The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against increasing usage of antibiotics against coronavirus. The organisation further added that its usage will lead to more deaths during and after the pandemic the ends.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus suggested&nbsp;that a lot of medicines that were used traditionally to treat bacterial infections are no longer working.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wionews.com/world/coronavirus-epidemic-hasnt-become-less-pathogenic-warns-who-302475" hreflang="en">Coronavirus epidemic hasn't become less pathogenic, warns WHO</a>

The organisation fears that this trend will increase. “The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increased use of antibiotics, which ultimately will lead to higher bacterial resistance rates that will impact the burden of disease and deaths during the pandemic and beyond,” Tedros said in a press conference, while adding that not all coronavirus patients require antibiotics to fight the infection.

The health body also released a new set of guidelines in dealing with antibiotics. According to the release, the organisations suggests against using “antibiotic therapy or prophylaxis” on COVID-19 patients.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-wuhan-finds-no-new-covid-19-cases-in-city-wide-testing-302610" hreflang="en">China's Wuhan finds no new COVID-19 cases in city-wide testing</a>

Ghebreyesus also referred to antimicrobial resistance as “one of the most urgent challenges of our time”. He additionally said, “It’s clear that the world is losing its ability to use critically important antimicrobial medicines”.

He also addressed the disproportionate access to such medicines, while saying that some continues were overusing antibiotics while many had very limited access to the drugs.

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>

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.

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.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against increasing usage of antibiotics against coronavirus. The organisation further added that its usage will lead to more deaths during and after the pandemic the ends.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against increasing usage of antibiotics against coronavirus. The organisation further added that its usage will lead to more deaths during and after the pandemic the ends. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus suggested that a lot of medicines that were used traditionally to treat bacterial infections are no longer working. Also read: Coronavirus epidemic hasn't become less pathogenic, warns WHO The organisation fears that this trend will increase. “The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increased use of antibiotics, which ultimately will lead to higher bacterial resistance rates that will impact the burden of disease and deaths during the pandemic and beyond,” Tedros said in a press conference, while adding that not all coronavirus patients require antibiotics to fight the infection. The health body also released a new set of guidelines in dealing with antibiotics. According to the release, the organisations suggests against using “antibiotic therapy or prophylaxis” on COVID-19 patients. Also read: China's Wuhan finds no new COVID-19 cases in city-wide testing Ghebreyesus also referred to antimicrobial resistance as “one of the most urgent challenges of our time”. He additionally said, “It’s clear that the world is losing its ability to use critically important antimicrobial medicines”. He also addressed the disproportionate access to such medicines, while saying that some continues were overusing antibiotics while many had very limited access to the drugs. Also read: Report reveals collective negligence by China and WHO in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic 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. 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.

WHO warns against overusing antibiotics amid pandemic, says it will lead to more deaths

Suspected and confirmed cases of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak in Britain have risen to 48,000, according to official data published Tuesday. 
 
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures tallied all fatalities in which COVID-19 was suspected or mentioned on death certificates up to May 22.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-wuhan-finds-no-new-covid-19-cases-in-city-wide-testing-302610" hreflang="en">China's Wuhan finds no new COVID-19 cases in city-wide testing</a> 
 
Its figure is significantly higher than the government's latest daily figure of 39,045, which only includes deaths after confirmation of a positive test. 
 
By either measure, the toll is Europe's worst and puts Britain behind only the United States in officially announced deaths, although each country has different reporting lags and methods.&nbsp; 
 
The data also showed there had been 56,308 more deaths in England and Wales than the five-year average since the outbreak took hold in March. 
 
But in the week ending May 22, there were 2,589 mentions of "novel coronavirus" on death certificates in England and Wales -- the lowest since the seven days to March 27. 
 
Britain is one of the last European countries to start easing its stay-at-home restrictions, which were imposed on March 23.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-cases-worldwide-cross-63-million-mark-death-toll-at-377404-302595" hreflang="en">Covid-19 cases worldwide cross 6.3 million mark; death toll at 3,77,404</a> 
 
Some younger children returned to school in England on Monday while some shops were allowed to reopen. 
 
But most stores are closed and restaurants and cafes can only provide take out and delivery service. 
 
Non-essential retail will resume on June 15 if the virus remains contained, according to the government's plan. 
 
The government maintains it is in a position to lift restrictions as infection rates are falling but critics fear it is still too soon, and could trigger a second wave of cases. 
 
The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are easing restrictions more slowly, and schools remain shut.

Suspected and confirmed cases of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak in Britain have risen to 48,000, according to official data published Tuesday. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures tallied all fatalities in which COVID-19 was suspected or mentioned on death certificates up to May 22.

Suspected and confirmed cases of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak in Britain have risen to 48,000, according to official data published Tuesday. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures tallied all fatalities in which COVID-19 was suspected or mentioned on death certificates up to May 22. Also read: China's Wuhan finds no new COVID-19 cases in city-wide testing Its figure is significantly higher than the government's latest daily figure of 39,045, which only includes deaths after confirmation of a positive test. By either measure, the toll is Europe's worst and puts Britain behind only the United States in officially announced deaths, although each country has different reporting lags and methods. The data also showed there had been 56,308 more deaths in England and Wales than the five-year average since the outbreak took hold in March. But in the week ending May 22, there were 2,589 mentions of "novel coronavirus" on death certificates in England and Wales -- the lowest since the seven days to March 27. Britain is one of the last European countries to start easing its stay-at-home restrictions, which were imposed on March 23. Also read: Covid-19 cases worldwide cross 6.3 million mark; death toll at 3,77,404 Some younger children returned to school in England on Monday while some shops were allowed to reopen. But most stores are closed and restaurants and cafes can only provide take out and delivery service. Non-essential retail will resume on June 15 if the virus remains contained, according to the government's plan. The government maintains it is in a position to lift restrictions as infection rates are falling but critics fear it is still too soon, and could trigger a second wave of cases. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are easing restrictions more slowly, and schools remain shut.

UK says virus-related deaths rise to 48,000

The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus outbreak first emerged, found no new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and 300 asymptomatic cases in city-wide testing that began in mid-May, officials said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The city launched its ambitious campaign on May 14, testing 9.9 million people, after a cluster of new cases in the city raised fears of a second wave of infections.&nbsp;

But authorities found no new cases of the disease in the May 14 to June 1 testing, officials told reporters in a briefing, adding that the asymptomatic cases were found to be not infectious.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-cases-worldwide-cross-63-million-mark-death-toll-at-377404-302595" hreflang="en">Covid-19 cases worldwide cross 6.3 million mark; death toll at 3,77,404</a>

China does not count asymptomatic cases, meaning people who are infected with the virus but do not exhibit symptoms of the disease, as confirmed cases.&nbsp;

The coronavirus is believed to have jumped from an animal to people in a market selling wildlife in Wuhan late last year.

The central Chinese city, capital of Hubei province, was placed under a lockdown on Jan. 23. It was lifted on April 8.&nbsp;

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It was the hardest hit of any Chinese city and accounts for the majority of the 4,634 deaths and total of 83,022 infections reported in mainland China.&nbsp;

The cost of the city-wide testing effort was about 900 million yuan ($126 million).

The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus outbreak first emerged, found no new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and 300 asymptomatic cases in city-wide testing that began in mid-May, officials said on Tuesday.

The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus outbreak first emerged, found no new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and 300 asymptomatic cases in city-wide testing that began in mid-May, officials said on Tuesday. The city launched its ambitious campaign on May 14, testing 9.9 million people, after a cluster of new cases in the city raised fears of a second wave of infections. But authorities found no new cases of the disease in the May 14 to June 1 testing, officials told reporters in a briefing, adding that the asymptomatic cases were found to be not infectious. Also read: Covid-19 cases worldwide cross 6.3 million mark; death toll at 3,77,404 China does not count asymptomatic cases, meaning people who are infected with the virus but do not exhibit symptoms of the disease, as confirmed cases. The coronavirus is believed to have jumped from an animal to people in a market selling wildlife in Wuhan late last year. The central Chinese city, capital of Hubei province, was placed under a lockdown on Jan. 23. It was lifted on April 8. Also read: Divorce that creates a billionaire: Chinese couple parting ways with a settlement of $3.2 billion It was the hardest hit of any Chinese city and accounts for the majority of the 4,634 deaths and total of 83,022 infections reported in mainland China. The cost of the city-wide testing effort was about 900 million yuan ($126 million).

China's Wuhan finds no new COVID-19 cases in city-wide testing

The World Health Organization (WHO) should have enough information in 24 hours to decide whether to continue suspending its trial of hydroxychloroquine for use against coronavirus, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday.

Her comments come a week after the UN body paused its large study of the anti-malarial drug to treat COVID-19 due to concerns it increased death rates and irregular heartbeats in patients.

The move prompted several European governments to ban the use of the drug, also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus and promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump to help combat the disease.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-epidemic-hasnt-become-less-pathogenic-warns-who-302475" hreflang="en">Coronavirus epidemic hasn't become less pathogenic, warns WHO</a>

Sanofi on Friday temporarily stopped recruiting new COVID-19 patients for its two clinical trials of the drug and said it would no longer supply it to treat COVID-19 until safety concerns are cleared up.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization said today that the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armenia-pm-nikol-pashinyan-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-as-cases-rise-302365">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;has "not become less pathogenic, it is not the case at all".

"We need to be exceptionally careful not to create a sense that, all of a sudden, the virus, by its own volition, has now decided to be less pathogenic," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said at a virtual briefing.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization (WHO) should have enough information in 24 hours to decide whether to continue suspending its trial of hydroxychloroquine for use against coronavirus, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) should have enough information in 24 hours to decide whether to continue suspending its trial of hydroxychloroquine for use against coronavirus, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday. Her comments come a week after the UN body paused its large study of the anti-malarial drug to treat COVID-19 due to concerns it increased death rates and irregular heartbeats in patients. The move prompted several European governments to ban the use of the drug, also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus and promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump to help combat the disease. Also read: Coronavirus epidemic hasn't become less pathogenic, warns WHO Sanofi on Friday temporarily stopped recruiting new COVID-19 patients for its two clinical trials of the drug and said it would no longer supply it to treat COVID-19 until safety concerns are cleared up. The World Health Organization said today that the coronavirus has "not become less pathogenic, it is not the case at all". "We need to be exceptionally careful not to create a sense that, all of a sudden, the virus, by its own volition, has now decided to be less pathogenic," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said at a virtual briefing.

WHO will decide on its hydroxychloroquine trial suspension in 24 hours

The United States is currently witnessing nationwide protests against the murder of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on suspected usage on a counterfeit currency note.

As protests become fiercer and spread across the country, many officials in the government fear a rising wave of infections owing to the protests.

After Floyd, 46, was killed during an arrest by four police officers last Monday, which stirred protests focused on police brutality against African Americans in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-really-played-out-between-the-police-and-george-floyd-in-his-final-moments-302473" hreflang="en">What really played out between the police and George Floyd in his final moments</a>

As of now, the US has over 1.8 million coronavirus infections and has recorded 104,000 deaths. The country does not have universal healthcare, and reports have indicated that the rate of infections and fatality is much higher among minorities.

During the protests, people were seen close to each other, many without masks.

<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>

However, this has stirred paranoia among leaders, who are asking the protesters to “protest the right way”, by keeping in mind the social distancing guidelines in place against the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay-at-home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later,” Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, claimed in a press conference on Sunday.

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“I’m so concerned about it that I’m urging everybody to consider their exposure, if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested … because we have worked very hard to blunt the curve”, he added.

Protests outside the White House forced President Trump into his protective bunker, while people clashed with his security services. Washington DC has witnessed violent protests for several days now.

“While I saw some people with masks last night, others didn’t… I saw some people social distancing, other people were right on top of each other. So we don’t want to compound this deadly virus and the impact it’s had on our community”, Bowser&nbsp;added.

Many leaders have echoed the sentiment. Larry Hogan, the governor of Maryland, and Keisha Lance-Bottoms, the mayor of Atlanta agreed with Bowser.

Lance-Bottoms said she was “extremely concerned” about a resurgence of coronavirus cases.

The mayor of New York Bill de Blasio extended his support to the people’s right to demonstrate, but added that the protests signify an uncertain future.

The United States is currently witnessing nationwide protests against the murder of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on suspected usage on a counterfeit currency note.

The United States is currently witnessing nationwide protests against the murder of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on suspected usage on a counterfeit currency note. As protests become fiercer and spread across the country, many officials in the government fear a rising wave of infections owing to the protests. After Floyd, 46, was killed during an arrest by four police officers last Monday, which stirred protests focused on police brutality against African Americans in the country. Also read: What really played out between the police and George Floyd in his final moments As of now, the US has over 1.8 million coronavirus infections and has recorded 104,000 deaths. The country does not have universal healthcare, and reports have indicated that the rate of infections and fatality is much higher among minorities. During the protests, people were seen close to each other, many without masks. However, this has stirred paranoia among leaders, who are asking the protesters to “protest the right way”, by keeping in mind the social distancing guidelines in place against the coronavirus pandemic. “I’m concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay-at-home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later,” Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, claimed in a press conference on Sunday. Also read: Racism haunts America as African-Americans struggle for equality “I’m so concerned about it that I’m urging everybody to consider their exposure, if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested … because we have worked very hard to blunt the curve”, he added. Protests outside the White House forced President Trump into his protective bunker, while people clashed with his security services. Washington DC has witnessed violent protests for several days now. “While I saw some people with masks last night, others didn’t… I saw some people social distancing, other people were right on top of each other. So we don’t want to compound this deadly virus and the impact it’s had on our community”, Bowser added. Many leaders have echoed the sentiment. Larry Hogan, the governor of Maryland, and Keisha Lance-Bottoms, the mayor of Atlanta agreed with Bowser. Lance-Bottoms said she was “extremely concerned” about a resurgence of coronavirus cases. The mayor of New York Bill de Blasio extended his support to the people’s right to demonstrate, but added that the protests signify an uncertain future.

Leaders in US fear new coronavirus infections as people defy social distancing norms to protest

Three panda cubs, born during the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, have spent their first "Children's Day" at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, rolling around in their crib, sleeping and eating.

Three panda cubs born during epidemic celebrate first "Children's Day"

Momentum is building behind Thailand's push to create its own coronavirus vaccine, with more manpower and resources dedicated to the effort amid hopes it could boost medical tourism.

Thai trials of an experimental vaccine using monkeys started last month, one of at least 100 potential vaccines being developed globally. The government is hopeful it will have a cost-effective vaccine ready for next year.

Bionet-Asia, a local firm working with the government and a top Bangkok university, has put all other activities on hold and dedicated 250 personnel and all of its labs, technology and production facilities to developing a COVID-19 vaccine.

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"In the case of COVID, there is a global effort to speed up experiment, trials, to share information, share diagnostics and that's why we are in a position too, to move very fast," chief executive officer, Pham Hong Thai, told Reuters.

He said tests on animals had so far shown encouraging results and the next step would be seeking government approval for clinical trials involving humans.

With just over 3,082 cases and 57 deaths, Thailand has had some success in containing the coronavirus and eased many of its restrictions in response to low infection numbers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-question-authenticity-of-study-on-hydroxychloroquine-drugs-302287" hreflang="en">Scientists question authenticity of study on hydroxychloroquine drugs</a>

It has been seven days without a case of local transmission, with all infections this past week found among quarantined nationals returning from overseas.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said it was important to channel all efforts towards the development of a vaccine and put Thailand on the medical map.

"Thailand has a good healthcare system, good medical practices. It will garner a lot of interest from tourists and investors and boost us as a medical hub," he said.

Momentum is building behind Thailand's push to create its own coronavirus vaccine, with more manpower and resources dedicated to the effort amid hopes it could boost medical tourism.

Momentum is building behind Thailand's push to create its own coronavirus vaccine, with more manpower and resources dedicated to the effort amid hopes it could boost medical tourism. Thai trials of an experimental vaccine using monkeys started last month, one of at least 100 potential vaccines being developed globally. The government is hopeful it will have a cost-effective vaccine ready for next year. Bionet-Asia, a local firm working with the government and a top Bangkok university, has put all other activities on hold and dedicated 250 personnel and all of its labs, technology and production facilities to developing a COVID-19 vaccine. Also read: Russia to start administering 'game changer' drug to treat coronavirus patients "In the case of COVID, there is a global effort to speed up experiment, trials, to share information, share diagnostics and that's why we are in a position too, to move very fast," chief executive officer, Pham Hong Thai, told Reuters. He said tests on animals had so far shown encouraging results and the next step would be seeking government approval for clinical trials involving humans. With just over 3,082 cases and 57 deaths, Thailand has had some success in containing the coronavirus and eased many of its restrictions in response to low infection numbers. Also read: Scientists question authenticity of study on hydroxychloroquine drugs It has been seven days without a case of local transmission, with all infections this past week found among quarantined nationals returning from overseas. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said it was important to channel all efforts towards the development of a vaccine and put Thailand on the medical map. "Thailand has a good healthcare system, good medical practices. It will garner a lot of interest from tourists and investors and boost us as a medical hub," he said.

Thailand races to create COVID vaccine, eyes possible medical tourism boost

A fish processing vessel owned by American Seafoods now account for 86 cases of coronavirus.

In a statement released on Sunday, the company announced that crew members onboard one of their vessels, “American Dynasty” were tested for the deadly respiratory disease recently. The testing was conducted at the port of Bellingham in the US state of Washington, before the vessel took off for Seattle.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-question-authenticity-of-study-on-hydroxychloroquine-drugs-302287" hreflang="en">Scientists question authenticity of study on hydroxychloroquine drugs</a>

The vessel can carry 142 crew members. Even though everybody was tested, the results of nine crew members is still being fetched, Reuters reported.

The seafood company is based in Seattle and is responsible for six fish processing vessels in the North Pacific Ocean. The company is touted as one of the largest processors of wild pacific hake, and wild Alaska pollock fish.

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As coronavirus-induced hysteria hit the meat industry, over twenty plants in the United States were shut down recently after new clusters emerged at units across the country. Big corporations like McDonald’s and Smithfield Foods were recently sued for not adhering to health and safety measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-supremacists-or-antifa-or-multiple-theories-float-on-who-caused-violence-in-us-302348" hreflang="en">White supremacists or Antifa or _ ? Multiple theories float on who caused violence in US</a>

Based on numbers from May 31, the US state of Washington alone has 22,000 positive cases of coronavirus, with over 1.8 million infections across the country - the highest in the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left no country untouched from its impact and has triggered one of the biggest recessions in the history of modern civilisation. Most economic activity has been suspended and chains of supply have been disrupted causing trouble for all economies which are now reopening slowly to recover from the impact.

As per now, no vaccine has been approved to contain the spread of COVID-19. The deadly virus continues to claim lives of people across the globe, with over 100,000 deaths in the United States alone. The number of cases are jumping rapidly in Brazil and India.

(With inputs from Reuters)

A fish processing vessel owned by American Seafoods now account for 86 cases of coronavirus. In a statement released on Sunday, the company announced that crew members onboard one of their vessels, “American Dynasty” were tested for the deadly respiratory disease recently.

A fish processing vessel owned by American Seafoods now account for 86 cases of coronavirus. In a statement released on Sunday, the company announced that crew members onboard one of their vessels, “American Dynasty” were tested for the deadly respiratory disease recently. The testing was conducted at the port of Bellingham in the US state of Washington, before the vessel took off for Seattle. Also read: Scientists question authenticity of study on hydroxychloroquine drugs The vessel can carry 142 crew members. Even though everybody was tested, the results of nine crew members is still being fetched, Reuters reported. The seafood company is based in Seattle and is responsible for six fish processing vessels in the North Pacific Ocean. The company is touted as one of the largest processors of wild pacific hake, and wild Alaska pollock fish. As coronavirus-induced hysteria hit the meat industry, over twenty plants in the United States were shut down recently after new clusters emerged at units across the country. Big corporations like McDonald’s and Smithfield Foods were recently sued for not adhering to health and safety measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. Also read: White supremacists or Antifa or _ ? Multiple theories float on who caused violence in US Based on numbers from May 31, the US state of Washington alone has 22,000 positive cases of coronavirus, with over 1.8 million infections across the country - the highest in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has left no country untouched from its impact and has triggered one of the biggest recessions in the history of modern civilisation. Most economic activity has been suspended and chains of supply have been disrupted causing trouble for all economies which are now reopening slowly to recover from the impact. As per now, no vaccine has been approved to contain the spread of COVID-19. The deadly virus continues to claim lives of people across the globe, with over 100,000 deaths in the United States alone. The number of cases are jumping rapidly in Brazil and India. (With inputs from Reuters)

American seafood company's vessel spawns a coronavirus cluster with 86 new cases

Flights and car travel resumed between Turkey's big cities on Monday while cafes, restaurants and Istanbul's Grand Bazaar reopened in the country's biggest step to ease restrictions taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

Traffic levels jumped in the commercial hub of Istanbul, with many Turks returning to work as the government sought to revive an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Employees of government offices and public facilities joined the many factory workers who restarted last month.

Masked shopkeepers opened and cleaned their stores at the Grand Bazaar, which media reports said was the scene of one of the first virus outbreaks in March. A key tourist destination, the sprawling covered market was closed for more than two months.&nbsp;

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President Tayyip Erdogan's government has slowly removed some restrictions in recent weeks and authorities say the outbreak is under control. The COVID-19 infection has killed more than 4,500 and infected more than 160,000 in Turkey, though new daily cases and deaths are sharply down.

Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu sought to reassure passengers at a ceremony to mark the first regular flight from Istanbul to the capital Ankara in two months.

"We are entering a period of travel focused on isolation, from the entry into airports until the exit from them," he said on TV, adding that six domestic airports had so far been certified to meet hygiene and safety standards.

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International flights are expected to start next week. Shares of Turkish airports and carriers including Turkish Airlines rose.

Parks, gyms, beaches, libraries and museums also re-opened, including in Istanbul, the centre of Turkey's outbreak.&nbsp;

Economic activity took a nose dive beginning in March and it is unclear how badly Turkey's key tourism sector will suffer this summer. Some provinces, including Istanbul, were still subject to weekend lockdowns this past weekend.

A survey showed on Monday that manufacturing activity continued to contract sharply in May, though at a slower pace than in April, with output and new orders shrinking again and companies decreasing employment and purchasing.

Flights and car travel resumed between Turkey's big cities on Monday while cafes, restaurants and Istanbul's Grand Bazaar reopened in the country's biggest step to ease restrictions taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Flights and car travel resumed between Turkey's big cities on Monday while cafes, restaurants and Istanbul's Grand Bazaar reopened in the country's biggest step to ease restrictions taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Traffic levels jumped in the commercial hub of Istanbul, with many Turks returning to work as the government sought to revive an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Employees of government offices and public facilities joined the many factory workers who restarted last month. Masked shopkeepers opened and cleaned their stores at the Grand Bazaar, which media reports said was the scene of one of the first virus outbreaks in March. A key tourist destination, the sprawling covered market was closed for more than two months. Also read: Poor relations between UAE and Turkey have further complicated conflicts in the Middle East President Tayyip Erdogan's government has slowly removed some restrictions in recent weeks and authorities say the outbreak is under control. The COVID-19 infection has killed more than 4,500 and infected more than 160,000 in Turkey, though new daily cases and deaths are sharply down. Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu sought to reassure passengers at a ceremony to mark the first regular flight from Istanbul to the capital Ankara in two months. "We are entering a period of travel focused on isolation, from the entry into airports until the exit from them," he said on TV, adding that six domestic airports had so far been certified to meet hygiene and safety standards. Also read: Greece fears border standoff with Turkey over migrants' return International flights are expected to start next week. Shares of Turkish airports and carriers including Turkish Airlines rose. Parks, gyms, beaches, libraries and museums also re-opened, including in Istanbul, the centre of Turkey's outbreak. Economic activity took a nose dive beginning in March and it is unclear how badly Turkey's key tourism sector will suffer this summer. Some provinces, including Istanbul, were still subject to weekend lockdowns this past weekend. A survey showed on Monday that manufacturing activity continued to contract sharply in May, though at a slower pace than in April, with output and new orders shrinking again and companies decreasing employment and purchasing.

Grand Bazaar, cafes open and flights resume as Turkey eases up

Russia is set to using the first approved drug in the country meant to treat COVID-19 patients. Starting next week, “a game changer” drug will be administered on people, Reuters reported.

The country has enough stock of the drug in question, “Avifavir” to treat 60,000 coronavirus patients in one month, and the hospitals across the country will begin administering it from June 11, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left no country untouched from its impact and has triggered one of the biggest recessions in the history of modern civilisation. Most economic activity has been suspended and chains of supply have been disrupted causing trouble for all economies which are now reopening slowly to recover from the impact.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-question-authenticity-of-study-on-hydroxychloroquine-drugs-302287" hreflang="en">Scientists question authenticity of study on hydroxychloroquine drugs</a>

As per now, no vaccine has been approved to contain the spread of COVID-19. The deadly virus continues to claim lives of people across the globe, with over 100,000 deaths in the United States alone. The number of cases are jumping rapidly in Brazil and India.

Russia saw a major increase in the number of cases two weeks ago, with fears of it becoming a hotspot. 
 
Related video: Russian economy contracts by 12% in April as a result of Coronavirus lockdown

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The modified antiviral drug “Avifavir” was approved by Russian health ministry very recently. After conducting clinical trials, the drug was officially approved for use on Saturday. According to Reuters, over 330 people were part of this trial, and they found that the drug was able to successfully treat patients within four days of beginning treatment.

More trials are expected to continue in the country to ascertain the usefulness of the drug. The country has begun manufacturing the drug in March itself, which will soon be used for mass treatments.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trampoline-is-working-hysteria-is-not-russian-space-agency-taunts-donald-trump-302248" hreflang="en">Trampoline is working, hysteria is not; Russian space agency taunts Donald Trump</a>

Touted by Russia as a “game changer”, the health ministry believes the “drug is key to resuming full activity in Russia”. The new drug, however has some side effects and is not suggested for treating pregnant women.

The third most hard-hit country in the world, Russia has witnessed 4,693 deaths due to the pandemic, but has recorded a low fatality rate.

The drug was initially developed in the 1990s by a Japanese health company, which is now owned by Fujifilm. The generic name of the drug is “favipiravir”.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Russia is set to using the first approved drug in the country meant to treat COVID-19 patients. Starting next week, “a game changer” drug will be administered on people, Reuters reported.

Russia is set to using the first approved drug in the country meant to treat COVID-19 patients. Starting next week, “a game changer” drug will be administered on people, Reuters reported. The country has enough stock of the drug in question, “Avifavir” to treat 60,000 coronavirus patients in one month, and the hospitals across the country will begin administering it from June 11, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has left no country untouched from its impact and has triggered one of the biggest recessions in the history of modern civilisation. Most economic activity has been suspended and chains of supply have been disrupted causing trouble for all economies which are now reopening slowly to recover from the impact. Also read: Scientists question authenticity of study on hydroxychloroquine drugs As per now, no vaccine has been approved to contain the spread of COVID-19. The deadly virus continues to claim lives of people across the globe, with over 100,000 deaths in the United States alone. The number of cases are jumping rapidly in Brazil and India. Russia saw a major increase in the number of cases two weeks ago, with fears of it becoming a hotspot. Related video: Russian economy contracts by 12% in April as a result of Coronavirus lockdown The modified antiviral drug “Avifavir” was approved by Russian health ministry very recently. After conducting clinical trials, the drug was officially approved for use on Saturday. According to Reuters, over 330 people were part of this trial, and they found that the drug was able to successfully treat patients within four days of beginning treatment. More trials are expected to continue in the country to ascertain the usefulness of the drug. The country has begun manufacturing the drug in March itself, which will soon be used for mass treatments. Also read: Trampoline is working, hysteria is not; Russian space agency taunts Donald Trump Touted by Russia as a “game changer”, the health ministry believes the “drug is key to resuming full activity in Russia”. The new drug, however has some side effects and is not suggested for treating pregnant women. The third most hard-hit country in the world, Russia has witnessed 4,693 deaths due to the pandemic, but has recorded a low fatality rate. The drug was initially developed in the 1990s by a Japanese health company, which is now owned by Fujifilm. The generic name of the drug is “favipiravir”. (With inputs from Reuters)

Russia to start administering 'game changer' drug to treat coronavirus patients

Pictures of a mongrel ‘Xiao Bao’ waiting for his master in the Wuhan hospital are making rounds on the social media. The dog has been waiting for his master in the hospital lobby for the last three months. Unfortunately, his owner died five days after being admitted to the hospital and Xiao Bao is unaware of it.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-survey-team-summits-mount-everest-to-remeasure-its-exact-height-301465" hreflang="en">Chinese survey team summits Mount Everest to remeasure its exact height</a>

The staff of Wuhan Taikang Hospital had been taking care of the dog and were feeding him but now the dog has been shifted to a dog shelter, as per DailyMail report.

The dog was named and fed by Wu Cuifen, a shopkeeper and a hospital employee. He said: “I first noticed the little dog when I returned to work in the middle of April. I called him ‘Xiao Bao’. That’s the name I gave him,” The Metro reported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-to-sign-executive-order-on-social-media-on-thursday-301439" hreflang="en">Donald Trump to sign executive order on social media on Thursday</a>

The dog refused to leave hospital premises and would return if left in a different location. He was eventually left at the dog shelter after hospital authorities contacted Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, where he was treated and sterilised.

Netizens have been reminded of Hachiko, a Japanese dog who waited for his master on the station for nine years unaware of its master's death. The photos of the dog have made them emotional, they hoped for the dog's safety.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
⭕️ Remember the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/film?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#film</a>: "Hachi" which was based on the true story about a loyal dog in Japan, Hachiko, who would wait at the train station every day for his owner to arrive even after the owner passed away. 
It seems we have another Hachiko in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wuhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wuhan</a> , <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a> <a href="https://t.co/VnIXqSINtg">https://t.co/VnIXqSINtg</a>
— Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) <a href="https://twitter.com/HasanSari7/status/1265252774050172928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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😭 no.. <a href="https://t.co/QC1Z8u8A9p">https://t.co/QC1Z8u8A9p</a>
— Alicia (@LMJWonderlands) <a href="https://twitter.com/LMJWonderlands/status/1265475834065928199?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Awww🥺🥺🥺 <a href="https://t.co/s4g8Ous03W">https://t.co/s4g8Ous03W</a>
— Sacuanjoche (@sacuanjocheNi00) <a href="https://twitter.com/sacuanjocheNi00/status/1265518917985984512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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NOOOOOOO :((((( <a href="https://t.co/Lr3GPGQdfP">https://t.co/Lr3GPGQdfP</a>
— Isaac Renato (@OeChele) <a href="https://twitter.com/OeChele/status/1265554327269228545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Hope you´re somewhere save and taken care of, little guy <a href="https://t.co/bXgN54Cz5C">https://t.co/bXgN54Cz5C</a> <a href="https://t.co/CUksv8iKcR">pic.twitter.com/CUksv8iKcR</a>
— Lena (@Yamis_Art) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yamis_Art/status/1265574752372117504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Pictures of a mongrel ‘Xiao Bao’ waiting for his master in the Wuhan hospital are making rounds on the social media. The dog has been waiting for his master in the hospital lobby for the last three months.

Pictures of a mongrel ‘Xiao Bao’ waiting for his master in the Wuhan hospital are making rounds on the social media. The dog has been waiting for his master in the hospital lobby for the last three months. Unfortunately, his owner died five days after being admitted to the hospital and Xiao Bao is unaware of it. Also read: Chinese survey team summits Mount Everest to remeasure its exact height The staff of Wuhan Taikang Hospital had been taking care of the dog and were feeding him but now the dog has been shifted to a dog shelter, as per DailyMail report. The dog was named and fed by Wu Cuifen, a shopkeeper and a hospital employee. He said: “I first noticed the little dog when I returned to work in the middle of April. I called him ‘Xiao Bao’. That’s the name I gave him,” The Metro reported. Also read: Donald Trump to sign executive order on social media on Thursday The dog refused to leave hospital premises and would return if left in a different location. He was eventually left at the dog shelter after hospital authorities contacted Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, where he was treated and sterilised. Netizens have been reminded of Hachiko, a Japanese dog who waited for his master on the station for nine years unaware of its master's death. The photos of the dog have made them emotional, they hoped for the dog's safety. ⭕️ Remember the #film: "Hachi" which was based on the true story about a loyal dog in Japan, Hachiko, who would wait at the train station every day for his owner to arrive even after the owner passed away. It seems we have another Hachiko in #Wuhan , #China https://t.co/VnIXqSINtg — Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) May 26, 2020 × 😭 no.. https://t.co/QC1Z8u8A9p — Alicia (@LMJWonderlands) May 27, 2020 × Awww🥺🥺🥺 https://t.co/s4g8Ous03W — Sacuanjoche (@sacuanjocheNi00) May 27, 2020 × NOOOOOOO :((((( https://t.co/Lr3GPGQdfP — Isaac Renato (@OeChele) May 27, 2020 × Hope you´re somewhere save and taken care of, little guy https://t.co/bXgN54Cz5C pic.twitter.com/CUksv8iKcR — Lena (@Yamis_Art) May 27, 2020 ×

A dog in Wuhan waited for his owner for months unaware of his death

A recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes.

This survey also found that 44 per cent Republicans believe the conspiracy, while 19 per cent Democrats agreed that it was possible. A majority of Democrats (52 per cent) identified the theory as false.

Conducted by Yahoo News and YouGov, over 1,640 Americans were questioned about this possibility in the last week of May.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-magic-drug-hydroxychloroquine-may-be-killing-coronavirus-patients-across-the-globe-study-300863" hreflang="en">Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study</a>

The conspiracy theory has made rounds across social media since the race to develop a vaccine amped-up. Many believe this microchip will be used to track people, and to eradicate 15 per cent of the global population.

However, The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has not undertaken or supported any vaccine driven coronavirus research, especially not involving microchips.

The foundation did fund a study in the beginning of the pandemic, but that was to develop an identifier of sorts only detectable by a smartphone. Gates is also working on the concept of a “digital identity” which would store people’s medical records and personal documents on the cloud with access only to the owner. Conspiracy theories combined these two unrelated projects to suggest that mass human microchipping may be inevitable.

Anti-vaccination groups add to woes

Anti-vaccination groups also increasingly gaining traction across the Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology. Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues.

In pictures:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/americans-spend-memorial-day-weekend-at-beaches-and-parks-amid-pandemic-rage-300896" hreflang="en">Americans spend Memorial Day weekend at beaches and parks amid pandemic rage</a>

The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 5.4 million mark today, while the deaths increased to 345,064.

The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.&nbsp;

Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively.

A recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes.

A recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes. This survey also found that 44 per cent Republicans believe the conspiracy, while 19 per cent Democrats agreed that it was possible. A majority of Democrats (52 per cent) identified the theory as false. Conducted by Yahoo News and YouGov, over 1,640 Americans were questioned about this possibility in the last week of May. Also read: Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study The conspiracy theory has made rounds across social media since the race to develop a vaccine amped-up. Many believe this microchip will be used to track people, and to eradicate 15 per cent of the global population. However, The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has not undertaken or supported any vaccine driven coronavirus research, especially not involving microchips. The foundation did fund a study in the beginning of the pandemic, but that was to develop an identifier of sorts only detectable by a smartphone. Gates is also working on the concept of a “digital identity” which would store people’s medical records and personal documents on the cloud with access only to the owner. Conspiracy theories combined these two unrelated projects to suggest that mass human microchipping may be inevitable. Anti-vaccination groups add to woes Anti-vaccination groups also increasingly gaining traction across the Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology. Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues. In pictures: Americans spend Memorial Day weekend at beaches and parks amid pandemic rage The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 5.4 million mark today, while the deaths increased to 345,064. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively.

28% Americans believe Bill Gates intends to microchip people using coronavirus vaccine

The 13 edition of&nbsp;National People's Congress is underway in Beijing. Today marks the second plenary meeting.

This&nbsp;session&nbsp;of China’s top legislative body will have a two-fold focus: economy and optics.

All countries are reeling from the effects of coronavirus, which is why all major economies are toying with different ideas to fix the crisis.

Additionally, China wants to project the facade of normalcy to the world, that the country is now back in business.

<h6><img alt="o" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bff56682-4e4c-4ce4-907c-650af1e79bae" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-5_3.jpg" /> 
A security staff looks on after the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC)at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 25, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The day began with Li Zhanshu, the chairman of the NPC standing committee delivering a work report. Li summed up what the standing committee had done in face of the pandemic.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the npc standing committee has acted promptly and performed its lawful duty. We made the decision to completely ban illegal trade and consumption of wildlife”, Zhanshu said.

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On Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met leaders from the Hubei province, which is now witnessing a resurgence of cases after the initial epicentre was able to flatten the curve.

Xi told the Hubei deputies that the pandemic is a test of China's grassroot governance.

In pictures:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/post-pandemic-nightclub-experience-in-china-gives-a-glimpse-of-the-future-300883" hreflang="en">Post-pandemic nightclub experience in China gives a glimpse of the future</a>

“This epidemic is a test of our grassroots governance system and the level of its capacity. It further highlights the role of our grassroots units such as neighbourhood office, community centre, town-level and village-level committees”, Jinping said.

Xi also commended the efforts of a Hubei doctor. “I saw you on TV, it was about you treating an 87-year-old man. I am so impressed”, he said.

There will be two broad messages coming out of these chambers over the next couple of days. One may be about China not being the perpetrator but the victim of the coronavirus. Secondly, that the dragon has defeated the virus under Xi's leadership.

The 13 edition of National People's Congress is underway in Beijing. Today marks the second plenary meeting. This session of China’s top legislative body will have a two-fold focus: economy and optics.

The 13 edition of National People's Congress is underway in Beijing. Today marks the second plenary meeting. This session of China’s top legislative body will have a two-fold focus: economy and optics. All countries are reeling from the effects of coronavirus, which is why all major economies are toying with different ideas to fix the crisis. Additionally, China wants to project the facade of normalcy to the world, that the country is now back in business. A security staff looks on after the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC)at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 25, 2020 | AFP The day began with Li Zhanshu, the chairman of the NPC standing committee delivering a work report. Li summed up what the standing committee had done in face of the pandemic. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the npc standing committee has acted promptly and performed its lawful duty. We made the decision to completely ban illegal trade and consumption of wildlife”, Zhanshu said. × On Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met leaders from the Hubei province, which is now witnessing a resurgence of cases after the initial epicentre was able to flatten the curve. Xi told the Hubei deputies that the pandemic is a test of China's grassroot governance. In pictures: Post-pandemic nightclub experience in China gives a glimpse of the future “This epidemic is a test of our grassroots governance system and the level of its capacity. It further highlights the role of our grassroots units such as neighbourhood office, community centre, town-level and village-level committees”, Jinping said. Xi also commended the efforts of a Hubei doctor. “I saw you on TV, it was about you treating an 87-year-old man. I am so impressed”, he said. There will be two broad messages coming out of these chambers over the next couple of days. One may be about China not being the perpetrator but the victim of the coronavirus. Secondly, that the dragon has defeated the virus under Xi's leadership.

NPC's second plenary session in China: What can we expect?

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine has been touted as a potential cure to COVID-19 by many experts. However, a new study shows that the drug may be killing people.

Ever since global leaders, especially Donald Trump endorsed the drug, the public confidence in it to prevent coronavirus has increased. In fact, the US president recently claimed to be taking the medicine to avoid contracting COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/britain-begins-hydroxychloroquine-trial-to-test-coronavirus-prevention-300216" hreflang="en">Britain begins hydroxychloroquine trial to test coronavirus prevention</a>

Published in the Lancet online medical journal, the paper claims that the rush to quickly use the drug on patients may not be a great idea. A lot of doctors have been prescribing it without evidence of its potency against the virus. Earlier researches have made it abundantly clear that the drug could cause heart irregularities, and has been used to treat malaria.

The researchers in the paper believe that the drug should no longer be administered on patients, unless in a research setting.

A french doctor started treating his patients with the drug first.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="49fafbe6-6ce4-474a-bf4b-3db403166746" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_6.jpg" /> 
A pharmacy tech holds pills of Hydroxychloroquine at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Even though the drug is otherwise safe for malaria patients, it may be fatal for people carrying COVID-19, for we’re still learning new details of the virus everyday.

The researchers took into account 96,000 patients across 671 hospitals between the time period of December 2019 - April 2020.

They found that the fatality rate was much higher among people who were given the drug as opposed to those who weren’t. One out of six patients on hydroxychloroquine died. While only one out of 11 patients not taking the drug dead.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/amid-rising-cases-brazils-health-ministry-recommends-hydroxychloroquine-to-treat-coronavirus-cases-299967" hreflang="en">Amid rising cases, Brazil's health ministry recommends hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases</a>

Many patients who were given hydroxychloroquine also recorded cardiac arrhythmias, which makes the lower chamber of the heart to beat irregularly. Almost 8 per cent of the patients who were being treated with hydroxychloroquine alongside an antibiotic developed irregular heartbeats, as opposed to 0.3 per cent patients who were not given the drug.

“This is the first large-scale study to find statistically robust evidence that treatment with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine does not benefit patients with Covid-19,” said Prof Mandeep R Mehra, lead author of the study in conversation with The Guardian.

“Instead, our findings suggest it may be associated with an increased risk of serious heart problems and increased risk of death. Randomised clinical trials are essential to confirm any harms or benefits associated with these agents. In the meantime, we suggest these drugs should not be used as treatments for Covid-19 outside of clinical trials”, he added.

Many scientists have suggested ending the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating coronavirus patients.

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine has been touted as a potential cure to COVID-19 by many experts. However, a new study shows that the drug may be killing people.

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine has been touted as a potential cure to COVID-19 by many experts. However, a new study shows that the drug may be killing people. Ever since global leaders, especially Donald Trump endorsed the drug, the public confidence in it to prevent coronavirus has increased. In fact, the US president recently claimed to be taking the medicine to avoid contracting COVID-19. Also read: Britain begins hydroxychloroquine trial to test coronavirus prevention Published in the Lancet online medical journal, the paper claims that the rush to quickly use the drug on patients may not be a great idea. A lot of doctors have been prescribing it without evidence of its potency against the virus. Earlier researches have made it abundantly clear that the drug could cause heart irregularities, and has been used to treat malaria. The researchers in the paper believe that the drug should no longer be administered on patients, unless in a research setting. A french doctor started treating his patients with the drug first. A pharmacy tech holds pills of Hydroxychloroquine at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020 | AFP Even though the drug is otherwise safe for malaria patients, it may be fatal for people carrying COVID-19, for we’re still learning new details of the virus everyday. The researchers took into account 96,000 patients across 671 hospitals between the time period of December 2019 - April 2020. They found that the fatality rate was much higher among people who were given the drug as opposed to those who weren’t. One out of six patients on hydroxychloroquine died. While only one out of 11 patients not taking the drug dead. Also read: Amid rising cases, Brazil's health ministry recommends hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases Many patients who were given hydroxychloroquine also recorded cardiac arrhythmias, which makes the lower chamber of the heart to beat irregularly. Almost 8 per cent of the patients who were being treated with hydroxychloroquine alongside an antibiotic developed irregular heartbeats, as opposed to 0.3 per cent patients who were not given the drug. “This is the first large-scale study to find statistically robust evidence that treatment with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine does not benefit patients with Covid-19,” said Prof Mandeep R Mehra, lead author of the study in conversation with The Guardian. “Instead, our findings suggest it may be associated with an increased risk of serious heart problems and increased risk of death. Randomised clinical trials are essential to confirm any harms or benefits associated with these agents. In the meantime, we suggest these drugs should not be used as treatments for Covid-19 outside of clinical trials”, he added. Many scientists have suggested ending the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating coronavirus patients.

Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study

Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the globe with over 5.4 million cases and 345,064 fatalities.

The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.&nbsp;

Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively.

This pandemic coincides with the revival of the anti-vaccination movement which is increasingly gaining traction across Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology.

Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4677c6b3-f03d-4c4e-b760-48243e130a12" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_9.jpg" /> 
A man holds a sign against vaccination at an anti-coronavirus lockdown demonstration in Hyde Park in London on May 16, 2020, following an easing of lockdown rules in England during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Fliers advertising 'mass gatherings' organised by the UK Freedom Movement to oppose the government lockdown measures and guidelines put in place to halt the spread of coronavirus in parks around the UK calling for attendees to bring a picnic and music have been circulating on social media. People are being asked to "think carefully" before visiting national parks and beaches on the first weekend since coronavirus lockdown measures were partially eased in England | AFP 
 
&nbsp;</h6>

Recently, Bill Gates has been at the centre of COVID-19 discourse. The founder of Microsoft earlier warned the world against a pandemic and called for greater&nbsp;preparedness.

In a bizarre turn of events, a recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes. Gates has pledged $300 million for COVID-19 vaccine research.

Many anti-vaxxers believe that that a vaccine developed at express-speed could be unsafe. The protesters say that vaccines are nothing but chemicals that the government injects into its citizens without their consent.

Today, anti-vaxxers are filling town squares of major European cities such as Berlin, Zurich, and Vienna.&nbsp;The resistance is beginning to trouble governments as they ease lockdowns to re-boot their economies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/28-americans-believe-bill-gates-intends-to-microchip-people-using-coronavirus-vaccine-300988" hreflang="en">28% Americans believe Bill Gates intends to microchip people using coronavirus vaccine</a>

Such protests have been taking place in prominent US cities for at least five years.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has just reported a steep decline in the number of American children receiving their routine immunisations.&nbsp;In 2019, the anti-vax movement caused the return of measles to the US.

Many people in Europe are refusing vaccinations now. For instance, in Switzerland - 20 per cent of the people say they will not get vaccinated. 18 per cent Austrians feel the same way. In Germany - 9 per cent of the population is opposed to vaccines. Over 10 per cent Britons reject vaccinations.

According to a YouGuv survey - only half of surveyed Americans are willing to get vaccinated.

Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the globe with over 5.4 million cases and 345,064 fatalities. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the globe with over 5.4 million cases and 345,064 fatalities. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively. This pandemic coincides with the revival of the anti-vaccination movement which is increasingly gaining traction across Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology. Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues. A man holds a sign against vaccination at an anti-coronavirus lockdown demonstration in Hyde Park in London on May 16, 2020, following an easing of lockdown rules in England during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Fliers advertising 'mass gatherings' organised by the UK Freedom Movement to oppose the government lockdown measures and guidelines put in place to halt the spread of coronavirus in parks around the UK calling for attendees to bring a picnic and music have been circulating on social media. People are being asked to "think carefully" before visiting national parks and beaches on the first weekend since coronavirus lockdown measures were partially eased in England | AFP Recently, Bill Gates has been at the centre of COVID-19 discourse. The founder of Microsoft earlier warned the world against a pandemic and called for greater preparedness. In a bizarre turn of events, a recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes. Gates has pledged $300 million for COVID-19 vaccine research. Many anti-vaxxers believe that that a vaccine developed at express-speed could be unsafe. The protesters say that vaccines are nothing but chemicals that the government injects into its citizens without their consent. Today, anti-vaxxers are filling town squares of major European cities such as Berlin, Zurich, and Vienna. The resistance is beginning to trouble governments as they ease lockdowns to re-boot their economies. Also read: 28% Americans believe Bill Gates intends to microchip people using coronavirus vaccine Such protests have been taking place in prominent US cities for at least five years. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has just reported a steep decline in the number of American children receiving their routine immunisations. In 2019, the anti-vax movement caused the return of measles to the US. Many people in Europe are refusing vaccinations now. For instance, in Switzerland - 20 per cent of the people say they will not get vaccinated. 18 per cent Austrians feel the same way. In Germany - 9 per cent of the population is opposed to vaccines. Over 10 per cent Britons reject vaccinations. According to a YouGuv survey - only half of surveyed Americans are willing to get vaccinated.

Anti-vaccination movement surges across Europe and US as pandemic soars

The city of Manaus in Brazil currently has 39,155 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and had witnessed 1,182 deaths. It is considered one of the hardest hit cities in the country.

The mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgilio Neto recently asked Brazilian President to “resign… shut up, and stay at home”. He further told CNN that Bolsonaro was seeking dictatorship”. Neto claimed that the president dreams to be dictator, “but is too stupid”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-records-second-highest-covid-19-cases-as-bolsonaro-downplays-it-as-little-flu-300970" hreflang="en">Brazil records second highest COVID-19 cases as Bolsonaro downplays it as 'little flu'</a>

The mayor of a city that houses 2 million people accused the president of being “co-responsible” for the increasing death count.

Neto claimed that in the early stages of the pandemic, he asked messaged Bolsonaro - "Please Mr. President, shut up and stay at home”.

Now, he only wants his resignation. "Resign, resign, resign, because he doesn't govern Brazil”, he told CNN.

Bolsonaro had earlier called Neto a "piece of s**t”.

<img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d2fa9827-e623-427c-89c7-a5e97e014db2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_102.jpg" />

Second-most global cases

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus.

Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indigenous-tribals-in-brazil-are-dying-twice-as-much-as-the-national-average-due-to-covid-19-300952" hreflang="en">Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19</a>

According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far.

Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge.

Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters.

The city of Manaus in Brazil currently has 39,155 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and had witnessed 1,182 deaths. It is considered one of the hardest hit cities in the country.

The city of Manaus in Brazil currently has 39,155 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and had witnessed 1,182 deaths. It is considered one of the hardest hit cities in the country. The mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgilio Neto recently asked Brazilian President to “resign… shut up, and stay at home”. He further told CNN that Bolsonaro was seeking dictatorship”. Neto claimed that the president dreams to be dictator, “but is too stupid”. Also read: Brazil records second highest COVID-19 cases as Bolsonaro downplays it as 'little flu' The mayor of a city that houses 2 million people accused the president of being “co-responsible” for the increasing death count. Neto claimed that in the early stages of the pandemic, he asked messaged Bolsonaro - "Please Mr. President, shut up and stay at home”. Now, he only wants his resignation. "Resign, resign, resign, because he doesn't govern Brazil”, he told CNN. Bolsonaro had earlier called Neto a "piece of s**t”. Second-most global cases Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus. Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down. Also read: Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19 According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far. Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge. Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters.

Brazilian mayor asks Bolsonaro to 'resign, shut up, and stay at home' as death toll mounts

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus.

Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down.

According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far.

Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “little flu”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indigenous-tribals-in-brazil-are-dying-twice-as-much-as-the-national-average-due-to-covid-19-300952" hreflang="en">Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19</a>

Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge.

Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters.

The World Health Organization had recently announced South America as the epicentre of COVID-19, which started off in Wuhan, then battered European countries especially Italy and France. After which, it caused major fatalities in the US, where the infection rate is currently slowing down.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/us-restricts-travel-from-brazil-brazil-is-worlds-second-worst-hit-covid-19-country-300826/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

With healthcare infrastructure crumbling across the country, especially in the indigenous regions, scores of natives are now infected.

According to Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the mortality rate among the native population is twice as much as the the rest of the country’s population.

Brazil currently has over 900,000 indigenous people, out of whom 980 have now tested positive for coronavirus, which is capable of spreading very quickly. 125 natives have died so far, putting the indigenous community’s mortality rate at 12.6 per cent, as opposed to the national average of 6.4 per cent.

Recently, US President Donald Trump suspended travel from Brazil. As part of this move, non-Americans planning to come to the US shouldn’t have spent any of their last 14 days in Brazil, and if found so, they shall not be allowed to enter the country.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus.

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus. Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down. According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far. Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “little flu”. Also read: Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19 Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge. Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters. The World Health Organization had recently announced South America as the epicentre of COVID-19, which started off in Wuhan, then battered European countries especially Italy and France. After which, it caused major fatalities in the US, where the infection rate is currently slowing down. With healthcare infrastructure crumbling across the country, especially in the indigenous regions, scores of natives are now infected. According to Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the mortality rate among the native population is twice as much as the the rest of the country’s population. Brazil currently has over 900,000 indigenous people, out of whom 980 have now tested positive for coronavirus, which is capable of spreading very quickly. 125 natives have died so far, putting the indigenous community’s mortality rate at 12.6 per cent, as opposed to the national average of 6.4 per cent. Recently, US President Donald Trump suspended travel from Brazil. As part of this move, non-Americans planning to come to the US shouldn’t have spent any of their last 14 days in Brazil, and if found so, they shall not be allowed to enter the country. (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Brazil records second highest COVID-19 cases as Bolsonaro downplays it as 'little flu'

Syria reported 20 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the largest single-day increase to date, the health ministry,

The war-torn country has recorded 106 infections and four deaths so far, and new cases have increased in recent days with the return of Syrians from abroad, the ministry said.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/artholes-artist-covers-mundane-potholes-with-pandemic-themed-mosaics-300942" hreflang="en">Artholes: Artist covers mundane potholes with pandemic-themed mosaics</a>

Syria has kept an overnight curfew in place but has begun to open some of its economy after a lockdown. Doctors and relief groups worry that medical infrastructure ravaged by nine years of conflict would make a more serious outbreak deadly and difficult to fend off.

Health Minister Nizar Yazigi said last week that "coercive and unfair" Western sanctions were hitting medical services needed to cope with coronavirus and he called for their removal.

Syria reported 20 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the largest single-day increase to date, the health ministry, The war-torn country has recorded 106 infections and four deaths so far, and new cases have increased in recent days with the return of Syrians from abroad, the ministry said.

Syria reported 20 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the largest single-day increase to date, the health ministry, The war-torn country has recorded 106 infections and four deaths so far, and new cases have increased in recent days with the return of Syrians from abroad, the ministry said. Also see: Artholes: Artist covers mundane potholes with pandemic-themed mosaics Syria has kept an overnight curfew in place but has begun to open some of its economy after a lockdown. Doctors and relief groups worry that medical infrastructure ravaged by nine years of conflict would make a more serious outbreak deadly and difficult to fend off. Health Minister Nizar Yazigi said last week that "coercive and unfair" Western sanctions were hitting medical services needed to cope with coronavirus and he called for their removal.

Syria records 20 new coronavirus cases in largest single-day increase

Mosques, churches and businesses in the occupied West Bank will reopen on Tuesday in an easing of coronavirus restrictions, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday.

The Palestinian Authority declared a health emergency in March and imposed lockdowns after the first cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/artholes-artist-covers-mundane-potholes-with-pandemic-themed-mosaics-300942" hreflang="en">Artholes: Artist covers mundane potholes with pandemic-themed mosaics</a>

Shtayyeh said it was time to "cautiously return life to normal" now that infection rates had slowed.

The reopening of houses of worship, shops and factories on Tuesday will coincide with the last day of the Eid El-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Shtayyeh said that government ministries and offices would reopen on Wednesday and that checkpoints set up to limit traffic between West Bank cities would be removed.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed 423 cases of the new coronavirus in the West Bank and two deaths.

The health crisis has led to a 50% fall in commercial revenues in the West Bank, in a blow to an already ailing economy in which unemployment is at 17.6%, local officials said.

In the Gaza Strip, which is run by the Palestinian Authority's rival, the Islamist group Hamas, 54 coronavirus cases and one death have been recorded.

Mosques, churches and businesses in the occupied West Bank will reopen on Tuesday in an easing of coronavirus restrictions, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday.

Mosques, churches and businesses in the occupied West Bank will reopen on Tuesday in an easing of coronavirus restrictions, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday. The Palestinian Authority declared a health emergency in March and imposed lockdowns after the first cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Also see: Artholes: Artist covers mundane potholes with pandemic-themed mosaics Shtayyeh said it was time to "cautiously return life to normal" now that infection rates had slowed. The reopening of houses of worship, shops and factories on Tuesday will coincide with the last day of the Eid El-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Shtayyeh said that government ministries and offices would reopen on Wednesday and that checkpoints set up to limit traffic between West Bank cities would be removed. The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed 423 cases of the new coronavirus in the West Bank and two deaths. The health crisis has led to a 50% fall in commercial revenues in the West Bank, in a blow to an already ailing economy in which unemployment is at 17.6%, local officials said. In the Gaza Strip, which is run by the Palestinian Authority's rival, the Islamist group Hamas, 54 coronavirus cases and one death have been recorded.

Palestinians easing coronavirus restrictions in West Bank

Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “flu”.

The country currently has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases. Brazil has now 3,30,890 infections and has recorded 21,048 deaths.

The World Health Organization had recently announced South America as the epicentre of COVID-19, which started off in Wuhan, then battered European countries especially Italy and France. After which, it caused major fatalities in the US, where the infection rate is currently slowing down.

However, the most susceptible among Brazil’s diverse population are the indigenous people, who are now dying at an alarming rate, CNN reported.

<h6><img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="107ea1cf-c532-4b66-8ed5-af59f4978666" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_8.jpg" /> 
Indigenous women from the Parque das Tribos community mourn at the funeral of Chief Messias, 53, of the Kokama tribe who died victim of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, in Manaus, Brazil, on May 14, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

With healthcare infrastructure crumbling across the country, especially in the indigenous regions, scores of natives are now infected.

According to Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the mortality rate among the native population is twice as much as the the rest of the country’s population.

Brazil currently has over 900,000 indigenous people, out of whom 980 have now tested positive for coronavirus, which is capable of spreading very quickly. 125 natives have died so far, putting the indigenous community’s mortality rate at 12.6 per cent, as opposed to the national average of 6.4 per cent.

APIB’s numbers contrast the Health Ministry of Indigenous Health’s reports, which claim 695 cases of COVID-19 and 34 deaths among the indigenous communities.

Remote villages remain the most susceptible owing to lack of healthcare. The first native death was registered in a remote Amazonian village where a 15-year-old boy died in April.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d729899f-2550-4009-a35a-c0266af89c02" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_7.jpg" /> 
Satere-mawe indigenous people are seen using a smartphone to contact a doctor in Sao Paulo state to receive medical guidance amid the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic at the Sahu-Ape community, 80 km of Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, on May 5, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Over 60 native groups have reported cases of coronavirus so far, with the number expected to keep increasing, especially in regions with no immediate access to hospitals.

InfoAmazonia conducted a study after which they concluded that the average distance between villages and the nearest intensive care unit (ICU) is&nbsp;315 kilometres, which could hamper immediate care for critical cases.

Deforestation in the Brazilian rainforest has increased by over 64 per cent in 2020 alone, opening up new ways for the virus to reach the isolated tribes.

Last week, the country’s congress passed a plan to protect indigenous communities by providing not only healthcare but also access to clean food and water.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “flu”. The country currently has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases.

Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “flu”. The country currently has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases. Brazil has now 3,30,890 infections and has recorded 21,048 deaths. The World Health Organization had recently announced South America as the epicentre of COVID-19, which started off in Wuhan, then battered European countries especially Italy and France. After which, it caused major fatalities in the US, where the infection rate is currently slowing down. However, the most susceptible among Brazil’s diverse population are the indigenous people, who are now dying at an alarming rate, CNN reported. Indigenous women from the Parque das Tribos community mourn at the funeral of Chief Messias, 53, of the Kokama tribe who died victim of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, in Manaus, Brazil, on May 14, 2020 | AFP With healthcare infrastructure crumbling across the country, especially in the indigenous regions, scores of natives are now infected. According to Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the mortality rate among the native population is twice as much as the the rest of the country’s population. Brazil currently has over 900,000 indigenous people, out of whom 980 have now tested positive for coronavirus, which is capable of spreading very quickly. 125 natives have died so far, putting the indigenous community’s mortality rate at 12.6 per cent, as opposed to the national average of 6.4 per cent. APIB’s numbers contrast the Health Ministry of Indigenous Health’s reports, which claim 695 cases of COVID-19 and 34 deaths among the indigenous communities. Remote villages remain the most susceptible owing to lack of healthcare. The first native death was registered in a remote Amazonian village where a 15-year-old boy died in April. Satere-mawe indigenous people are seen using a smartphone to contact a doctor in Sao Paulo state to receive medical guidance amid the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic at the Sahu-Ape community, 80 km of Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, on May 5, 2020 | AFP Over 60 native groups have reported cases of coronavirus so far, with the number expected to keep increasing, especially in regions with no immediate access to hospitals. InfoAmazonia conducted a study after which they concluded that the average distance between villages and the nearest intensive care unit (ICU) is 315 kilometres, which could hamper immediate care for critical cases. Deforestation in the Brazilian rainforest has increased by over 64 per cent in 2020 alone, opening up new ways for the virus to reach the isolated tribes. Last week, the country’s congress passed a plan to protect indigenous communities by providing not only healthcare but also access to clean food and water. (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19

The director of Chinese virology institute of Wuhan has said that three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site but none of them match with the novel coronavirus that has wrecked chaos in the world.&nbsp;

According to scientists around the world, coronavirus was originated in bats and had emerged from Wuhan.&nbsp;

But the director of the Wuhan lab called Donald Trump's claim that the virus was leaked from the facility a &nbsp;"pure fabrication".

In an interview that was conducted &nbsp;on May 13 was aired on Saturday where Wang Yanyi said that the centre has &nbsp;"isolated and obtained some coronaviruses from bats."

"Now we have three strains of live viruses... But their highest similarity to SARS-CoV-2 only reaches 79.8 per cent," she said, referring to the coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19.

The research teams, led by Professor Shi Zhengli, has been researching bat coronaviruses since 2004 and directed on the "source tracing of SARS", the strain behind another virus outbreak nearly two decades ago.

"We know that the whole genome of SARS-CoV-2 is only 80 per cent similar to that of SARS. It's an obvious difference," she said.&nbsp;

"So, in Professor Shi's past research, they didn't pay attention to such viruses which are less similar to the SARS virus."

The lab had said that they received samples on December 30, determined the viral genome sequence on January 2 and submitted information on the pathogen to the WHO on January 11.

Wang said in the interview that before it received samples in December, their team had never "encountered, researched or kept the virus."&nbsp;

"In fact, like everyone else, we didn't even know the virus existed," she said. "How could it have leaked from our lab when we never had it?" 
The World Health Organization said Washington had offered no evidence to support the "speculative" claims.

(Inputs from AFP)

The director of Chinese virology institute of Wuhan has said that three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site but none of them match with the novel coronavirus that has wrecked chaos in the world.

The director of Chinese virology institute of Wuhan has said that three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site but none of them match with the novel coronavirus that has wrecked chaos in the world. According to scientists around the world, coronavirus was originated in bats and had emerged from Wuhan. But the director of the Wuhan lab called Donald Trump's claim that the virus was leaked from the facility a "pure fabrication". In an interview that was conducted on May 13 was aired on Saturday where Wang Yanyi said that the centre has "isolated and obtained some coronaviruses from bats." "Now we have three strains of live viruses... But their highest similarity to SARS-CoV-2 only reaches 79.8 per cent," she said, referring to the coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19. The research teams, led by Professor Shi Zhengli, has been researching bat coronaviruses since 2004 and directed on the "source tracing of SARS", the strain behind another virus outbreak nearly two decades ago. "We know that the whole genome of SARS-CoV-2 is only 80 per cent similar to that of SARS. It's an obvious difference," she said. "So, in Professor Shi's past research, they didn't pay attention to such viruses which are less similar to the SARS virus." The lab had said that they received samples on December 30, determined the viral genome sequence on January 2 and submitted information on the pathogen to the WHO on January 11. Wang said in the interview that before it received samples in December, their team had never "encountered, researched or kept the virus." "In fact, like everyone else, we didn't even know the virus existed," she said. "How could it have leaked from our lab when we never had it?" The World Health Organization said Washington had offered no evidence to support the "speculative" claims. (Inputs from AFP)

Wuhan virology institute had three live bat coronaviruses: Chinese state media

Wuhan, the epicenter of coronavirus is slowly gaining its lost life back after months of trauma, grief and fear.

Wuhan comes back to life after coronavirus lockdown

Authorities in Wuhan have announced a comprehensive ban on eating wild animals and the hunting and trading of wildlife, according to a statement by the city's municipal government.

"There will be a ban on the sale and eating of terrestrial wild animals that are both in the wild as well as bred and reared,"&nbsp;

According to the Human Society International (HSI), the wildlife consumption trade in China is “worth 125 billion yuan, roughly $18 billion.” But wildlife consumption is not the biggest industry in the country.

“The largest proportion of China’s wildlife farming is the fur industry, worth 389 billion yuan ($55 billion) annually," the society said.

It remains unclear how the industry will be affected by new legislation, with parliament promising at least a stronger approval and supervision regime.

"It will be important for TCM experts, wildlife conservation experts, and relevant authorities to take a look at TCM-related laws and regulations to make sure they are consistent," said Aili Kang, executive director of the Asia Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"To strictly forbid the use of endangered species, no matter wild or captive breeding population... is good for both TCM and conservation," she added.

(WIth inputs from Reuters)

Authorities in Wuhan have announced a comprehensive ban on eating wild animals and the hunting and trading of wildlife, according to a statement by the city's municipal government.

Authorities in Wuhan have announced a comprehensive ban on eating wild animals and the hunting and trading of wildlife, according to a statement by the city's municipal government. "There will be a ban on the sale and eating of terrestrial wild animals that are both in the wild as well as bred and reared," According to the Human Society International (HSI), the wildlife consumption trade in China is “worth 125 billion yuan, roughly $18 billion.” But wildlife consumption is not the biggest industry in the country. “The largest proportion of China’s wildlife farming is the fur industry, worth 389 billion yuan ($55 billion) annually," the society said. It remains unclear how the industry will be affected by new legislation, with parliament promising at least a stronger approval and supervision regime. "It will be important for TCM experts, wildlife conservation experts, and relevant authorities to take a look at TCM-related laws and regulations to make sure they are consistent," said Aili Kang, executive director of the Asia Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "To strictly forbid the use of endangered species, no matter wild or captive breeding population... is good for both TCM and conservation," she added. (WIth inputs from Reuters)

Wuhan officially bans eating and hunting of wild animals

High school seniors donning masks have returned to schools in South Korea. Mandatory temperature checks were carried out at the entrance. Elementary, middle and high school students will rejoin in a phased manner till June 1.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/new-cluster-of-cases-shows-coronavirus-may-be-mutating-299964" hreflang="en">New cluster of cases shows coronavirus may be mutating</a>

China’s Jilin province reported four&nbsp;new cases. All new cases were local transmissions. The province has reported 133 locally transmitted cases so far. 1,181 close contacts of the patients are also under observation. China’s official tally stands at 82,965.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-rising-cases-brazils-health-ministry-recommends-hydroxychloroquine-to-treat-coronavirus-cases-299967" hreflang="en">Amid rising cases, Brazil's health ministry recommends hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases</a>

Riot police had to be deployed in force in Paris after cars were set ablaze in some low-income housing estates. The violence was sparked by the death of an 18-year old in an accident.

Residents of Cochabamba took to the streets to demand an end to nationwide lockdown. Bolivians claim lockdown has left them without food or money. Demonstrators created roadblocks using rocks &amp; debris.

The first train in two&nbsp;months left Karachi station on Tuesday. Train service has resumed partially ahead of Eid holiday. Thirty trains will resume service in the first phase. All passengers have been&nbsp;required to wear a mask. Trains will operate at 60 per cent capacity.

Russia recorded its highest single-day death toll. 135 people died in the country in the last 24 hours. Dagestan has emerged as the new virus hotspot with over 3,600 cases and 36 deaths. At over 308,700, Russia has the world's second-highest number of coronavirus cases.

Muslim protesters prayed in Skanderbeg square against Kosovo's decision to keep mosques closed. Close to 50 people defied lockdown restrictions to hold a mass prayer. Organisers asked the participants to wear a mask &amp; maintain social distancing.

China has asked journalists to take a virus test before attending parliament events. Journalists have to undertake a nucleic acid test &amp; quarantine themselves till the test results come.

5-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo rejoined Juventus for training. Ronaldo spent the last two&nbsp;weeks in quarantine before rejoining his teammates.&nbsp;All players have been asked to respect social distancing while training.

China tested 856,128 residents of Wuhan on Tuesday. Over 467,000 were tested in the city a day earlier. Wuhan is testing its entire population to identify any asymptomatic carriers.

High school seniors donning masks have returned to schools in South Korea. Mandatory temperature checks were carried out at the entrance. Elementary, middle and high school students will rejoin in a phased manner till June 1.

High school seniors donning masks have returned to schools in South Korea. Mandatory temperature checks were carried out at the entrance. Elementary, middle and high school students will rejoin in a phased manner till June 1. Also read: New cluster of cases shows coronavirus may be mutating China’s Jilin province reported four new cases. All new cases were local transmissions. The province has reported 133 locally transmitted cases so far. 1,181 close contacts of the patients are also under observation. China’s official tally stands at 82,965. Also read: Amid rising cases, Brazil's health ministry recommends hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases Riot police had to be deployed in force in Paris after cars were set ablaze in some low-income housing estates. The violence was sparked by the death of an 18-year old in an accident. Residents of Cochabamba took to the streets to demand an end to nationwide lockdown. Bolivians claim lockdown has left them without food or money. Demonstrators created roadblocks using rocks & debris. The first train in two months left Karachi station on Tuesday. Train service has resumed partially ahead of Eid holiday. Thirty trains will resume service in the first phase. All passengers have been required to wear a mask. Trains will operate at 60 per cent capacity. Russia recorded its highest single-day death toll. 135 people died in the country in the last 24 hours. Dagestan has emerged as the new virus hotspot with over 3,600 cases and 36 deaths. At over 308,700, Russia has the world's second-highest number of coronavirus cases. Muslim protesters prayed in Skanderbeg square against Kosovo's decision to keep mosques closed. Close to 50 people defied lockdown restrictions to hold a mass prayer. Organisers asked the participants to wear a mask & maintain social distancing. China has asked journalists to take a virus test before attending parliament events. Journalists have to undertake a nucleic acid test & quarantine themselves till the test results come. 5-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo rejoined Juventus for training. Ronaldo spent the last two weeks in quarantine before rejoining his teammates. All players have been asked to respect social distancing while training. China tested 856,128 residents of Wuhan on Tuesday. Over 467,000 were tested in the city a day earlier. Wuhan is testing its entire population to identify any asymptomatic carriers.

Coronavirus tracker: South Korea's schools to resume, Russia witnesses spike in cases

The Chinese government considers any country as it’s number one enemy, which recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Similarly, if any one country would demand that Tibet should be recognized as a sovereign country, China would protest very strongly. As a matter of fact, China holds a vice-like grip over Tibet and does not permit any foreigners to visit Tibet to see the conditions for themselves.

The ambition of China to annex Taiwan and firmly hold on to its occupation of Tibet is definite proof of Beijing's expansionist plans.

There seems to be a lot of similarity between the behaviour of the present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany before World War II. The present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany have something in common, in their ambitious goal of dominating rest of the world at any cost, with least concern for ethical or moral principles and fairness in dealing with other countries.

Just as many countries in the world are now trying to appease China, then British Prime Minister Chamberlain too visited Germany to appease Hitler before World War II. Churchill called the bluff of Hitler, which is a matter of history.

So far, China could not annex Taiwan, since &nbsp;Taiwan is heavily protected by the US government and China knows that any move to annex Taiwan would lead to a war with the USA.

On the other hand, China was emboldened to attack Tibet and aggressively occupy the region and China violently suppressed the Tibetan protestors, since the interest of Tibet was not supported or protected by any country in the world in a meaningful way. China continues to occupy Tibet and the world conscience remain suppressed as various governments want to appease China and keep it in good humour to protect their trade and business interests with China.

China now claims Arunachal Pradesh in India as part of China and continues to occupy thousands of kilometre of Indian territory, which it annexed during the 1962 Indo China war. China now claims ownership of islands in the South China Sea and Senkaku island and adopting aggressive postures,&nbsp;in spite of protests from Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and other countries.

So far, &nbsp;China has not been effectively challenged by any country in the world for its&nbsp;aggressive occupation of Tibet and claims on Indian territory and islands in the South China Sea as well as it claims on Taiwan.

Because of the non-caring attitude of most countries in the world, China is emboldened to carry on with its adventures to expand its territory and areas of influence.

While the voice of Tibetans is not being heard loudly around the world, there are countries which speak in support of Taiwan occasionally.

Taiwan has revealed to the world about the Chinese virus sufficiently earlier but &nbsp;WHO has ignored Taiwan’s warning, as Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. Now, the clamour for including Taiwan as member of WHO is being increasingly heard.

Neither Taiwan nor Tibet is a member of UNO, obviously implying that UNO does not recognize these regions as sovereign countries.

The claim of China on Taiwan and Tibet and other regions indicate the mindset of the Chinese government and certainly represents a threat for stability in the world in the long run. With a free run that China already has, it is likely that China may further make claims on other countries too in the coming days. The world has to prevent this.

Taiwan and Tibet are two test cases of China’s unjustified territorial claims. with little resistance from the rest of the world.&nbsp;

It is necessary that Taiwan and Tibet should be recognized as sovereign countries, which is a necessary step to curtail and defeat China’s expansionist ambitions.

United Nations Organisation in its present structure and functioning style, is not in a position to do justice for Taiwan and Tibet.

Today, there is increasing suspicion in the world about &nbsp;China’s methodologies and practices. The fact that China concealed the information about the Wuhan virus and did not forewarn the world at the right time indicates that China could exhibit irresponsible behaviour. Today, the havoc that is happening in the world due to COVID 19 crisis is directly attributed to China’s indifferent attitude towards the welfare of the world community.

Certainly, nobody should think or say that China should be destabilized. But, certainly, the growing thought is that China should be prevented from destabilizing the world and its aggressive methods of occupying other countries should be resisted.

The starting point to initiate such world wide resistance to China’s territorial expansion plans is to recognize Taiwan and Tibet as independent and sovereign countries. This will show China it’s place.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Chinese government considers any country as it’s number one enemy, which recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Similarly, if any one country would demand that Tibet should be recognized as a sovereign country, China would protest very strongly.

The Chinese government considers any country as it’s number one enemy, which recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Similarly, if any one country would demand that Tibet should be recognized as a sovereign country, China would protest very strongly. As a matter of fact, China holds a vice-like grip over Tibet and does not permit any foreigners to visit Tibet to see the conditions for themselves. The ambition of China to annex Taiwan and firmly hold on to its occupation of Tibet is definite proof of Beijing's expansionist plans. There seems to be a lot of similarity between the behaviour of the present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany before World War II. The present Chinese government and Hitler’s Germany have something in common, in their ambitious goal of dominating rest of the world at any cost, with least concern for ethical or moral principles and fairness in dealing with other countries. Just as many countries in the world are now trying to appease China, then British Prime Minister Chamberlain too visited Germany to appease Hitler before World War II. Churchill called the bluff of Hitler, which is a matter of history. So far, China could not annex Taiwan, since Taiwan is heavily protected by the US government and China knows that any move to annex Taiwan would lead to a war with the USA. On the other hand, China was emboldened to attack Tibet and aggressively occupy the region and China violently suppressed the Tibetan protestors, since the interest of Tibet was not supported or protected by any country in the world in a meaningful way. China continues to occupy Tibet and the world conscience remain suppressed as various governments want to appease China and keep it in good humour to protect their trade and business interests with China. China now claims Arunachal Pradesh in India as part of China and continues to occupy thousands of kilometre of Indian territory, which it annexed during the 1962 Indo China war. China now claims ownership of islands in the South China Sea and Senkaku island and adopting aggressive postures, in spite of protests from Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and other countries. So far, China has not been effectively challenged by any country in the world for its aggressive occupation of Tibet and claims on Indian territory and islands in the South China Sea as well as it claims on Taiwan. Because of the non-caring attitude of most countries in the world, China is emboldened to carry on with its adventures to expand its territory and areas of influence. While the voice of Tibetans is not being heard loudly around the world, there are countries which speak in support of Taiwan occasionally. Taiwan has revealed to the world about the Chinese virus sufficiently earlier but WHO has ignored Taiwan’s warning, as Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. Now, the clamour for including Taiwan as member of WHO is being increasingly heard. Neither Taiwan nor Tibet is a member of UNO, obviously implying that UNO does not recognize these regions as sovereign countries. The claim of China on Taiwan and Tibet and other regions indicate the mindset of the Chinese government and certainly represents a threat for stability in the world in the long run. With a free run that China already has, it is likely that China may further make claims on other countries too in the coming days. The world has to prevent this. Taiwan and Tibet are two test cases of China’s unjustified territorial claims. with little resistance from the rest of the world. It is necessary that Taiwan and Tibet should be recognized as sovereign countries, which is a necessary step to curtail and defeat China’s expansionist ambitions. United Nations Organisation in its present structure and functioning style, is not in a position to do justice for Taiwan and Tibet. Today, there is increasing suspicion in the world about China’s methodologies and practices. The fact that China concealed the information about the Wuhan virus and did not forewarn the world at the right time indicates that China could exhibit irresponsible behaviour. Today, the havoc that is happening in the world due to COVID 19 crisis is directly attributed to China’s indifferent attitude towards the welfare of the world community. Certainly, nobody should think or say that China should be destabilized. But, certainly, the growing thought is that China should be prevented from destabilizing the world and its aggressive methods of occupying other countries should be resisted. The starting point to initiate such world wide resistance to China’s territorial expansion plans is to recognize Taiwan and Tibet as independent and sovereign countries. This will show China it’s place. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

World should give recognition to Taiwan and Tibet

Japan's economy slipped into recession for the first time in 4-1/2 years in the last quarter, putting the nation on course for its deepest postwar slump as the coronavirus crisis ravages businesses and consumers.

Monday's first-quarter GDP data underlined the broadening impact of the outbreak, with exports plunging the most since the devastating March 2011 earthquake as global lockdowns and supply chain disruptions hit shipments of&nbsp;Japanese goods.

Analysts warn of an even bleaker picture for the current quarter as consumption crumbled after the government in April requested citizens to stay home and businesses to close, intensifying the challenge for policymakers battling a once-in-a-century pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/japan-pm-abe-lifts-state-of-emergency-except-in-some-virus-hit-regions-298682" hreflang="en">Japan PM Abe lifts state of emergency except in some virus-hit regions</a>

"It's near certainty the economy suffered an even deeper decline in the current quarter," said Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute. "Japan&nbsp;has entered a full-blown recession."

The world's third-largest economy contracted an annualised 3.4% in the first quarter, preliminary official gross domestic product (GDP) data showed, less than a median market forecast for a 4.6% drop.

The slump came on top of an even steeper 7.3% fall in the October-December period, with the consecutive quarters of contraction meeting the technical definition of a recession.&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;last suffered recession in the second half of 2015.

The coronavirus, which first emerged in China late last year, has ravaged the global economy as many nations went into strict lockdowns to curb the outbreak that has so far killed over 310,000 people worldwide. The pandemic has been massively disruptive on supply chains and businesses, particularly in trade-reliant nations such as&nbsp;Japan.&nbsp;

Indeed, the fallout of the virus on corporate&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;was telling with exports diving 6.0% in the first quarter, the biggest decline since April-June 2011.

"Exports to China began to fall in February, followed by a wave of slumping shipments to Europe and the United States," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

"Exports were also hurt by slumping inbound tourism," which counts as a drop in non-residents' purchases of&nbsp;Japanese services, he said.

Deeper slump, slower recovery

The shakeout in global trade was underlined in recent March data, with exports shrinking the most in nearly four years due to plunging US-bound shipments.

Even the nation's major globe-trotting manufacturers weren't spared the pandemic's sweeping impact.

Toyota Motor Corp has said it will cut domestic vehicle production by 122,000 units in June and expects an 80% drop in full-year operating profit.

The gloom in&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;is expected to deepen over coming months.

Analysts polled by Reuters estimate&nbsp;Japan's economy will shrink an annualised 22.0% in the current quarter, which would be a record decline, with pressure on output intensifying after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April declared a nationwide state of emergency amid the widening pandemic.

The emergency was lifted for most regions on Thursday, but remained in effect for some big cities including Tokyo.&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;has so far reported 16,337 coronavirus cases and 756 deaths.

Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of&nbsp;Japan's $5 trillion economy, slipped 0.7% in January-March, less than a market forecast for a 1.6% drop, as robust demand for daily necessities partially offset the impact on services spending.

All the same, it marked the second straight quarter of decline, as households endured the double-whammy of the coronavirus and a sales tax hike to 10% from 8% in October last year.

Capital expenditure fell 0.5% in the first quarter after plummeting 4.8% in October-December last year, the GDP data showed, suggesting that uncertainty over the outlook is discouraging companies from boosting spending.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/japanese-experiment-shows-how-quickly-one-person-can-spread-coronavirus-298584" hreflang="en">Japanese experiment shows how quickly one person can spread coronavirus</a>

Taken together, domestic demand knocked 0.7 percentage point off GDP growth, while external demand shed 0.2 point.

All of this has put a strain on the labour market. The jobless rate in March rose to its highest in a year, while job availability slipped to a more than three-year low.

The government has already announced a record $1.1 trillion stimulus package, and the Bank of&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;expanded stimulus for the second straight month in April. Abe has pledged a second supplementary budget later this month to fund fresh spending measures to cushion the economic blow from the outbreak.

Still, many analysts warn that government support will come too little, too late.

"As always in&nbsp;Japan, the implementation is very slow. It will take the later half of the second quarter (and) the third quarter" for government stimulus to kick in, said Martin Schulz, chief economist at Fujitsu.

"The recovery will be slower than many are hoping for ... To recover from this crisis, it will take about two years at least."

Japan's economy slipped into recession for the first time in 4-1/2 years in the last quarter, putting the nation on course for its deepest postwar slump as the coronavirus crisis ravages businesses and consumers.

Japan's economy slipped into recession for the first time in 4-1/2 years in the last quarter, putting the nation on course for its deepest postwar slump as the coronavirus crisis ravages businesses and consumers. Monday's first-quarter GDP data underlined the broadening impact of the outbreak, with exports plunging the most since the devastating March 2011 earthquake as global lockdowns and supply chain disruptions hit shipments of Japanese goods. Analysts warn of an even bleaker picture for the current quarter as consumption crumbled after the government in April requested citizens to stay home and businesses to close, intensifying the challenge for policymakers battling a once-in-a-century pandemic. Also read: Japan PM Abe lifts state of emergency except in some virus-hit regions "It's near certainty the economy suffered an even deeper decline in the current quarter," said Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute. "Japan has entered a full-blown recession." The world's third-largest economy contracted an annualised 3.4% in the first quarter, preliminary official gross domestic product (GDP) data showed, less than a median market forecast for a 4.6% drop. The slump came on top of an even steeper 7.3% fall in the October-December period, with the consecutive quarters of contraction meeting the technical definition of a recession. Japan last suffered recession in the second half of 2015. The coronavirus, which first emerged in China late last year, has ravaged the global economy as many nations went into strict lockdowns to curb the outbreak that has so far killed over 310,000 people worldwide. The pandemic has been massively disruptive on supply chains and businesses, particularly in trade-reliant nations such as Japan. Indeed, the fallout of the virus on corporate Japan was telling with exports diving 6.0% in the first quarter, the biggest decline since April-June 2011. "Exports to China began to fall in February, followed by a wave of slumping shipments to Europe and the United States," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute. "Exports were also hurt by slumping inbound tourism," which counts as a drop in non-residents' purchases of Japanese services, he said. Deeper slump, slower recovery The shakeout in global trade was underlined in recent March data, with exports shrinking the most in nearly four years due to plunging US-bound shipments. Even the nation's major globe-trotting manufacturers weren't spared the pandemic's sweeping impact. Toyota Motor Corp has said it will cut domestic vehicle production by 122,000 units in June and expects an 80% drop in full-year operating profit. The gloom in Japan is expected to deepen over coming months. Analysts polled by Reuters estimate Japan's economy will shrink an annualised 22.0% in the current quarter, which would be a record decline, with pressure on output intensifying after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April declared a nationwide state of emergency amid the widening pandemic. The emergency was lifted for most regions on Thursday, but remained in effect for some big cities including Tokyo. Japan has so far reported 16,337 coronavirus cases and 756 deaths. Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan's $5 trillion economy, slipped 0.7% in January-March, less than a market forecast for a 1.6% drop, as robust demand for daily necessities partially offset the impact on services spending. All the same, it marked the second straight quarter of decline, as households endured the double-whammy of the coronavirus and a sales tax hike to 10% from 8% in October last year. Capital expenditure fell 0.5% in the first quarter after plummeting 4.8% in October-December last year, the GDP data showed, suggesting that uncertainty over the outlook is discouraging companies from boosting spending. Also read: Japanese experiment shows how quickly one person can spread coronavirus Taken together, domestic demand knocked 0.7 percentage point off GDP growth, while external demand shed 0.2 point. All of this has put a strain on the labour market. The jobless rate in March rose to its highest in a year, while job availability slipped to a more than three-year low. The government has already announced a record $1.1 trillion stimulus package, and the Bank of Japan expanded stimulus for the second straight month in April. Abe has pledged a second supplementary budget later this month to fund fresh spending measures to cushion the economic blow from the outbreak. Still, many analysts warn that government support will come too little, too late. "As always in Japan, the implementation is very slow. It will take the later half of the second quarter (and) the third quarter" for government stimulus to kick in, said Martin Schulz, chief economist at Fujitsu. "The recovery will be slower than many are hoping for ... To recover from this crisis, it will take about two years at least."

Japan braces for worst postwar slump as pandemic tips economy into recession

World Health Organisation's World Health Assembly will be held on Monday virtually but China is blocking Taiwan's participation. Watch this video to know more.

Taiwan seeks observer status vote in W.H.A, China oposes

China has started easing restrictions, our report looks at how China's three big cities have changed in the post pandemic world.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Life in China in a post-pandemic world

'Masked' dancers bring Saturday night fever back to Wuhan as lockdown relaxed

The number of positive coronavirus cases has been rising. A couple of months ago, India had 100 positive cases. the number has increased to 85,940 on Saturday. The new number has crossed China's total number of cases.

In December 2019, China was the first country to identify the first case of the deadly coronavirus, Wuhan being the epicentre. THe virus spread to more than 120 countries since then, and has affected almost 4 million people all over the world, with more than 307,000 total deaths.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-residents-fear-coronavirus-testing-could-rekindle-disease-298998">Also read:&nbsp;Wuhan residents fear coronavirus testing could rekindle disease</a>

While the number of positive cases has been rising, especially in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, the death rate in India appears to be far better.&nbsp;According to health ministry data, there have been 2,752 fatalities, compared with China's 4,600.

"Clearly the situation has improved due to lockdown. We have utilised this period of lockdown to accelerate public health measures such as case detection, contact tracing, isolation and management of cases,"&nbsp;Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said.

He also talked about the slowing rate of infection. It now takes 11 days for the number of cases to double, in comparison to pre-lockdown when the cases were doubling every 3.5&nbsp;days.

Indian officials say the low death rate could be because a majority of people infected with the virus were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. A major reason of the low death toll can also be the nationwide lockdown, which was imposed shortly after first few cases were discovered.

"India is still in the growth phase, since total cases are still rising. Active cases are growing at 3.8% (daily) - and this needs to fall to 0% and decline subsequently for the country to recover overall," Shamika Ravi, a Brookings expert and former member of the Indian Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, said.

Lockdown 4.0

Although the number of cases is rising, people have urged the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the shops and workplaces again,&nbsp;and help revive the economy.

The country has been under a lockdown since March third week, and the lockdown will now be extended for few more weeks but with lesser restrictions.&nbsp;

As people gear up to go back to their workplaces, the government and health experts are urging people to exercise caution and follow social distancing and the rules laid out by the government.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The number of positive coronavirus cases has been rising. A couple of months ago, India had 100 positive cases. the number has increased to 85,940 on Saturday. The new number has crossed China's total number of cases.

The number of positive coronavirus cases has been rising. A couple of months ago, India had 100 positive cases. the number has increased to 85,940 on Saturday. The new number has crossed China's total number of cases. In December 2019, China was the first country to identify the first case of the deadly coronavirus, Wuhan being the epicentre. THe virus spread to more than 120 countries since then, and has affected almost 4 million people all over the world, with more than 307,000 total deaths. Also read: Wuhan residents fear coronavirus testing could rekindle disease While the number of positive cases has been rising, especially in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, the death rate in India appears to be far better. According to health ministry data, there have been 2,752 fatalities, compared with China's 4,600. "Clearly the situation has improved due to lockdown. We have utilised this period of lockdown to accelerate public health measures such as case detection, contact tracing, isolation and management of cases," Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said. He also talked about the slowing rate of infection. It now takes 11 days for the number of cases to double, in comparison to pre-lockdown when the cases were doubling every 3.5 days. Indian officials say the low death rate could be because a majority of people infected with the virus were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. A major reason of the low death toll can also be the nationwide lockdown, which was imposed shortly after first few cases were discovered. "India is still in the growth phase, since total cases are still rising. Active cases are growing at 3.8% (daily) - and this needs to fall to 0% and decline subsequently for the country to recover overall," Shamika Ravi, a Brookings expert and former member of the Indian Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, said. Lockdown 4.0 Although the number of cases is rising, people have urged the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the shops and workplaces again, and help revive the economy. The country has been under a lockdown since March third week, and the lockdown will now be extended for few more weeks but with lesser restrictions. As people gear up to go back to their workplaces, the government and health experts are urging people to exercise caution and follow social distancing and the rules laid out by the government. (With inputs from Reuters)

India crosses the 85,000 mark of COVID-19 cases; crosses China

Authorities in the Chinese city where the novel coronavirus emerged launched an ambitious campaign on Wednesday (May 13) to test all of its 11 million residents, after a cluster of new cases raised fears of a second wave of infections.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Wuhan witnesses second wave of COVID-19

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