduce checks at the frontier from this Friday.

Austria is said to be seeking similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbours.

13/05/2020 - 8:27 GMT+2

Portugal holds Fatima celebrations without the faithful

Hundreds of thousands of Catholic worshippers traditionally attend ceremonies at the Fatima Sanctuary in Leiria on May 12 and 13.

The photo shows the statue of Our Lady of Fatima being carried during the procession of the candles at the shrine, but this year the dean has asked pilgrims to stay away.

The shrine is cordoned off this year, in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

13/05/2020 - 7:56 GMT+2

Euronews on TV: Good Morning Europe live on air from 0800 CEST

Latest editions on the hour and half-hour. Watch the show here:

Watch euronews TV Live - Television live broadcast | Euronews

Follow the news live on euronews.com – Breaking news, latest news updates, international news, stay informed

13/05/2020 - 7:43 GMT+2

Brazil reports highest daily death toll

Brazil has recorded 881 deaths linked to coronavirus in the latest 24 hour period, its biggest daily toll since the outbreak of the pandemic. Previously the highest number was 751.

The figures from the health ministry put the total number of deaths at more than 12,400. The number of confirmed cases rose by 9,258 in 24 hours to an overall total of 177,589.

Experts in the country of 210 million believe the figures are vastly under-estimated, given the poor testing facilities nationwide. One study estimated the real total could be 15 times higher than the official numbers.

Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro -- who downplays the scale of the health crisis, opposes lockdown measures and has calls for a "return to normal" -- is in the grip of a political battle with state governors and city mayors who are implementing social isolation measures.

The most populous state of Sao Paulo is at the epicentre of the outbreak, while health services in northern and northeastern states are overwhelmed by the crisis, AFP reports.

13/05/2020 - 7:24 GMT+2

Twitter to allow some staff to work from home permanently

Twitter is planning to allow some employees to work from home permanently, even after the end of coronavirus lockdown measures.

The US social media giant is the first major name in the tech industry to take such significant steps concerning home working.

A spokesperson told AFP that if company employees had a role and a situation that allowed home working and they wanted to do so indefinitely, the firm would make it possible.

13/05/2020 - 6:56 GMT+2

England wakes up to eased lockdown rules

People in England have been waking up to looser lockdown restrictions on Wednesday. They can spend more time outdoors, meet one person from outside their household, and play some sports that enable physical distancing.

Some who cannot work from home are being encouraged to return to the workplace.

But Boris Johnson's "stay alert" slogan, replacing "stay at home", has been roundly criticised -- and has exposed major differences of approach between England and the UK's other nations, notably Scotland.

Boris Johnson grilled on 'vague' UK coronavirus lockdown advice

This comes as latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show the economy took a record monthly hit in March (see separate blog post).

ONS data also reveal that over 38,000 people have died from covonavirus in the UK -- more than 33,000 of them in England -- Europe's highest total.

Here's a reminder of the rule changes as announced by the prime minister:

People who cannot work from home should be encouraged to go to work if their business or organisation is allowed to operate
Guidance for businesses on making workplaces secure will be published
People should avoid public transport if possible
People should wear cloth face coverings in enclosed spaces
There are no limits on outdoors exercise, and you can rest in a park or play sports with members of your household or with one other person from another household as long as social distancing is observed
You can drive as far as you like to outdoor spaces
The UK could move to Phase 2 no earlier than 1 June, when there will be a phased reopening of shops, a return for some pupils to school

13/05/2020 - 6:49 GMT+2

Good morning, this is Alasdair Sandford bringing you the latest updates today.

Follow all the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic in our live blog.

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