Coronavirus Pandemic: Latest updates

MORE THAN 103,257 DEATHS

Officials have recorded more than 1.7 million cases and more than 103,257 deaths in 193 countries and territories since the virus emerged in China in December, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally at 1200 GMT yesterday. The United States with 503,177  deaths is the hardest-hit country in terms of cases, of whom 18,761 have died. Europe remains the hardest-hit continent in terms of cases and deaths. Italy has the highest death toll at 18,849 followed by Spain with 16,081.

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93-YR-OLD PATIENT DISCHARGED FROM TURKEY HOSPITAL

Cheered by her doctors, 93-year-old Alye Gunduz was discharged from an Istanbul hospital after recovering from the novel coronavirus following 10 days of treatment. Her recovery from the disease that is killing chiefly the old offered some hope to health workers at Istanbul's Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty hospital as they battle the outbreak, which risks hitting Turkey hard.

APPLE, GOOGLE PLAN SOFTWARE TO SLOW VIRUS

Google and Apple unveiled a joint initiative Friday to develop a coronavirus smartphone "contact tracing" tool that could potentially alert people when they have crossed paths with an infected person. The move brings together the largest mobile operating systems in an effort to use smartphone location technology to track and potentially contain the global Covid-19 outbreak.

ROUHANI URGES IRANIANS TO RESPECT HEALTH PROTOCOLS

President Hassan Rouhani urged Iranians to respect health protocols to guard against the new coronavirus as "low-risk" economic activities resumed in most of the country yesterday, state news agency IRNA reported. So-called low-risk businesses resumed across the country from yesterday with the exception of the capital Tehran, where they will restart from April 18. Iran is the Middle Eastern country worst-affected by the highly infectious Covid-19 respiratory disease.

PM ABE CALLS FOR NIGHTLIFE SELF-RESTRAINT ACROSS JAPAN

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday called for citizens across Japan to avoid evening spots like bars and restaurants, NHK reported, in a ratcheting of social distancing guidance to fight the spread of the coronavirus. The nationwide call for citizens to stay home in the evenings follows the declaration of a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures last week. Abe has been gradually tightening guidance, seeking to lessen the impact on the economy as it is hammered by the pandemic, leading to criticism that he has been too slow to act and risks having the virus spread out of control.

PASSENGERS FROM CRUISE SHIP LEAVE FOR AUSTRALIA

More than 100 Australians and New Zealanders left Uruguay on a chartered flight after two weeks stranded aboard a virus-infected cruise ship, Montevideo's Carrasco airport said yesterday. Of 217 people aboard the Greg Mortimer liner, 128 had tested positive for new coronavirus and had been blocked from docking.