A watchdog has hailed the White House press corps as "information heroes" alongside 30 journalists, whistleblowers and media outlets struggling against the odds to get the truth out about the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Reporters Without Frontiers praised the correspondents for their persistence in grilling US President Donald Trump in a roll of honour that included Li Wenliang, the 34-year-old doctor from Wuhan Central Hospital who was questioned by police for&nbsp;"spreading false rumours" when he raised the alarm about the virus, and who later died from it. 
 
The Paris-based organisation, known by its French initials RSF, picked out Weijia Jiang and Paula Reid of CBS, Peter Alexander of NBC and Kristin Fisher of Fox News for particular praise for their "integrity and competence" faced with sarcasm, scorn and insults from Trump and his aides.

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It said they "have continued week after week to question the way the president and his administration are handling the pandemic". 
 
The Wuhan blogger Fang Fang, who chronicled the lockdown there in her "Dispatches from a Quarantined City", was also lauded as were several journalists across the world who have been jailed, arrested, beaten, harassed and prosecuted for their revelations. 
 
Bangladeshi cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore is facing a life sentence under what the RSF called the country's "Kafkaesque Digital Security Act" for &nbsp;"spreading rumours and misinformation about the coronavirus situation" in the country.

'High treason' 
His fellow countryman Salim Akash was locked up in Jordan for trying to report on the fate of Bangladeshi migrant workers there during the epidemic.&nbsp; 
 
The watchdog also picked out the cases of New York Times reporter Chris Buckley who was forced to leave China last month for incurring the wrath of the authorities after spending 76 days in Wuhan at the height of the outbreak. 
 
The Beijing-based outlet Caixin was also praised for "defying harassment and censorship by the authorities in order to publish reports questioning their handling of the coronavirus crisis". 
 
One of Equatorial Guinea's most popular television programmes, "Buenos dias Guinea", was suspended last month after criticising soldiers beating people in the street to enforce the lockdown. 
 
Reporter Eugene Dube was forced to flee to neighbouring South Africa when he was roughed up by police in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) for his reporting and warned he would be tried for "high treason" against King Mswati. 
 
"Some people have taken such big risks to report the reality of the pandemic that they have died as a result, while others have disappeared or have been jailed," said RSF director Christophe Deloire.

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Thirteen journalists have died from the virus in the Ecuadorean economic capital Guayaquil alone, he said. 
 
"Prosecuted, attacked, insulted -- many have paid a high price for defending the right to information and for combatting the rumours and disinformation that aggravate the consequences of this public health crisis," Deloire added.

A watchdog has hailed the White House press corps as "information heroes" alongside 30 journalists, whistleblowers and media outlets struggling against the odds to get the truth out about the coronavirus pandemic.

A watchdog has hailed the White House press corps as "information heroes" alongside 30 journalists, whistleblowers and media outlets struggling against the odds to get the truth out about the coronavirus pandemic. Reporters Without Frontiers praised the correspondents for their persistence in grilling US President Donald Trump in a roll of honour that included Li Wenliang, the 34-year-old doctor from Wuhan Central Hospital who was questioned by police for "spreading false rumours" when he raised the alarm about the virus, and who later died from it. The Paris-based organisation, known by its French initials RSF, picked out Weijia Jiang and Paula Reid of CBS, Peter Alexander of NBC and Kristin Fisher of Fox News for particular praise for their "integrity and competence" faced with sarcasm, scorn and insults from Trump and his aides. Also read: US Democratic Party irked by council's 'insurgent' climate plan It said they "have continued week after week to question the way the president and his administration are handling the pandemic". The Wuhan blogger Fang Fang, who chronicled the lockdown there in her "Dispatches from a Quarantined City", was also lauded as were several journalists across the world who have been jailed, arrested, beaten, harassed and prosecuted for their revelations. Bangladeshi cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore is facing a life sentence under what the RSF called the country's "Kafkaesque Digital Security Act" for "spreading rumours and misinformation about the coronavirus situation" in the country. 'High treason' His fellow countryman Salim Akash was locked up in Jordan for trying to report on the fate of Bangladeshi migrant workers there during the epidemic. The watchdog also picked out the cases of New York Times reporter Chris Buckley who was forced to leave China last month for incurring the wrath of the authorities after spending 76 days in Wuhan at the height of the outbreak. The Beijing-based outlet Caixin was also praised for "defying harassment and censorship by the authorities in order to publish reports questioning their handling of the coronavirus crisis". One of Equatorial Guinea's most popular television programmes, "Buenos dias Guinea", was suspended last month after criticising soldiers beating people in the street to enforce the lockdown. Reporter Eugene Dube was forced to flee to neighbouring South Africa when he was roughed up by police in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) for his reporting and warned he would be tried for "high treason" against King Mswati. "Some people have taken such big risks to report the reality of the pandemic that they have died as a result, while others have disappeared or have been jailed," said RSF director Christophe Deloire. Also read: UN's human rights body to examine racism and police brutality in the United States Thirteen journalists have died from the virus in the Ecuadorean economic capital Guayaquil alone, he said. "Prosecuted, attacked, insulted -- many have paid a high price for defending the right to information and for combatting the rumours and disinformation that aggravate the consequences of this public health crisis," Deloire added.

White House reporters hailed as 'information heroes'

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.

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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

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.

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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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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 as cases rise</a> 
 
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.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-leader-says-financial-hub-cannot-afford-any-more-chaos-304427" hreflang="en">Hong Kong leader says financial hub cannot afford any more 'chaos'</a>

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

&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

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.

The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,960,642), Brazil (707,412), Russia (476,043), United Kingdom (288,834), followed by India (265,928).

On June 6, US witnessed its highest number of infections in a week (25,000), probably owing to the protests.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/university-of-washington-forecasts-145000-us-covid-19-deaths-by-august-304393" hreflang="en">University of Washington forecasts 145,000 US COVID-19 deaths by August</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.

Recently, the World Health Organization warned against coronavirus worsening. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” it said.

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.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wuhan-coronavirus-more-than-7000000-cases-worldwide-304379/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

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 is expected to reopen soon.

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.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealands-last-active-patient-of-coronavirus-recovers-country-now-has-zero-cases-304099" hreflang="en">New Zealand's last active patient of coronavirus recovers, country now has zero cases</a>

The US reported over 450 deaths in the last 24 hours, the country’s lowest death toll in a week. There have been 110,990 deaths in the country alone. The country has the highest toll in the world, but on a per capita basis, European countries have a much higher death toll.

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.

(With inputs from AFP &amp; Reuters)

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.

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. The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,960,642), Brazil (707,412), Russia (476,043), United Kingdom (288,834), followed by India (265,928). On June 6, US witnessed its highest number of infections in a week (25,000), probably owing to the protests. Also read: University of Washington forecasts 145,000 US COVID-19 deaths by August Recently, researchers at the University of Washington have estimated that 145,728 people could die of coronavirus in the United States by August. Recently, the World Health Organization warned against coronavirus worsening. “Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” it said. 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. 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 is expected to reopen soon. 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. Also read: New Zealand's last active patient of coronavirus recovers, country now has zero cases The US reported over 450 deaths in the last 24 hours, the country’s lowest death toll in a week. There have been 110,990 deaths in the country alone. The country has the highest toll in the world, but on a per capita basis, European countries have a much higher death toll. 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. (With inputs from AFP & Reuters)

Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US

University of Washington researchers estimated on Monday that 145,728 people could die of COVID-19 in the United States by August, raising their grim forecast by more than 5,000 fatalities in a matter of days.&nbsp;

On Friday, the widely cited Institute for Health Metrics and evaluation at the university projected 140,496 deaths by August from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus. Researchers did not give a reason for the abrupt revision.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emergency-health-measures-including-school-closures-saved-millions-in-six-coronavirus-hit-countries-study-304384" hreflang="en">Emergency health measures including school closures saved millions in six coronavirus-hit countries: Study</a>

The new estimate came on the same day that Texas reported its highest number of hospitalizations so far in the pandemic and 22 U.S. states showed at least a small uptick in the number of new confirmed cases, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Among the states with the sharpest increases were Michigan and Arizona, according to Johns Hopkins, while Virginia, Rhode Island and Nebraska showed the greatest decreases.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-situation-around-the-world-worsening-warns-who-304368" hreflang="en">Coronavirus situation around the world 'worsening', warns WHO</a>

Infectious disease experts have said that large street protests held in major U.S. cities after the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody, could touch off a new outbreak of the disease.&nbsp;

A total of more than 1.9 million cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, have been reported in the United States, according to a Reuters tally, which has confirmed 110,000 deaths.

University of Washington researchers estimated on Monday that 145,728 people could die of COVID-19 in the United States by August, raising their grim forecast by more than 5,000 fatalities in a matter of days.

University of Washington researchers estimated on Monday that 145,728 people could die of COVID-19 in the United States by August, raising their grim forecast by more than 5,000 fatalities in a matter of days. On Friday, the widely cited Institute for Health Metrics and evaluation at the university projected 140,496 deaths by August from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus. Researchers did not give a reason for the abrupt revision. Also read: Emergency health measures including school closures saved millions in six coronavirus-hit countries: Study The new estimate came on the same day that Texas reported its highest number of hospitalizations so far in the pandemic and 22 U.S. states showed at least a small uptick in the number of new confirmed cases, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. Among the states with the sharpest increases were Michigan and Arizona, according to Johns Hopkins, while Virginia, Rhode Island and Nebraska showed the greatest decreases. Also read: Coronavirus situation around the world 'worsening', warns WHO Infectious disease experts have said that large street protests held in major U.S. cities after the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody, could touch off a new outbreak of the disease. A total of more than 1.9 million cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, have been reported in the United States, according to a Reuters tally, which has confirmed 110,000 deaths.

University of Washington forecasts 145,000 US COVID-19 deaths by August

A U.S. Navy investigation into the spread of the coronavirus aboard the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier has found that about 60 percent of sailors tested had antibodies for the virus, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, suggesting a far higher infection rate than previously known.&nbsp;

In April, the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started conducting serology tests to look for the presence of specific antibodies that are created by the immune system's attack response to the presence of the virus and remain in the blood for a period of time.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emergency-health-measures-including-school-closures-saved-millions-in-six-coronavirus-hit-countries-study-304384" hreflang="en">Emergency health measures including school closures saved millions in six coronavirus-hit countries: Study</a>

More than 1,100 aboard tested positive for the virus as of April, less than 25 percent of the crew.&nbsp;

The spread of the virus on the ship put into motion a series of events that led to the captain of the ship being relieved of his command after the leak of a letter he wrote calling on the Navy for stronger measures to protect the crew.

One sailor from the ship died from the coronavirus and several others were hospitalized. But broadly, sailors, who are generally healthier and younger, faired better than the general population and most showed no symptoms whatsoever.

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The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that about 400 volunteers participated in the serology tests, lower than the 1,000 volunteers that were sought, but enough to provide statistically relevant data about how the virus spread aboard one of world's largest warships.&nbsp;

The Roosevelt has about 4,800 personnel on the ship.&nbsp;

The officials said a formal announcement was expected as early as Tuesday.&nbsp;

The Navy declined to comment.&nbsp;

The serology test results appear to track closely with data from the Roosevelt in early April, which showed that 60 percent of the sailors who were testing positive for the virus itself - not antibodies - were in fact symptom-free.

Medical groups, such as the American Medical Association, have warned that serology tests can lead to false positives.&nbsp;

The CDC has said that definitive data is lacking on whether individuals with antibodies are protected against reinfection from the coronavirus.&nbsp;

In addition to the serology tests, volunteers were also swabbed again for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, as well as asked to answer a short survey.

Captain Brett Crozier was fired by the Navy's top civilian, then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, against the recommendations of uniformed leaders.

Modly resigned after a series of events, including his going aboard the carrier and questioning Crozier's character in a speech to the Roosevelt's crew, which was leaked to the media.

The Navy has completed a broader review into the events leading to Crozier's firing and is expected to release the results of that investigation in the coming weeks.

A U.S. Navy investigation into the spread of the coronavirus aboard the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier has found that about 60 percent of sailors tested had antibodies for the virus, two U.

A U.S. Navy investigation into the spread of the coronavirus aboard the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier has found that about 60 percent of sailors tested had antibodies for the virus, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, suggesting a far higher infection rate than previously known. In April, the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started conducting serology tests to look for the presence of specific antibodies that are created by the immune system's attack response to the presence of the virus and remain in the blood for a period of time. Also read: Emergency health measures including school closures saved millions in six coronavirus-hit countries: Study More than 1,100 aboard tested positive for the virus as of April, less than 25 percent of the crew. The spread of the virus on the ship put into motion a series of events that led to the captain of the ship being relieved of his command after the leak of a letter he wrote calling on the Navy for stronger measures to protect the crew. One sailor from the ship died from the coronavirus and several others were hospitalized. But broadly, sailors, who are generally healthier and younger, faired better than the general population and most showed no symptoms whatsoever. Also read: Coronavirus situation around the world 'worsening', warns WHO The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that about 400 volunteers participated in the serology tests, lower than the 1,000 volunteers that were sought, but enough to provide statistically relevant data about how the virus spread aboard one of world's largest warships. The Roosevelt has about 4,800 personnel on the ship. The officials said a formal announcement was expected as early as Tuesday. The Navy declined to comment. The serology test results appear to track closely with data from the Roosevelt in early April, which showed that 60 percent of the sailors who were testing positive for the virus itself - not antibodies - were in fact symptom-free. Medical groups, such as the American Medical Association, have warned that serology tests can lead to false positives. The CDC has said that definitive data is lacking on whether individuals with antibodies are protected against reinfection from the coronavirus. In addition to the serology tests, volunteers were also swabbed again for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, as well as asked to answer a short survey. Captain Brett Crozier was fired by the Navy's top civilian, then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, against the recommendations of uniformed leaders. Modly resigned after a series of events, including his going aboard the carrier and questioning Crozier's character in a speech to the Roosevelt's crew, which was leaked to the media. The Navy has completed a broader review into the events leading to Crozier's firing and is expected to release the results of that investigation in the coming weeks.

US Navy test shows 60 percent of carrier crew have coronavirus antibodies

United States was in the process of reopening its states when the protests over the murder of George Floyd broke out across the country.

Owing to the sudden onset of&nbsp;people on the streets to fight racial injustice, the number of cases in almost half of US states have started increasing.

A recent study pointed out how lockdowns in states prevented many deaths in the country, even with President Donald Trump head-set on reopening the economy even during the peak of the virus in the country, which is now believed to have passed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/researchers-posit-coronavirus-transmission-in-wuhan-began-in-autumn-of-2019-by-using-satellite-images-304485" hreflang="en">Researchers posit coronavirus transmission in Wuhan began in autumn of 2019 by using satellite images</a>

The COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in China has infected over 1.9 million people, and has killed 110,000 in the country alone.

After showing signs of rebating, 22 states recently saw a surge in the number of coronavirus cases. At the same time, 20 states saw a drop in the number of cases, while eight states have maintained the same pace in terms of infections.

Florida alone witnessed a 46 per cent surge in the number of COVID-19 cases over the last week. Currently, the state is reopening, which has been halted due to the ongoing protests.

<h6><img alt="Visitors have their temperatures checked as they arrive at Universal Studios theme park on the first day of reopening after the shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic, on June 5, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fcf4c54-2b10-4968-b6d6-2ef0783c1427" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_25.jpg" /> 
Visitors have their temperatures checked as they arrive at Universal Studios theme park on the first day of reopening after the shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic, on June 5, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. | AFP</h6>

Coronavirus is not slowing down, but instead travelling from country to country. On Sunday, the World Health Organization reported the highest ever number of cases for a single day since the pandemic began in December.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "Yesterday, more than 136,000 cases were reported - the most in a single day so far… Almost 75% of yesterday's cases come from 10 countries, mostly in the Americas and South Asia."

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>

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.

United States was in the process of reopening its states when the protests over the murder of George Floyd broke out across the country. Owing to the sudden onset of people on the streets to fight racial injustice, the number of cases in almost half of US states have started increasing.

United States was in the process of reopening its states when the protests over the murder of George Floyd broke out across the country. Owing to the sudden onset of people on the streets to fight racial injustice, the number of cases in almost half of US states have started increasing. A recent study pointed out how lockdowns in states prevented many deaths in the country, even with President Donald Trump head-set on reopening the economy even during the peak of the virus in the country, which is now believed to have passed. Also read: Researchers posit coronavirus transmission in Wuhan began in autumn of 2019 by using satellite images The COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in China has infected over 1.9 million people, and has killed 110,000 in the country alone. After showing signs of rebating, 22 states recently saw a surge in the number of coronavirus cases. At the same time, 20 states saw a drop in the number of cases, while eight states have maintained the same pace in terms of infections. Florida alone witnessed a 46 per cent surge in the number of COVID-19 cases over the last week. Currently, the state is reopening, which has been halted due to the ongoing protests. Visitors have their temperatures checked as they arrive at Universal Studios theme park on the first day of reopening after the shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic, on June 5, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. | AFP Coronavirus is not slowing down, but instead travelling from country to country. On Sunday, the World Health Organization reported the highest ever number of cases for a single day since the pandemic began in December. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "Yesterday, more than 136,000 cases were reported - the most in a single day so far… Almost 75% of yesterday's cases come from 10 countries, mostly in the Americas and South Asia." Also read: Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US 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.

Protests trigger revival of coronavirus in many US states, Florida records a 46% leap

While some potential vaccines have emerged in the global race to find a way to stop the spread of COVID-19, many scientists and researchers believe antibody based therapies hold great promise for treating people already infected with the disease.

HOW DO ANTIBODY THERAPIES WORK?

These therapies use antibodies generated by infected humans or animals to fight off the disease in patients. They date back to the late 19th century, when researchers used a serum derived from the blood of infected animals to treat diphtheria.

For COVID-19 treatment, researchers are studying the use of convalescent plasma and other treatments made with blood from recently recovered patients.&nbsp;

More recently, scientists have developed treatments called monoclonal antibodies -- antibodies that can be isolated and manufactured in large quantities to treat diseases like Ebola or cancer. Companies, like Eli Lilly and Co and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals&nbsp;in the United States, are trying to use this approach to develop their treatments.

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>

Unlike convalescent plasma, manufacturers do not need a steady supply of antibody-rich blood to produce monoclonal antibodies, so this approach could be easier to scale up.

HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT FROM VACCINES?

In general, the goal of a vaccine is to generate an immune response that can prevent someone from getting ill with a disease, whereas antibody-derived products are generally designed to treat disease.

And while some drugmakers have suggested antibody treatments can be used prophylactically - Regeneron's Chief Scientific Officer George Yancopoulos has said their treatment could be a bridge to a vaccine - it could be expensive.&nbsp;

"You might go into nursing homes or the military and use it because antibodies have a pretty long half life," said Dr. Betty Diamond, Director of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.

"You might decide that you are going to use this as a prevention in this very high risk group, but you wouldn't do that for the whole country."

The amount of protein in antibody drugs makes the treatment more expensive than vaccines in general, Feng Hui, chief operating officer at Shanghai Junshi Biosciences, said.

Antibody drugs contain hundreds, or even over a thousand times more protein than found in a vaccine shot.

WHO IS DEVELOPING ANTIBODY THERAPIES FOR COVID-19?

Eli Lilly is collaborating with Junshi and Canadian biotech firm AbCellera Biologics to develop different antibody treatments, both of which have started early stage testing in humans.&nbsp;

Regeneron plans to start clinical studies later this month to test its antibody cocktail treatment, which was derived from antibodies from genetically-modified mice. It aims to have hundreds of thousands of preventative doses available "by the end of the summer or the fall."&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/researchers-posit-coronavirus-transmission-in-wuhan-began-in-autumn-of-2019-by-using-satellite-images-304485" hreflang="en">Researchers posit coronavirus transmission in Wuhan began in autumn of 2019 by using satellite images</a>

The CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, which includes Japan's Takeda Pharmaceuticals and CSL Behring, is working on hyperimmune globulin therapy derived from convalescent plasma, which could offer a standardized dose of antibodies and doesn't need to be limited to patients with matching blood types.

The Antibody Therapy Against Coronavirus (ATAC) project, funded by the European Commission and led by Sweden's Karolinska research institute, is looking at a similar approach as well as monoclonal antibodies. Under the project, monoclonal antibodies extracted from convalescent plasma are now being tested on human volunteers in Germany and on animals in Switzerland.

Britain's GlaxoSmithKline&nbsp;is working with Vir Biotechnology Inc&nbsp;to develop potential antibody treatments which select the best antibodies out of the plasma.&nbsp;

AbbVie&nbsp;has also announced a collaboration to develop antibody therapies.

Singapore's state research body A*Star is working with Japan's Chugai Pharmabody Research on an antibody for clinical use.

While some potential vaccines have emerged in the global race to find a way to stop the spread of COVID-19, many scientists and researchers believe antibody based therapies hold great promise for treating people already infected with the disease.

While some potential vaccines have emerged in the global race to find a way to stop the spread of COVID-19, many scientists and researchers believe antibody based therapies hold great promise for treating people already infected with the disease. HOW DO ANTIBODY THERAPIES WORK? These therapies use antibodies generated by infected humans or animals to fight off the disease in patients. They date back to the late 19th century, when researchers used a serum derived from the blood of infected animals to treat diphtheria. For COVID-19 treatment, researchers are studying the use of convalescent plasma and other treatments made with blood from recently recovered patients. More recently, scientists have developed treatments called monoclonal antibodies -- antibodies that can be isolated and manufactured in large quantities to treat diseases like Ebola or cancer. Companies, like Eli Lilly and Co and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in the United States, are trying to use this approach to develop their treatments. Also read: Coronavirus around the world: Brazil sees a sharp increase in infections, fears of resurgence in US Unlike convalescent plasma, manufacturers do not need a steady supply of antibody-rich blood to produce monoclonal antibodies, so this approach could be easier to scale up. HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT FROM VACCINES? In general, the goal of a vaccine is to generate an immune response that can prevent someone from getting ill with a disease, whereas antibody-derived products are generally designed to treat disease. And while some drugmakers have suggested antibody treatments can be used prophylactically - Regeneron's Chief Scientific Officer George Yancopoulos has said their treatment could be a bridge to a vaccine - it could be expensive. "You might go into nursing homes or the military and use it because antibodies have a pretty long half life," said Dr. Betty Diamond, Director of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. "You might decide that you are going to use this as a prevention in this very high risk group, but you wouldn't do that for the whole country." The amount of protein in antibody drugs makes the treatment more expensive than vaccines in general, Feng Hui, chief operating officer at Shanghai Junshi Biosciences, said. Antibody drugs contain hundreds, or even over a thousand times more protein than found in a vaccine shot. WHO IS DEVELOPING ANTIBODY THERAPIES FOR COVID-19? Eli Lilly is collaborating with Junshi and Canadian biotech firm AbCellera Biologics to develop different antibody treatments, both of which have started early stage testing in humans. Regeneron plans to start clinical studies later this month to test its antibody cocktail treatment, which was derived from antibodies from genetically-modified mice. It aims to have hundreds of thousands of preventative doses available "by the end of the summer or the fall." Also read: Researchers posit coronavirus transmission in Wuhan began in autumn of 2019 by using satellite images The CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, which includes Japan's Takeda Pharmaceuticals and CSL Behring, is working on hyperimmune globulin therapy derived from convalescent plasma, which could offer a standardized dose of antibodies and doesn't need to be limited to patients with matching blood types. The Antibody Therapy Against Coronavirus (ATAC) project, funded by the European Commission and led by Sweden's Karolinska research institute, is looking at a similar approach as well as monoclonal antibodies. Under the project, monoclonal antibodies extracted from convalescent plasma are now being tested on human volunteers in Germany and on animals in Switzerland. Britain's GlaxoSmithKline is working with Vir Biotechnology Inc to develop potential antibody treatments which select the best antibodies out of the plasma. AbbVie has also announced a collaboration to develop antibody therapies. Singapore's state research body A*Star is working with Japan's Chugai Pharmabody Research on an antibody for clinical use.

What are antibody therapies and who is developing them for COVID-19?

German industrial output posted its steepest plunge on record in April as the coronavirus pandemic forced companies in Europe's largest economy to scale back production, data showed on Monday.

Industrial output dropped by 17.9% on the month, figures released by the Statistics Office showed. A Reuters poll had pointed to a drop of 16.0%.

Manufacturers of capital goods recorded the steepest decline of -35.3%. Construction was down 4.1% and output in the energy sector dropped by 7.2%.

As measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus were implemented from mid-March, the restrictions took their toll on a full scale in April, the Economy Ministry said.

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"The low point has been reached. With the gradual easing of protective measures and the resumption of production in the automotive industry, the economic recovery is beginning now," the ministry added.

The data strengthens expectations that the German economy will post its steepest decline since the end of World War Two in the second quarter.

"German gross domestic product is likely to shrink by more than 10% in the second quarter, a reading never measured before in peacetime", VP Bank Group economist Thomas Gitzel said.

For 2020 as a whole, the government forecasts GDP will shrink by 6.3%, based on the assumption that a 130 billion euro ($146.69 billion) fiscal stimulus package will help economic activity pick up again in the second half of the year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-7-million-cases-globally-brazil-and-india-continue-to-report-daily-surge-304112" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: 7 million cases globally, Brazil and India continue to report daily surge</a>

The Ifo economic institute said on Monday that manufacturers expect production levels to decline further in the coming three months, but at a slower pace than previously.

Ifo said its index for production expectations rose to -20.4 points in May from -51.0 points in April, marking the biggest monthly rise since German reunification three decades ago.

"But that only means that the nosedive is now becoming flatter," said Klaus Wohlrabe, head of the Ifo surveys.

German industrial output posted its steepest plunge on record in April as the coronavirus pandemic forced companies in Europe's largest economy to scale back production, data showed on Monday.

German industrial output posted its steepest plunge on record in April as the coronavirus pandemic forced companies in Europe's largest economy to scale back production, data showed on Monday. Industrial output dropped by 17.9% on the month, figures released by the Statistics Office showed. A Reuters poll had pointed to a drop of 16.0%. Manufacturers of capital goods recorded the steepest decline of -35.3%. Construction was down 4.1% and output in the energy sector dropped by 7.2%. As measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus were implemented from mid-March, the restrictions took their toll on a full scale in April, the Economy Ministry said. Also read: Donald Trump orders 9,500 US troops to depart from Germany "The low point has been reached. With the gradual easing of protective measures and the resumption of production in the automotive industry, the economic recovery is beginning now," the ministry added. The data strengthens expectations that the German economy will post its steepest decline since the end of World War Two in the second quarter. "German gross domestic product is likely to shrink by more than 10% in the second quarter, a reading never measured before in peacetime", VP Bank Group economist Thomas Gitzel said. For 2020 as a whole, the government forecasts GDP will shrink by 6.3%, based on the assumption that a 130 billion euro ($146.69 billion) fiscal stimulus package will help economic activity pick up again in the second half of the year. Also read: Coronavirus: 7 million cases globally, Brazil and India continue to report daily surge The Ifo economic institute said on Monday that manufacturers expect production levels to decline further in the coming three months, but at a slower pace than previously. Ifo said its index for production expectations rose to -20.4 points in May from -51.0 points in April, marking the biggest monthly rise since German reunification three decades ago. "But that only means that the nosedive is now becoming flatter," said Klaus Wohlrabe, head of the Ifo surveys.

German industrial output posts record plunge in April due to coronavirus outbreak

Most people arriving in Britain from Monday will have to self-isolate for two weeks under a new coronavirus restriction that has been roundly condemned by the ailing aviation sector. 
 
The measure, which applies to both residents and visitors with some exceptions, aims to prevent a second wave of contagion from abroad. 
 
But critics question why Britain -- where the number of new COVID-19 infections per 100,000 people in the past fortnight was the second-highest in Europe -- is inflicting more pain on hotels and airlines by reducing travel from countries with fewer virus cases.

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British Airways and budget carriers EasyJet and Ryanair have launched joint legal proceedings against the government over what they called a "disproportionate and unfair" step. 
 
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new rules made sense because "the proportion of infections that come from abroad increases" as Britain's own caseload drops. 
 
"We've got to take an approach that starts with caution," he told Sky News. 
 
To enter Britain by plane, train, road or sea, travellers must provide details of their journey and the address where they will self-isolate. 
 
How the quarantine will be implemented differs between Britain's devolved nations, and the measures will be assessed every three weeks. 
 
Exemptions are being made in several cases -- including for lorry drivers, "essential" healthcare workers and people travelling from Ireland who have been there for at least two weeks. 
 
Authorities in England will carry out spot checks and those breaching the rules could be punished with a £1,000 ($1,250 / 1,125-euro) fine or prosecution.&nbsp;

Travel corridor hopes 
Home Secretary Priti Patel told sceptical lawmakers in parliament last week that the measure was "backed by the science, supported by the public, and essential to save lives". 
 
The government is pushing ahead with a gradual lockdown easing that will see retail reopen on June 15, and restaurants and bars begin limited service in early July. 
 
But the devastated hospitality sector relies heavily on tourists, and business leaders fear the quarantine will mean much of the summer season will be lost.

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It comes after heavily-hit Italy reopened its borders last week and other European states follow suit. 
 
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is trying to arrange "travel corridors" with countries such as France and Spain that could see them lift their quarantine demands. 
 
But officials are reportedly giving themselves until late June to strike these deals -- and the airlines behind the lawsuit say they cannot wait that long. 
 
"These measures are disproportionate and unfair on British citizens as well as international visitors arriving in the UK," the airlines said in a joint statement. 
 
The quarantine "will have a devastating effect on (the) UK's tourism industry and will destroy thousands of jobs in this unprecedented crisis", they said. 
 
Britain's official death toll of 40,542 trails only that of the United States.

Most people arriving in Britain from Monday will have to self-isolate for two weeks under a new coronavirus restriction that has been roundly condemned by the ailing aviation sector.

Most people arriving in Britain from Monday will have to self-isolate for two weeks under a new coronavirus restriction that has been roundly condemned by the ailing aviation sector. The measure, which applies to both residents and visitors with some exceptions, aims to prevent a second wave of contagion from abroad. But critics question why Britain -- where the number of new COVID-19 infections per 100,000 people in the past fortnight was the second-highest in Europe -- is inflicting more pain on hotels and airlines by reducing travel from countries with fewer virus cases. Also read: Protesters in UK topple slave trader Edward Colston's statue, throw it in harbour British Airways and budget carriers EasyJet and Ryanair have launched joint legal proceedings against the government over what they called a "disproportionate and unfair" step. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new rules made sense because "the proportion of infections that come from abroad increases" as Britain's own caseload drops. "We've got to take an approach that starts with caution," he told Sky News. To enter Britain by plane, train, road or sea, travellers must provide details of their journey and the address where they will self-isolate. How the quarantine will be implemented differs between Britain's devolved nations, and the measures will be assessed every three weeks. Exemptions are being made in several cases -- including for lorry drivers, "essential" healthcare workers and people travelling from Ireland who have been there for at least two weeks. Authorities in England will carry out spot checks and those breaching the rules could be punished with a £1,000 ($1,250 / 1,125-euro) fine or prosecution. Travel corridor hopes Home Secretary Priti Patel told sceptical lawmakers in parliament last week that the measure was "backed by the science, supported by the public, and essential to save lives". The government is pushing ahead with a gradual lockdown easing that will see retail reopen on June 15, and restaurants and bars begin limited service in early July. But the devastated hospitality sector relies heavily on tourists, and business leaders fear the quarantine will mean much of the summer season will be lost. Also read: Racism not welcome in American military ranks, says US Forces Korea commander It comes after heavily-hit Italy reopened its borders last week and other European states follow suit. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is trying to arrange "travel corridors" with countries such as France and Spain that could see them lift their quarantine demands. But officials are reportedly giving themselves until late June to strike these deals -- and the airlines behind the lawsuit say they cannot wait that long. "These measures are disproportionate and unfair on British citizens as well as international visitors arriving in the UK," the airlines said in a joint statement. The quarantine "will have a devastating effect on (the) UK's tourism industry and will destroy thousands of jobs in this unprecedented crisis", they said. Britain's official death toll of 40,542 trails only that of the United States.

Britain starts mandatory self-quarantine for arrivals

Japan should focus on back-stopping struggling businesses rather than trying to spark overall demand in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, its economy minister said, suggesting the central bank should avoid pushing interest rates deeper into negative territory.

The remark by Yasutoshi Nishimura, made in an exclusive interview with Reuters, underscores the challenge Tokyo faces in supporting an economy bracing for its worst postwar slump, while preventing a renewed spike in infections.

"What's most important now is to protect jobs and help businesses survive the pandemic," Nishimura said in the interview conducted on Saturday.

"We're not at a stage yet where we want to stimulate consumption and encourage people to travel a lot. Efforts to stimulate consumption should wait a bit more," he said.

Nishimura made the comments when asked whether the Bank of Japan should consider measures to stimulate demand, such as deepening negative interest rates.

Japan's approach contrasts with that of Western countries that are already shifting from crisis-response to policies aimed at propping up growth.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/japans-house-hold-spending-falls-record-fall-registered-in-april-303525/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Under Nishimura's initiative, the government compiled two spending packages worth a combined $2.2 trillion to cushion the economic blow from the pandemic.

The BOJ joined in by easing monetary policy for two straight months in April, focusing on steps to ease corporate funding strains.

On whether the BOJ should join government efforts to inject capital into ailing companies, Nishimura said: "This is an area the government can handle. We hope the BOJ plays its part in helping financial institutions meet corporate funding strains."

Japan slipped into recession this year and is expected to suffer an annualised 20% contraction in the current quarter, as the government's decision to declare a state of emergency in April forced citizens to stay home and businesses to close.

Revised data released earlier on Monday showed the economy contracted less than initial estimates suggested, though the outlook remained grim due to depressed demand at home and abroad.

Indeed, while the government lifted nationwide lockdown steps last month, many analysts expect any rebound in growth to be modest.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/japan-approves-saliva-based-tests-for-safer-simpler-detection-of-covid-19-302594" hreflang="en">Japan approves saliva-based tests for safer, simpler detection of COVID-19</a>

"We're already reopening business, so the economy will probably hit bottom from April through mid-May," Nishimura said, voicing hope that domestic demand could pick up soon if Japan can avert a big second wave of infections.

But he warned the outlook for external demand was more uncertain as some regions in the world were still seeing infection numbers surge.

"We need to take timely, flexible action" if a global surge in infection hits Japan's export-reliant economy, Nishimura said. "That means we shouldn't be thinking about fiscal reform now. Tax cuts aren't something I'm thinking about now."

Under a policy dubbed yield curve control, the BOJ guides short-term rates at -0.1% and caps long-term borrowing costs around zero. It also buys massive amounts of assets to pump money into the economy.

Japan should focus on back-stopping struggling businesses rather than trying to spark overall demand in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, its economy minister said, suggesting the central bank should avoid pushing interest rates deeper into negative territory.

Japan should focus on back-stopping struggling businesses rather than trying to spark overall demand in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, its economy minister said, suggesting the central bank should avoid pushing interest rates deeper into negative territory. The remark by Yasutoshi Nishimura, made in an exclusive interview with Reuters, underscores the challenge Tokyo faces in supporting an economy bracing for its worst postwar slump, while preventing a renewed spike in infections. "What's most important now is to protect jobs and help businesses survive the pandemic," Nishimura said in the interview conducted on Saturday. "We're not at a stage yet where we want to stimulate consumption and encourage people to travel a lot. Efforts to stimulate consumption should wait a bit more," he said. Nishimura made the comments when asked whether the Bank of Japan should consider measures to stimulate demand, such as deepening negative interest rates. Japan's approach contrasts with that of Western countries that are already shifting from crisis-response to policies aimed at propping up growth. Under Nishimura's initiative, the government compiled two spending packages worth a combined $2.2 trillion to cushion the economic blow from the pandemic. The BOJ joined in by easing monetary policy for two straight months in April, focusing on steps to ease corporate funding strains. On whether the BOJ should join government efforts to inject capital into ailing companies, Nishimura said: "This is an area the government can handle. We hope the BOJ plays its part in helping financial institutions meet corporate funding strains." Japan slipped into recession this year and is expected to suffer an annualised 20% contraction in the current quarter, as the government's decision to declare a state of emergency in April forced citizens to stay home and businesses to close. Revised data released earlier on Monday showed the economy contracted less than initial estimates suggested, though the outlook remained grim due to depressed demand at home and abroad. Indeed, while the government lifted nationwide lockdown steps last month, many analysts expect any rebound in growth to be modest. Also read: Japan approves saliva-based tests for safer, simpler detection of COVID-19 "We're already reopening business, so the economy will probably hit bottom from April through mid-May," Nishimura said, voicing hope that domestic demand could pick up soon if Japan can avert a big second wave of infections. But he warned the outlook for external demand was more uncertain as some regions in the world were still seeing infection numbers surge. "We need to take timely, flexible action" if a global surge in infection hits Japan's export-reliant economy, Nishimura said. "That means we shouldn't be thinking about fiscal reform now. Tax cuts aren't something I'm thinking about now." Under a policy dubbed yield curve control, the BOJ guides short-term rates at -0.1% and caps long-term borrowing costs around zero. It also buys massive amounts of assets to pump money into the economy.

Japan's economy minister warns against deepening negative rates

Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,006,436 people have had the virus, while 402,699 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago.

The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,940,468), Brazil (691,758), Russia (467,073), United Kingdom (287,621), followed by India (257,486).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealands-last-active-patient-of-coronavirus-recovers-country-now-has-zero-cases-304099" hreflang="en">New Zealand's last active patient of coronavirus recovers, country now has zero cases</a>

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.

<h6><img alt="Protesters makes Black Lives Matter fists at a demonstration in Edinburgh on June 7, 2020, organised to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9912f7d5-28aa-4a65-9071-63d0712cf234" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_14.jpg" /> 
Protesters makes Black Lives Matter fists at a demonstration in Edinburgh on June 7, 2020, organised to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis | AFP</h6>

New Zealand became one of the few countries to be “corona-free” today, as the country’s last patient recovered from the virus, and no new infections reported in the last 17 days. Owing to this, the country is expected to reopen soon.

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 for its peak.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-adds-almost-700-new-coronavirus-deaths-in-24-hours-304089" hreflang="en">US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours</a>

The US reported 691 deaths in the last 24 hours, the country’s lowest death toll in a week. There have been 110,482 deaths in the country alone. The country has the highest toll in the world, but on a per capita basis, European countries have a much higher death toll.

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.

Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,006,436 people have had the virus, while 402,699 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago.

Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 7,006,436 people have had the virus, while 402,699 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago. The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US (1,940,468), Brazil (691,758), Russia (467,073), United Kingdom (287,621), followed by India (257,486). Also read: New Zealand's last active patient of coronavirus recovers, country now has zero cases 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. Protesters makes Black Lives Matter fists at a demonstration in Edinburgh on June 7, 2020, organised to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis | AFP New Zealand became one of the few countries to be “corona-free” today, as the country’s last patient recovered from the virus, and no new infections reported in the last 17 days. Owing to this, the country is expected to reopen soon. 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 for its peak. Also read: US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours The US reported 691 deaths in the last 24 hours, the country’s lowest death toll in a week. There have been 110,482 deaths in the country alone. The country has the highest toll in the world, but on a per capita basis, European countries have a much higher death toll. 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.

Coronavirus: 7 million cases globally, Brazil and India continue to report daily surge

New Zealand no longer has any active cases of COVID-19. Owing to this, all restrictions in the country may be lifted soon.

This marks the first time since February 28 that the country is virtually "infection-free" and&nbsp;has reported zero cases, a streak NZ had been following&nbsp;over the last 17 days with no&nbsp;new cases has been recorded.

Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister is set to announce removal of all coronavirus-related restrictions in view of this. All rules are expected to be lifted, except the strict monitoring of borders.

<a href="wionews.com/world/watch-new-zealand-pm-jacinda-ardern-remains-cool-as-earthquake-strikes-during-live-interview-300831" hreflang="en">Watch: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern remains cool as earthquake strikes during live interview</a>

New Zealand had begun its lockdown as early as March 25, when the wave had just begun in the country. Since then, 22 people have died in the country while 1,500 people have tested positive.

A woman from Auckland in her 50s was the last remaining active coronavirus patient in the country. Currently, she has recovered, and is now the last person in the country to have COVID-19.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/new-zealand-virus-containment-sets-an-example-for-countries-across-the-world-299135/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“The Ministry has been notified by Auckland Regional Public Health that its remaining case has been symptom free for 48 hours and is regarded as recovered,” the&nbsp; government statement said.

“The person has now been released from isolation”, the statement added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/jacinda-ardern-becomes-new-zealands-most-popular-prime-minister-after-covid-19-response-poll-299424" hreflang="en">Jacinda Ardern becomes New Zealand's most popular prime minister after COVID-19 response: Poll</a>

Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, Johns Hopkins University says. Currently, 7,006,436 people have had the virus, while 402,699 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago.

The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US, Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, followed by India.

New Zealand no longer has any active cases of COVID-19. Owing to this, all restrictions in the country may be lifted soon. This marks the first time since February 28 that the country is virtually "infection-free" and has reported zero cases, a streak NZ had been following over the last 17 days with no new cases has been recorded.

New Zealand no longer has any active cases of COVID-19. Owing to this, all restrictions in the country may be lifted soon. This marks the first time since February 28 that the country is virtually "infection-free" and has reported zero cases, a streak NZ had been following over the last 17 days with no new cases has been recorded. Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister is set to announce removal of all coronavirus-related restrictions in view of this. All rules are expected to be lifted, except the strict monitoring of borders. Watch: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern remains cool as earthquake strikes during live interview New Zealand had begun its lockdown as early as March 25, when the wave had just begun in the country. Since then, 22 people have died in the country while 1,500 people have tested positive. A woman from Auckland in her 50s was the last remaining active coronavirus patient in the country. Currently, she has recovered, and is now the last person in the country to have COVID-19. “The Ministry has been notified by Auckland Regional Public Health that its remaining case has been symptom free for 48 hours and is regarded as recovered,” the government statement said. “The person has now been released from isolation”, the statement added. Also read: Jacinda Ardern becomes New Zealand's most popular prime minister after COVID-19 response: Poll Coronavirus has infected over 7 million people globally, Johns Hopkins University says. Currently, 7,006,436 people have had the virus, while 402,699 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which went global six months ago. The five worst affected countries according to JHU tracker are: US, Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, followed by India.

New Zealand's last active patient of coronavirus recovers, country now has zero cases

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has declared the coronavirus pandemic "under control" after the island nation registered an eighth straight day without a death from COVID-19. 
 
It paves the way for an announcement next week on Cuba's strategy to gradually lift its lockdown. 
 
The country of 11.2 million has recorded just under 2,200 cases and 83 deaths from the virus.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chile-tops-2000-dead-from-covid-19-304090" hreflang="en">Chile tops 2,000 dead from COVID-19</a> 
 
With 1,862 people having recovered, Cuba has only 244 active cases. 
 
However, Diaz-Canel said the country could not become complacent given a spate of new infections since May 28.&nbsp; 
 
"This was a week in which the number of active cases and the number of daily cases increased in comparison to the previous weeks in which, as already announced, we were at the tail end of this epidemic," he said on Saturday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-adds-almost-700-new-coronavirus-deaths-in-24-hours-304089" hreflang="en">US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours</a> 
 
"We need to keep focusing on how we're going to eliminate the residues that remain, especially those associated with the incompetence or poor functioning of any institution, which give rise to events that can provoke a rebound," he added. 
 
In any case, next week "we will be able to inform the people about how we will approach this phase and when we can do so." 
 
Schools and borders remain closed, public transport has been suspended and the wearing of masks in public is mandatory. 
 
But with an economy largely dependent on tourism and external trade, and crippled by a six decades-long US embargo, Cuba can ill afford to remain in lockdown for much longer. 
 
Lockdown has worsened the social situation for millions of Cubans in a country that was already suffering from food and fuel shortages.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has declared the coronavirus pandemic "under control" after the island nation registered an eighth straight day without a death from COVID-19.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has declared the coronavirus pandemic "under control" after the island nation registered an eighth straight day without a death from COVID-19. It paves the way for an announcement next week on Cuba's strategy to gradually lift its lockdown. The country of 11.2 million has recorded just under 2,200 cases and 83 deaths from the virus. Also read: Chile tops 2,000 dead from COVID-19 With 1,862 people having recovered, Cuba has only 244 active cases. However, Diaz-Canel said the country could not become complacent given a spate of new infections since May 28. "This was a week in which the number of active cases and the number of daily cases increased in comparison to the previous weeks in which, as already announced, we were at the tail end of this epidemic," he said on Saturday. Also read: US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours "We need to keep focusing on how we're going to eliminate the residues that remain, especially those associated with the incompetence or poor functioning of any institution, which give rise to events that can provoke a rebound," he added. In any case, next week "we will be able to inform the people about how we will approach this phase and when we can do so." Schools and borders remain closed, public transport has been suspended and the wearing of masks in public is mandatory. But with an economy largely dependent on tourism and external trade, and crippled by a six decades-long US embargo, Cuba can ill afford to remain in lockdown for much longer. Lockdown has worsened the social situation for millions of Cubans in a country that was already suffering from food and fuel shortages.

Cuba declares coronavirus pandemic 'under control'

Chile on Sunday reported 653 deaths from COVID-19, bringing its overall toll to 2,290, authorities said. 
 
Health Minister Jaime Manalich said some miscounting pointed out by the WHO in March and April was corrected, in addition to 96 new deaths. 
 
That sent the toll from 1,541 on Saturday to 2,290 one day later, he explained.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-coronavirus-death-toll-tops-400000-us-hardest-hit-with-109802-deaths-304068" hreflang="en">Global coronavirus death toll tops 400,000; US hardest hit with 109,802 deaths</a> 
 
Ninety-six marked a record-high number of deaths reported in a single day, according to Manalich. 
 
Chilean health authorities will also start counting the deaths of people who show symptoms in line with the virus, even if the victim did not undergo a COVID-19 test. 
 
"We are making a methodological change in the way we count people who have died and whose death presumably could be linked to a COVID-19 infection," the minister said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-adds-almost-700-new-coronavirus-deaths-in-24-hours-304089">US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours</a> 
 
Meanwhile, a record number of new infections in the last 24 hours, of 6,405, was also reported in Chile, totaling 134,150 infected since the pandemic began in the South American country on March 3. 
 
The virus' spread has come despite a three-week lockdown in the crowded capital, Santiago.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chile on Sunday reported 653 deaths from COVID-19, bringing its overall toll to 2,290, authorities said. Health Minister Jaime Manalich said some miscounting pointed out by the WHO in March and April was corrected, in addition to 96 new deaths.

Chile on Sunday reported 653 deaths from COVID-19, bringing its overall toll to 2,290, authorities said. Health Minister Jaime Manalich said some miscounting pointed out by the WHO in March and April was corrected, in addition to 96 new deaths. That sent the toll from 1,541 on Saturday to 2,290 one day later, he explained. Also read: Global coronavirus death toll tops 400,000; US hardest hit with 109,802 deaths Ninety-six marked a record-high number of deaths reported in a single day, according to Manalich. Chilean health authorities will also start counting the deaths of people who show symptoms in line with the virus, even if the victim did not undergo a COVID-19 test. "We are making a methodological change in the way we count people who have died and whose death presumably could be linked to a COVID-19 infection," the minister said. Also read: US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours Meanwhile, a record number of new infections in the last 24 hours, of 6,405, was also reported in Chile, totaling 134,150 infected since the pandemic began in the South American country on March 3. The virus' spread has come despite a three-week lockdown in the crowded capital, Santiago.

Chile tops 2,000 dead from COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic killed 691 people in the United States over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in a week, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed on Sunday. 
 
There have been a total of 110,482 deaths in the country and 1,938,842 cases, the Baltimore-based institutions' real-time tracker reported at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/minneapolis-mayor-jacob-frey-booed-out-of-rally-after-refusing-to-defund-police-304084" hreflang="en">Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey booed out of rally after refusing to defund police</a> 
 
Both the number of cases and death toll are by far the highest in the world.&nbsp; 
 
On a per capita basis, however, several European countries -- including France, Italy and Spain -- have a higher death toll.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-coronavirus-death-toll-tops-400000-us-hardest-hit-with-109802-deaths-304068" hreflang="en">Global coronavirus death toll tops 400,000; US hardest hit with 109,802 deaths</a> 
 
While the United States was suffering around 3,000 deaths a day in mid-April, that number has declined to around 1,000 deaths and 20,000 new cases a day at present. 
 
But health care professionals worry mass demonstrations against police brutality and racism taking place in cities across the US may lead to a new surge in infections in the coming weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic killed 691 people in the United States over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in a week, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed on Sunday.

The coronavirus pandemic killed 691 people in the United States over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in a week, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed on Sunday. There have been a total of 110,482 deaths in the country and 1,938,842 cases, the Baltimore-based institutions' real-time tracker reported at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday). Also read: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey booed out of rally after refusing to defund police Both the number of cases and death toll are by far the highest in the world. On a per capita basis, however, several European countries -- including France, Italy and Spain -- have a higher death toll. Also read: Global coronavirus death toll tops 400,000; US hardest hit with 109,802 deaths While the United States was suffering around 3,000 deaths a day in mid-April, that number has declined to around 1,000 deaths and 20,000 new cases a day at present. But health care professionals worry mass demonstrations against police brutality and racism taking place in cities across the US may lead to a new surge in infections in the coming weeks.

US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

The Chief Minister of Delhi, India has begun self-isolating at home after exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has fever and also claims to have a sore throat, two of the key symptoms of coronavirus.

According to media reports, his symptoms began showing on Sunday, and has since then cancelled all his meetings and addresses.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/delhi-govt-and-private-hospitals-to-be-reserved-only-for-patients-from-national-capital-cm-kejriwal-304009" hreflang="en">Delhi govt and private hospitals to be reserved only for patients from national capital: CM Kejriwal</a>

On Sunday, Kejriwal appeared at a meeting to discuss coronavirus in Delhi and announced that all Delhi government hospitals along with a few private hospitals will now treat only residents of the city. Central hospitals may treat anyone, he added.

Delhi is the third-hardest hit state in the country, after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Until now, the city has over 28,000 positive cases and has recorded over 800 deaths.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/kejriwal-launches-mobile-app-for-updates-on-vacant-beds-in-hospitals-for-covid-19-patients-302589" hreflang="en">Kejriwal launches mobile app for updates on vacant beds in hospitals for COVID-19 patients</a>

Kejriwal is set to get tested for COVID-19 soon.

Meanwhile, India witnessed the highest spike ever in the number of reported cases today, and has moved to the fifth spot globally in terms of the number of cases, leaving behind Spain and Italy, that were once epicentres of the pandemic in Europe.

The Chief Minister of Delhi, India has begun self-isolating at home after exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has fever and also claims to have a sore throat, two of the key symptoms of coronavirus.

The Chief Minister of Delhi, India has begun self-isolating at home after exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has fever and also claims to have a sore throat, two of the key symptoms of coronavirus. According to media reports, his symptoms began showing on Sunday, and has since then cancelled all his meetings and addresses. Also read: Delhi govt and private hospitals to be reserved only for patients from national capital: CM Kejriwal On Sunday, Kejriwal appeared at a meeting to discuss coronavirus in Delhi and announced that all Delhi government hospitals along with a few private hospitals will now treat only residents of the city. Central hospitals may treat anyone, he added. Delhi is the third-hardest hit state in the country, after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Until now, the city has over 28,000 positive cases and has recorded over 800 deaths. Also read: Kejriwal launches mobile app for updates on vacant beds in hospitals for COVID-19 patients Kejriwal is set to get tested for COVID-19 soon. Meanwhile, India witnessed the highest spike ever in the number of reported cases today, and has moved to the fifth spot globally in terms of the number of cases, leaving behind Spain and Italy, that were once epicentres of the pandemic in Europe.

Delhi CM Kejriwal quarantines himself after exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19

The anti-China sentiment is growing stronger in the midst of coronavirus pandemic. The impact of this sentiment is now evident in technology too.

Recently, a new smartphone application called “Remove China Apps” surfaced on the Google Play Store.This is a tool to delete all Chinese apps from your phone.

Its developers say it’s for “educational purposes only”, but the app is a byproduct of the global outcry against China. Many countries have now started calling for decreasing their dependence on China, and Chinese products.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-boycottchina-trend-gains-traction-302740/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

India too, has followed suit with this application, alongside Prime Minister’s calls for a self-reliant India. The border standoff with China in Ladakh is also adding to the anti-China sentiment in the country.&nbsp;From Chinese food to Chinese goods, Indians are now boycotting all things China.

The hashtag #BoycottChina on Twitter now features thousands of posts advocating a complete boycott of Chinese products.

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Chalo China ko haraye.. 
"Sena Degi Bullet se, Aap Dijiye Wallet se"<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottMadeInChina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottMadeInChina</a> 
 
All Software in a Week. 
All Hardware in a Year. 
 
"Beginning Today."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottChina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottChina</a> <a href="https://t.co/KmTnfQarvf">pic.twitter.com/KmTnfQarvf</a>
— Krishna Yadav (@Krish206Yadav) <a href="https://twitter.com/Krish206Yadav/status/1266738645886738432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This user posted a lengthy guide, detailing every major Chinese consumer company.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BanTikTokInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BanTikTokInIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottChina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottChina</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottChineseProducts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottChineseProducts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottMadeInChina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottMadeInChina</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottChineseApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottChineseApp</a> 
 
Use alt. app and promote indian products. 
🧡 
🤍 
💚 🇮🇳 🙏🏻 <a href="https://t.co/UwviPuroIG">pic.twitter.com/UwviPuroIG</a>
— 𝐌𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 ツ (@Soulful_banda) <a href="https://twitter.com/Soulful_banda/status/1267500462305091590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This one went a step further. Apart from naming specific Chinese applications, the user even suggested alternatives.

Even Indian film stars have hopped on the trend.

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I am consciously going to stop using everything that is Chinese. As they are a part of most of the things we use, it will take time but I know, one day I’ll be Chinese free. You should try it too ...
— Arshad Warsi (@ArshadWarsi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArshadWarsi/status/1266660927354494977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Actor Arshad Warsi wrote that he is “consciously going to stop using everything that is Chinese”. He wants his followers to try this too.

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Bilkul. Beshaq. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoycottChina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoycottChina</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CKMKB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CKMKB</a>
— Ranvir Shorey (@RanvirShorey) <a href="https://twitter.com/RanvirShorey/status/1266452559734009856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Ranvir Shorey was more direct.&nbsp;“Absolutely. Without a doubt” he wrote in Hindi on twitter.

The #BoycottChina campaign only represents the growing public anger against Beijing.

Chinese diplomats tried to counter the angst with social media posts of their own.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EidMubarak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EidMubarak</a> to you all! May this Eid bring joy and love to you and your loved ones. Stay healthy, stay safe! <a href="https://t.co/0UB6kIW7uh">pic.twitter.com/0UB6kIW7uh</a>
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/China_Amb_India/status/1264743944610410496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Chinese ambassador to India has tweeted festive greetings to Indians.

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Heartfelt blessings from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chinese?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chinese</a> students &amp; scholars who used to study in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a>. They wish all their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> teachers &amp; friends staying healthy &amp; safe, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> join hands &amp; win this battle against epidemic together at an early date. Jai <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> people! <a href="https://t.co/EOLsmMwjcY">pic.twitter.com/EOLsmMwjcY</a>
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/China_Amb_India/status/1263725710192959488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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He even shared messages in Hindi from Chinese scholars.

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Glad to share Jackie Chan <a href="https://twitter.com/EyeOfJackieChan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EyeOfJackieChan</a>, famous Chinese movie star's good wishes &amp; support to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a>. Jia You Yindu! Come on India! Fight <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>. <a href="https://t.co/l3XJkJRwoO">pic.twitter.com/l3XJkJRwoO</a>
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/China_Amb_India/status/1262607020294733827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Chinese even roped in Jackie Chan to win Indian hearts.

However, it is proving hard to simmer the public anger against China for negligence in the early stages of coronavirus pandemic.

The anti-China sentiment is growing stronger in the midst of coronavirus pandemic. The impact of this sentiment is now evident in technology too. Recently, a new smartphone application called “Remove China Apps” surfaced on the Google Play Store.

The anti-China sentiment is growing stronger in the midst of coronavirus pandemic. The impact of this sentiment is now evident in technology too. Recently, a new smartphone application called “Remove China Apps” surfaced on the Google Play Store.This is a tool to delete all Chinese apps from your phone. Its developers say it’s for “educational purposes only”, but the app is a byproduct of the global outcry against China. Many countries have now started calling for decreasing their dependence on China, and Chinese products. India too, has followed suit with this application, alongside Prime Minister’s calls for a self-reliant India. The border standoff with China in Ladakh is also adding to the anti-China sentiment in the country. From Chinese food to Chinese goods, Indians are now boycotting all things China. The hashtag #BoycottChina on Twitter now features thousands of posts advocating a complete boycott of Chinese products. Chalo China ko haraye.. "Sena Degi Bullet se, Aap Dijiye Wallet se"#BoycottMadeInChina All Software in a Week. All Hardware in a Year. "Beginning Today."#BoycottChina pic.twitter.com/KmTnfQarvf — Krishna Yadav (@Krish206Yadav) May 30, 2020 × This user posted a lengthy guide, detailing every major Chinese consumer company. #BanTikTokInIndia #BoycottChina #BoycottChineseProducts #BoycottMadeInChina #BoycottChineseApp Use alt. app and promote indian products. 🧡 🤍 💚 🇮🇳 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/UwviPuroIG — 𝐌𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 ツ (@Soulful_banda) June 1, 2020 × This one went a step further. Apart from naming specific Chinese applications, the user even suggested alternatives. Even Indian film stars have hopped on the trend. I am consciously going to stop using everything that is Chinese. As they are a part of most of the things we use, it will take time but I know, one day I’ll be Chinese free. You should try it too ... — Arshad Warsi (@ArshadWarsi) May 30, 2020 × Actor Arshad Warsi wrote that he is “consciously going to stop using everything that is Chinese”. He wants his followers to try this too. Bilkul. Beshaq. #BoycottChina. #CKMKB — Ranvir Shorey (@RanvirShorey) May 29, 2020 × Ranvir Shorey was more direct. “Absolutely. Without a doubt” he wrote in Hindi on twitter. The #BoycottChina campaign only represents the growing public anger against Beijing. Chinese diplomats tried to counter the angst with social media posts of their own. #EidMubarak to you all! May this Eid bring joy and love to you and your loved ones. Stay healthy, stay safe! pic.twitter.com/0UB6kIW7uh — Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) May 25, 2020 × The Chinese ambassador to India has tweeted festive greetings to Indians. Heartfelt blessings from #Chinese students & scholars who used to study in #India. They wish all their #Indian teachers & friends staying healthy & safe, #China & #India join hands & win this battle against epidemic together at an early date. Jai #Indian people! pic.twitter.com/EOLsmMwjcY — Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) May 22, 2020 × He even shared messages in Hindi from Chinese scholars. Glad to share Jackie Chan @EyeOfJackieChan, famous Chinese movie star's good wishes & support to #India. Jia You Yindu! Come on India! Fight #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/l3XJkJRwoO — Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) May 19, 2020 × The Chinese even roped in Jackie Chan to win Indian hearts. However, it is proving hard to simmer the public anger against China for negligence in the early stages of coronavirus pandemic.

'Remove China Apps': Tool to delete Chinese apps from phone goes viral in India

A new&nbsp;report has exposed China’s criminal negligence in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic which has killed 3,77,404 people globally with over 6&nbsp;million infections.

The Associated Press obtained internal recordings of the World Health Organization (WHO) featuring officials who led the organisation’s immediate response to COVID-19. The recordings are from the early days of the outbreak in China.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/coronavirus-epidemic-hasnt-become-less-pathogenic-warns-who-302475" hreflang="en">Coronavirus epidemic hasn't become less pathogenic, warns WHO</a>

Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist, and the organisation’s technical lead for COVID-19 during one of the internal meetings of the organisation said,”We are going on very minimal information. It is clearly not enough for you to do proper planning.” This statement is believed to have been made in early January, which was a critical phase for the escalation of the virus.

“We are currently at the stage where yes, they are giving it to us 15 minutes before it appears on CCTV”, said Dr Gauden Galea, the WHO’s top official in China, while&nbsp;referring to CCTV, China’s state broadcaster.

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These internal recordings suggest that China wasn’t sharing the complete information about the virus, and when the information came, its flow was very slow. Additionally, it points towards an internal debate within the WHO about China and dealing with the pandemic. 
 
"Shift gears"

AP's&nbsp;report indicates&nbsp;that in the second week of January, WHO’s chief of emergencies, Dr Michael Ryan stepped in. He has been often seen fronting press conferences alongside the WHO Director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Dr Michael Ryan can be heard saying it was time to “shift gears” and to apply “more pressure on China".

“This is exactly the same scenario, endlessly trying to get updates from china about what was going on”, Dr Ryan said while referring to the 2002 SARS outbreak which killed 800 people globally.

“The WHO Barely got out of that one with its neck intact given the issues that arose around transparency in southern China”, he said.

Reportedly, Dr Ryan made the statement in the second week of January. A few weeks later, Dr Tedros travelled to Beijing and met President Xi Jinping.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/eu-urges-trump-to-rethink-decision-to-cut-ties-with-who-302043" hreflang="en">EU urges Trump to rethink decision to cut ties with WHO</a>

And when he returned, Dr Tedros said that he was “impressed” with Xi Jinping’s response.

The tapes suggest that his team was raising concerns regarding China withholding information.

The AP Report says that the WHO was trying to coax more information from China, by lauding them in public.

However, this negligence led to infection spreading across the world over 180 countries.

The WHO has shrugged off any charges of lapses, and claimed they don’t want to get involved in politics.

A new report has exposed China’s criminal negligence in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic which has killed 3,77,404 people globally with over 6 million infections.

A new report has exposed China’s criminal negligence in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic which has killed 3,77,404 people globally with over 6 million infections. The Associated Press obtained internal recordings of the World Health Organization (WHO) featuring officials who led the organisation’s immediate response to COVID-19. The recordings are from the early days of the outbreak in China. Also read: Coronavirus epidemic hasn't become less pathogenic, warns WHO Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist, and the organisation’s technical lead for COVID-19 during one of the internal meetings of the organisation said,”We are going on very minimal information. It is clearly not enough for you to do proper planning.” This statement is believed to have been made in early January, which was a critical phase for the escalation of the virus. “We are currently at the stage where yes, they are giving it to us 15 minutes before it appears on CCTV”, said Dr Gauden Galea, the WHO’s top official in China, while referring to CCTV, China’s state broadcaster. These internal recordings suggest that China wasn’t sharing the complete information about the virus, and when the information came, its flow was very slow. Additionally, it points towards an internal debate within the WHO about China and dealing with the pandemic. "Shift gears" AP's report indicates that in the second week of January, WHO’s chief of emergencies, Dr Michael Ryan stepped in. He has been often seen fronting press conferences alongside the WHO Director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Dr Michael Ryan can be heard saying it was time to “shift gears” and to apply “more pressure on China". “This is exactly the same scenario, endlessly trying to get updates from china about what was going on”, Dr Ryan said while referring to the 2002 SARS outbreak which killed 800 people globally. “The WHO Barely got out of that one with its neck intact given the issues that arose around transparency in southern China”, he said. Reportedly, Dr Ryan made the statement in the second week of January. A few weeks later, Dr Tedros travelled to Beijing and met President Xi Jinping. Also read: EU urges Trump to rethink decision to cut ties with WHO And when he returned, Dr Tedros said that he was “impressed” with Xi Jinping’s response. The tapes suggest that his team was raising concerns regarding China withholding information. The AP Report says that the WHO was trying to coax more information from China, by lauding them in public. However, this negligence led to infection spreading across the world over 180 countries. The WHO has shrugged off any charges of lapses, and claimed they don’t want to get involved in politics.

Report reveals collective negligence by China and WHO in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic further hit Germany's labour market in May as companies continued to slash thousands of jobs and put millions of employees on reduced working hours, data showed on Wednesday.

The bleak figures, published by the Labour Office, came as Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition wrestled over the final details of a stimulus package to help firms and employees in Europe's largest economy recover quickly from the crisis.

The number of people out of work in May rose by 238,000 to 2.875 million in seasonally adjusted terms, the data showed. A Reuters poll had predicted a rise of 200,000.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-panning-use-of-hydroxychloroquine-against-coronavirus-faces-new-questions-302785" hreflang="en">Study panning use of hydroxychloroquine against coronavirus faces new questions</a>

The unemployment rate jumped to 6.3% from 5.8% in April.&nbsp;

"The labour market remains under immense pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic," Labour Office head Detlef Scheele said. But he added that unemployment did not rise as much as in April.

Companies logged requests to put 1.06 million people on reduced working hours under the government's Kurzarbeit short-time working scheme from May 1 to May 27, the office said.

That was in addition to requests for 10.66 million people made in March and April combined, the labour office said, adding that this did not, however, mean that all of those people would actually end up on the scheme.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-global-coronavirus-tally-nears-62-million-with-most-number-of-cases-in-us-302751" hreflang="en">WHO says global coronavirus tally nears 6.2 million with most number of cases in US</a>

"Short-time work has clearly exceeded the level of the 2009 crisis," Scheele said. Around 1.5 million people were on the programme back then.

Short-time work is a form of state aid that allows employers to switch employees to shorter working hours during an economic downturn to keep them on the payroll.

A poll by the Ifo economic institute published on Tuesday showed the number of workers in Germany on reduced hours had risen to 7.3 million as the pandemic affects most sectors.

The coronavirus pandemic further hit Germany's labour market in May as companies continued to slash thousands of jobs and put millions of employees on reduced working hours, data showed on Wednesday.

The coronavirus pandemic further hit Germany's labour market in May as companies continued to slash thousands of jobs and put millions of employees on reduced working hours, data showed on Wednesday. The bleak figures, published by the Labour Office, came as Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition wrestled over the final details of a stimulus package to help firms and employees in Europe's largest economy recover quickly from the crisis. The number of people out of work in May rose by 238,000 to 2.875 million in seasonally adjusted terms, the data showed. A Reuters poll had predicted a rise of 200,000. Also read: Study panning use of hydroxychloroquine against coronavirus faces new questions The unemployment rate jumped to 6.3% from 5.8% in April. "The labour market remains under immense pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic," Labour Office head Detlef Scheele said. But he added that unemployment did not rise as much as in April. Companies logged requests to put 1.06 million people on reduced working hours under the government's Kurzarbeit short-time working scheme from May 1 to May 27, the office said. That was in addition to requests for 10.66 million people made in March and April combined, the labour office said, adding that this did not, however, mean that all of those people would actually end up on the scheme. Also read: WHO says global coronavirus tally nears 6.2 million with most number of cases in US "Short-time work has clearly exceeded the level of the 2009 crisis," Scheele said. Around 1.5 million people were on the programme back then. Short-time work is a form of state aid that allows employers to switch employees to shorter working hours during an economic downturn to keep them on the payroll. A poll by the Ifo economic institute published on Tuesday showed the number of workers in Germany on reduced hours had risen to 7.3 million as the pandemic affects most sectors.

Coronavirus pushes up German unemployment, short-time work

Residents and business owners in cities across the United States swept up broken glass, took stock of looted goods and surveyed the damage on Monday after a sixth straight night of violent protests over racial inequities and excessive police force.&nbsp;

Police and fire departments fought into the night to quell the chaos as fires burned near the White House and shops were looted in New York City and Southern California. The National Guard said it had deployed in 23 states and Washington, D.C.

One person was killed in Louisville, Kentucky, overnight where police and National Guard troops returned fire while trying to disperse a crowd.

"It’s devastating and heartbreaking," Alex Flowers, 30, said as she swept broken glass from the sidewalk outside Wasteland, a used-clothing store in Santa Monica, California, early on Monday. "I came to help clean up the city that has been destroyed and help the business owners and employees."

The unrest, which erupted as the country was reopening after lengthy lockdowns to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday.

Video footage showed a white police officer kneeling on the neck of Floyd, 46, for nearly nine minutes before he died. Derek Chauvin, the since-fired 44-year-old police officer involved in the incident, has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was released on $500,000 bail and is due to appear in court on June 8, according to jail records.&nbsp;

Dozens of cities across the United States remain under curfews at a level not seen since riots following the 1968 assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

There was "significant ongoing" civil unrest in 36 U.S. cities, including smaller ones like Fargo, North Dakota, and Roanoke, Virginia, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Monday.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc9ce6cc-49a7-4864-bcee-3e5686217daa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_12.jpg" /> 
Protests in NYC | Reuters</h6>

In the U.S. capital, St. John's Episcopal Church, an historic place near the White House where many U.S. presidents have gone to worship, suffered minor damage while the nearby headquarters of the AFL-CIO labor group was vandalized.

"The looting and destruction of property was expansive," Washington, D.C., Police Chief Peter Newsham told reporters, noting that looting had occurred in the Northeast and Northwest quadrants of the district, as well as upscale Georgetown area.&nbsp;

The city's mayor, Muriel Bowser, announced on Monday a curfew would be in place for two days starting at 7 p.m. and lasting until the morning hours.

'NOT HELPING'

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News that Antifa, an anti-fascist group, was "certainly behind" the violence that had erupted in U.S. cities in recent days and that the country needed "law and order."

U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Sunday branded the group a terrorist organization, was due on Monday to meet his top law enforcement officer behind closed doors and then hold a call with governors, law enforcement and national security officials.

Trump has condemned the killing of Floyd and promised justice but has made no major public statement to address the crisis. He has issued a flurry of tweets, describing protesters as "thugs" and urging mayors and governors to "get tough" and threatened to use the U.S. military.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/curfew-imposed-in-several-us-states-more-than-2500-protestors-arrested-302477/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Critics accuse the Republican president, who is seeking re-election in a Nov. 3 election, of further stoking conflict and racial tension rather than seeking to bring the country together and address the underlying issues.

"He's not helping ... He is not leading, he is causing further disruption," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN on Monday. Atlanta, Georgia's capital, was among a string of cities where protests turned violent in recent days.

Tensions in Georgia had been rising over the Feb. 23 death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man who was shot while jogging. The white father-and-son suspects were not arrested until 74 days later.&nbsp;

The deaths of Arbery and Floyd were the latest in a string of similar incidents involving unarmed black men in recent years that has raised an outcry over racism in law enforcement, and reignited outrage across a politically and racially divided country that has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

Many cities affected by the unrest are just restarting some normal economic activity after more than two months of stay-at-home orders aimed at stemming the outbreak, which has killed more than 104,000 people and plunged more than 40 million people into joblessness.&nbsp;

Black people account for 6.8% of the population in Minnesota but 29% of coronavirus cases, according to state and federal data.

Residents and business owners in cities across the United States swept up broken glass, took stock of looted goods and surveyed the damage on Monday after a sixth straight night of violent protests over racial inequities and excessive police force.

Residents and business owners in cities across the United States swept up broken glass, took stock of looted goods and surveyed the damage on Monday after a sixth straight night of violent protests over racial inequities and excessive police force. Police and fire departments fought into the night to quell the chaos as fires burned near the White House and shops were looted in New York City and Southern California. The National Guard said it had deployed in 23 states and Washington, D.C. One person was killed in Louisville, Kentucky, overnight where police and National Guard troops returned fire while trying to disperse a crowd. "It’s devastating and heartbreaking," Alex Flowers, 30, said as she swept broken glass from the sidewalk outside Wasteland, a used-clothing store in Santa Monica, California, early on Monday. "I came to help clean up the city that has been destroyed and help the business owners and employees." The unrest, which erupted as the country was reopening after lengthy lockdowns to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday. Video footage showed a white police officer kneeling on the neck of Floyd, 46, for nearly nine minutes before he died. Derek Chauvin, the since-fired 44-year-old police officer involved in the incident, has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was released on $500,000 bail and is due to appear in court on June 8, according to jail records. Dozens of cities across the United States remain under curfews at a level not seen since riots following the 1968 assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. There was "significant ongoing" civil unrest in 36 U.S. cities, including smaller ones like Fargo, North Dakota, and Roanoke, Virginia, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Monday. Protests in NYC | Reuters In the U.S. capital, St. John's Episcopal Church, an historic place near the White House where many U.S. presidents have gone to worship, suffered minor damage while the nearby headquarters of the AFL-CIO labor group was vandalized. "The looting and destruction of property was expansive," Washington, D.C., Police Chief Peter Newsham told reporters, noting that looting had occurred in the Northeast and Northwest quadrants of the district, as well as upscale Georgetown area. The city's mayor, Muriel Bowser, announced on Monday a curfew would be in place for two days starting at 7 p.m. and lasting until the morning hours. 'NOT HELPING' White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News that Antifa, an anti-fascist group, was "certainly behind" the violence that had erupted in U.S. cities in recent days and that the country needed "law and order." U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Sunday branded the group a terrorist organization, was due on Monday to meet his top law enforcement officer behind closed doors and then hold a call with governors, law enforcement and national security officials. Trump has condemned the killing of Floyd and promised justice but has made no major public statement to address the crisis. He has issued a flurry of tweets, describing protesters as "thugs" and urging mayors and governors to "get tough" and threatened to use the U.S. military. Critics accuse the Republican president, who is seeking re-election in a Nov. 3 election, of further stoking conflict and racial tension rather than seeking to bring the country together and address the underlying issues. "He's not helping ... He is not leading, he is causing further disruption," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN on Monday. Atlanta, Georgia's capital, was among a string of cities where protests turned violent in recent days. Tensions in Georgia had been rising over the Feb. 23 death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man who was shot while jogging. The white father-and-son suspects were not arrested until 74 days later. The deaths of Arbery and Floyd were the latest in a string of similar incidents involving unarmed black men in recent years that has raised an outcry over racism in law enforcement, and reignited outrage across a politically and racially divided country that has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Many cities affected by the unrest are just restarting some normal economic activity after more than two months of stay-at-home orders aimed at stemming the outbreak, which has killed more than 104,000 people and plunged more than 40 million people into joblessness. Black people account for 6.8% of the population in Minnesota but 29% of coronavirus cases, according to state and federal data.

Tensions rise in US as fires burn near White House amid riots

Parties in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition wrestled on Tuesday over final details of a huge stimulus package to aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including whether cash incentives to buy new cars should exclude combustion engines.

Senior members of Merkel's conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the co-governing Social Democrats (SPD) planned to negotiate until 11 p.m. (2100 GMT) on Tuesday and resume on Wednesday after a regular? cabinet meeting, a SPD party spokeswoman said. Initially, a final deal was expected on Tuesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-warns-against-overusing-antibiotics-amid-pandemic-says-it-will-lead-to-more-deaths-302706" hreflang="en">WHO warns against overusing antibiotics amid pandemic, says it will lead to more deaths</a>

"It will take a long time and probably will not end today," SPD co-leader Norbert Walter-Borjans told reporters ahead of the talks as he entered the chancellery, adding that one area of contention was help for lower- and mid-income households.

"And there is a big topic that we need to talk about, namely that from our point of view, there cannot be a purchase incentive for cars with combustion engines," he added.

The CDU/CSU is focused more on helping companies and high earners hit hard by the pandemic.

The fiscal stimulus fund, coming on top of an unprecedented 750 billion-euro ($837 billion) rescue package agreed in March, will include measures worth up to 100 billion euros, government and coalition sources have said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-crisis-wuhan-chinas-punk-capital-loses-its-voice-302705" hreflang="en">Coronavirus crisis: Wuhan, China's punk capital loses its voice</a>

The package is meant to help companies and employees rebound more quickly from a pandemic that is expected to plunge Europe's largest economy into its deepest recession since World War Two.

SPD Finance Minister Olaf Scholz wants the stimulus measures to be "timely, targeted, temporary and transformative".

Among the proposals on the table are cash handouts for families to boost consumption, extra relief for municipalities struggling with lower tax receipts, and further funds for companies with fewer than 250 employees.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/report-reveals-collective-negligence-by-china-and-who-in-dealing-with-the-coronavirus-pandemic-302695" hreflang="en">Report reveals collective negligence by China and WHO in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic</a>

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, of the CDU, said the package could encompass a one-off splurge of 5 billion euros for families with children. He also hoped the deal would include measures to foster more digitisation.&nbsp;

However, he added that "some things may not be completely settled tomorrow...We will take things step by step."

Parties in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition wrestled on Tuesday over final details of a huge stimulus package to aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including whether cash incentives to buy new cars should exclude combustion engines.

Parties in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition wrestled on Tuesday over final details of a huge stimulus package to aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including whether cash incentives to buy new cars should exclude combustion engines. Senior members of Merkel's conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the co-governing Social Democrats (SPD) planned to negotiate until 11 p.m. (2100 GMT) on Tuesday and resume on Wednesday after a regular? cabinet meeting, a SPD party spokeswoman said. Initially, a final deal was expected on Tuesday. Also read: WHO warns against overusing antibiotics amid pandemic, says it will lead to more deaths "It will take a long time and probably will not end today," SPD co-leader Norbert Walter-Borjans told reporters ahead of the talks as he entered the chancellery, adding that one area of contention was help for lower- and mid-income households. "And there is a big topic that we need to talk about, namely that from our point of view, there cannot be a purchase incentive for cars with combustion engines," he added. The CDU/CSU is focused more on helping companies and high earners hit hard by the pandemic. The fiscal stimulus fund, coming on top of an unprecedented 750 billion-euro ($837 billion) rescue package agreed in March, will include measures worth up to 100 billion euros, government and coalition sources have said. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: Wuhan, China's punk capital loses its voice The package is meant to help companies and employees rebound more quickly from a pandemic that is expected to plunge Europe's largest economy into its deepest recession since World War Two. SPD Finance Minister Olaf Scholz wants the stimulus measures to be "timely, targeted, temporary and transformative". Among the proposals on the table are cash handouts for families to boost consumption, extra relief for municipalities struggling with lower tax receipts, and further funds for companies with fewer than 250 employees. Also read: Report reveals collective negligence by China and WHO in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, of the CDU, said the package could encompass a one-off splurge of 5 billion euros for families with children. He also hoped the deal would include measures to foster more digitisation. However, he added that "some things may not be completely settled tomorrow...We will take things step by step."

German coalition parties put off decision on coronavirus stimulus package

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