UK, Spain, see highest daily deaths as Iran’s total toll passes 3,000 in what’s seen as worst crisis since WWII.
The coronavirus death toll in the UK rose by 563 in 24 hours, according to the health ministy, a record jump that brought the number of patients who died in hospital to 2,352.
The announcement on Wednesday came as Spain recorded its highest daily death toll – another 864 people – while infections jumped to 102,136, up from 94,417.
In the United States, the death toll has exceeded 4,000 and the number of confirmed cases surpassed 200,000.
More:
Coronavirus: Which countries have confirmed cases?
Coronavirus: Why are deaths rising so quickly in Spain?
Timeline: How the new coronavirus spread
Meanwhile, Iran’s death toll exceeded 3,000 with 138 new fatalities as the the United Nations chief warned the pandemic is the “worst crisis” to face the world since World War II.
Globally, more than 44,000 people have died, about 900,000 have been diagnosed with the virus, and some 190,000 have recovered, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.
Here are the latest updates:
Wednesday, April 1
20:58 GMT – UK Prime Minister: ‘Sad, sad day’
Prime Minister Boris Johnson lamented the latest coronavirus data that showed a record increase of deaths in Britain, saying it was a “sad, sad day” as fatalities rose by 563.
“Let’s be in no doubt this has been a sad, sad day,” Johnson said in a video message posted on Twitter.
“But let’s be in no doubt that if we can follow the programme that we are currently set upon, if we can comply with the measures that we’ve embarked on together, then I have absolutely no doubt that we will begin to start to push those numbers down.”
20:11 GMT – US surpasses 200,000 cases
The US exceeded 200,000 novel coronavirus cases, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The pandemic has claimed the lives of at least 4,361 people in the country, which leads the world in the number of confirmed infections with 203,608.
Read more here.
19:45 GMT – Turkish lira at crisis levels
Turkey’s lira slid one percent to levels last touched during the worst of the 2018 currency crisis as the coronavirus pandemic began weighing on manufacturing and trade.
Read more here.
09:05 GMT – Indonesia confirms 149 new coronavirus infections
Indonesia confirmed 149 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 1,677, a health ministry official said.
Achmad Yurianto reported 21 new deaths from the virus, taking the total to 157, while 103 had recovered.
08:56 GMT – Philippines reports 227 new coronavirus cases, eight more deaths
The Philippines recorded 227 new coronavirus cases and eight more deaths, the health ministry said.
The latest figures brought the total number of infections and deaths in the country to 2,311 and 96, respectively.
More:
UK coronavirus deaths rise 27 percent in one day
Panama: 13-year-old girl with coronavirus dies, officials say
Coronavirus: Which countries have confirmed cases?
08:42 GMT – British boy, 13, dies of coronavirus ‘without any family close by’
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, a 13-year-old boy from London who tested positive for COVID-19, has died.
He is believed to be the United Kingdom’s youngest coronavirus victim.
“Ismail was only 13 years old without any pre-existing health conditions and sadly he died without any family members close by due to the highly infectious nature of Covid 19,” the family said in a statement on Tuesday.
Read more here.
07:31 GMT – Tokyo’s Nikkei drops more than 4 percent on growing virus concern
Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei index dropped more than 4 percent amid a broader market rout, with fears growing of a possible lockdown in the capital.
Market sentiment in Tokyo also suffered from a key survey showing confidence among Japan’s biggest manufacturers plunging into negative territory for the first time in seven years, as the coronavirus pandemic hits demand and disrupts production.
The market faced additional selling pressure in late trade after US stock index futures dropped while investors remained nervous about a possible Tokyo lockdown, brokers said.
07:15 GMT – Survivors of coronavirus share their experiences
As COVID-19 spreads around the world, infected and recovered patients are sharing their experiences on social media.
One pieve of advice most of them agree on is that the virus and illness it causes should not be taken lightly.
“Don’t think this won’t touch you,” one survivor says.
Taiwan has been widely praised for its efforts to curb the virus’ spread on the island. Al Jazeera’s Erin Hale wrote earlier on Taiwan’s approach as well as the difficulties it faces because of its exclusion from the WHO.
02:20 GMT – US medical stockpile nearly out of protective gear
The US government’s emergency stockpile of medical equipment has nearly run out of protective gear.
Masks, respirators, gloves, gowns and face shields are all in short supply, two officials at the Department of Homeland Security told Reuters.
02:15 GMT – China data delayed; asymptomatic cases to be reported
China’s National Health Commission has yet to release its daily update on coronavirus cases, with asymptomatic cases expected to be added to the tally.
We will bring you the numbers once they’re announced.
02:00 GMT – Two overseas mission staff die in US State Dept’s first coronavirus deaths
Two locally-employed staff at US foreign missions – one in Indonesia and one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – have died of the coronavirus, the State Department said on Tuesday, its first pandemic-related losses among staff.
01:35 GMT – Hong Kong says pet cat tests positive for coronavirus
Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has revealed that a cat has tested positive for the coronavirus – the third pet to do so in the territory.
The short-haired cat was sent for quarantine when its owner tested positive for COVID-19. The animal does not have any symptoms, the department said in a statement on Tuesday.
Earlier two dogs tested weak positive or positive during repeated tests for the virus.
Hong Kong is urging that pet cats, dogs and other mammals should be quarantined if anyone in the household is confirmed with COVID-19.
00:30 GMT – Trump’s ‘Coronavirus Guidelines for America’
US President Trump has just shared on Twitter his “Coronavirus Guidelines for America” after warning the country faced a “very painful” two weeks as it confronts the virus.
The recommendations advise the elderly and those with underlying health conditions to stay at home and urge those feeling sick to stay at home and seek medical attention.
Read all the updates from yesterday (March 31) here.
Inside Story
Can the United States control its coronavirus outbreak?
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