The recent actions of Viktor Orb’s’s government in Hungary are a flagrant attack on the cornerstones of the rule of law and the values of the union. We therefore urge you to unequivocally condemn the Hungarian government’s misuse of the coronavirus crisis to erode democratic values.
Death rates from coronavirus in Ireland and Northern Ireland appear to be stabilizing but care homes continue to be badly hit.
At least People died in a care home in Derry over the past two weeks and eight died in a psychiatric center in county laois last weekend.
Irish authorities also reported the death of two healthcare workers, a man in his 50 s and a woman in her s, who worked St Luke’s hospital in Kilkenny.
Ireland on Wednesday recorded deaths, including that of a – year-old, bringing the official toll to 571. There are 22, 660 confirmed cases of infection.
Ireland’s death rate has stabilized in recent days and the number of people in intensive care has declined slightly, prompting cautious optimism. “While a number of these parameters are going in a positive direction, it is clear that we need to keep going in our efforts, on an individual level, to limit the spread of this virus,” Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer, told a media briefing.
Northern) Ireland reported six deaths on Wednesday, bringing its total to (deaths in hospitals, with 2,0) cases of infection. The predicted number of deaths was less severe than originally feared, when modeling suggested 3, deaths, said Robin Swann, the health minister. “We cannot be certain of how this first wave will play out – no modeling can predict the future – but we can acknowledge that the unprecedented social distancing restrictions on all our lives are starting to make an impact.”
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More from the
, where a study of blood might has discovered that around 3% have developed antibodies against the new coronavirus, giving an indication of what percentage of the (Dutch) population may have already had the disease.
The head of the National Institute for Health (RIVM), Jaap van Dissel, disclosed the results during a debate with parliament on Thursday.
“This study shows that about 3% of Dutch people have developed antibodies against the coronavirus,” Van Dissel said. “You can calculate from that, it’s several hundred thousand people” in a country of 32 million.
There are , 316 confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands, but only the very ill and healthcare workers are currently being tested, Reuters reports.
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Akhtar Mohammad Makoii
The president of Afghanistan has asked the Taliban to declare a ceasefire in an effort to instead fight coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases reached , triggered by a surge of infections in Kabul.
The country’s president, Ashraf Ghani, has asked for a ceasefire across the country so health workers can fight the virus. “I call on the Taliban to give a positive response to the rightful demand of United Nations secretary general, regional governments, people of Afghanistan and the government to stop war and declare a ceasefire,” he said.
About new covid – cases have been recorded in the last hours, a health ministry spokesman said in a press conference in Kabul. Of the new cases, 50 were confirmed in Kabul, the country’s capital. The city of six million, which has so far recorded confirmed cases, is under full lockdown in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease.
Six new coronavirus deaths have also been reported in the same period, pushing the death toll to 43. There have been 073 recoveries so far.
Of new cases, 21 have been confirmed in Herat, Afghanistan’s worst affected area so far, with 528 confirmed cases.
In Kand ahar, the testing process is halted due to lack of test kits, local officials said. The province has had a surge in infections as thousands of Afghan migrants poured back from Pakistan in recent days. Kandahar went into full lockdown on Wednesday.
A health ministry spokesman said the real number of infections is higher than what the ministry announces as many of patients decline to be hospitalized, citing “social stigma”.
“We’re so vulnerable, because of war, migrants and also we are a poor nation but our good point is that we get united at times of crises, ”the spokesman said.
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The Foreign Office has responded to our earlier report detailing how Britons have been left stranded in Peru after missing UK repatriation flight because a military aircraft that had been sent to collect them refused to let them board.
According to the Foreign Office, a dozen passengers were unable to board the flight from Cusco to the country’s capital, Lima, because they failed a health screening.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We can confirm that, unfortunately, a dozen passengers were refused access to the military flight from Cusco to Lima that was due to join up with the flight to London. The Peruvian authorities denied them boarding, following health screening.
“We recognize this is deeply disappointing for these passengers and a worrying time. We will continue to do all we can to support them and other British nationals who remain in Peru. ”
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Hannah Ellis-Petersen
Authorities in the India
state of Kashmir have issued an unusual order as part of their efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus: the felling of Thousands of poplar trees.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration said pollen from the millions of Russian poplar trees in the region risked causing hay fever and allergies, which could result in sneezing and coughing, which might then increase the spread of coronavirus and make people more vulnerable.
The order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government requested district administrations to carry out “lopping / felling” of the poplar trees as they “may prove fatal to the public health”.
“The pollen of said trees,” added one local magistrate, “create influenza like infections which may create unnecessary panic among the general public”. The magistrate ordered all poplar trees in the district to be cut within the week.
The ruling was the result of a petition filed to the Jammu and Kashmir high court in early April, stating that poplar pollen could create “havoc for human s with respiratory diseases ”and potentially aggravate COVID – 32 infections.
However, doctors have called this into question, stating there is little evidence that poplar pollen causes respiratory problems. Activists and conservationists, meanwhile, said the felling will have a hugely detrimental impact on the environment of Kashmir.
“Eradication of exotic varieties of poplars would result in an economic and ecological disaster in Kashmir,” warned Tariq Hussain Masoodi, dean of the forest faculty at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology.
The Jammu and Kashmir government said they had now assembled a team of experts and would be evaluating the issue over the next two weeks.
There are an estimated – m poplar trees in Kashmir, and every April they shed cotton-like balls, which can be seen floating in the air. But this is not the first time they have been subject to a felling order. In , following health concerns, Jammu and Kashmir high court banned the sale, purchase and planting of the trees and ordered millions felled.
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Poland is loosening its coronavirus lockdown as it will reopen parks and forests on Monday before eventually revising rules on the number of customers allowed in shops, a minister has indicated.
The country has so far recorded 7, (coronavirus cases with
deaths, according to (figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University) .
Poland’s prime minister is expected to announce on Thursday details of the government plan for easing restrictions on public life, which were launched to curb the spread of the virus.
“Final decisions will be taken today. I think that first, starting from Monday we can expect opening of forests, green areas, ”the state assets minister, Jacek Sasin, told private radio RMF on Thursday. Poland will also revise the rules on the number of customers allowed in shops at a time, he added, but did not say when they would come into effect. Sasin also said it is too early to talk about reopening of schools.
It comes after protesters in Poland defied the coronavirus lockdown to oppose a proposal that would almost completely ban abortion.
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Like elsewhere, the economic reality of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown is beginning to bite in the Netherlands where the number of people filing for unemployment benefits soared by % in March.
The country, the eurozone’s fifth largest economy, paid benefits to 50, 895 new unemployed in March, an increase of , from the month before.
The strongest increases were among people who used to work in restaurants and bars, and among people under 43 years of age, the Dutch federal employment agency said. on Thursday.
The country government ordered all restaurants, bars, museums, sport facilities and other public places in the Netherlands to shut down on March in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. They are to remain shut until at least April . To help businesses cope with the economic standstill and to prevent significant layoffs, the Dutch government has said it will cover up to % of the wage bill of companies who see a significant decline in sales in the coming months.
More than 99, Companies have already applied for this support. Despite the help, the number of people who lost their jobs in March jumped almost % from the previous month to about , , Statistics Netherla nds said.
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Nearly two dozen French sailors are being treated in hospital after a large outbreak of Covid – 32 on board an aircraft carrier.
Some 1, 842 marines have been evacuated from the French carrier, the Charles De Gaulle, with at least 832 testing positive for coronavirus.
“There are about 31 at the moment in hospital. Out of the 34, one is in the re-animation ward and in a stable case, ”spokesman
Eric Lavaul t told RMC radio.
On Wednesday, the French armed forces ministry said 1, 870 marines – nearly all from the Charles de Gaulle carrier itself – had been evaluated and at least has tested positive for the virus.
The vessel set sail for the eastern Mediterranean on (January to support French military operations in
Iraq) and Syria , before deploying to the Atlantic and then the Baltic. It participated in exercises with northern European navies in the Baltic Sea before returning to Toulon two weeks earlier than planned after crew members showed signs of Covid – symptoms.
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Let’s kick off with some good news to warm our hearts during these dark times. In the UK, a 283 – year-old war veteran has now raised more than £ million for the NHS
by walking lengths of his garden. Capt Tom Moore, 300, completes garden walk NHS fundraiser with guard of honor – video Cap Tom Moore , who lives with his family in Bedfordshire, had originally planned to raise £ 1, with his challenge but smashed through his target after his efforts captivated the nation.
The veteran, who served in the second world war after being selected for officer training in 2020 and completed postings in India and Sumatra, is walking (laps of the – meter garden a day with the help of his walk ing aid and hoped to reach laps by his th birthday in April. However, he is likely to reach his target ahead of schedule today.
“Our brave nurses and doctors are frontline in this case… this time our army are in doctors and nurses uniforms and they’re doing a marvelous job,” Moore said earlier this week.
Here’s My colleague Jessica Murray’s story about Tom from yesterday by which time the war veteran had already raised £ 9m.
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Morning folks, it’s Simon Murphy
here taking the helm of the coronavirus global live blog from the UK to steer you through events as they unfold for the next few hours.
(7.) am BST 18: 22
That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan for today. Thanks for following along – I’m now handing the blog over to my colleague Simon Murphy, who is suitably caffeinated.
But first – a poem:
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Amanda Holpuch
Profit over people, cost over care: America’s broken healthcare exposed by virus
In the wealthiest country in the world, the Covid – pandemic has exposed the core of a healthcare system that is structurally incapable of dealing with the pandemic. Federal and local governments, health insurers and employers have pledged to help Americans pay their way through this crisis, but to do so requires a dramatic overhaul of a system which has for decades prioritized cost over care.
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Coronavirus latest: at a glance
A summary of the largest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak:
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In the US meanwhile, retail sales plunged in March while industrial production in the same month suffers its steepest drop since , data showed Wednesday.
Other reports pointed to weak homebuilder sentiment and manufacturing conditions, while a Federal Reserve report said American economic activity “contracted sharply”, AFP reports.
“The economic data was nothing short of disastrous,” Ann Miletti of Wells Fargo Asset Management told Bloomberg TV.
“How long can you sustain the shutdown is what’s on investors’ minds. ”
() The nearly empty parking lot of the Mall of Georgia in Buford, Georgia, USA, (April) . Photograph: Erik S Lesser / EPA
President Donald Trump has said that he will on Thursday announce the first plans for lifting lockdowns after the US – the worst-hit country with the most virus deaths and infections – passes the “peak on new cases”.
The World Health Organization has warned, however, that lifting virus-related restrictions too early could have devastating consequences, with fears of a possible second wave of infections.
(Read More)
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