Coronavirus: Live updates

CNN says more than 3.5 million cases of the novel coronavirus – including 250,000 deaths have been recorded worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. 

In the US, more than 1.1 million cases and at least 68,000 Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded.

Read the full story on CNN

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Japan’s workers and parents feel the strain as Abe extends state of emergency

Japan Times says workers in the hospitality, tourism and other industries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as parents have appealed to the government for more financial and other support after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended the nationwide state of emergency on Monday by over three weeks. 

“Unless (the government) offers sufficient compensation and legally enforces business closures, we are left in limbo,” said Yoshihiko Kitamura – who has been forced to cut business hours at his Italian restaurant.

Read the full story on Japan Times

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First workers to trial NHS tracing app

BBC News says an NHS app which aims to track the spread of coronavirus will be rolled out for the first time today, as part of a trial on the Isle of Wight. 

Council and healthcare workers will be the first to try the contact-tracing app, with the rest of the island able to download it from Thursday. If the trial is successful, it could be rolled out nationwide within weeks.

Read the full story on BBC News

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Nearly a quarter of British employees furloughed in the last fortnight

The Guardian says nearly a quarter of employees in Britain have been furloughed in the past fortnight as evidence mounts of the damage caused by the covid-19 pandemic to the economy. 

With the government deciding when and how to lift restrictions imposed at the end of March, figures from HMRC showed that companies have flocked to take advantage of the job subsidy scheme since it was launched on 20 April.

Read the full story on The Guardian 

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Researchers predict US Covid-19 death rate will nearly double due to easing

France24 says a newly revised coronavirus mortality model predicts nearly 135,000 Americans will die from Covid-19 by early August, almost double previous projections, as social-distancing measures for quelling the pandemic are increasingly relaxed, researchers said on Monday.

The new forecast from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) reflect “rising mobility in most US states” with an easing of business closures and stay-at-home orders expected in 31 states by May 11, the institute said.

Read the full story on France24

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Italian scientists claim world-first coronavirus vaccine breakthrough

Arab News says an Italian coronavirus vaccine has antibodies generated in mice that work on human cells, according to tests carried out at Rome’s infectious-disease Spallanzani Hospital. The firm developing the medication -Takis –  said that a Covid-19 candidate vaccine has neutralised the virus in human cells for the first time. 

“This is the most advanced stage of testing of a candidate vaccine created in Italy,” said the CEO of Takis. “Human tests are expected after this summer” he added.

Read the full story on Arab News