World News

Coronavirus latest: at a glance

Global cases pass 1.2 million

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases globally has passed 1.2m, according to Johns Hopkins University figures. Just over one in four of these is in the US, which has 311,544 cases. There have been 64,753 coronavirus-related deaths worldwide. The five countries with the highest numbers of confirmed cases are as follows: US (311,544), Spain (126,168), Italy (124,632), Germany (96,092), France (90,848). China, which is now at number six, reported 30 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, up from 19 a day earlier as the number of cases involving travellers from abroad as well as local transmissions increased. It also reported 47 new asymptomatic cases.

Trump talks up unproven malaria drug

Donald Trump has directly urged Americans worried about Covid-19 to take a little-studied anti-malaria drug for the disease, despite potentially serious side effects and a lack of data on safety and efficacy in treatment of the pandemic virus. The president also warned the US that the worst was yet to come, and that Americans would see “a lot of death”. At a lengthy, rambling and combative briefing on Saturday afternoon, the president sought to discredit media reports of his administration’s failures and called some outlets in the White House press corps “fake news”. Scientists around the world are looking for potential treatments but so far have not found a success. The drug repeatedly pushed by Trump, hydroxychloroquine, has only shown anecdotal promise.

China sends 1,000 ventilators to New York

With deaths from Covid-19 cases in New York topping 3,000, the state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced he had received help from China for ventilator supplies. “We’re not yet at the apex,” said Cuomo, who described the crescendo of cases to come as “the number one point of engagement of the enemy”. Cuomo said he had obtained 1,000 ventilators from the Chinese government with the help of billionaires Joseph and Clara Tsai and the Alibaba founder Jack Ma. Oregon had loaned New York another 140, he said. Donald Trump tried to claim credit for the 1,000 ventilators, saying “two very good friends of mine brought him those ventilators”.

New Zealand records 1,000th case

New Zealand passes Coronavirus cases in New Zealand have passed the 1,000 mark, with health officials reporting 89 new cases on Sunday. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern praised those who had complied with the country’s strict lockdown but said there were “still some people I would charitably describe as idiots”, citing a man in Christchurch who filmed himself coughing on people. The country has now recorded 1,039 confirmed cases, with one death.

Spain overtakes Italy in number of cases

The number of confirmed cases in Spain has swollen to 124,870 , passing Italy’s 124,632 and making it the country with the second highest number of cases in the world, behind the US. Italy’s death toll is still the world’s worst, however, and it passed the grim milestone of 15,000 on Saturday.

Australian authorities cautiously optimistic

Health authorities in Australia have expressed cautious optimism that the country may be able to limit its domestic outbreak, as the nation’s death toll reached 34. However, senior officials have warned against complacency or relaxing social distancing rules too early, saying that could lead to a resurgence in cases. The government has also warned its citizens that imported “home” Covid-19 test kits pose a serious risk to public health. Home affairs minister Peter Dutton said the kits were not reliable and could lead to people failing to isolate themselves or seek the medical help they need.