Coronavirus latest updates: Global death toll passes 102,000
Coronavirus latest: at a glance
A summary of the biggest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak
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Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Global death
toll passes 102,000
According to
researchers at Johns Hopkins University, at least 102,764 people have died as a
result of the pandemic. The Baltimore institution says overall 1,698,416 people
have been infected, while 376,677 have recovered.
US cases
surpass 500,000
The number
of coronavirus cases in the US has now surpassed 500,000, according to the John
Hopkins University global dashboard.
Singapore
suspends the use of Zoom by teachers
Singapore
has suspended the use of video-conferencing tool Zoom by teachers after “very
serious incidents” in the first week of a coronavirus lockdown that has seen
schools move to home-based learning. One incident involved obscene images
appearing on screens and strange men making lewd comments during the streaming
of a geography lesson with teenage girls, media reports said.
Britons
urged to resist warm weather and stay home
Britons have
been urged to resist visiting their local beach or park over the Easter weekend
as temperatures were expected to soar to 26C in some areas, including London.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said the Easter weekend will be a “test of
the nation’s resolve” as he issued another warning to the public to “stay at
home” amid the coronavirus crisis. Boris Johnson remains in hospital.
WHO warns of
‘deadly resurgence’ if controls lifted too soon
The World
Health Organization has warned that a premature lifting of restrictions on
peoples’ movements by countries fighting the coronavirus pandemic could spark a
“deadly resurgence”. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO, said it
was working with countries on ways in which lockdowns could be gradually eased,
but said doing so too quickly could be dangerous.
Uruguay
evacuates Australians and New Zealanders from cruise ship
The 112
Australians and New Zealanders stuck on board a coronavirus-stricken Antarctic
cruise ship have finally disembarked in Uruguay. The ship has been anchored off
the coast of South America for the last 14 days. At least six Americans, five
British citizens and passengers from other countries, as well 83 crew members,
remain on the the Greg Mortimer, a ship operated by Australias Aurora
Expeditions. Arrangements for their evacuation are still being made.
G20 minister
fail to broker agreement on oil
The G20’s
energy ministers appeared to have failed to broker an agreement on oil
production in a virtual meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia on Friday. They released
a statement saying the G20 would do it all it could to bring stability to the
world energy market but did not say if oil producers such as Saudi, Russia and
Mexico had been able to agree on cutting output to lift prices.
Trump
promises to listen to expert advice on reopening economy
The US
president said he is creating a second taskforce that will include a council
tasked with deciding when to ease restrictions. But Donald Trump, who has
repeatedly pushed the idea, insists he is not determined to reopen the economy
if he is advised that to do so would endanger public health.
Apple and
Google team up to use phones to track coronavirus spread
Apple and
Google announced Friday an unprecedented collaboration to leverage smartphone
technology to help trace and contain the spread of coronavirus. Concerns are
already being raised about the effectiveness of such technology and privacy
concerns surrounding its implementation.
South Korea
plans tracking wristbands for people who defy quarantine
South Korea
has announced plans to strap tracking wristbands on people who ignore
quarantine orders, with officials warning that stricter controls were required
to enforce self-isolation rules. Some of the 57,000 people who are under orders
to stay home have apparently slipped out by leaving behind their smartphones,
which are currently used to monitor movement.
