CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Latest updates

Deaths near 300,000

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The novel coronavirus has killed at least 297,259 people since the outbreak first emerged in China last December, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT yesterday. At least 4,362,090 cases have been registered in 196 countries and territories.  Over the past 24 hours, 5,259 deaths and 89,210 new cases have been recorded. The United States tops the death chart with 84,136.  Britain has recorded 33,186 deaths. It is followed by Italy with 31,106 deaths, Spain with 27,321 deaths and France with 27,074.

Japan lifts virus emergency

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has lifted a state of emergency imposed due to the coronavirus for the majority of the country but kept it in place for top cities Tokyo and Osaka. Japan has a little over 16,000 confirmed infections recorded and 687 deaths.

New Zealand lockdown ends

New Zealanders mingled with friends and hit the shopping malls for the first time in seven weeks as a national lockdown ended and businesses faced a "new normal" minimising the constant threat of coronavirus.

4.4pc French infected

A study led by the Pasteur Institute says a mere 4.4% of the French population - or 2.8 million people - have been infected by the novel coronavirus, much higher than the official count of cases but way too low to achieve so-called "herd immunity".

Maldives extends lockdown

The Maldives extended its lockdown for another two weeks as the former tourist hotspot reported its fourth coronavirus fatality and the pandemic spread rapidly in the congested capital Male.

Speech can spread virus

Microdroplets generated by speech can remain suspended in the air in an enclosed space for more than ten minutes, said a study. Taking into account the known concentration of coronavirus in saliva, scientists at Researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) estimated that each minute of loudly speaking can generate more than 1,000 virus-containing droplets capable of remaining airborne for eight minutes or more in a closed space.