Coronavirus: Live updates

CNN says the coronavirus has infected more than 3.3 million people and killed at least 234,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In the US, more than 1 million cases have been recorded and at least 63,000 deaths. More than half of all states will be partially reopened by the end of the week.

Read the full story on CNN

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Government ‘likely’ to get close to or hit 100,000 tests targets -Shapps

BBC News says the government is “likely to get very close to or meet” its target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said. 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government would achieve the aim by the end of April – which was Thursday – and those figures are expected later.

Read the full story on BBC News

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Trump claims to have evidence coronavirus started in a Chinese lab but offers no details

The Guardian says Donald Trump claims to have seen evidence to substantiate the unproven theory that the coronavirus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, despite US intelligence agencies’ conclusion that the virus was “not manmade or genetically modified.” 

“We’re going to see where it comes from,” Trump said at a White House event on Thursday. “We have people looking at it very, very strongly. Scientific people, intelligence people and others. We’re going to put it all together. I think we will have a very good answer eventually. And China might even tell us.”

Read the full story on The Guardian 

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World should follow S Korea’s example on Covid-19 fight, UN chief says

France24 says the United Nations chief said he hopes many countries in the world will follow the “remarkable example” of South Korea, which he said has been “extremely successful” in addressing the coronavirus pandemic and is planning to tackle climate change in its recovery from Covid-19.

Secretary-general Antonia Guterres pointed to Thursday’s announcement “that there was no new case in the Republic of Korea,” the country’s official name.

Read the full story on France24

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Afghanistan likely facing coronavirus ‘disaster’: Live update

Aljazeera says Afghanistan, already troubled with a poor healthcare system, malnutrition, war and other vulnerabilities, is likely to face a “health disaster” from the coronavirus, a watchdog report to the US congress warns.  

The report by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) could heighten concerns among US officials that the pandemic threatens to derail stalled US-led peace efforts.

Read the full story on Aljazeera

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