Coronavirus news summary: cases and deaths - 25 April
Coronavirus global: live, Saturday 25 April
Brazil registers 4,000 deaths and 58,500 positive cases
The number of fatalities due to coronavirus in Brazil reached 4,045 on Saturday, with almost 60,000 confrmed cases. The figures issued by the Ministry of Health but the death toll during the past 24 hours at 346 - a 9.4 % increase on Friday although less than the daily-high of 407 recorded on Thursday. New cases rose by 10.4 % with an additional 5,514 confirmed between Friday and Saturday.
Boris back at work on Monday
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be back at work on Monday, a spokeswoman for his Downing Street office confirmed on Saturday. Johnson has been recovering from coronavirus at his country residence Chequers after spending two nights in intensive care earlier in April.
French PM to unveil plans to begin winding down coronavirus lockdown
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will present the government's plan to unwind the country's coronavirus lockdown to parliament on Tuesday, followed by a debate and vote, his office said in a statement.
The lockdown ordered by President Emmanuel Macron to slow the spread of the virus has been in place since 17 March and is due to be lifted on 11 May. Macron is aiming to ease some of the lockdown measures then with schools reopening first, although the government has yet to finalise how it might work in practice.
France has also offered retailers some relief by saying it wants them to reopen on 11 May, though some curbs could remain in certain areas to delay a new wave of the coronavirus.
The death toll in France from the coronavirus now stands at 22,614, the health ministry said on Saturday.
UK death toll hits 20,000
The death toll from Covid-19 reached 20,319 in the United Kingdom on Saturday - with 813 deaths confirmed during the last 24 hours.
Outdoor exercise allowed again in Spain from 2 May - if Covid-19 cases fall
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announcd in a televised address to the nation on Saturday that people will be allowed out to exercise from 2 May if the number of new coronavirus cases continues to fall. Sánchez said people would be allowed outside for sport or to go for a walk with a maximum of one other person with whom they live if the evolution of the pandemic remains favourable.
Spaniards have been living under one of Europe's strictest lockdowns since 14 March. They are allowed out for food, medicine and essential work but not to exercise. Those caught breaching lockdown restrictions face fines starting from a minimum of 601 euros to 10,400 euros.
Yesterday in Logroño, La Rioja, one of the focal points for coronavirus infection in Spain, a man who was stopped by police told them that he had gone out "to take his goldfish for a walk". He was issued a 600 euro fine.
Global coronavirus death toll passes 200,000 mark
Global coronavirus death toll passes 200,000 mark
Global deaths linked to the coronavirus passed 200,000 on Saturday, while confirmed cases of the virus are expected to hit 3 million in coming days.
Global coronavirus deaths pass 200,000
The total number of deaths worldwide has now surpassed 200,000, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
Coronavirus forces Montpellier's Junior Sambia into 'artificial coma'
Coronavirus forces Montpellier's Junior Sambia into 'artificial coma'
The 23-year-old is the first Ligue 1 player to contract the Covid-19 virus.
Coronavirus: Trump disinfectant claims cause 100 hospital admissions
The US president suggested disinfectants could prevent Covid-19 infections during his Friday briefing, leading to dozens of hospitalizations across the country.
WHO issues fresh "coronavirus passport" warning
As we reported earlier today, several countries are looking into the idea of a coronovirus "passport" to ease lockdown restrictions in an attempt to alleviate health services and other key sectors, as well as kickstarting stuttering economies. However, the WHO has said that there is little scientific basis to the idea and has warned against pursuing it.
Coronavirus: Belgium lockdown lift a guide for Spain, UK and Germany
As Belgium announces a gradual easing of quarantine restrictions from 4 May, we take a look at what other locked down European countries can expect if a similar timeframe is followed elsewhere:
ePremier League semi-finals and final: watch live online
Watch the ePremier League semi-finals and final live
Liverpool take on Manchester City and Wolves face Burnley in the semi-finals of the first ever ePremier League Invitational tournament, from around 15:00 BST.
The funds generated by the ePremier League Invitational will go to the #PlayersTogether campaign, an initiative created by footballers in the English top flight to raise money to support the UK’s National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ePremier League: semi-final and final fixtures
SF1: Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV) vs Raheem Sterling (MCI)
SF2: Diogo Jota (WOL) vs Dwight McNeil (BUR)
Final: SF1 winner vs SF2 winner
Watch live here:
Coronavirus: US, UK, Germany studying Covid-19 passports
Despite the misgivings of the World Health Organization, the idea of granting freedom of movement to people with antibodies against the coronavirus is gathering traction across the world.
Iran's coronavirus death toll rises by 76 to 5,650 - Health Ministry
Iran's death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 76 during the last 24 hours to reach a total of 5,650, a Health Ministry spokesman said on state TV on Saturday.
The total number of people diagnosed with the virus is 89,328, of whom 3,096 are in a critical condition, the spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said.
Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said the country's daily death tally had fallen by about 70% from its peak, while the number of coronavirus patients in hospital had fallen by about half.
Gyms might be forced to reduce capacity by 70%
Gyms are planning a return to normalcy. Spain's FNEID - Federation of Business for Sporting Facilities - has written out a four-point plan with details of measures that will allow them to open up against despite lockdown measures.
CMDsport have released the information, which would obviously need the green light from officials in the government making these decisions. LaLiga footballers are currently locked in a stalemate over restarting the league with concern over their safety but nothing will be done until the ministry for health give them the all-clear too.
The death rate amongst medical staff is worryingly high and new figures from Italy confirm how dangerous it is.
China sent team including medical experts to advise on N.Korea’s Kim
China has dispatched a team to North Korea including medical experts to advise on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to three people familiar with the situation.
The trip by the Chinese doctors and officials comes amid conflicting reports about the health of the North Korean leader.
Reuters was unable to immediately determine what the trip by the Chinese team signaled in terms of Kim's health.
A delegation led by a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party's International Liaison Department left Beijing for North Korea on Thursday, two of the people said. The department is the main Chinese body dealing with neighbouring North Korea.
The sources declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the matter.
The Liaison Department could not be reached by Reuters for comment late on Friday. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment late on Friday.
Daily NK, a Seoul-based website, reported earlier this week that Kim was recovering after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure on April 12. It cited one unnamed source in North Korea.
South Korean government officials and a Chinese official with the Liaison Department challenged subsequent reports suggesting that Kim was in grave danger after surgery. South
Korean officials said they had detected no signs of unusual activity in North Korea.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump also downplayed earlier reports that Kim was gravely ill. "I think the report was incorrect," Trump told reporters, but he declined to say if he had been in touch with North Korean officials.
On Friday, a South Korean source told Reuters their intelligence was that Kim was alive and would likely make an appearance soon. The person said he did not have any comment on
Kim's current condition or any Chinese involvement.
An official familiar with U.S. intelligence said that Kim was known to have health problems but they had no reason to conclude he was seriously ill or unable eventually to reappear in public.
A U.S. State department spokeswoman had no comment. U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, when asked about Kim's health on Fox News after Trump spoke said, "I don’t have anything I can share with you tonight, but the American people should know we're watching the situation very keenly."
North Korea is one of the world's most isolated and secretive countries, and the health of its leaders is treated as a matter of state security. Reuters has not been able to independently confirm any details on Kim's whereabouts or condition.
One of the president's top ministers resigned recently and now the medical system is on the verge of collapse. Brazil government is in turmoil.
FCA warns against Trump drug
Donald Trump caused controversy recently by saying injecting disinfectant might be a way to combat the coronavirus. Prior to that, he said an anti-malaria drug might be helpful to fight it too. The FDA has warned against that advice outside of clinical trials.
China report 12 new cases on Friday
China reported 12 new coronavirus cases on April 24 compared with six new cases on the previous day, National Health Commission data showed on Saturday. Of the new cases, 11 were imported, compared with two cases reported previously. The commission also reported 29 new asymptomatic cases, slightly down from the previous day's tally of 34. Four of these cases were imported.
Uzbekistan allows some retailers to reopen after shutdown over virus
Uzbekistan allowed certain categories of retailers and other businesses to reopen on Saturday after being closed for weeks due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, state news agency Uza reported. Among those allowed to resume work are vendors of construction materials, car parts, seeds and seedlings, as well as dry cleaning companies, insurers, notaries and those servicing construction and agricultural machinery.
Japan economy minister cancels appearances after contact with virus-infected staffer
A key government official in charge of Japan's economic response to the coronavirus outbreak called off his public appearances on Saturday to work from home after it was discovered that he had been in contact with a staffer who was infected with the virus.
Good day to all, it's another day of lockdown measures and social distancing around the world. It's Saturday 25 April and we have all the global news as we continue to battle the pandemic.