Watch today in 'WION In Focus': Some stories related to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

WION In Focus: Some stories related to Coronavirus pandemic

At Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron Hospital, COVID-19 survivors attend the rehabilitation centre to recover motor skills lost as a result of being sedated and hooked up to a ventilator, as well as complications, like strokes, generated by the virus.

COVID-19 survivors re-learn motor skills | Coronavirus Outbreak

Researchers believe the novel coronavirus has mutated in a way that makes it more easily to infect human cells.

It's a mutation that scientists have been worried about for weeks, these researchers say.

More research is needed to show whether the change has altered the course of the pandemic. The changes may explain why the virus has caused so many infections in the United States and Latin America.

The researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida said the mutation affects the spike protein -- a structure on the outside of the virus that it uses to get into cells. If the findings are confirmed, it would be the first time someone has demonstrated that changes seen in the virus have significance for the pandemic, according to a CNN report.

Just this week, the World Health Organisation said the mutations seen so far in the new coronavirus would not affect the efficacy of vaccines under development. Last week, WHO said mutations had not made it more easily transmissible, nor had they made the virus more likely to cause serious illness.

Researchers believe the novel coronavirus has mutated in a way that makes it more easily to infect human cells. It's a mutation that scientists have been worried about for weeks, these researchers say.

Researchers believe the novel coronavirus has mutated in a way that makes it more easily to infect human cells. It's a mutation that scientists have been worried about for weeks, these researchers say. More research is needed to show whether the change has altered the course of the pandemic. The changes may explain why the virus has caused so many infections in the United States and Latin America. The researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida said the mutation affects the spike protein -- a structure on the outside of the virus that it uses to get into cells. If the findings are confirmed, it would be the first time someone has demonstrated that changes seen in the virus have significance for the pandemic, according to a CNN report. Just this week, the World Health Organisation said the mutations seen so far in the new coronavirus would not affect the efficacy of vaccines under development. Last week, WHO said mutations had not made it more easily transmissible, nor had they made the virus more likely to cause serious illness.

Mutation could have made coronavirus more infectious, study suggests

South Korea won the first round of its Coronavirus battle, but it is now bracing for a second wave of infections. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how the virus is making a comeback in the country.

Gravitas: South Korea braces for 2nd Coronavirus wave

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with the chief ministers of different states and union territories via video conferencing on June 16 and 17 as the country gradually emerges out of the coronavirus lockdown.

The two-day virtual meet comes also against the backdrop of rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.

All states and UTs are divided into two groups and two days are dedicated so that PM Modi can listen to all the chief ministers.

This would be the prime minister's sixth round of consultation with the chief ministers, the last being on May 11.

Under "Unlock 1", several relaxations have been made for public and businesses to ensure that economic activities hit by the lockdown gather momentum.

Twenty-one states and union territories, including Punjab and some northeastern states, will hold interaction on June 16, the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

The rest 15, including West Bengal, Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which have reported a surge in coronavirus cases, will interact with Modi on June 17.

Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with all the chief ministers over telephone in the last week of May, just before lockdown-4 was to end.&nbsp;

India has 1,41,842 active Covid-19 cases and 8,498 deaths, as of Friday evening.

The lockdown, enforced on March 25, was originally supposed to end on April 14. It was then extended to May 3, and then again to May 17. The lockdown 5.0 will come to an end on June 30. 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with the chief ministers of different states and union territories via video conferencing on June 16 and 17 as the country gradually emerges out of the coronavirus lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with the chief ministers of different states and union territories via video conferencing on June 16 and 17 as the country gradually emerges out of the coronavirus lockdown. The two-day virtual meet comes also against the backdrop of rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. All states and UTs are divided into two groups and two days are dedicated so that PM Modi can listen to all the chief ministers. This would be the prime minister's sixth round of consultation with the chief ministers, the last being on May 11. Under "Unlock 1", several relaxations have been made for public and businesses to ensure that economic activities hit by the lockdown gather momentum. Twenty-one states and union territories, including Punjab and some northeastern states, will hold interaction on June 16, the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. The rest 15, including West Bengal, Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which have reported a surge in coronavirus cases, will interact with Modi on June 17. Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with all the chief ministers over telephone in the last week of May, just before lockdown-4 was to end. India has 1,41,842 active Covid-19 cases and 8,498 deaths, as of Friday evening. The lockdown, enforced on March 25, was originally supposed to end on April 14. It was then extended to May 3, and then again to May 17. The lockdown 5.0 will come to an end on June 30.

PM Modi to hold meeting with CMs of all states on June 16-17

On a day when Tamil Nadu has seen the total number of Covid-19 cases breach the 40,000 mark, there’s also been a miracle recovery of a 97-year-old man with health complications that comes as a ray of hope.&nbsp;

Krishna Murti was admitted at a private hospital in Chennai on May 30, after he tested positive for coronavirus. The patient had shown symptoms such as fever, cough and mild breathlessness. Adding to the complications were his history of hypertension and coronary heart disease.&nbsp;

A statement from the hospital said that he was provided with oxygen support to aid in breathing and special assistance to help him eat and move. He was provided high-protein vegetarian meals.

Shortly after admission, his fever is said to have reduced, while breathing also improved. Later, he was able to have his own meals and move on his own.

“Kauvery hospital has now successfully treated and discharged over 200 patients and Mr Krishna is our oldest patient so far. Taking his case as an example we wish to tell people to not fall prey to fear and lose hope” Dr Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan, Senior Consultant - Infectious Diseases said.

The patient was later discharged after his coronavirus test results returned negative.&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu has seen a total of 40,698 coronavirus cases of which 18,281 are active. Chennai alone has seen a total of 28,924 cases of which 13,906 are active. Tamil Nadu’s recovery rate has hovered around 50 percent, and currently 22,047 persons have recovered from the virus.

On a day when Tamil Nadu has seen the total number of Covid-19 cases breach the 40,000 mark, there’s also been a miracle recovery of a 97-year-old man with health complications that comes as a ray of hope.

On a day when Tamil Nadu has seen the total number of Covid-19 cases breach the 40,000 mark, there’s also been a miracle recovery of a 97-year-old man with health complications that comes as a ray of hope. Krishna Murti was admitted at a private hospital in Chennai on May 30, after he tested positive for coronavirus. The patient had shown symptoms such as fever, cough and mild breathlessness. Adding to the complications were his history of hypertension and coronary heart disease. A statement from the hospital said that he was provided with oxygen support to aid in breathing and special assistance to help him eat and move. He was provided high-protein vegetarian meals. Shortly after admission, his fever is said to have reduced, while breathing also improved. Later, he was able to have his own meals and move on his own. “Kauvery hospital has now successfully treated and discharged over 200 patients and Mr Krishna is our oldest patient so far. Taking his case as an example we wish to tell people to not fall prey to fear and lose hope” Dr Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan, Senior Consultant - Infectious Diseases said. The patient was later discharged after his coronavirus test results returned negative. Tamil Nadu has seen a total of 40,698 coronavirus cases of which 18,281 are active. Chennai alone has seen a total of 28,924 cases of which 13,906 are active. Tamil Nadu’s recovery rate has hovered around 50 percent, and currently 22,047 persons have recovered from the virus.

Chennai: 97-yr old with heart ailment, hypertension beats COVID-19

Global poverty could rise to over one billion people due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more than half of the 395 million additional extreme poor would be located in South Asia, which would be the hardest-hit region in the world, according to a new report.

Researchers from King's College London and Australian National University published the new paper with the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) which said the COVID-19 pandemic could drive global poverty back over one billion people as the world's poorest face up to USD 500 million per day in lost income.

The paper, 'Precarity and the Pandemic: COVID-19 and Poverty Incidence, Intensity and Severity in Developing Countries,' finds that extreme poverty could rise to over one billion people globally as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

The cost of the crisis in lost income could reach USD 500 million per day for the world's poorest people, and the intensity and severity of poverty are likely to be exacerbated dramatically.

The report also noted that poverty is likely to increase dramatically in middle-income developing countries and there could be a significant change in the distribution of global poverty.

The location of global poverty could shift back towards developing countries in South Asia and East Asia.

The report said that based on the USD 1.90 a day poverty line and a 20 per cent contraction, more than half of the 395 million additional extreme poor would be located in South Asia, which would become the hardest-hit region in the world '' mainly driven by the weight of populous India'' followed by sub-Saharan Africa which would comprise 30 per cent, or 119 million, of the additional poor.

The report added that as the value of the poverty line increases, a larger share of the additional poor will be concentrated in regions where the corresponding poverty line is more relevant given the average income level.

For instance, the regional distribution of the world's poor changes drastically when looking at the USD 5.50 a day poverty line the median poverty line among upper-middle-income countries.

At this level, almost 41 per cent of the additional half a billion poor under a 20 per cent contraction scenario would live in East Asia and the Pacific, chiefly China; a fourth would still reside in South Asia; and a combined 18 per cent would live in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), whose individual shares are close to that recorded for sub-Saharan Africa.

''India plays a significant role in driving the potential increases in global extreme poverty documented previously, comprising almost half the estimated additional poor regardless of the contraction scenario,'' the report said.

Nonetheless, there are other populous, low and lower-middle- income countries in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and East Asia and the Pacific accounting for a sizeable share of the estimates: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia come next, in that order, concentrating a total of 18-19 per cent of the new poor, whereas the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Pakistan, Kenya, Uganda, and the Philippines could jointly add 11-12 per cent.

''Taken together, these figures imply that three quarters of the additional extreme poor globally could be living in just ten populous countries.''

The report added that this high concentration of the additional extreme poor is ''staggering'' although not necessarily unexpected given the size of each country's population.

On one hand, data shows that three of these ten countries (Ethiopia, India, and Nigeria) were among the top ten by number of extreme poor people in 1990 and remained within the ranks of that group until 2018.

Despite this crude fact, two of these countries have managed to achieve a sustained reduction in their incidence of poverty since the early 1990s, namely Ethiopia and India, reaching their lowest poverty headcount ratio ever recorded at about 22 and 13 per cent, respectively.

Nonetheless, the potential contraction in per capita income/consumption imposed by the pandemic's economic effects could erase some of this progress.

The researchers are now calling for urgent global leadership from the G7, G20, and the multilateral system, and propose a three-point plan to address the impact of the COVID-19 on global poverty quickly.

Professor of International Development at King's College London and a Senior Non-Resident Research Fellow at UNU-WIDER Andy Sumner said the COVID-19 crisis could take extreme poverty back over one billion people because millions of people live just above poverty.

''Millions of people live in a precarious position one shock away from poverty. And the current crisis could be that shock that pushes them into poverty.'' Professor Kunal Sen, Director of UNU-WIDER said the new estimates about the level of poverty in the world and the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic to the world's poor are sobering.

''We cannot stand by and see the hard work and effort of so many be eradicated. We will know what the real impact is in time, but the necessary action to ensure we achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 needs to be planned now,'' Sen said.

Global poverty could rise to over one billion people due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more than half of the 395 million additional extreme poor would be located in South Asia, which would be the hardest-hit region in the world, according to a new report.

Global poverty could rise to over one billion people due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more than half of the 395 million additional extreme poor would be located in South Asia, which would be the hardest-hit region in the world, according to a new report. Researchers from King's College London and Australian National University published the new paper with the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) which said the COVID-19 pandemic could drive global poverty back over one billion people as the world's poorest face up to USD 500 million per day in lost income. The paper, 'Precarity and the Pandemic: COVID-19 and Poverty Incidence, Intensity and Severity in Developing Countries,' finds that extreme poverty could rise to over one billion people globally as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The cost of the crisis in lost income could reach USD 500 million per day for the world's poorest people, and the intensity and severity of poverty are likely to be exacerbated dramatically. The report also noted that poverty is likely to increase dramatically in middle-income developing countries and there could be a significant change in the distribution of global poverty. The location of global poverty could shift back towards developing countries in South Asia and East Asia. The report said that based on the USD 1.90 a day poverty line and a 20 per cent contraction, more than half of the 395 million additional extreme poor would be located in South Asia, which would become the hardest-hit region in the world '' mainly driven by the weight of populous India'' followed by sub-Saharan Africa which would comprise 30 per cent, or 119 million, of the additional poor. The report added that as the value of the poverty line increases, a larger share of the additional poor will be concentrated in regions where the corresponding poverty line is more relevant given the average income level. For instance, the regional distribution of the world's poor changes drastically when looking at the USD 5.50 a day poverty line the median poverty line among upper-middle-income countries. At this level, almost 41 per cent of the additional half a billion poor under a 20 per cent contraction scenario would live in East Asia and the Pacific, chiefly China; a fourth would still reside in South Asia; and a combined 18 per cent would live in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), whose individual shares are close to that recorded for sub-Saharan Africa. ''India plays a significant role in driving the potential increases in global extreme poverty documented previously, comprising almost half the estimated additional poor regardless of the contraction scenario,'' the report said. Nonetheless, there are other populous, low and lower-middle- income countries in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and East Asia and the Pacific accounting for a sizeable share of the estimates: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia come next, in that order, concentrating a total of 18-19 per cent of the new poor, whereas the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Pakistan, Kenya, Uganda, and the Philippines could jointly add 11-12 per cent. ''Taken together, these figures imply that three quarters of the additional extreme poor globally could be living in just ten populous countries.'' The report added that this high concentration of the additional extreme poor is ''staggering'' although not necessarily unexpected given the size of each country's population. On one hand, data shows that three of these ten countries (Ethiopia, India, and Nigeria) were among the top ten by number of extreme poor people in 1990 and remained within the ranks of that group until 2018. Despite this crude fact, two of these countries have managed to achieve a sustained reduction in their incidence of poverty since the early 1990s, namely Ethiopia and India, reaching their lowest poverty headcount ratio ever recorded at about 22 and 13 per cent, respectively. Nonetheless, the potential contraction in per capita income/consumption imposed by the pandemic's economic effects could erase some of this progress. The researchers are now calling for urgent global leadership from the G7, G20, and the multilateral system, and propose a three-point plan to address the impact of the COVID-19 on global poverty quickly. Professor of International Development at King's College London and a Senior Non-Resident Research Fellow at UNU-WIDER Andy Sumner said the COVID-19 crisis could take extreme poverty back over one billion people because millions of people live just above poverty. ''Millions of people live in a precarious position one shock away from poverty. And the current crisis could be that shock that pushes them into poverty.'' Professor Kunal Sen, Director of UNU-WIDER said the new estimates about the level of poverty in the world and the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic to the world's poor are sobering. ''We cannot stand by and see the hard work and effort of so many be eradicated. We will know what the real impact is in time, but the necessary action to ensure we achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 needs to be planned now,'' Sen said.

Extreme poverty could rise to over one billion people globally due to COVID-19 crisis: Report

The first rise in child labour since the year 2000, according to experts due to global shutdowns the world economy has been forecasted to shrink 3.2% this year. The worldwide child labourers drop significantly to 152 million children from 246 million in the year 2020.

Africa tops with 72.1 MN child labourers: Pandemic pushes millions into poverty

The government is mulling to include sudden loss of taste and smell as a criteria for COVID-19 testing, sources said on Friday as India witnessed a surge in coronavirus instances with total caseload racing towards the three lakh mark.

The issue was discussed in a meeting of the National Task Force on COVID-19 held last Sunday, but no consensus on the matter has been reached yet.

"At the meeting, some members suggested including loss of taste and smell in the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 testing stating that several patients have been reporting symptoms like these," a source in the health ministry said.

According to an expert, even though the symptom is not specific to COVID-19 as one may suffer from loss of smell and taste when they have flu or influenza, it could be one of the early signs of the onset of the disease and prompt detection may help in early treatment.

The US' national public health institute the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had in early May incorporated "a new loss of taste or smell" in the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research's revised testing strategy for COVID-19 issued on May 18, all returnees and migrants with symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) are to be tested within seven days of the onset of the trails.

All hospitalised patients who develop ILI symptoms and frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of COVID-19 having such symptoms will also be tested for COVID-19 through the RT-PCR test, it said, adding asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case has to be tested once between day five and 10 of coming in contact.

Symptomatic ILI patients living in coronavirus hotspots or containment zones, all patients of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), symptomatic healthcare workers also are eligible for testing as per the guidelines.&nbsp;

The government is mulling to include sudden loss of taste and smell as a criteria for COVID-19 testing, sources said on Friday as India witnessed a surge in coronavirus instances with total caseload racing towards the three lakh mark.

The government is mulling to include sudden loss of taste and smell as a criteria for COVID-19 testing, sources said on Friday as India witnessed a surge in coronavirus instances with total caseload racing towards the three lakh mark. The issue was discussed in a meeting of the National Task Force on COVID-19 held last Sunday, but no consensus on the matter has been reached yet. "At the meeting, some members suggested including loss of taste and smell in the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 testing stating that several patients have been reporting symptoms like these," a source in the health ministry said. According to an expert, even though the symptom is not specific to COVID-19 as one may suffer from loss of smell and taste when they have flu or influenza, it could be one of the early signs of the onset of the disease and prompt detection may help in early treatment. The US' national public health institute the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had in early May incorporated "a new loss of taste or smell" in the list of COVID-19 symptoms. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research's revised testing strategy for COVID-19 issued on May 18, all returnees and migrants with symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) are to be tested within seven days of the onset of the trails. All hospitalised patients who develop ILI symptoms and frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of COVID-19 having such symptoms will also be tested for COVID-19 through the RT-PCR test, it said, adding asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case has to be tested once between day five and 10 of coming in contact. Symptomatic ILI patients living in coronavirus hotspots or containment zones, all patients of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), symptomatic healthcare workers also are eligible for testing as per the guidelines.

India's govt mulling to include sudden loss of taste, smell as criteria for coronavirus test

Think of a newsroom, and all you picture is a small space filled with editors scrambling to attend and deliver meetings, reporters rushing in and out to take interviews, analysts blaring through television sets and the noise of phones ringing.

But amid the coronavirus pandemic, when every activity around the world has come to a screeching halt, newsrooms don't look the same. And they may not -- at least for a considerable amount of time.

Being furloughed, working from home, and having to deal with grim stories by even risking their physical health may also have a pronounced effect on the mental well-being of media persons. But despite these challenges, the one-person news bureaus have worked wonders -- especially the reporters who have braved the wave of coronavirus infections and have travelled far and wide to gather information.

So what are the takeaways from this coronavirus-induced global lockdown? Will things ever be back to how they used to be? Or are the one-man news bureaus the new normal?

WION -- India’s first International news channel -- will find out on its prime time show.&nbsp;

WION is set to host a first-of-its-kind ‘Global Editors Summit’ with editors from top news agencies across the globe. It’s an opportunity for everyone to understand the impact of the pandemic on the media, changing technologies, business models and best practices by news agencies globally.

Special guests include Elizabeth Kennedy, Deputy International Editor, AP; Simon Marks, President, FSN; Tatiana Kukhareva, Deputy Head, Sputnik News websites and radio; and Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman, News Editor, Jerusalem Post.

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How has the coronavirus pandemic changed newsrooms around the world? 
 
Watch newsroom leaders share inspiring, behind-the-camera stories at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalEditorsSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalEditorsSummit</a> 
 
Thursday | 8:30 PM IST 
 
LIVE TV: <a href="https://t.co/waIaRZcNrE">https://t.co/waIaRZcNrE</a><a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@palkisu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MaayanJaffe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaayanJaffe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ekbeirut?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ekbeirut</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SimonMarksFSN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SimonMarksFSN</a> <a href="https://t.co/zJPpykQj0E">pic.twitter.com/zJPpykQj0E</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1270761182484238336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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To partake in this virtual summit, all you would need to do is tune into WION on Thursday, June 11, 2020, at 8.30 pm. The broadcast would be streamed on wionews.com and its social media platforms as well.

You can tag us with questions and opinions on the topic by using the hashtag #WIONGlobalEditorsSummit.

FACT OF THE MATTER

These days, dining room tables, study rooms, guest bedrooms and balconies have turned into makeshift newsrooms because, as they say, the show must go on.

And the show is going on with much pomp and show -- without a drop in the quality.

At least 43 per cent of the millennials from the UK and the US have said that news shows have been their most trusted source of information in these testing times.

But far from this, the media time and again became a subject of scrutiny, across the globe.

There have been growing concerns over the treatment of reporters covering the outbreak in some parts of the world. Thirteen journalists working for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post had their credentials revoked by Chinese authorities.

Former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney had said that the media was overplaying the dangers of the disease as a way to ‘bring down the President’.

In Iran, a few reporters are now facing jail after being detained for challenging official statistics about the outbreak in the country.

In Malaysia, dozens of people, including a journalist, have been arrested for allegedly spreading false information about the virus via social media. There have been similar arrests across Asia, including in India, Thailand and Indonesia.&nbsp;

In India, the government has blamed the media for causing panic among migrant workers, leading to their exodus in the wake of the lockdown.

There have been other collateral damage too. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit India in March, there have been numerous reports about millions of lost media jobs.

A Poynter report says many news outlets are expected to weigh the productivity of their journalists against the cost of office space in the wake of the economic downturn.&nbsp;

"Those big headquarters can be replaced by smaller offices just big enough for occasional meetings and planning. Our journalists can keep doing what they’ve been doing by meeting on Zoom and using local coffee shops if in-person meetings are required."

Big outlets and stations will still return to an office someday, but for smaller houses, the situation looks grim.

Think of a newsroom, and all you picture is a small space filled with editors scrambling to attend and deliver meetings, reporters rushing in and out to take interviews, analysts blaring through television sets and the noise of phones ringing.

Think of a newsroom, and all you picture is a small space filled with editors scrambling to attend and deliver meetings, reporters rushing in and out to take interviews, analysts blaring through television sets and the noise of phones ringing. But amid the coronavirus pandemic, when every activity around the world has come to a screeching halt, newsrooms don't look the same. And they may not -- at least for a considerable amount of time. Being furloughed, working from home, and having to deal with grim stories by even risking their physical health may also have a pronounced effect on the mental well-being of media persons. But despite these challenges, the one-person news bureaus have worked wonders -- especially the reporters who have braved the wave of coronavirus infections and have travelled far and wide to gather information. So what are the takeaways from this coronavirus-induced global lockdown? Will things ever be back to how they used to be? Or are the one-man news bureaus the new normal? WION -- India’s first International news channel -- will find out on its prime time show. WION is set to host a first-of-its-kind ‘Global Editors Summit’ with editors from top news agencies across the globe. It’s an opportunity for everyone to understand the impact of the pandemic on the media, changing technologies, business models and best practices by news agencies globally. Special guests include Elizabeth Kennedy, Deputy International Editor, AP; Simon Marks, President, FSN; Tatiana Kukhareva, Deputy Head, Sputnik News websites and radio; and Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman, News Editor, Jerusalem Post. How has the coronavirus pandemic changed newsrooms around the world? Watch newsroom leaders share inspiring, behind-the-camera stories at the #WIONGlobalEditorsSummit Thursday | 8:30 PM IST LIVE TV: https://t.co/waIaRZcNrE@palkisu @MaayanJaffe @ekbeirut @SimonMarksFSN pic.twitter.com/zJPpykQj0E — WION (@WIONews) June 10, 2020 × To partake in this virtual summit, all you would need to do is tune into WION on Thursday, June 11, 2020, at 8.30 pm. The broadcast would be streamed on wionews.com and its social media platforms as well. You can tag us with questions and opinions on the topic by using the hashtag #WIONGlobalEditorsSummit. FACT OF THE MATTER These days, dining room tables, study rooms, guest bedrooms and balconies have turned into makeshift newsrooms because, as they say, the show must go on. And the show is going on with much pomp and show -- without a drop in the quality. At least 43 per cent of the millennials from the UK and the US have said that news shows have been their most trusted source of information in these testing times. But far from this, the media time and again became a subject of scrutiny, across the globe. There have been growing concerns over the treatment of reporters covering the outbreak in some parts of the world. Thirteen journalists working for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post had their credentials revoked by Chinese authorities. Former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney had said that the media was overplaying the dangers of the disease as a way to ‘bring down the President’. In Iran, a few reporters are now facing jail after being detained for challenging official statistics about the outbreak in the country. In Malaysia, dozens of people, including a journalist, have been arrested for allegedly spreading false information about the virus via social media. There have been similar arrests across Asia, including in India, Thailand and Indonesia. In India, the government has blamed the media for causing panic among migrant workers, leading to their exodus in the wake of the lockdown. There have been other collateral damage too. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit India in March, there have been numerous reports about millions of lost media jobs. A Poynter report says many news outlets are expected to weigh the productivity of their journalists against the cost of office space in the wake of the economic downturn. "Those big headquarters can be replaced by smaller offices just big enough for occasional meetings and planning. Our journalists can keep doing what they’ve been doing by meeting on Zoom and using local coffee shops if in-person meetings are required." Big outlets and stations will still return to an office someday, but for smaller houses, the situation looks grim.

Newsrooms amid coronavirus pandemic: Watch WION Global Editors Summit today

China claims to have cured 92% of Coronavirus cases using traditional medicine. These claims are being globally criticised for the lack of evidence. But, President Xi Jinping thinks it is his national duty to promote traditional Chinese medicine. What if it costs lives across the world yet again?

Gravitas: Xi Jinping turns salesman for Traditional Chinese Medicine

India is among a group of 15 high-risk countries where lifting lockdown and relaxing restrictions can lead to a spike in new infections, according to an analysis by securities research firm Nomura.

Lockdown restrictions averted over 530 million COVID-19 cases: Study

The Wuhan virus has infected more than 72,00,000 people across the world. A new study in the Medical Journal Nature says that anti-viral drug Remdesivir can help prevent Lung damage in infected patients. WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Can Remdesivir slow Covid-19 progression?

Two hairstylists in Missouri, US who worked while they had already contracted coronavirus did not infect the 140 clients they served even though they had symptoms at the time.

Both stylists worked at the same Great Clips location in Springfield for more than a week in mid-May.

Studies have found that physical distancing and the use of a mask are the two best ways to prevent coronavirus transmission -- both of which were duly followed at the salon.

Health officials say the clients and the stylists all wore face coverings, and the salon had set up other measures such as social distancing of chairs and staggered appointments.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-hairstylists-in-us-potentially-exposed-140-people-to-coronavirus-300738">Also read | Two hairstylists in US potentially exposed 140 people to coronavirus</a>

Of the 140 clients and seven co-workers potentially exposed, 46 took tests that came back negative. All the others were quarantined for the duration of the coronavirus incubation period. The 14-day incubation period has now passed with no new infections linked to the salon.

Officials added they're looking into the case for insight on how to stop the spread and help with efforts on future research.

Talking of the stylists, one of them had worked with 56 clients at the salon while the second one had seen 84 customers and seven coworkers. They went to the salon for about eight days ending on May 20.

The salon kept impeccable records that made contact tracing possible.

More than 1,12,000 people have died from coronavirus in the United States, where the number of confirmed cases is more than 2 million. In Missouri, the virus has killed more than 850 people and infected over 15,000 others.

Two hairstylists in Missouri, US who worked while they had already contracted coronavirus did not infect the 140 clients they served even though they had symptoms at the time.

Two hairstylists in Missouri, US who worked while they had already contracted coronavirus did not infect the 140 clients they served even though they had symptoms at the time. Both stylists worked at the same Great Clips location in Springfield for more than a week in mid-May. Studies have found that physical distancing and the use of a mask are the two best ways to prevent coronavirus transmission -- both of which were duly followed at the salon. Health officials say the clients and the stylists all wore face coverings, and the salon had set up other measures such as social distancing of chairs and staggered appointments. Also read | Two hairstylists in US potentially exposed 140 people to coronavirus Of the 140 clients and seven co-workers potentially exposed, 46 took tests that came back negative. All the others were quarantined for the duration of the coronavirus incubation period. The 14-day incubation period has now passed with no new infections linked to the salon. Officials added they're looking into the case for insight on how to stop the spread and help with efforts on future research. Talking of the stylists, one of them had worked with 56 clients at the salon while the second one had seen 84 customers and seven coworkers. They went to the salon for about eight days ending on May 20. The salon kept impeccable records that made contact tracing possible. More than 1,12,000 people have died from coronavirus in the United States, where the number of confirmed cases is more than 2 million. In Missouri, the virus has killed more than 850 people and infected over 15,000 others.

Missouri hairstylists, who potentially exposed 140 people to coronavirus, did not infect any

Argentina&nbsp;confirmed more than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday as the rate of new infections continued to rise just days after it extended lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires, the country's largest city and epicenter for the virus.

Argentina's Health Ministry logged 1,141 new cases in the past 24 hours, as well 24 deaths, pushing its totals to 24,761 cases and 717 deaths since the outbreak began in early March.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/argentina-debt-deal-in-sight-as-serial-defaulter-looks-to-avoid-zombie-land-302853" hreflang="en">Argentina debt deal in sight as serial defaulter looks to avoid 'zombie land'</a>

Latin America has become the new front in the global coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;Argentina's rising rate of infections, though, still remains markedly lower than neighbors Chile, which reported 3,913 cases on Tuesday, and Brazil, with 32,091 new cases.

Argentina&nbsp;last week extended a mandatory lockdown in Buenos Aires, which accounts for the country's highest concentration of confirmed infections. Other areas have moved to "mandatory and preventive social distancing."&nbsp;

Much of the nation had been under a shelter-in-place order since March 20. The country has a commercial flight ban until Sept. 1, one of the world's strictest travel measures during the pandemic.

Argentina confirmed more than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday as the rate of new infections continued to rise just days after it extended lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires, the country's largest city and epicenter for the virus.

Argentina confirmed more than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday as the rate of new infections continued to rise just days after it extended lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires, the country's largest city and epicenter for the virus. Argentina's Health Ministry logged 1,141 new cases in the past 24 hours, as well 24 deaths, pushing its totals to 24,761 cases and 717 deaths since the outbreak began in early March. Also read: Argentina debt deal in sight as serial defaulter looks to avoid 'zombie land' Latin America has become the new front in the global coronavirus outbreak. Argentina's rising rate of infections, though, still remains markedly lower than neighbors Chile, which reported 3,913 cases on Tuesday, and Brazil, with 32,091 new cases. Argentina last week extended a mandatory lockdown in Buenos Aires, which accounts for the country's highest concentration of confirmed infections. Other areas have moved to "mandatory and preventive social distancing." Much of the nation had been under a shelter-in-place order since March 20. The country has a commercial flight ban until Sept. 1, one of the world's strictest travel measures during the pandemic.

Argentina's new daily coronavirus cases top 1,000 for first time

Starbucks Corp said on Wednesday it expects current-quarter operating income to plunge by up to $2.2 billion, and sales to decline for the rest of the year even as nearly all its cafes have reopened following the easing of coronavirus lockdowns.

The company said it would permanently close about 400 stores in the Americas over the next 18 months and cut its planned new store openings by half to about 300 this fiscal year, signifying the lasting impact of the pandemic.

The world's largest coffee chain's shares fell nearly 4%, as it also forecast a bigger-than-expected current-quarter loss and an over $3 billion fall in revenue.

With the COVID-19 pandemic effectively putting a stop to dining out in most of the United States for weeks, Starbucks was forced to convert its cafes to pick-up or drive-through joints only.

The company said it would now speed up the opening of pick-up only stores, especially in urban areas, as health experts advise people to stick with social-distancing norms.

Starbucks projected an adjusted loss of about 55 cents to 70 cents per share for its third-quarter ending in June and said it expects US&nbsp;same-store sales to drop by up to 45%. Analysts were expecting a third-quarter loss of 16 cents per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

However, declines are expected to slow towards the end of the year.

The company expects same-store sales in China to drop by 20% to 25%, slightly more optimistic than an earlier forecast of 25% to 35% fall.

Starbucks said it expects current-quarter operating income decline between $2 billion to $2.2 billion. It reported an operating income of $1.07 billion in the third quarter of last year.

Starbucks Corp said on Wednesday it expects current-quarter operating income to plunge by up to $2.2 billion, and sales to decline for the rest of the year even as nearly all its cafes have reopened following the easing of coronavirus lockdowns.

Starbucks Corp said on Wednesday it expects current-quarter operating income to plunge by up to $2.2 billion, and sales to decline for the rest of the year even as nearly all its cafes have reopened following the easing of coronavirus lockdowns. The company said it would permanently close about 400 stores in the Americas over the next 18 months and cut its planned new store openings by half to about 300 this fiscal year, signifying the lasting impact of the pandemic. The world's largest coffee chain's shares fell nearly 4%, as it also forecast a bigger-than-expected current-quarter loss and an over $3 billion fall in revenue. With the COVID-19 pandemic effectively putting a stop to dining out in most of the United States for weeks, Starbucks was forced to convert its cafes to pick-up or drive-through joints only. The company said it would now speed up the opening of pick-up only stores, especially in urban areas, as health experts advise people to stick with social-distancing norms. Starbucks projected an adjusted loss of about 55 cents to 70 cents per share for its third-quarter ending in June and said it expects US same-store sales to drop by up to 45%. Analysts were expecting a third-quarter loss of 16 cents per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. However, declines are expected to slow towards the end of the year. The company expects same-store sales in China to drop by 20% to 25%, slightly more optimistic than an earlier forecast of 25% to 35% fall. Starbucks said it expects current-quarter operating income decline between $2 billion to $2.2 billion. It reported an operating income of $1.07 billion in the third quarter of last year.

Starbucks expects over $2 billion drop in quarterly income due to covid-19

After the World Health Organization(WHO) said that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-calls-harvard-medical-school-research-on-spread-of-virus-in-august-incredibly-ridiculous-304550">coronavirus</a> transmission from asymptomatic carriers was "very rare", it clarified saying it was "referring to very few studies, some two or three".

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-did-coronavirus-hit-wuhan-in-august-2019-304662/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead had said earlier that, "We have a number of reports from countries who are doing very detailed contact tracing. They're following asymptomatic cases, they're following contacts and they're not finding secondary transmission onward. It's very rare."

The WHO technical lead had told reporters in Geneva that "it still seems to be rare that an asymptomatic person actually transmits onward to a secondary individual."

However, Kerkhove on Tuesday walked back on her statement saying: "What I was referring to yesterday in the press conference were very few studies - some two or three studies that had been published that actually try to follow asymptomatic cases, so people who are infected, over time, and then look at all of their contacts and see how many additional people were infected."

"And that's a very small subset of studies. So I was responding to a question at the press conference. I wasn't stating a policy of WHO," Kerkhove added.

"This is a major unknown, because there are so many unknowns around this, some modeling groups have tried to estimate what is the proportion of asymptomatic people that may transmit," she said.

 
&nbsp;

After the World Health Organization(WHO) said that coronavirus transmission from asymptomatic carriers was "very rare", it clarified saying it was "referring to very few studies, some two or three".

After the World Health Organization(WHO) said that coronavirus transmission from asymptomatic carriers was "very rare", it clarified saying it was "referring to very few studies, some two or three". Watch Video: Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead had said earlier that, "We have a number of reports from countries who are doing very detailed contact tracing. They're following asymptomatic cases, they're following contacts and they're not finding secondary transmission onward. It's very rare." The WHO technical lead had told reporters in Geneva that "it still seems to be rare that an asymptomatic person actually transmits onward to a secondary individual." However, Kerkhove on Tuesday walked back on her statement saying: "What I was referring to yesterday in the press conference were very few studies - some two or three studies that had been published that actually try to follow asymptomatic cases, so people who are infected, over time, and then look at all of their contacts and see how many additional people were infected." "And that's a very small subset of studies. So I was responding to a question at the press conference. I wasn't stating a policy of WHO," Kerkhove added. "This is a major unknown, because there are so many unknowns around this, some modeling groups have tried to estimate what is the proportion of asymptomatic people that may transmit," she said.

After saying asymptomatic carriers spreading COVID-19 very rare, WHO clarifies

Australia is on course to have largely eradicated the coronavirus by July, a public health official said on Wednesday, as the country's most populous state announced the removal of restrictions on community sports.

"Our view has been that we had hoped that by June/July that we would see coronavirus largely disappearing from the country, so this is pretty much on track," said Bill Rawlinson, a senior medical virologist with New South Wales Health.

New South Wales said it would resume community sports like netball and cricket from July 1, after the state went for two weeks without any cases of community transmission.&nbsp;

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Australia logged an increase of seven cases overnight in the eastern states, three in NSW and four in Victoria, bringing total nationwide cases to 7,274. Three of the most recent cases were from unknown sources, after the country recorded no cases acquired from an unknown source overnight to Tuesday.&nbsp;

Despite the low numbers, some Australian states including Queensland and Western Australia have kept their borders shut, resisting calls to reopen them by their hard-hit tourism industries.&nbsp;

The state border closures have also slowed progress towards opening a travel bubble between Australia and neighbouring New Zealand, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/australia-says-china-unresponsive-to-its-pleas-to-ease-tensions-304131" hreflang="en">Australia says China unresponsive to its pleas to ease tensions</a>

New Zealand lifted all restrictions except international border controls after declaring on Monday it was free of the coronavirus.

"Before we went to lockdown, we were talking about getting out of it and having a bubble of success between both countries," Peters told Channel Nine, discussing the prospect of opening travel between New Zealand and some Australian states first.&nbsp;

"Let's not restrain the movement between our two countries based on the slowest state in Australia."

Australia is on course to have largely eradicated the coronavirus by July, a public health official said on Wednesday, as the country's most populous state announced the removal of restrictions on community sports.

Australia is on course to have largely eradicated the coronavirus by July, a public health official said on Wednesday, as the country's most populous state announced the removal of restrictions on community sports. "Our view has been that we had hoped that by June/July that we would see coronavirus largely disappearing from the country, so this is pretty much on track," said Bill Rawlinson, a senior medical virologist with New South Wales Health. New South Wales said it would resume community sports like netball and cricket from July 1, after the state went for two weeks without any cases of community transmission. Also read: China warns citizens against studying in 'racist' Australia Australia logged an increase of seven cases overnight in the eastern states, three in NSW and four in Victoria, bringing total nationwide cases to 7,274. Three of the most recent cases were from unknown sources, after the country recorded no cases acquired from an unknown source overnight to Tuesday. Despite the low numbers, some Australian states including Queensland and Western Australia have kept their borders shut, resisting calls to reopen them by their hard-hit tourism industries. The state border closures have also slowed progress towards opening a travel bubble between Australia and neighbouring New Zealand, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said. Also read: Australia says China unresponsive to its pleas to ease tensions New Zealand lifted all restrictions except international border controls after declaring on Monday it was free of the coronavirus. "Before we went to lockdown, we were talking about getting out of it and having a bubble of success between both countries," Peters told Channel Nine, discussing the prospect of opening travel between New Zealand and some Australian states first. "Let's not restrain the movement between our two countries based on the slowest state in Australia."

Australia on track to see coronavirus largely gone by July, sport resumes

Maharashtra's Covid-19 cases have climbed to 94,041 on Wednesday with 3,254 new patients, a health official said.

Total 3,438 have died so far due to the deadly coronavirus with 149 new deaths being recorded during the day.

The total number of recovered patients stands at 44,517.

Maharashtra coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 94,041, new cases 3,254, deaths 3,438, discharged 44,517, active cases 46,074, people tested so far 5,93,784.&nbsp;

Meanwhile in India, the total number of coronavirus cases have jumped to 276,583, while 7,745 people have died from the disease so far, showed data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Close to 6,000 recoveries pushed the total number of cured/discharged patients to 135,206. The count of active cases now stands at 133,632.

Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, 5,991 patients have been cured, and the recovery rate now stands at 48.88 per cent.

(With inputs from agencies)

Maharashtra's Covid-19 cases have climbed to 94,041 on Wednesday with 3,254 new patients, a health official said. Total 3,438 have died so far due to the deadly coronavirus with 149 new deaths being recorded during the day.

Maharashtra's Covid-19 cases have climbed to 94,041 on Wednesday with 3,254 new patients, a health official said. Total 3,438 have died so far due to the deadly coronavirus with 149 new deaths being recorded during the day. The total number of recovered patients stands at 44,517. Maharashtra coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 94,041, new cases 3,254, deaths 3,438, discharged 44,517, active cases 46,074, people tested so far 5,93,784. Meanwhile in India, the total number of coronavirus cases have jumped to 276,583, while 7,745 people have died from the disease so far, showed data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Close to 6,000 recoveries pushed the total number of cured/discharged patients to 135,206. The count of active cases now stands at 133,632. Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, 5,991 patients have been cured, and the recovery rate now stands at 48.88 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra inch near 1 lakh mark, death toll at 3,438

The president of the U.N. General Assembly said Monday that world leaders will not be coming to New York for their annual gathering in September for the first time in the 75-year history of the United Nations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

World leaders 'unlikely' to meet at UN General Assembly due to COVID-19

Canada and the United States are set to extend a ban on non-essential travel to late July as both countries seek to control the spread of the coronavirus, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Washington and Ottawa introduced month-long restrictions in March and renewed them in April and May. The ban, currently due to expire on June 21, does not affect trade.

Canadian and U.S. sources said although the governments had not yet taken a final decision, a further extension was highly likely.

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"It's going to be a clean rollover" on June 21, said a U.S. source who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. "We will want to look at it again in July."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was not immediately available for comment.

Data show that while the outbreak is slowing across the 10 Canadian provinces, new cases show little sign of abating in Toronto and Montreal, the country's two largest cities.

A majority of provinces have privately told Ottawa they are reluctant to resume non-essential travel, said a second source.&nbsp;

Several provinces have clamped down on travel within Canada, and a third Canadian source said these inter-provincial restrictions would make it hard to lift the ban on non-essential travel with the United States.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/wearing-masks-on-large-scale-can-prevent-covid-19-second-waves-study-304674" hreflang="en">Wearing masks on large-scale can prevent COVID-19 second waves: Study</a>

More than 110,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the United States, one of the world's worst-hit nations. Canada reported 7,835 deaths, and 96,244 coronavirus cases on June 9.

A spokeswoman for Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who has overall responsibility for ties with the United States, said both sides agreed the ban had worked well.

Extending the measures would hurt Canadian airlines and the tourism industry.&nbsp;

Carriers, including Air Canada, have been among the worst hit as travel bans resulted in thousands of flight cancellations, forcing carriers to cut jobs and costs.

"There is a push from some sectors for reopening (the border), like Air Canada," a Canadian government source said.

Asked about reopening the border, Air Canada said in a statement that governments around the world are relaxing restrictions and said it was working with tourism and industry groups to "streamline and clarify rules around travel".

Canada and the United States are set to extend a ban on non-essential travel to late July as both countries seek to control the spread of the coronavirus, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Canada and the United States are set to extend a ban on non-essential travel to late July as both countries seek to control the spread of the coronavirus, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Washington and Ottawa introduced month-long restrictions in March and renewed them in April and May. The ban, currently due to expire on June 21, does not affect trade. Canadian and U.S. sources said although the governments had not yet taken a final decision, a further extension was highly likely. Also read: Retracted COVID-19 studies expose holes in vetting of data firms "It's going to be a clean rollover" on June 21, said a U.S. source who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. "We will want to look at it again in July." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was not immediately available for comment. Data show that while the outbreak is slowing across the 10 Canadian provinces, new cases show little sign of abating in Toronto and Montreal, the country's two largest cities. A majority of provinces have privately told Ottawa they are reluctant to resume non-essential travel, said a second source. Several provinces have clamped down on travel within Canada, and a third Canadian source said these inter-provincial restrictions would make it hard to lift the ban on non-essential travel with the United States. Also read: Wearing masks on large-scale can prevent COVID-19 second waves: Study More than 110,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the United States, one of the world's worst-hit nations. Canada reported 7,835 deaths, and 96,244 coronavirus cases on June 9. A spokeswoman for Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who has overall responsibility for ties with the United States, said both sides agreed the ban had worked well. Extending the measures would hurt Canadian airlines and the tourism industry. Carriers, including Air Canada, have been among the worst hit as travel bans resulted in thousands of flight cancellations, forcing carriers to cut jobs and costs. "There is a push from some sectors for reopening (the border), like Air Canada," a Canadian government source said. Asked about reopening the border, Air Canada said in a statement that governments around the world are relaxing restrictions and said it was working with tourism and industry groups to "streamline and clarify rules around travel".

Canada, US set to extend border closure to end-July

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out details on Wednesday of which sectors of the economy will be allowed to resume on June 15, including the reopening of zoos and drive-in cinemas in England.

Britain has already begun slowly opening for business after shuttering large swathes of the economy and ordering citizens to stay at home on March 23 to limit the spread of COVID-19 as the disease threatened to overwhelm the health system.

June 15 has already been flagged as the next stage of that process, and is when non-essential retailers and secondary schools will be allowed to open again, albeit with strict rules about the need for social distancing.

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On Wednesday, Johnson will add zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinemas to the list.

"This is by necessity a careful process, but we hope the reopening of safari parks and zoos will help provide families with more options to spend time outdoors, while supporting the industry caring for these incredible animals," a spokeswoman from Johnson's office said.

The changes will be announced during the government's daily news conference, which normally takes place at 1600 GMT.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gileads-remdesivir-prevents-lung-damage-in-covid-19-study-on-monkeys-304645" hreflang="en">Gilead's remdesivir prevents lung damage in COVID-19 study on monkeys</a>

Ministers have taken radical steps to prop up the economy during the national lockdown, including an unprecedented scheme to pay workers' wages to limit job losses, and the opening of loan schemes and credit lines for businesses of all sizes.

That support has come at a high cost to the public purse, with borrowing set to reach levels not seen since World War Two.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out details on Wednesday of which sectors of the economy will be allowed to resume on June 15, including the reopening of zoos and drive-in cinemas in England.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out details on Wednesday of which sectors of the economy will be allowed to resume on June 15, including the reopening of zoos and drive-in cinemas in England. Britain has already begun slowly opening for business after shuttering large swathes of the economy and ordering citizens to stay at home on March 23 to limit the spread of COVID-19 as the disease threatened to overwhelm the health system. June 15 has already been flagged as the next stage of that process, and is when non-essential retailers and secondary schools will be allowed to open again, albeit with strict rules about the need for social distancing. Also read: Now, WHO says COVID-19 spread by asymptomatic carriers 'major unknown' On Wednesday, Johnson will add zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinemas to the list. "This is by necessity a careful process, but we hope the reopening of safari parks and zoos will help provide families with more options to spend time outdoors, while supporting the industry caring for these incredible animals," a spokeswoman from Johnson's office said. The changes will be announced during the government's daily news conference, which normally takes place at 1600 GMT. Also read: Gilead's remdesivir prevents lung damage in COVID-19 study on monkeys Ministers have taken radical steps to prop up the economy during the national lockdown, including an unprecedented scheme to pay workers' wages to limit job losses, and the opening of loan schemes and credit lines for businesses of all sizes. That support has come at a high cost to the public purse, with borrowing set to reach levels not seen since World War Two.

Zoos and drive-in cinemas will be among English businesses reopening next Monday

The scramble to research the novel coronavirus has exposed weaknesses in the vetting of healthcare data being supplied by a growing number of U.S. firms, a flaw that forced two of the most respected medical journals to pull studies last week.

The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) retracted COVID-19 studies over questionable patient health data supplied by a small company called Surgisphere.&nbsp;

U.S. researchers say they are routinely peppered with pitches from similar firms, with no widespread standard of how to verify their datasets.

“Whenever you don't know where data comes from, and precisely how it was managed, then the number of incorrect conclusions you can draw is large,” said Kenneth Mandl, director of the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. “The field is young enough that those best practices may not be well established across the scientific community.”

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The Lancet study, which concluded treating COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of death, drew scrutiny from scientists worldwide. They suggested that patient outcomes data from several countries did not add up.&nbsp;

Mandeep Mehra, a Harvard Medical School professor and researcher with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and his co-authors retracted the Lancet study and a second study in NEJM, saying they could not vouch for the veracity of the data and that Surgisphere would not provide its underlying data to independent auditors.

The retractions “are great examples of why science needs more of a ‘In God We Trust, everyone else needs to show their data’ approach,” said Ivan Oransky, vice president of editorial at Medscape and co-founder of the Retraction Watch blog.

Over the years, more than 1,500 studies have made it into Retraction Watch’s database because of data concerns such as data falsification by the authors, Oransky said. There have been about 15 medical paper retractions related to COVID-19, according to the website.&nbsp;

For years, U.S. healthcare data was concentrated in medical claims compiled by large insurers such as UnitedHealth Group Inc &lt;UNH.N&gt; and the government. As hospitals have moved to electronic health records, independent analytics firms are buying hospital data sold without patient names.&nbsp;

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration now allows data gathered outside of clinical trials to be considered in its reviews of new drugs, providing another boost to the healthcare analytics industry.

'REVIEWING OUR PROCEDURES'

It is not clear how Surgisphere accessed the data used in the two studies. Surgisphere did not return requests for comment.

At a time when researchers are scrambling to find a cure for COVID-19, data sets like those used in the now retracted studies can appear to be a “goldmine,” Mandl said.

A spokesman for Lancet publisher Elsevier said it will re-assess about 20 additional published articles that contain Surgisphere data.

A spokesman for Brigham and Women's Hospital said its data oversight mechanisms “were not applicable” to the Lancet and NEJM studies, adding it only provides “support, guidance and oversight on all agreements that involve the use of our institutional resources, including our patient data.”

Harvard Medical School would not comment on its role in vetting the data. Harvard and the Brigham declined to say whether further steps would be taken regarding the researchers’ handling of the matter.

While the NEJM and Lancet articles had external peer review, they relied on the authors to vouch for the data.

“We are reviewing our procedures, including how we assess research analyzing large datasets based on electronic medical record data,” said NEJM spokeswoman Jennifer Zeis.

After the retraction, the Lancet said it was conducting a review, and that serious scientific questions had been raised.

Dr. Deneen Vojta, executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare’s global research and development division, said it is important to ask questions about how a group obtained their data, and that it must be made available for scrutiny.

Dr. Peter Bach, from Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, said his research team regularly assesses data offered by these new firms to make sure it jibes with its own knowledge, such as ages of people having a certain surgery or the number of prescriptions the firm says were dispensed.

"We do lots of tire kicking,” Bach said.

The scramble to research the novel coronavirus has exposed weaknesses in the vetting of healthcare data being supplied by a growing number of U.S. firms, a flaw that forced two of the most respected medical journals to pull studies last week.

The scramble to research the novel coronavirus has exposed weaknesses in the vetting of healthcare data being supplied by a growing number of U.S. firms, a flaw that forced two of the most respected medical journals to pull studies last week. The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) retracted COVID-19 studies over questionable patient health data supplied by a small company called Surgisphere. U.S. researchers say they are routinely peppered with pitches from similar firms, with no widespread standard of how to verify their datasets. “Whenever you don't know where data comes from, and precisely how it was managed, then the number of incorrect conclusions you can draw is large,” said Kenneth Mandl, director of the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. “The field is young enough that those best practices may not be well established across the scientific community.” Also read: Now, WHO says COVID-19 spread by asymptomatic carriers 'major unknown' The Lancet study, which concluded treating COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of death, drew scrutiny from scientists worldwide. They suggested that patient outcomes data from several countries did not add up. Mandeep Mehra, a Harvard Medical School professor and researcher with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and his co-authors retracted the Lancet study and a second study in NEJM, saying they could not vouch for the veracity of the data and that Surgisphere would not provide its underlying data to independent auditors. The retractions “are great examples of why science needs more of a ‘In God We Trust, everyone else needs to show their data’ approach,” said Ivan Oransky, vice president of editorial at Medscape and co-founder of the Retraction Watch blog. Over the years, more than 1,500 studies have made it into Retraction Watch’s database because of data concerns such as data falsification by the authors, Oransky said. There have been about 15 medical paper retractions related to COVID-19, according to the website. For years, U.S. healthcare data was concentrated in medical claims compiled by large insurers such as UnitedHealth Group Inc <UNH.N> and the government. As hospitals have moved to electronic health records, independent analytics firms are buying hospital data sold without patient names. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration now allows data gathered outside of clinical trials to be considered in its reviews of new drugs, providing another boost to the healthcare analytics industry. 'REVIEWING OUR PROCEDURES' It is not clear how Surgisphere accessed the data used in the two studies. Surgisphere did not return requests for comment. At a time when researchers are scrambling to find a cure for COVID-19, data sets like those used in the now retracted studies can appear to be a “goldmine,” Mandl said. A spokesman for Lancet publisher Elsevier said it will re-assess about 20 additional published articles that contain Surgisphere data. A spokesman for Brigham and Women's Hospital said its data oversight mechanisms “were not applicable” to the Lancet and NEJM studies, adding it only provides “support, guidance and oversight on all agreements that involve the use of our institutional resources, including our patient data.” Harvard Medical School would not comment on its role in vetting the data. Harvard and the Brigham declined to say whether further steps would be taken regarding the researchers’ handling of the matter. While the NEJM and Lancet articles had external peer review, they relied on the authors to vouch for the data. “We are reviewing our procedures, including how we assess research analyzing large datasets based on electronic medical record data,” said NEJM spokeswoman Jennifer Zeis. After the retraction, the Lancet said it was conducting a review, and that serious scientific questions had been raised. Dr. Deneen Vojta, executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare’s global research and development division, said it is important to ask questions about how a group obtained their data, and that it must be made available for scrutiny. Dr. Peter Bach, from Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, said his research team regularly assesses data offered by these new firms to make sure it jibes with its own knowledge, such as ages of people having a certain surgery or the number of prescriptions the firm says were dispensed. "We do lots of tire kicking,” Bach said.

Retracted COVID-19 studies expose holes in vetting of data firms

Chinese researchers are developing a vaccine for COVID-19 which has exhibited powerful results in monkeys.&nbsp;According to the researchers, the vaccine in question triggered antibodies in the animals, and did not lead to any complications or safety concerns.

Human trials for the vaccine have begun on 1,000 participants.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-72-million-infections-worldwide-countries-fear-second-wave-as-cases-rise-304751" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: 7.2 million infections worldwide, countries fear second wave</a>

The potential vaccine is called BBIBP-CorV and works by activating high-level antibodies that are capable of neutralising the virus, and prevent further infection. Published online in the medical journal Cell, the vaccine candidate was tested on monkeys, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

"These results support the further evaluation of BBIBP-CorV in a clinical trial," researchers mentioned in their study.

<h6><img alt="A worker is seen inside the Beijing Applied Biological Technologies (XABT) research and development laboratory in Beijing on May 14, 2020. XABT is a Chinese company specializing in developing pathogens diagnostics, among them reagent kits for the COVID-19 coronavirus." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f0655e52-4381-413b-9a1c-fa128da66a4f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_29.jpg" /> 
A worker is seen inside the Beijing Applied Biological Technologies (XABT) research and development laboratory in Beijing on May 14, 2020. XABT is a Chinese company specializing in developing pathogens diagnostics, among them reagent kits for the COVID-19 coronavirus. | AFP</h6>

Developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products, in tandem with state-run China National Pharmaceutical Group, BBIBP-CorV is one of the five vaccines being tested on humans in China.

Globally, the race to find a vaccine has amped up, as countries are now fearing a surge in reinfection as people start resuming normal life. The United States is already witnessing a spike in cases due to the ongoing protests, with 21 states reporting a surge in cases. India, and Brazil continue to induct record cases daily, with the curve not expected to flatten soon.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-raises-protection-for-pangolins-by-removing-scales-from-medicine-list-304787">China raises protection for pangolins by removing scales from medicine list</a>

Around 100 vaccines are being developed across the world. Companies at the forefront in decrypting the virus include AstraZeneca, Pfizer, BioNtech, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Merck, Moderna, Sanofi and China's CanSino Biologics.

BBIBP-CorV appeared safe in animals and was able to trigger an immune response. Fears of boosting the infection were averted. This phenomenon - Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE) was not visible in animals, but the results may vary in humans, due to the difference in physiology.

Sinopharm, another Chinese conglomerate is testing a potential vaccine on humans, currently being developed by its unit in Wuhan, where the virus first emerged. The company has invested $141 million into vaccination development.

Coronavirus has infected over 7.2&nbsp; million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,240,085 people have been infected with the virus, while 411,279 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago, after wreaking havoc in China.

The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,979,850), Brazil (739,503), Russia (484,630), United Kingdom (290,581), followed by India (276,146).

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Chinese researchers are developing a vaccine for COVID-19 which has exhibited powerful results in monkeys. According to the researchers, the vaccine in question triggered antibodies in the animals, and did not lead to any complications or safety concerns.

Chinese researchers are developing a vaccine for COVID-19 which has exhibited powerful results in monkeys. According to the researchers, the vaccine in question triggered antibodies in the animals, and did not lead to any complications or safety concerns. Human trials for the vaccine have begun on 1,000 participants. Also read: Coronavirus: 7.2 million infections worldwide, countries fear second wave The potential vaccine is called BBIBP-CorV and works by activating high-level antibodies that are capable of neutralising the virus, and prevent further infection. Published online in the medical journal Cell, the vaccine candidate was tested on monkeys, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. "These results support the further evaluation of BBIBP-CorV in a clinical trial," researchers mentioned in their study. A worker is seen inside the Beijing Applied Biological Technologies (XABT) research and development laboratory in Beijing on May 14, 2020. XABT is a Chinese company specializing in developing pathogens diagnostics, among them reagent kits for the COVID-19 coronavirus. | AFP Developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products, in tandem with state-run China National Pharmaceutical Group, BBIBP-CorV is one of the five vaccines being tested on humans in China. Globally, the race to find a vaccine has amped up, as countries are now fearing a surge in reinfection as people start resuming normal life. The United States is already witnessing a spike in cases due to the ongoing protests, with 21 states reporting a surge in cases. India, and Brazil continue to induct record cases daily, with the curve not expected to flatten soon. Also read: China raises protection for pangolins by removing scales from medicine list Around 100 vaccines are being developed across the world. Companies at the forefront in decrypting the virus include AstraZeneca, Pfizer, BioNtech, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Moderna, Sanofi and China's CanSino Biologics. BBIBP-CorV appeared safe in animals and was able to trigger an immune response. Fears of boosting the infection were averted. This phenomenon - Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE) was not visible in animals, but the results may vary in humans, due to the difference in physiology. Sinopharm, another Chinese conglomerate is testing a potential vaccine on humans, currently being developed by its unit in Wuhan, where the virus first emerged. The company has invested $141 million into vaccination development. Coronavirus has infected over 7.2 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,240,085 people have been infected with the virus, while 411,279 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago, after wreaking havoc in China. The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,979,850), Brazil (739,503), Russia (484,630), United Kingdom (290,581), followed by India (276,146). (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

China's candidate coronavirus vaccine 'BBIBP-CorV' displays promising results in animals, human trials underway

Singapore has approved the use of the anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients, authorities said Wednesday, becoming the latest country to do so. 
 
The US authorised the emergency use of remdesivir in hospitals at the start of May, followed by Japan and South Korea, while Europe has been considering following suit.

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It has been granted conditional approval in Singapore for treatment of some adult virus patients, such as those who require intensive breathing support, the country's health products regulator said. 
 
The regulator, the Health Sciences Authority, said it had "expedited the review of remdesivir given the urgent public health need during the COVID-19 pandemic".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/argentinas-new-daily-coronavirus-cases-top-1000-for-first-time-304734" hreflang="en">Argentina's new daily coronavirus cases top 1,000 for first time</a> 
 
As a condition for the approval, the authority requires US-based Gilead Sciences, which developed the drug, to collect safety data and monitor its use. 
 
Singapore initially kept the virus in check with a strict regime of testing and contact tracing, only for serious outbreaks to emerge later in dormitories housing low-paid foreign workers. 
 
The city-state now has the highest recorded number of infections in Southeast Asia with nearly 39,000 cases,&nbsp;mostly among foreign workers. The death toll stands at 25.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Singapore has approved the use of the anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients, authorities said Wednesday, becoming the latest country to do so.

Singapore has approved the use of the anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients, authorities said Wednesday, becoming the latest country to do so. The US authorised the emergency use of remdesivir in hospitals at the start of May, followed by Japan and South Korea, while Europe has been considering following suit. Also read: Coronavirus: 7.2 million infections worldwide, countries fear second wave as cases rise It has been granted conditional approval in Singapore for treatment of some adult virus patients, such as those who require intensive breathing support, the country's health products regulator said. The regulator, the Health Sciences Authority, said it had "expedited the review of remdesivir given the urgent public health need during the COVID-19 pandemic". Also read: Argentina's new daily coronavirus cases top 1,000 for first time As a condition for the approval, the authority requires US-based Gilead Sciences, which developed the drug, to collect safety data and monitor its use. Singapore initially kept the virus in check with a strict regime of testing and contact tracing, only for serious outbreaks to emerge later in dormitories housing low-paid foreign workers. The city-state now has the highest recorded number of infections in Southeast Asia with nearly 39,000 cases, mostly among foreign workers. The death toll stands at 25.

Singapore approves anti-viral drug for COVID-19 patients

Coronavirus has infected over 7.2&nbsp; million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,240,085 people have been infected with the virus, while 411,279 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago, after wreaking havoc in China.

The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,979,850), Brazil (739,503), Russia (484,630), United Kingdom (290,581), followed by India (276,146).

In the US alone, 112,006 deaths have been recorded.

Recently,&nbsp; researchers at the University of Washington have estimated that 145,728 people could die due to coronavirus in the United States by August.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/argentinas-new-daily-coronavirus-cases-top-1000-for-first-time-304734" hreflang="en">Argentina's new daily coronavirus cases top 1,000 for first time</a>

The World Health Organization warned against coronavirus worsening. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” it said, while adding that “asymptomatic patients” may not be a real cause of concern, then later backtracking on it.

Spain and Italy, the former hotspots of the virus are witnessing a dip in the infections, and were overtaken by India on Sunday. Other countries with over 100,000 cases include Peru, France, Germany, Iran, Turkey, Chile, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-us-set-to-extend-border-closure-to-end-july-304681" hreflang="en">Canada, US set to extend border closure to end-July</a>

New Zealand became one of the few countries to be “corona-free” on Monday, as the country’s last patient recovered from the virus, and no new infections reported in the last 18 days. Owing to this, the country has fully restored services like public transport, with all social distancing norms effectively lifted.

India and Brazil have been witnessing a daily surge in the number of reported cases, with India’s health body recently warning that the country is far from its peak.

The US has the highest toll in the world, but on a per capita basis, European countries have a much higher death toll.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-279-deaths-in-india-in-last-24-hours-infection-cases-surge-to-over-276-lakh-304726" hreflang="en">COVID-19: 279 deaths in India in last 24 hours; infection cases surge to over 2.76 lakh</a>

In mid-April, the US alone was witnessing 3,000 deaths everyday during its peak. Right now, the country records 1,000 deaths daily, with an estimated 20,000 new cases everyday

However, owing to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests against the murder of George Floyd, experts in the US believe a surge in the cases is coming, with copycat protests around the world triggering same fears. Florida already witnessed a jump in cases by over 40 per cent, with cases spiking in over 21 states over the last three days.

In Argentina, over 1,000 cases of new coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours, for the first time ever.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Coronavirus has infected over 7.2 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,240,085 people have been infected with the virus, while 411,279 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago, after wreaking havoc in China.

Coronavirus has infected over 7.2 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,240,085 people have been infected with the virus, while 411,279 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago, after wreaking havoc in China. The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,979,850), Brazil (739,503), Russia (484,630), United Kingdom (290,581), followed by India (276,146). In the US alone, 112,006 deaths have been recorded. Recently, researchers at the University of Washington have estimated that 145,728 people could die due to coronavirus in the United States by August. Also read: Argentina's new daily coronavirus cases top 1,000 for first time The World Health Organization warned against coronavirus worsening. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” it said, while adding that “asymptomatic patients” may not be a real cause of concern, then later backtracking on it. Spain and Italy, the former hotspots of the virus are witnessing a dip in the infections, and were overtaken by India on Sunday. Other countries with over 100,000 cases include Peru, France, Germany, Iran, Turkey, Chile, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. Also read: Canada, US set to extend border closure to end-July New Zealand became one of the few countries to be “corona-free” on Monday, as the country’s last patient recovered from the virus, and no new infections reported in the last 18 days. Owing to this, the country has fully restored services like public transport, with all social distancing norms effectively lifted. India and Brazil have been witnessing a daily surge in the number of reported cases, with India’s health body recently warning that the country is far from its peak. The US has the highest toll in the world, but on a per capita basis, European countries have a much higher death toll. Also read: COVID-19: 279 deaths in India in last 24 hours; infection cases surge to over 2.76 lakh In mid-April, the US alone was witnessing 3,000 deaths everyday during its peak. Right now, the country records 1,000 deaths daily, with an estimated 20,000 new cases everyday However, owing to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests against the murder of George Floyd, experts in the US believe a surge in the cases is coming, with copycat protests around the world triggering same fears. Florida already witnessed a jump in cases by over 40 per cent, with cases spiking in over 21 states over the last three days. In Argentina, over 1,000 cases of new coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours, for the first time ever. (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Coronavirus: 7.2 million infections worldwide, countries fear second wave as cases rise

Manchester United’s friendly against Stoke City was cancelled at the last minute on Tuesday after the Championship club’s manager Michael O’Neill tested positive for COVID-19.

Stoke had arrived at United’s training ground for the game when they were informed of O’Neill’s positive test. The Northern Irishman had tested negative in the previous five rounds of testing, Stoke said in a statement.

“Stoke can confirm that manager O’Neill has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus following the latest round of testing on Monday (June 8),” said Stoke, who play in the second tier of English football.

“He will now follow the relevant guidance and undergo a period of isolation, whilst continuing to be in regular virtual contact with his coaching staff and players.”

Soccer in England has been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic but the Premier League is set to restart on June 17, with the Championship following suit three days later.

United are fifth in the top flight, three points behind Chelsea, and will resume their campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on June 19.

Manchester United’s friendly against Stoke City was cancelled at the last minute on Tuesday after the Championship club’s manager Michael O’Neill tested positive for COVID-19.

Manchester United’s friendly against Stoke City was cancelled at the last minute on Tuesday after the Championship club’s manager Michael O’Neill tested positive for COVID-19. Stoke had arrived at United’s training ground for the game when they were informed of O’Neill’s positive test. The Northern Irishman had tested negative in the previous five rounds of testing, Stoke said in a statement. “Stoke can confirm that manager O’Neill has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus following the latest round of testing on Monday (June 8),” said Stoke, who play in the second tier of English football. “He will now follow the relevant guidance and undergo a period of isolation, whilst continuing to be in regular virtual contact with his coaching staff and players.” Soccer in England has been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic but the Premier League is set to restart on June 17, with the Championship following suit three days later. United are fifth in the top flight, three points behind Chelsea, and will resume their campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on June 19.

Google Maps' new coronavirus-centred algorithm will update users of risks in real-time

New information suggests that coronavirus may have started spreading in China as early as August 2019. It was only in December of 2019 that public attention was brought to COVID-19, which has now spread across the globe.

Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,113,366 people have had the virus, while 406,413 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago.

New satellite images from Wuhan and the internet search trends from last year suggest that Hubei may have witnessed its first case earlier than thought.

The new study by Harvard Medical School found that number of cars parked in Wuhan hospitals multiplied by five times in the autumn of 2019, when compared to 2018.

<h6> 
<img alt="This photo taken on June 8, 2020 shows street vendors selling clothes at an outdoor market set up in a street in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6997385a-a7de-4b28-8aa8-d126c192c68c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_24.jpg" /> 
This photo taken on June 8, 2020 shows street vendors selling clothes at an outdoor market set up in a street in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province. | AFP</h6>

 
Additionally, China’s search engine Baidu witnessed a lot of search logs regarding infectious diseases.

According to the researchers, the increase in volume of cars parked and search requests began in August 2019, and peaked in December 2019.

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The analysts used images from October 2018 and counted 171 cars in Tianyou Hospital, one of the largest in Wuhan. However, a year later, there were 285 vehicles parked in the same area, marking an increase of 67%. They also found that there was a 90% influx in traffic at other hospitals in the city.

Between September and October of 2019, five out of the six sample hospitals witnessed higher levels of traffic. This also coincided with increasing searches on Baidu for “cough” and “diarrheoa”.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wuhan-coronavirus-more-than-7000000-cases-worldwide-304379/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Many studies have previously used surveillance of traffic and parked cars to understand an influx and drops in indicators. It is also used by intelligence agencies around the world. For instance, hospitals in Latin America saw more parked cars in the build to flu season.

The first case of coronavirus was reported in the US in late January.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-around-the-world-brazil-sees-a-sharp-increase-in-infections-fears-of-resurgence-in-us-304415" hreflang="en">Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US</a>

Recently,&nbsp; researchers at the University of Washington have estimated that 145,728 people could die of coronavirus in the United States by August.

The World Health Organization warned against coronavirus worsening. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” it said.

New information suggests that coronavirus may have started spreading in China as early as August 2019. It was only in December of 2019 that public attention was brought to COVID-19, which has now spread across the globe.

New information suggests that coronavirus may have started spreading in China as early as August 2019. It was only in December of 2019 that public attention was brought to COVID-19, which has now spread across the globe. Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,113,366 people have had the virus, while 406,413 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago. New satellite images from Wuhan and the internet search trends from last year suggest that Hubei may have witnessed its first case earlier than thought. The new study by Harvard Medical School found that number of cars parked in Wuhan hospitals multiplied by five times in the autumn of 2019, when compared to 2018. This photo taken on June 8, 2020 shows street vendors selling clothes at an outdoor market set up in a street in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province. | AFP Additionally, China’s search engine Baidu witnessed a lot of search logs regarding infectious diseases. According to the researchers, the increase in volume of cars parked and search requests began in August 2019, and peaked in December 2019. Also read: Hong Kong leader says financial hub cannot afford any more 'chaos' The analysts used images from October 2018 and counted 171 cars in Tianyou Hospital, one of the largest in Wuhan. However, a year later, there were 285 vehicles parked in the same area, marking an increase of 67%. They also found that there was a 90% influx in traffic at other hospitals in the city. Between September and October of 2019, five out of the six sample hospitals witnessed higher levels of traffic. This also coincided with increasing searches on Baidu for “cough” and “diarrheoa”. Many studies have previously used surveillance of traffic and parked cars to understand an influx and drops in indicators. It is also used by intelligence agencies around the world. For instance, hospitals in Latin America saw more parked cars in the build to flu season. The first case of coronavirus was reported in the US in late January. Also read: Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US Recently, researchers at the University of Washington have estimated that 145,728 people could die of coronavirus in the United States by August. The World Health Organization warned against coronavirus worsening. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” it said.

Researchers posit coronavirus transmission in Wuhan began in autumn of 2019 by using satellite images

The outlook for Britain's coronavirus-blighted labour market is at its bleakest for almost 30 years despite the easing lockdown, a survey showed Tuesday. 
 
Employment consultancy ManpowerGroup revealed the outcome of a survey of 1,056 UK employers, which comes as Britain continues to relax its COVID-19 lockdown. 
 
"Hiring intentions for the third quarter of 2020 are down to minus 12 percent, with a sharp drop across all major sectors," ManpowerGroup said in a statement, noting this was the worst level since it began the survey in 1992.

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The so-called net employment outlook is calculated by subtracting the number of employers who want to cut staff from those wanting to hire staff. 
 
On a more optimistic note, ManpowerGroup added that most UK businesses expected to return to normality over the next twelve months. 
 
"Employers remain cautiously optimistic that this will be temporary with ... 57 percent of employers expecting to return to pre-COVID-19 hiring levels by this time next year." 
 
Mark Cahill, managing director of ManpowerGroup UK, noted the data showed "unprecedented" disruption from the disease, which has killed more than 40,000 in Britain. 
 
"While there's no getting away from the challenges that lie ahead, the data underlines the resilience of UK employers," Cahill said.

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He added: "The level of disruption is unprecedented and many will be looking closely at what happens next with how COVID-19 progresses, how consumers respond and what all this means for their own operations.” 
 
Recent official UK data also painted a dire picture of the current state of the labour market. 
 
The number of Britons claiming jobless benefit soared nearly 70 percent in April to 2.1 million. 
 
Unemployment claims surged by a record 856,000 from March, according to the Office for National Statistics.&nbsp; 
 
Britain imposed a lockdown on March 23 to halt the spread of the virus, and launched a furlough jobs retention scheme under which the state temporarily pays the bulk of wages.

The outlook for Britain's coronavirus-blighted labour market is at its bleakest for almost 30 years despite the easing lockdown, a survey showed Tuesday. Employment consultancy ManpowerGroup revealed the outcome of a survey of 1,056 UK employers, which comes as Britain continues to relax its COVID-19 lockdown.

The outlook for Britain's coronavirus-blighted labour market is at its bleakest for almost 30 years despite the easing lockdown, a survey showed Tuesday. Employment consultancy ManpowerGroup revealed the outcome of a survey of 1,056 UK employers, which comes as Britain continues to relax its COVID-19 lockdown. "Hiring intentions for the third quarter of 2020 are down to minus 12 percent, with a sharp drop across all major sectors," ManpowerGroup said in a statement, noting this was the worst level since it began the survey in 1992. Also read: Emergency health measures including school closures saved millions in six coronavirus-hit countries: Study The so-called net employment outlook is calculated by subtracting the number of employers who want to cut staff from those wanting to hire staff. On a more optimistic note, ManpowerGroup added that most UK businesses expected to return to normality over the next twelve months. "Employers remain cautiously optimistic that this will be temporary with ... 57 percent of employers expecting to return to pre-COVID-19 hiring levels by this time next year." Mark Cahill, managing director of ManpowerGroup UK, noted the data showed "unprecedented" disruption from the disease, which has killed more than 40,000 in Britain. "While there's no getting away from the challenges that lie ahead, the data underlines the resilience of UK employers," Cahill said. Also read: Was 'icon of the free world' Winston Churchill a racist? He added: "The level of disruption is unprecedented and many will be looking closely at what happens next with how COVID-19 progresses, how consumers respond and what all this means for their own operations.” Recent official UK data also painted a dire picture of the current state of the labour market. The number of Britons claiming jobless benefit soared nearly 70 percent in April to 2.1 million. Unemployment claims surged by a record 856,000 from March, according to the Office for National Statistics. Britain imposed a lockdown on March 23 to halt the spread of the virus, and launched a furlough jobs retention scheme under which the state temporarily pays the bulk of wages.

UK labour market outlook bleakest since 1992: Study

&nbsp;As coronavirus cases across United States jumped again due to the ongoing protests against the murder of George Floyd, US President Donald Trump is set to begin conducting campaign rallies for his reelection to the White House.

Health experts across the globe have warned against jumping too soon into relaxations, especially in terms of crowding, as it could trigger another wave of COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-around-the-world-brazil-sees-a-sharp-increase-in-infections-fears-of-resurgence-in-us-304415" hreflang="en">Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US</a>

Trump intends to restart his reelection campaign with in person rallies over the next two weeks. His last election rally took place on March 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, when US was beginning to peak.

According to Politico, Trump’s aides are exploring the options available in terms of the safety imbued in campaigning right now. The elections are set to take place on November 3 across the United States, and Trump’s adviser Brad Parscale is currently working on a plan to facilitate campaigning.

Media reports indicate that rallies may be held with fervour, but with social distancing norms in place.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/gravitas-trump-thinks-protesters-are-terrorists-303730/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Recent polls showed Trump’s Democrat rival, Joe Biden leading in terms of public support with a 5 per cent edge. Trump is expected to conduct more rallies than Biden, as his campaign manager claims. Campaigning has remained suspended across the US in view of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed the most people in the United States.

Trump administration is dealing with a three fold issue right now: Coronavirus pandemic, flaccid economy, and the anti-racism protests across the country.

He has been criticised for not supporting the protesters’ demands and has also labelled them as “thugs”. George Floyd, an African American man was killed by a police officer, Chauvin, who knelt his knee on the man’s neck for almost nine minutes, resulting in his death.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-rejects-calls-to-defund-police-faces-balancing-act-304402" hreflang="en">Biden rejects calls to defund police, faces balancing act</a>

Experts across the country fear that a second wave of coronavirus may be imminent in the country, as protesters flout social distancing norms seeking justice, while many states are reopening prematurely. Visuals from the protests show many without masks.

In terms of rallying, outdoor venues are a safer bet, as there is a lower risk of the virus spreading in open spaces as opposed to closed ones.

The Republican national convention may be moving from North Carolina as the state claims to not being ready as it still reels from COVID-19. Even given the risk, the president has called for a full scale convention, while saying that face coverings are not necessary.

(With inputs from AFP &amp; Reuters)

As coronavirus cases across United States jumped again due to the ongoing protests against the murder of George Floyd, US President Donald Trump is set to begin conducting campaign rallies for his reelection to the White House.

As coronavirus cases across United States jumped again due to the ongoing protests against the murder of George Floyd, US President Donald Trump is set to begin conducting campaign rallies for his reelection to the White House. Health experts across the globe have warned against jumping too soon into relaxations, especially in terms of crowding, as it could trigger another wave of COVID-19. Also read: Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US Trump intends to restart his reelection campaign with in person rallies over the next two weeks. His last election rally took place on March 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, when US was beginning to peak. According to Politico, Trump’s aides are exploring the options available in terms of the safety imbued in campaigning right now. The elections are set to take place on November 3 across the United States, and Trump’s adviser Brad Parscale is currently working on a plan to facilitate campaigning. Media reports indicate that rallies may be held with fervour, but with social distancing norms in place. Recent polls showed Trump’s Democrat rival, Joe Biden leading in terms of public support with a 5 per cent edge. Trump is expected to conduct more rallies than Biden, as his campaign manager claims. Campaigning has remained suspended across the US in view of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed the most people in the United States. Trump administration is dealing with a three fold issue right now: Coronavirus pandemic, flaccid economy, and the anti-racism protests across the country. He has been criticised for not supporting the protesters’ demands and has also labelled them as “thugs”. George Floyd, an African American man was killed by a police officer, Chauvin, who knelt his knee on the man’s neck for almost nine minutes, resulting in his death. Also read: Biden rejects calls to defund police, faces balancing act Experts across the country fear that a second wave of coronavirus may be imminent in the country, as protesters flout social distancing norms seeking justice, while many states are reopening prematurely. Visuals from the protests show many without masks. In terms of rallying, outdoor venues are a safer bet, as there is a lower risk of the virus spreading in open spaces as opposed to closed ones. The Republican national convention may be moving from North Carolina as the state claims to not being ready as it still reels from COVID-19. Even given the risk, the president has called for a full scale convention, while saying that face coverings are not necessary. (With inputs from AFP & Reuters)

Trump to restart election campaign with fresh rallies even as coronavirus cases climb in the US

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