Latest on the coronavirus: China reports no deaths for the first time

ANKARA

This photo, taken on April 6, 2020, shows employees working at a photoelectric production line at a factory in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. (Photo by STR vis AFP)

China on April 7 reported no new coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January, the National Health Commission said.

Cases in mainland China have been dwindling since March, but the country faces a second wave of infections brought in from overseas, with health officials reporting nearly 1,000 imported cases in total.

China's health authorities reported 32 new cases nationwide, all of which were imported.

There were also 30 new asymptomatic infections, health officials said, bringing the national total to 1,033. Around a quarter of the current total of asymptomatic cases were also imported from overseas.

Last week, China began disclosing the number of asymptomatic cases for the first time, after growing public concerns over the potential of "silent" carriers to spread the disease.

Fears have also been growing over a potential resurgence in the epicenter of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected late last year.

After a number of asymptomatic cases were confirmed in the central Chinese city, local authorities revoked the "epidemic-free" status of 45 residential compounds on April 6.

To date, 81,740 people have been infected and 3,331 have been killed by the deadly virus in China, with the vast majority in Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province.

Deaths and infections

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide passed the 1.36 million on April 7 as the pandemic swept across the globe.
Johns Hopkins University's website showed over 76,000 people have died from the virus. The total number of people recovered from COVID-19 reached passed 292,000, according to the data.

Europe

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fighting worsening coronavirus symptoms in an intensive care unit on April 7, leaving his foreign minister to lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak.
The coronavirus is the European Union's biggest ever challenge and member states must show greater solidarity so that the bloc can emerge stronger from the economic crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
A total of 15 elderly people died from coronavirus at a care home in the Portuguese city of Aveiro.
Residents in Lombardy, Italy's worst-hit region, scrambled for scarce protective face masks and makeshift alternatives after authorities ordered anyone moving outside to cover up.
The rate of deaths in Spain slowed for the fourth day on April 6 as the government contemplated a gradual easing of a lockdown in the nation with the second-highest death toll.
France's coronavirus figures on April 6 showed the rate of increase in fatalities - now at almost 9,000 - sped up again after several days of slowing.
Switzerland said it was too early to ease restrictions, even as neighboring Austria sketched out plans to start loosening a national lockdown.
Norway's health minister said the country's epidemic was under control, pointing to low transmission rates.
The Czech Republic reported its slowest daily percentage rise in confirmed cases as the country entered a fourth week of restrictions.
Ireland's prime minister re-registered as a medical practitioner and will work one shift a week to help out during the crisis.
Military forces across Europe have scaled back operations and imposed stricter rules on personnel to try to stem the spread among staff who often live and work in close quarters.
Denmark plans to reopen daycare centers and schools for children in first to fifth grade on April 15 as a first step to gradually relax a three-week lockdown.
Poland's ruling nationalists edged closer to a green light for holding a May presidential election as a postal ballot due to the pandemic.

Americas

The governors of New York and New Jersey said on April 6 their states were showing tentative signs of a "flattening" of the outbreak but warned against complacency as total cases in the country reached 330,891 and death toll rose to 8,910.
Democratic Governor Tony Evers moved to postpone Wisconsin's primary election from Tuesday until June 9, citing health risks from the pandemic, but Republicans said they would challenge the order in the state Supreme Court.
The White House trade adviser said members of the coronavirus task force clashed over the weekend about the efficacy of a malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, for use against the disease.
Up to 20 percent of U.S. children infected by the virus require hospitalization, with infants under age 1 most likely to be in that group, according to the government's first in-depth analysis of the disease in the youngest patient population.
Some patients being treated for trauma aboard U.S. military hospital ships in New York and Los Angeles have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Pentagon said on April 6.
Canada said it was pressing Washington over a complaint that U.S. officials had blocked the export of three million face masks bought by the province of Ontario.
Colombia said it will extend a nationwide quarantine until April 27.
Mexico reported 296 new infections, bringing the country's total to 2,439 cases and 125 deaths.
Panama has registered 112 new infections, bringing the country's total to 2,100 confirmed cases and 55 deaths.
Brazil's education minister accused Chinese medical equipment makers of profiteering from the coronavirus pandemic, further souring diplomatic relations.

Asia and the Pacific

Thailand reported 38 new cases and the death of a 54-year-old man.
India, the world's main supplier of generic drugs, has lifted restrictions on the export of 24 pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to announce a state of emergency for the capital Tokyo and six other prefectures.
Japan will compile a supplementary budget worth 16.80 trillion yen ($154.45 billion) to help fund stimulus spending to combat the outbreak.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the extension of lockdown and home quarantine measures covering more than half of the population.
Migrant workers living in vast Singapore dormitories cut off from the outside world due to the outbreak fear these are fast becoming a hotbed for infection.
India hopes to be testing 20,000 people daily by the end of the week, twice the current rate, while a statistical oddity in its testing data has sparked questions.
Indonesia announced its biggest daily increase in cases and a medical association said 24 doctors had now died.

Middle East and Africa

Egypt on April 6 reported 149 new cases, its highest daily toll since confirming the first infection in February. It reported seven new deaths.
Morocco made wearing face masks mandatory starting on April 7 for anyone allowed to go out during the outbreak.
Saudi Arabia placed its capital Riyadh and other big cities under a 24-hour curfew, while Kuwait announced a full lockdown of two densely populated districts and extended a public holiday by two weeks until April 26.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Iran has risen to more than 62,000 and the death toll is nearing 4,000, according to health ministry data announced on April 7, but a senior official suggested the true number of infections might be far higher.
Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state television that a further 133 people had died from the virus overnight, bringing Iran's death toll to 3,872. Nearly 4,000 infected people are in a critical condition, he added.
The total number of coronavirus cases has reached 62,589, with 2,089 new infections, Jahanpur said.
The number of coronavirus cases in Israel is now above 9,000 and the death toll stands at 59, the Health Ministry said on April 7. The ministry said two people died and 102 more tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 9,006.
Kenya's president ordered a halt to all movement in affected areas, including the capital Nairobi.
Syria is dragging its feet on releasing prisoners under an amnesty declared by President Bashar al-Assad, raising fears of mass infections, rights groups said on April 6.
More than 20,000 Pakistani workers stuck in the United Arab Emirates are seeking to return home, as the Gulf Arab state tightens restrictions.

Economic fallout

Illinois became the first state to get a negative rating outlook in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, which will put the state's finances and economy under pressure, an SP Global Ratings analyst said on April 6.
Australian job advertisements suffered their largest drop in more than a decade in March as strict social distancing rules and business closures curbed demand for labor.
Argentina's economic outlook for 2020 has darkened abruptly, a central bank poll showed on April 6, a major hit as the country tries to emerge from recession and stave off a damaging sovereign default.
A near-total closure of U.S. businesses as authorities try to control the spread of the novel coronavirus could make U.S. economic data unreliable in the coming months and harder to get a clearer picture of the severity of the recession caused by the virus.
The IMF cited limited but encouraging signs of recovery in China, but said it could not rule out a resurgence in China and elsewhere.
About 20 million jobs are at risk in Africa as the continent's economies are projected to shrink this year.
Nigeria has requested a total of $6.9 billion from the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank, the finance minister said on April 6.
Taiwan's central bank pledged to double the amount of money earmarked to support small and medium-sized companies if needed.
Singapore unveiled $3.55 billion in additional economic spendings such as wage support, waiver of levies and one-off payments.
JPMorgan Chase Co's top boss, Jamie Dimon, said he sees a "bad recession" in 2020.

Sports

The franchise-based Global Rapid Rugby competition canceled their inaugural season after just one round of games.
This year's 149th Open Championship due to be held at Royal St George's has been canceled.
IndyCar canceled a doubleheader race weekend in Detroit.
German soccer clubs were allowed to return to training on April 6, with some opting to train players in small groups.
The Indonesia Open has been canceled, the Badminton World Federation said on April 6.