Coronavirus Pandemic: Latest updates

Death toll nears 200,000

The death toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to 197,871 yesterday, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University yesterday at 1200GMT. More than 2,826,904 declared cases have been registered in 193 countries and territories. In US, the death toll stood at 51,949. Italy is the next most-affected country with 25,969 deaths. It is followed by Spain with 22,524 fatalities, France with 22,279 deaths and Britain with 19,567 deaths.

51,000 deaths in US

The death toll in the United States surpassed 51,000 amid more than 890,000 cases. But the number of daily deaths in New York has gone down, with 422 reported on Friday - the lowest since April 1. Meanwhile, China reported it has not had a new death from the virus in 10 days.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

No deaths in China for 10 days

China has reported no new deaths from the coronavirus in the last ten days, as attention has turned to northern provinces bordering Russia.  The vast majority of new cases in the country have been imported, according to health authorities.

43 percent surge in Africa

Africa's coronavirus cases have surged 43 percent in the past week but its countries are dangerously behind in the global race for scarce medical equipment. Ten nations have no ventilators at all. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the continent is competing with the developed world in terms of obtaining supplies and equipment. "The very future of the continent will depend on how this matter is handled."

Britain starts plasma trial

Britain is to start trials to see whether plasma collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 could be an effective treatment for patients who are severely unwell with the disease, Reuters news agency reported. Up to 5,000 severely ill patients with COVID-19 could soon be treated each week with plasma as part of a new approach to treating the virus, the health department said on Saturday.

New anti-malaria drug warning

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned against taking anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, touted by President Donald Trump as a possible treatment for COVID-19, outside of a hospital or formal study on Friday, citing "serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems". Trump has repeatedly stated that the drug is a possible treatment for COVID-19 and could be a "game-changer", seemingly based on anecdotal evidence.

Source: AFP, Reuters