Coronavirus global news summary: cases and deaths - 2 May
Coronavirus live: latest global Covid-19 updates - 2 May
Global summary and country reports
Total worldwide confirmed cases: 3.4 million +
Total worldwide confirmed deaths: 240,000 +
Herding chats
You'll have been listening to some governments and others talking about herd immunity. If you want to know more about it, check out this NY Times piece.
Daily trends update
The usual trends thread from the Financial Times shows how countries around the world are progressing, based on reported figures.
Vettel makes esports debut
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel made his esports debut on Saturday in Legends Trophy races that also featured retired Formula One world champions Emerson Fittipaldi and Jenson Button.
The German has some time on his hands with Formula One's season stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic and organisers hoping to get going in Austria at the start of July. The four times champion finished 15th and 12th respectively after being caught up in incidents on the virtual version of the Sepang circuit that hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix between 1999 and 2017.
Coronavirus USA: Which states have suspended evictions during pandemic?
As the month of May began many Americans were left wondering how to pay their rent as the United States remains on lockdown due to Covid-19.
USA deaths pass 65,000
The number of fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic in the USA has now passed 65,000, while in the UK the toll has risen to over 28,000. Italy also experienced a jump in the number of Covid-19 fatalities on 2 May, with 474 reported. That represents the highest figure since 21 April and comes just two days before the Italian government is due to start easing lockdown restrictions.
(Reuters) Cuomo warns against opening New York State too soon
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday pushed back against what he called premature demands that he reopen the state, saying he knew people were struggling without jobs but that more understanding of the new coronavirus was needed.
As governors in about half of the United States partially reopen their economies over this weekend, Cuomo said he needed much more information on what the pandemic was doing in his state, the hardest hit by the disease, before he loosens restrictions aimed at curbing its spread.
"Even when you are in uncharted waters, it doesn't mean you proceed blindly," he said. "Use information to determine action- not emotions, not politics, not what people think or feel, but what we know in terms of facts."
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy echoed Cuomo’s slow-go restart approach, even as he reported “positive trends,” including a decline in the number of hospital patients with Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
While the number of deaths has trended lower in recent days, New Jersey's toll, second only to New York's, stood at 7,742, which Murphy cited as a key reason for maintaining his stay-at-home order.
"The family, friends and neighbors who we have lost are the reason why we cannot rush our restart," he said at a news briefing. "We need to keep seeing these lines moving in these directions before we can put New Jersey on the road back, and before we're able to responsibly restart our economy."
An many U.S. eastern seaboard residents enjoyed a perfect spring day on Saturday, those in New Jersey had access to more outdoor space as Murphy allowed the state's parks and golf courses to reopen for the first time in a month, warning they would be shut again if social distancing requirements were violated.
"Anecdotal and preliminary” reports suggest that the rules were being observed, he said.
Georgia and Texas are leading the way in the partial reopening of businesses that had been shuttered by the pandemic. Leaders in those and several other states where the coronavirus has had less of an impact are under pressure to allow people to return to work, as government data released this week showed30 million Americans have sought unemployment benefits since March 21.
Cuomo pointed to the roughly 900 new coronavirus cases that hospitals in New York are still reporting daily and the fact that officials do not know where those infections are coming from, as reason enough to continue keeping the Empire State shut down.
The governor also released the preliminary results of a statewide antibody survey of about 15,000 people showing that 12.3% had been previously infected with the virus.
It confirmed the results of another test with a smaller sample size released about 10 days ago showing that one in five New York City residents has had the virus, with the Bronx borough seeing the highest number positive for antibodies at 27.6%.
US "missed chances to stop Covid-19 spread" says senior health official
Dr Anne Schuchat of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said in an article that the US failed to respond to the coronavirus outbreak in Europe in time and should have issued travel alerts earlier.
“There will be debates about should we have started much sooner, or did we go too far too fast," Dr Schuchat said.
(Reuters) - Spain to launch 16 billion euro reconstruction fund
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday his government would approve a 16 billion euros ($17.57 billion) reconstruction fund to help regional authorities deal with the social and economic damage from the coronavirus.
Speaking at a press conference, Sanchez also announced that the use of masks on public transport would be compulsory from Monday.
Prisoners take guards hostage in Brazil's coronavirus-hit Manaus
Inmates at a prison in Manaus, a Brazilian city deep in the Amazon that has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, have taken seven prison guards hostage, the local prison authority told Reuters on Saturday, underlining the endemic violence that has plagued the region's jails in recent years. The reason for the rebellion at the Puraquequara Penitentiary was not immediately clear, but local television stations cited a video allegedly recorded by an unidentified inmate, who complained of sweltering heat and a lack of electricity in the prison. In a statement, the prison authority in the state of Amazonas, where Manaus is located, said the prisoners were demanding the presence of the press and human rights groups.
They had no information on possible deaths. The rebellion comes as the coronavirus outbreak has overwhelmed public services in Manaus, with authorities burying victims in mass graves and warning residents of a shortage soon of coffins. Violence is rife in Brazil's prisons, where organized crime groups often exercise de facto control. Overcrowding is also common and rights groups call conditions medieval, with food scarce and cells so packed that prisoners have no space to lie down. In January 2017, almost 150 prisoners were killed as organized crime groups battled each other in several prisons in north and northeastern Brazil.
In one particularly violent incident in Manaus, 57 inmates were killed, some of whom were decapitated and thrown over prison walls. Last year, over 50 inmates were strangled or stabbed to death as rival gangs battled each other in four separate Manaus jails. Various police units have been deployed and were already beginning negotiations as of Saturday morning, the Amazonas Secretary of Prisons said in its statement.
Coronavirus UK: Covid-19 plasma trial begins
Coronavirus UK: Covid-19 plasma trial begins
Thousands of coronavirus survivors across the UK have signed up to donate blood plasma as part of a nation-wide clinical trial.
Spain dons the running shoes and lycra
Four pictures from across Spain showcasing the first day of lockdown restrictions being relaxed with people taking to the streets to exercise.
"Players who do not want to return and play can resign"
Stark warning from Brazil's Internacional president Medeiros to anxious first team squad
Dutch coronavirus cases pass 40,000
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the Netherlands has increased by 445 to 40,236, Dutch health authorities said on Saturday.
The National Institute for Public Health reported 94 new deaths, taking total COVID-19 fatalities to 4,987.
Malaysia defends easing of coronavirus curbs as new infections jump
Malaysian authorities on Saturday defended plans to ease coronavirus lockdown measures next week even as the number of new infections jumped to a two-week high.
Most businesses will reopen on Monday after a six-week shutdown ordered to fight the COVID-19 outbreak. Schools, cinemas and nightclubs will remain closed, along with the country's borders, and mass gatherings will still be banned.
The decision has sparked criticism, including from members of the ruling coalition, that restrictions were being eased too soon.
The number of new infections with the novel coronavirus rose by 105 on Saturday, the highest daily increase since April 16.
The number of known infections totalled 6,176 while fatalities
stood at 103.
Remdesivir gets FDA approval to treat Covid-19 patients - Trump
What is Remdesivir?
The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorisation for Gilead’s remdesivir drug to treat the coronavirus, the US president said on Friday.
Daily Covid-19 update (Spain)
The Spanish Ministry of Health confirmed that 276 individuals died from coronavirus in the past 24 hours taking the overall death toll in the nation to over 25,000.
First impressions from first day of exercise in Madrid
Interesting thread from El Pais (English) journalist Simon Hunter on his experience cycling today in the Spanish capital for the first time in seven weeks after restrictions were lifted by the Spanish government.
Actor Banderas slams paparazzis
The Malaga born actor took to Twitter after his first foray out of confinement and slammed the waiting paparazzi's:
"First outing for exercise after #confinamiento and first encounter with unmasked paparazzi shoving cameras in my face. I plan to remain in confinement."
Surfers return to Spanish waters
Today is the first day since the mid-March state of emergency that residents can practice individual sport and exercise with a shift system in place allowing different groups to go outside at specially allocated time slots.
(In the pic, a surfer returns to the waves in the Northern Basque coast)
2% of Moscow infected with virus claims city mayor
The mayor of Moscow says about 2% of the city’s population, more than 250,000 people, have the virus.
“According to screening tests of various population groups, the real number of the infected is around 2 percent of Moscow’s total population,” stated Sergei Sobyanin.
Setback for Bundesliga restart plans
German club Cologne have confirmed three people at the club tested positive for coronavirus five days before a meeting about the Bundesliga's future.
Mexico reports 1,515 new coronavirus cases, 113 deaths
Mexico's health ministry reported on Friday 1,515 new known coronavirus cases and 113 deaths, bringing the country's total to 20,739 cases and 1,972 deaths.
Coronavirus: How to cut your hair at home amid Covid-19 lockdown
How to cut your hair at home amid Covid-19 lockdown....only if you must !
With Covid-19 lockdown measures ruling out a trip to the hairdresser, here are a few tips for those giving themselves or someone they live with a trim
China reports one new coronavirus case
China reported one new coronavirus case for May 1, down from 12 a day earlier, data from the country’s health authority showed on Saturday.
The new case was imported, the National Health Commission (NHC) said, down from six imported cases a day earlier.
China reported no domestic transmission cases down from six the day before. The NHC also reported 20 new asymptomatic cases for May 1, down from 25 a day earlier. The total number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 82,875. With no new deaths on Friday, the toll remained at 4,633.
Spanish stroll
As of today Spaniards can go out for the first time since March 15 to walk or play individual sports, putting an end to one of the strictest confinements in all of Europe.
Children were able to go out for the first time in six weeks on previous Sunday, with families gathering in parks and seaside walks.
To avoid overcrowding, the government has implemented a shift system for going out to the street by age groups.
From Saturday, people will be allowed to take short walks and play sports from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Between midday and 7 p.m. will be reserved for young children, with the remaining slots set aside for elderly and vulnerable people.
Buenos Aires local government enforces face masks regulation
Argentina has suffered 255 deaths at the hands off the virus with 4,500 people having now tested positive with Coivid-19 in the nation as the government in the capital decrees the obligatory use of masks in public spaces.
Apple advice
The Covid-19 screening app developed by tech giant Apple has been updated on Friday with new information about coronavirus symptoms and tips related to face masks.
Coronavirus: can Covid-19 be spread through water?
Can Covid-19 be spread through water?
Although it has been proven that SARS is transmittable through untreated water, there is currently no evidence that Covid-19 can be considered a waterborne disease.
Good morning and welcome to our live global coronavirus blog. Over the course of the day, we will be bring you the latest information, breaking news and data relating to the Covid-19 pandemic from around the world on 2 May. At the time of writing, the virus has claimed over 238,000 lives with over 3.3 million positive cases currently confirmed around the world.