New York state virus death toll surpasses 10,000: Live updates

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he believes ‘the worst is over’ as hospitalisations appear to plateau.

People are seen wearing protective masks and gloves during the coronavirus pandemic on April 12, 2020 in New York City. COVID-19 has spread to most countries around the world, claiming over 110,000 li
  • China has reported the highest number of new coronavirus cases (108) in nearly six weeks.

  • The death rate in Italy, Spain and France – three of the countries worst-affected by the coronavirus – appears to be slowing.

  • New York state’s death toll tops 10,000

  • Russia records its highest daily jump in coronavirus cases with 2,558 new infections. 

  • Globally, more than 118,000 people have died while more than 446,000 have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Monday, April 13

22:15 GMT – Trump plays campaign-style video defending his coronavirus response

Amid criticism over Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus, the US president played a campaign style video put together by White House staffers defending his actions.

The criticism comes after recent reports suggested that the White House was warned of the potential deadly cost of the virus’s spread before taking action and putting in place mitigation efforts.

Trump had previously denied seeing a January 30 memo by a senior US official warning of mass casualties and economic devastation from the new coronavirus, months before the pandemic began inflicting thousands of deaths in the US.

Trump had also denied knowing about US intelligence warnings that were reportedly made as early as November about a contagion that had the potential to lead to a “cataclysmic event”.

Asked about the report last week, Trump said he learned about the gravity of the crisis shortly before announcing travel restrictions on China on January 31.

22:00 GMT – Fauci says Trump listened to his advice about coronavirus mitigation

Top US health expert Dr Anthony Fauci said on Monday that President Donald Trump listened to his advice when he recommended that mitigation efforts be taken to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Fauci made the comments after saying in a separate interview that lives could have been saved if the country had shut down sooner during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Trump retweeted a call to fire Fauci after that interview, but the White House said on Monday Trump did not intend to part ways with the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

21:00 GMT – IMF to provide debt relief for 25 countries

The International Monetary Fund said it would provide immediate debt service relief to 25 member countries under its Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust to allow them to focus their scarce resources on fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in a statement said the Fund’s executive board on Monday approved the first batch of countries to receive grants to cover their debt service obligations to the Fund for an initial six months.

She said the CCRT currently had about $500m in resources, including new pledges of $185m from Britain, $100m from Japan, and undisclosed amounts from China, the Netherlands and others. The Fund is pushing to raise the amount available to $1.4bn.

COVID-19 adds to DR Congo’s multiple health crises (02:18)

20:20 GMT – Coronavirus: Why are Africans in China being targeted?

African students and expatriates in China have reportedly been evicted from their homes, tested for coronavirus several times and are being shunned in public.

The incidents have sparked a diplomatic dispute with the African Union, African governments and the United States.

So, is this a new form of racism? Or is it just Beijing trying to curb the pandemic?

Watch here.

19:39 GMT – G20 health ministers to speak next week about coronavirus

Health ministers from the Group of 20 major economies will speak by video conference on April 19 to address the impact of the new coronavirus on the global health sector and society, the Saudi G20 secretariat said.

The meeting follows last month’s virtual meeting of G20 leaders, who tasked the health ministers with sharing national best practices and developing a set of urgent actions for the G20 to jointly combat the pandemic.

18:31 GMT – Nigeria to extend lockdowns for 14 more days

Nigeria will extends lockdowns in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states for an additional 14 days to combat the new coronavirus, President Muhammadu Buhari said in an address to the nation.

Initial 14-day lockdowns in the three states began on March 30. Buhari said it was crucial to extend the lockdown due to an “alarming” increase in positive cases in a number of states .

“It is a matter of life and death,” Buhari said of the nation’s response.

18:28 GMT – France’s Macron extends lockdown until May 11

French President Emmanuel Macron announced he was extending a virtual lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak until May 11, adding that progress had been made but the battle not yet won.

“Over the next four weeks, the rules must be respected,” the president said in a televised address to the nation.

He said that by May 11, France would be able to test every citizen presenting COVID-19 symptoms.

17:56 GMT – South Africa cases rise to 2,272, deaths at 27

South Africa has recorded 99 new coronavirus cases, taking the total in the country to 2,272, health minister Zweli Mkhike said.

The country has also recorded a further two deaths from the virus, increasing the death toll to 27, Mkhize told participants of a Zoom meeting with media, scientists, academics and others that was also broadcast on television.

17:55 GMT – French death toll rises by 574 to 14,967

The death toll in France from the new coronavirus outbreak has risen to 14,967 from 14,393 a day earlier, the French public health authority said.

The body added 6,821 patients were currently in intensive care units, down from 6,845 on Sunday.

The health authority said it was important to remain vigilant because hospitals were still taking in a very large number of patients.

Why are Africans in China being targeted? (25:00)

17:20 GMT – UK expects deaths curve to plateau for 2-3 weeks

Britain should expect the number of daily deaths from coronavirus to continue to rise this week, followed by a plateau for a period of two to three weeks, the government’s chief scientific adviser said.

“You’d expect that (the plateau) to go on for two or three weeks but I can’t be absolutely sure on the time of that,” said Patrick Vallance at a daily government news conference.

After the plateau, the number of daily deaths should begin to decrease, he added.

16:43 GMT – Turkey’s death toll rises by 98 to 1,296

Turkey’s confirmed cases of the coronavirus increased by 4,093 in the past 24 hours, and another 98 people have died, taking the death toll to 1,296, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

The total number of cases in the country stood at 61,049, he said.

A total of 3,957 people have recovered so far, and the number of tests carried out over the past 24 hours was 34,456, the minister said.

16:16 GMT – In Pictures: The effects of lockdown in Bangladesh

The nationwide general holiday in Bangladesh has been extended until April 25 as the country tries to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

See the pictures here.

Bangladesh [Mahmud Hossain Opu]
Half of the infections in Bangladesh were reported in the capital Dhaka [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]

16:12 GMT – Ukraine president offers $1m for virus vaccine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has promised a $1m reward to the country’s scientists if they manage to develop a coronavirus vaccine, his spokeswoman said.

The president “believes a million dollars is a good incentive”, his spokeswoman Yuliya Mendel said in a statement sent to AFP news agency, with the aim being to develop a vaccine that would “save hundreds of thousands of lives”.

Zelenskyy “really wants Ukrainian scientists to work more actively towards developing medicines that will help the whole world”, Mendel said.

16:10 GMT – Turkey to impose fresh lockdown next weekend

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would impose a fresh lockdown next weekend as part of measures to halt the spread of COVID-19, having locked down 31 provinces last weekend.

Erdogan was speaking after a cabinet meeting. The 48-hour curfew lifted overnight covered all the country’s major cities including its commercial hub Istanbul, which is home to 16 million residents.

Streets remain quite in New York City
A cyclist crosses a street on Park Avenue, remaining nearly empty in New York City [Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu]

15:51 GMT – New York state virus death toll passes 10,000

The death toll from the new coronavirus in New York state – the US epicentre of the deadly pandemic – has passed 10,000, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Cuomo said 671 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities in the state to 10,056.

He also said that he believed “the worst is over” as hospitalisations appeared to be reaching a plateau.

15:48 GMT – Singapore confirms 386 cases in biggest daily jump

Singapore’s health ministry confirmed another 386 cases of coronavirus infections in the city-state’s biggest daily jump, taking its total to 2,918.

A large number of the new cases are linked to outbreaks in migrant workers’ dormitories.

15:44 GMT – Canada coronavirus deaths rise by almost nine percent to 734

The number of people killed by the coronavirus in Canada rose by almost nine percent in a day to 734, official data posted by the public health agency showed.

By 11am eastern time (15:00 GMT), the total number of those diagnosed with the coronavirus had risen to 24,804.

The respective figures at the same time on Sunday were 674 deaths and 23,719 positive diagnoses.

15:00 GMT – Russia must prepare for worst-case scenario: Putin

The coronavirus situation is getting worse in Russia, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Monday, adding that the Defence Ministry’s resources, such as assistance by military medical staff, would be used to tackle the crisis if needed.

Putin, who was speaking at a meeting with senior officials broadcast on state television, said the situation was constantly changing and that the next few weeks would prove decisive in its battle to halt the contagion.

He said preparations must anticipate “any possible scenarios, including the most difficult and extraordinary”.

Read more here.

14:10 GMT – The life of a New York City doctor

A lonely waiting-room chair sits in a quiet hallway between the ambulance bay and the trauma room at a hospital in New York City’s Manhattan borough. This is where Dr Cleavon Gilman goes to make the phone calls he dreads most.

“They know when I call them up, what I’m about to say next,” he tells Al Jazeera. “I say that your [loved one] has died, and it’s almost like, a shock first: ‘What?’ And then this shrill cry and sobbing on the phone.”

Read more here.

NYC doctor
Dr Cleavon Gilman sits in the chair where he makes his hardest calls [Courtesy of Dr Cleavon Gilman]

14:06 GMT – US sailor from coronavirus-hit ship dies

A US Navy sailor died after contracting the coronavirus, marking the first death of a sailor assigned to the coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.

The sailor, who had been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in Guam last week, died from coronavirus-related complications, the Navy said in a statement.

Read more here.

14:04 GMT – UK death toll rises to 11,329, up by 717

A total of 11,329 people have died in hospitals across the United Kingdom after testing positive for coronavirus, up by 717 in a day, the health ministry said.

The number of confirmed cases has risen by 4,342 to a national tally of 88,621.

The deaths numbers are as of 5pm (16:00 GMT) on Sunday, while the confirmed cases numbers are as of 9am (08:00 GMT) on Monday.

14:01 GMT


Hello, I am Tamila Varshalomidze in Doha, taking over the blog from my colleague Saba Aziz.


Are US health insurance companies covering COVID-19 patients? (03:29)

12:30 GMT – US Democrats call on Republicans for coronavirus bill

The two top Democrats in the US Congress called on Republicans to work towards new bipartisan coronavirus legislation, citing a lack of funding for the national testing needed to begin to reopen the US economy.

Two days ago, Republicans renewed their push for a $250bn measure to help small businesses cope with the pandemic while doubling down on their opposition to Democratic efforts to broaden the legislation to include other provisions.

“We have real problems facing this country, and it’s time for the Republicans to quit the political posturing by proposing bills they know will not pass either chamber and get serious and work with us towards a solution,” House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

12:25 GMT – UK conducts 18,000 tests in 24 hours

A total of 18,000 tests for coronavirus were conducted in the UK in 24 hours and the country was making good progress towards its target of 100,000 daily tests, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. 

The spokesman said the 18,000 figure applied to the 24 hours up to 08:00 GMT on Sunday and excluded Northern Ireland.

“New capacity is coming on stream all of the time and I think we are making good progress,” the spokesman said.

12:10 GMT – UK’s Johnson focused on recovery

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will follow medical advice on when he should return to work, his spokesman said, declining to speculate on how long his full recovery from the coronavirus might take.

“He was only released from hospital yesterday and any decisions which he makes in relation to when he returns to government work will be following the advice of his medical team,” the spokesman said.

Johnson tested negative for coronavirus before he left St Thomas’ Hospital in central London on Sunday and is continuing his recovery at his country residence of Chequers, the spokesman added

UK doctors warn of dire shortage of protective equipment

12:00 GMT – Indonesian Muslims advised to limit Ramadan activities

Indonesia’s top Islamic scholars urged Muslims in the country to follow government advice and limit religious activities to their homes during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

The Indonesian Ulema Council clarified the provision was not intended to curb prayers and worship during Ramadan, but was only a measure to help the country in its fight against COVID-19.

“Keep the house as the centre of activity and avoid concentration of worshippers in one spot,” said Asrorun Niam Sholeh, a spokesman for the council. 

11:55 GMT – Pope: Protect women from domestic violence during lockdowns 

Pope Francis said society had to stand behind female victims of domestic violence, as abuse increased around the world during coronavirus lockdowns.

The pope, speaking on a religious and national holiday in Italy and other countries, praised women in frontline roles in helping society weather the crisis, mentioning doctors, nurses, police officers, prison guards and sales staff in stores selling essential goods.

epa08357968 Pope Francis leads the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, behind closed door due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Vatican, 11 April 2020.  EPA-EFE/REMO
Pope Francis led the Easter Vigil Mass in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican behind closed doors due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease [Remo Casilli/EPA-EFE]

But, speaking from his official library rather than from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square, Francis said: “Sometimes they (women) risk being victims of violence in a cohabitation that they bear like a weight that is far too heavy.”

“Let us pray for them, so the Lord grants them strength and that our communities support them along with their families,” he said.

11:20 GMT – Three Turkish prisoners die of coronavirus

Three Turkish prisoners have died from the coronavirus, Turkey’s justice minister said, as he announced the first cases of convicts diagnosed with the disease.

A total of 17 convicts in five open prisons have contracted the virus, Abdulhamit Gul told reporters in the capital, Ankara.

“Three of them unfortunately died during their treatment in hospital,” he said.

Read more here.

10:30 GMT – Spain loosens lockdown restrictions

Hundreds of thousands of people were allowed to return to work for the first time since a coronavirus outbreak in Spain caused the government to impose a lockdown, according to dpa news agency.

People in regions of Spain where Easter Monday is not a national holiday were allowed to leave their homes to go to work in a slight relaxation of a lockdown that has been in place since last month.

Some businesses, including construction and manufacturing, were allowed to reopen, but most of the population is still confined to their homes, and shops, bars and public spaces will remain closed until at least April 26.

Coronavirus precautions in Spain
Lockdown restrictions have helped slow a spiralling death rate that reached its peak in early April  [Burak Akbulut/Anadolu] 

10:20 GMT – Yemen’s Houthis release prisoners to stem COVID-19 spread

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have released more than 2,000 prisoners to prevent the spread of coronavirus in areas they control, the group announced.

Rebel-linked chief prosecutor Nabil al-Azani said in a statement that the group had released 2,361 prisoners since mid-March as part of precautionary measures against the virus.

He added that certain criteria were applied on those who were released, including serving three-quarters of their sentences and good conduct.

10:00 GMT – Coronavirus ‘disaster in the making’ in war-torn Syria

Experts have warned that a coronavirus disaster looms in war-torn Syria, where hospitals are unable to meet existing needs and hygiene conditions are dire.

They have also accused Damascus of minimising its death toll for political motives.

Read the full story.

09:45 GMT – Police collect nearly 800 bodies from Ecuador’s virus epicentre

Ecuador has said police removed almost 800 bodies in recent weeks from homes in Guayaquil, the epicentre of the country’s coronavirus outbreak, after COVID-19 – the disease caused by the new virus – overwhelmed emergency services, hospitals and funeral parlours.

Mortuary workers in the Pacific port city have been unable to cope with a backlog, with residents posting videos on social media showing abandoned bodies in the streets.

Read more here.

Coronavirus Continues To Overwhelm Guayaquil
In the Jardines de Esperanza cemetery in Guayaquil, boxes with coffins continue to arrive to be buried in Pascuales, Guayaquil [Eduardo Maquilon/Getty Images]

09:40 GMT – Spain’s daily death toll falls again with 517 dead

Spain’s overnight death toll from the coronavirus fell to 517 from Sunday’s 619, bringing the total death toll to 17,489, the health ministry said, adding that it was the smallest proportional daily increase since tracking began.

The ministry said in a statement that overall cases rose to 169,496 from 166,019. 

09:34 GMT – Iran reports 111 new deaths from coronavirus 

Iran’s death toll from the new coronavirus has risen to 4,585, with 111 deaths overnight, a health ministry official tweeted, adding the total number of infected cases had reached 73,303 in the most-affected Middle Eastern country.

“Fortunately 45,983 of those infected with the virus have recovered … There were 1,617 new infected cases in the past 24 hours,” tweeted Alireza Vahabzadeh, an adviser to Iran’s health minister.

Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state TV that 3,877 of those infected with the new coronavirus were in a critical condition. 

09:20 GMT – Thousands of Indian seafarers stranded due to virus curbs

Indian seafarers
The stranded Indian crew members on board MSC Grandiosa, currently docked in Italy [Al Jazeera]

Tens of thousands of Indian crew members, stranded on cargo and cruise ships across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, are still waiting to be brought home.

“The Indian government has abandoned all of us in the sea,” Anand Kumar, one of the Indian crew members on MSC Divina cruise ship anchored near the port of Miami in the United States, told Al Jazeera.

Read more here

09:10 GMT – Indonesia reports 316 new coronavirus cases, 26 deaths

Indonesia announced 316 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,557, according to data provided by a health ministry official, Achmad Yurianto.

Yurianto said there were also 26 new coronavirus-related deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 399.

Read morefor all the confirmed cases around the world. 

Malaysia’s indigenous people hit hard during coronavirus lockdown

08:47 GMT – South Africa evacuates nationals from Nigeria

South Africa airlifted some 136 of its nationals in the Nigerian capital, Lagos, to become the ninth country to do so from the West African country over the novel coronavirus outbreak, Nigerian local media reported.

The South Africa Airways SA2259 flight, which arrived on Sunday afternoon in Nigeria, departed from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at night en route to Johannesburg, the Vanguard news website reported. 

08:45 GMT – Italian FA hopes for return to training in May

Italy’s football federation hopes that players can be tested for the new coronavirus at the start of May to prepare for the season to restart, its president Gabriele Gravina has said.

Serie A has been suspended since March 9 because of the coronavirus outbreak and it is still not clear when, or if, the season can resume. Players at a number of clubs have been infected.

A man stands outside the San Siro stadium after the Inter Milan v Sampdoria Serie A match was cancelled due to an outbreak of the coronavirus in Lombardy and Veneto, in Milan
There are still 12 rounds of matches to be played in the Seria A, in addition to several outstanding fixtures [Daniele Mascolo/Reuters]

08:20 GMT – Number of people entering China cut by 90 percent

China has reduced the number of people crossing its borders by 90 percent as part of its efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, an immigration official said. 

Speaking at a news briefing, Liu Haitao, an official with the National Immigration Administration, said the number of cases was still rising in the countries along China’s borders.

China was working to limit all non-essential crossings, but it remained a challenge to control the large number of mountain passes, ferries and roads along the country’s long border, he added.

Daily Life In Beijing After China Declared Epidemic Contained
Commuters wear protective masks and keep their distance in a subway during Monday rush hour on April 13, 2020 in Beijing, China [Lintao Zhang/Getty Images]

07:55 GMT – Russia reports record daily rise of coronavirus cases

Russia reported 2,558 new cases of the novel coronavirus, a record daily rise, bringing its overall nationwide tally to 18,328.

Russia’s coronavirus crisis response centre said that 148 people diagnosed with the virus have died so far, an overnight rise of 18.

Russia: New measures may not be enough to deal with COVID-19

07:34 GMT – China rejects discrimination claims against Africans

China said there was no discrimination against “African brothers” in the country and rejected US accusations of mistreatment of Africans in Guangzhou as an attempt to harm Beijing’s relations with African nations.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the comments during a daily briefing in response to accusations from the US government that authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou were taking measures targeting Africans in the city.

Read more here

07:10 GMT – 3.7 million Kazakhs seek state aid over coronavirus emergency

Some 3.7 million Kazakhs, or 20 percent of the oil-exporting Central Asian nation’s population, have applied for financial aid offered by the government because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the cabinet said.

Of those applications, about 1.8 million have already been approved, labour minister Birzhan Nurymbetov told a news briefing.

The Nur-Sultan government has offered to pay 42,500 tenge (about $100) per month to every citizen who loses their source of income during the emergency period, which began on March 16 and is expected to last at least until the end of April.

06:40 GMT – S Korea to ship 600,000 testing kits to US: Reuters

South Korea plans to send 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to the United States on Tuesday in the first such shipment following a request from US President Donald Trump, a Seoul official told Reuters news agency.

Trump made the request for testing kits in a telephone call on March 25 with President Moon Jae-in, as the United States was grappling with fast-growing outbreaks in many states.

A US Federal Emergency Management Agency cargo plane carrying the equipment is scheduled to leave at 10:30 pm (13:30 GMT) on Tuesday, the official said on condition of anonymity, due to the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue.

What’s behind a global shortage of equipment to protect people against coronavirus? | Inside Story

06:30 GMT – Germany’s cases rise by 2,537 with 126 new deaths

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Germany has risen by 2,537 to 123,016, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. 

That was lower than a 2,821 increase reported on Sunday, and marked the third decline after four days of increases.

The reported death toll has risen by 126 to 2,799.

Hello, this is Saba Aziz in Doha. I’m taking over this blog from my colleague Kate Mayberry


05:30 GMT –

I’m handing over this blog to my colleagues in Doha.

A summary of this morning’s major developments:

  • President Emmanuel Macron is due to address France later on Monday, but is expected to tell the French that a nationwide lockdown must remain in force.
  • Australia and New Zealand seem to be “flattening the curve” but both countries say it is too soon to ease their lockdowns.
  • China and South Korea continue to report more cases of coronavirus in people arriving from overseas.
  • AP is reporting there have been at least 3,300 deaths in care homes across the United States.

05:15 GMT – Malaysia trade ministry website crashes as businesses apply to operate

The website of Malaysia’s International Trade and Industry Ministry was inaccessible on Monday as businesses rushed to apply for permission to operate during the third phase of the country’s lockdown.

Companies were told they had to apply online and that applications would be open from 9am (01:00 GMT).

Malaysia has said more industries can operate in the next two weeks of the shutdown providing they adhere to distancing and health control guidelines.

04:35 GMT – Asian leaders to hold virtual summit on COVID-19 outbreak

The leaders of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will meet their counterparts in China, Japan and South Korea on Tuesday for a virtual summit on COVID-19.

The summit, led by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, will discuss “ways and means of cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic”, a statement from Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will also attend.

The ASEAN countries will first meet separately.

04:20 GMT – Australia, New Zealand say too soon to ease restrictions

Officials in New Zealand and Australia say they are not prepared to start easing social distancing rules or reopening their economies yet, even as the rate of new coronavirus cases slows.

New Zealand recorded its fifth death from the coronavirus on Monday, while new confirmed cases rose only by 15.

In Australia, the number of new confirmed cases rose by 33, the slowest rate in a month. The country has recorded 61 deaths. Health Minister Greg Hunt said it was too soon to relax restrictions.

“Now is the time to stay the course, to continue with these, self-isolation and social distancing,” Hunt said in a televised briefing. “These are producing real reductions in the rate of growth.”

Australia
Lifeguards try to remove surfers who took to the water during the Easter Long Weekend in Sydney amid a nationwide lockdown [Joel Carrett/EPA]

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said a decision on whether to extend the nationwide shutdown and state of national emergency declared in late March, will be made on April 20.

“Our number of cases may be small, but that doesn’t mean we have yet been successful in hunting this virus down,” Ardern said. 

03:30 GMT – Macron expected to tell France lockdown must continue

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to warn France later on Monday that ts lockdown to combat the coronavirus must go on for several more weeks at least.

Macron is due to give this third prime-time televised address to the nation on the epidemic from the Elysee Palace just after 8pm (18:00 GMT).

The country has been under lockdown since March 17, and there are now signs the outbreak is beginning to stabilise.

Some 315 deaths were reported on Sunday, compared with 345 the previous day. Altogether, 14,393 people have died, according to the health ministry.

03:20 GMT – Japan’s Hokkaido declares second state of emergency

Hokkaido, in northern Japan, has declared a state of emergency for a second time, after seeing double-digit increases in confirmed coronavirus cases for five consecutive days.

Hokkaido lifted its previous emergency on March 19.

03:10 GMT – Shinzo Abe under fire over ‘Stay Home’ tweet

A “stay home” message tweeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has drawn angry reactions on social media with some accusing him of being insensitive to people who cannot rest at home because the government’s social distancing measures do not come with compensation. 

The offending tweet showed Abe on his sofa at home, cuddling his dog, reading a book and – looking rather bored – using the remote control for the television.

Abe declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures last Tuesday, asking people to stay home and reduce human interactions by as much as 80 percent, but many people continue to go to work because their employers have yet to adopt home-working.

01:40 GMT – South Korea reports 25 new cases

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says South Korea confirmed 25 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, down from 32 the day before. 

The country had a peak of 909 cases on February 29, but has brought that down through aggressive testing, isolation and contact tracing.

00:40 GMT – China grapples with more imported cases of coronavirus

China has just released its latest coronavirus update.

The National Health Commission says there were 108 new cases of the virus at the end of April 12, and that all but 10 of those cases were imported from outside the country. There were no new cases reported in Hubei, where the outbreak first began late last year, but there were two more deaths.

00:15 GMT – Care home deaths in US probably exceed 3,300: AP

The Associated Press news agency estimates more than 3,300 deaths in the US can be linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing and care homes.

Based on media reports and state health department updates, AP says there have been at least 3,323 deaths, an increase of 450 in 10 days.

Coronavirus Economy
The Life Care Center of Kirkland was linked to a number of cases in the northwestern state of Washington early in the US coronavirus outbreak [File: Karen Ducey/Reuters]

About one million, mostly elderly, Americans live in care homes.

00:00 GMT – Erdogan rejects minister’s resignation over weekend curfew

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected the resignation of his interior minister, who had said he would quit after a much-criticised weekend curfew to tackle the coronavirus outbreak which caught millions of people by surprise.

—-

I’m Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur with Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read all the updates from April 12 here.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies