FACTBOX - The latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

A health worker takes a nasal swab of a person for a Covid-19 test at a hospital in New Delhi, India. India has overtaken Russia to become the third worst-affected nation by the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Manish Swarup/AP

A health worker takes a nasal swab of a person for a Covid-19 test at a hospital in New Delhi, India. India has overtaken Russia to become the third worst-affected nation by the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Manish Swarup/AP

Published Jul 7, 2020

Share

The World Health Organization is

reviewing a report urging it to update guidance on the novel

coronavirus after more than 200 scientists, in a letter to the

health agency, outlined evidence the virus can spread in tiny

airborne particles.

EUROPE

* Germany has only a few hundred doses of Covid-19 antiviral

remdesivir, the country's health minister told European Union

lawmakers, urging to move production of the drug to Europe.

* France is creating three beefed-up ministries to spearhead

its recovery from coronavirus turmoil.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* India's death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surpassed

20 000 on Tuesday and case numbers surged as the south Asian

nation pushed ahead with relaxations to its almost two-month

lockdown amid grim economic forecasts.

* Hundreds of police officers and army troops are being

deployed to enforce the closure of the busy border between

Australia's two most populous states as officials grapple to

contain a fresh coronavirus outbreak.

* New Zealand said its national airline will not take new

bookings for three weeks as the country looks to limit the

number of citizens returning home to reduce the burden on

overflowing quarantine facilities.

AMERICAS

* President Donald Trump said US schools must open in the

fall - a decision over which he has limited power - as cases

surged nationwide by the tens of thousands and the death toll

topped 130 000.

* Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she has tested

positive for COovid-19, but has not shown symptoms of the

illness.

* Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he had undergone

another test for the novel coronavirus and his lungs were

"clean," after local media reported he had symptoms associated

with the disease.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Israel reimposed a series of restrictions to fight a spike

in infections, including the immediate closure of bars, gyms and

event halls.

* The number of confirmed cases in Qatar exceeded 100 000

and Kuwait surpassed 50 000 on Monday.

* Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a phased

reopening of the country from a COVID-19 lockdown, lifting

restrictions on travel in and out of the capital Nairobi and

allowing air travel to resume.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* China's Sinovac Biotech is starting Phase III

trials of its potential coronavirus vaccine in Brazil.

* The US FDA has granted emergency use authorization to

Becton Dickinson and Co for a Covid-19 antigen test that

can be administered at the point of care and produce results

within 15 minutes.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* A high-profile pandemic aid program protected about 51.1

million American jobs, the Trump administration said, as it

revealed how $521.4 billion in taxpayer cash was injected into

small businesses but also into the pockets of the rich and

famous.

* Japan's household spending fell at the fastest pace on

record in May, pushing the world's third-largest economy deeper

into decline.

* Philippine inflation picked up faster than expected in

June as economic activity gradually resumed with the easing of

one of the world's longest lockdowns.

* New Zealand business confidence improved slightly in the

June quarter but businesses remain pessimistic about general

economic conditions over the coming months, a private think tank

said.

Reuters

Related Topics:

coronavirus