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At least 1,178 people have died of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Hindu

The United States on Thursday took the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections and reported a record surge in unemployment as world leaders vowed $5 trillion to stave off global economic collapse.

More than 5,00,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus, overwhelming healthcare systems even in wealthy nations and triggering an avalanche of government-ordered lockdowns that have disrupted life for billions.

In the United States, more than 82,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, edging out Italy, which has reported the most deaths, and China, where the virus was first detected in December in the metropolis of Wuhan.

With fears mounting of a global recession if not depression, leaders from the Group of 20 major economies held crisis talks by video link Thursday, pledging a “united front” to fight the outbreak — along with an enormous financial injection.

“The virus respects no borders,” the leaders said in a statement. “We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic.”

They also pledged “robust” support for developing nations, where coronavirus could next take hold after ravaging China and then Europe.

But the unity pledged by the G20 has been in short supply with China and the United States trading barbs over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

And Italy as well as Spain, which has the second-highest death toll, objected to a draft economic plan by the European Union which they saw as too weak.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wants a “strong and sufficient” financial response that deploys “innovative financial instruments truly adapted to a war,” his office said.

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

“In addition, we will also support Pakistan in building a temporary quarantine hospital.”Medical experts to arrive in Pakistan to help fight coronavirus: Chinese vice minister

Geo News

BEIJING: Vice Minister of China’s National Health Commission Zeng Yixin announced on Thursday that Beijing will send a team of medical experts to Pakistan to work closely with the health authorities and provide assistance and expertise in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

“As required by Pakistani side, China is preparing a medical team to visit Pakistan and this team of experts will pay field trips to different localities in Pakistan,” Zeng said while responding to a question by APP at a press conference on China’s cooperation with the international community in fighting COVID-19 held at China’s State Council Information Office.

Zeng said the team would be sharing its experience in tackling the disease with their Pakistani counterparts. He added thatthe Chinese team would also be discussing other assistance matters.

The vice minister said that China immediately shared therapeutic and prevention protocols with Pakistan when COVID-19 hit the country.

Also read: China-donated face masks, N-95 respirators, arrived in Pakistan: NDMA chairperson

“We also shared with Pakistani friends, through video-link, China’s experience in treatment and containment,” he added.

Zeng Yixin also said that the Chinese authorities also had a very good discussion on other issues of Pakistan in wake of the new coronavirus outbreak.

Acknowledging Pakistan’s support to China against the coronavirus, Deng Boqing, Vice Chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency said that as China was fighting the epidemic at home, Pakistan extended great support.

Pakistan mobilised all possible medical supplies to support China and that measure had moved numerous Chinese people.

Deng said the two countries were facing similar challenges and China was ready to share its experience with Pakistan and provide Pakistan with badly needed medical supplies.

Also read: Undeterred by coronavirus pandemic, the Pakistan-China friendship prevails

“As a matter of fact, we have already provided four batches of assistance to Pakistan in terms of testing kits, protective suits, facial masks, ventilators and other medical supplies,” he said.

Deng said for the next stage, the Chinese side also had a plan to provide more urgently needed assistance to Pakistan.

“In addition, we will also support Pakistan in building temporary quarantine hospital,” he added.

The Chinese government has provided 83 countries and international organisations with emergency assistance to battle the novel coronavirus.

The country has activity shared information about Covid-19, and enhanced technological exchanges with international experts.

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Country’s death toll from COVID-19 pandemic stands at 5

AA News

JERUSALEM: Israel’s coronavirus infections have risen to 2,495 after 126 new cases were reported, according to the Health Ministry.

A statement by the ministry, cited by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, said 41 patients are in critical condition, while 66 have recovered from the virus so far.

On Wednesday, Israel confirmed its fifth death from the disease.

Israel has taken several measures to stem the spread of the disease, including closing cafes, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and entertainment venues.

Last week, the Israeli government decided to track confirmed and suspected coronavirus patients by monitoring their cell phones as part of its fight against the virus.

The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan, China, last December and has spread to at least 175 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Over 472,100 coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide and the death toll exceeded 21,300 while more than 114,800 have recovered, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who become infected suffer only mild symptoms and recover.

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington Post

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has hit 1,000, according to tracking by The Washington Post, a toll that is increasing at an alarming rate. New patterns have emerged in the spread of the virus, according to analysis by The Washington Post of every known U.S. death. Most who have died are older than 70, but the virus also is hospitalizing and killing younger Americans. Most victims are men, and most also had underlying health conditions. The disease has killed people in 42 states and territories and the District, with the most deaths in New York.

Here are some significant developments:

• China will temporarily suspend foreign nationals with valid visas and residence permits from entering the country, in the latest move from Beijing to ramp up restrictions on foreigners entering the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.
• The $2 trillion emergency relief bill passed by the Senate will be voted on Friday by the House, said Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who predicted the measure would receive “strong bipartisan support,” but not unanimous consent. The bill would deliver historic levels of emergency aid across the economy, including to households, businesses, cities and states. It would expand unemployment insurance benefits and direct more money to cash-strapped hospitals.
• Leaders from the Group of 20 nations convened to discuss the ongoing crisis. But in a sign of just how disruptive that crisis is, they did not meet in person; instead, they talked via video link.
• Much of the world’s population is now living under some sort of pandemic-related restrictions as the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide approaches 500,000. The death toll in Spain continues to surge, with 655 additional fatalities reported Thursday, raising its total to more than 4,000 people.
• The Labor Department’s weekly tally of 3.3 million jobless claims shattered the old U.S. record of 695,000, set in 1982. Of the “widespread carnage,” a University of Chicago economist warned: “It’s going to get worse.”

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Another 662 people have died from coronavirus in Italy, officials said Thursday, bringing the country’s total confirmed death toll from the outbreak to 8,165.

Washington Post

Another 6,135 people were also confirmed as being infected with the virus in the past day, stretching the number of cases in Italy to 80,539, according to the official government tally.

Many are hopeful that Italy’s nationwide lockdown will pay off.

But while President Trump has talked about revving up the U.S. economy by Easter, Italy has set no such timetable — and experts say the nation, if it loosens its guard, is still at risk of the virus resuming its extraordinary, deadly trajectory.

Italy was the first Western country to contend with a mass-scale outbreak and order a lockdown. But it is now at the forefront of a more delicate calculation, in trying to figure out how long the restrictions should last.

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Spain’s toll surges past 4,000 as first wave of mass layoffs from the coronavirus hits the United States.

ALJAZEERA

The number of declared coronavirus cases in Europe topped 250,000, more than half of which are in hard-hit Italy and Spain. But over the last 24 hours both countries reported improvements.

Spain registered 655 fatalities from the coronavirus – down from more than 700 on Wednesday, while Italy confirmed a lower rate of infections. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) European office said it saw “encouraging signs”, cautioning it was too early to say whether the worst had passed.

More than three million Americans filed new claims for unemployment insurance last week amid the coronavirus pandemic, breaking the previous record as the first wave of layoffs batter the US economy.

More than 492,000 people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. About 118,000 have recovered, while more than 22,000 people have died.

(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)