New York State’s deaths exceeded 700 for a sixth straight day, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, as the daily total fell. The U.K. became the fifth nation to record more than 10,000 coronavirus fatalities.
Parts of the U.S. may be ready in May to ease restrictions that have halted many businesses, Anthony Fauci said a day after the U.S. became the world’s epicenter of the outbreak.
Cases in Spain fell even as fatalities inched higher. Germany reported the fewest cases in five days. Europe is likely to experience a more severe recession than the rest of the world and might not show proper signs of recovery until 2021, European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos said.
Key Developments
- BREAKING: New York state deaths exceed 700 for sixth straight day: Cuomo
- Coronavirus Tracker: Global cases exceed 1.79 million; deaths top 110,000
- Russian flight brings dozens of cases into China
- Spain cases keep slowing, deaths approach 17,000
- Volatile data complicates ending Europe lockdown
- China’s Harbin tightens measures
N.Y. Deaths Decline Third Day (11:40 a.m. NY)
New York State had 758 deaths in the past 24 hours, down from 783 the day before and the third straight day of declines, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at his daily press conference.
It’s the sixth straight day of more than 700 deaths in the state, a fact Cuomo called “tragic.”
The state leads the UY.S. with more than 9,385 fatalities.
D.C. Mayor Sets Reopening Criteria (11 a.m. NY)
Washington will lift restrictions when the number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations shows “sustained periods of decrease,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said as President Donald Trump hints at easing limits by May 1. Bowser said D.C. cases will peak in June, later than in other cities.
“We’re going to follow what the data on the ground tells us,” Bowser said on “Fox News Sunday” when asked about the president’s comments.
Deaths in U.K. Top 10,000 (10:54 a.m. NY)
The U.K. became the fifth country to record more than 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus. A daily increase of 737 brings the total number of Britons to die from the disease to 10,612, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.
“The U.K. is likely to be certainly one of the worst, if not the worst affected country in Europe,” Jeremy Farrar, a member of the scientific panel advising the government on the pandemic, told the BBC on Sunday.
Fauci Says Reopening Could Start in May (9:48 a.m. NY)
Parts of the U.S. may be ready in May to ease emergency measures taken against the pandemic but there’s no universal “light switch” to flip on, Anthony Fauci said.
“It could probably start at least in some ways maybe next month,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
Boris Johnson Released (8:28 a.m. NY)
The U.K. prime minister has been discharged from the hospital and will continue his recovery at the government’s country residence Chequers, a government spokesman said in a statement on Sunday.
“On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work,” the spokesman said.
Boris Johnson thanked NHS staff yesterday, saying “I owe them my life.”
China’s Harbin Tightens Measures (8:27 a.m. NY)
The northeastern Chinese city of Harbin extended its quarantine for certain visitor arrivals.
Arrivals from overseas or domestic regions with high risks are required to quarantine for 14 days at designated site first, then another 14 days at home, according to a statement from the municipal government. These visitors would also required to take two nucleic acid tests and a serum antibody test.
Portugal Cases Rise, Fewer in ICU (8 a.m. NY)
Portugal reported a higher daily number of new confirmed coronavirus cases, while the number of patients in intensive care fell.
There were 598 new cases in a day, up from 515 on Saturday, taking the total to 16,585, the government said on Sunday. The total number of deaths increased to 504 from 470 reported through Saturday morning. Hospitalizations rose to 1,177 from 1,175, while patients in intensive care fell to 228 from 233.
Netherlands Has Fewer Than 100 Deaths in Day (7:45 a.m NY)
The Netherlands recorded 94 new fatalities from the virus, the first time since March 30 that the number dropped below 100. The 4% increase to 2,737 is the slowest since the total tally hit double digits in the middle of March. The increase in new hospital admissions remained at their low point of 2%, whereas total confirmed cases rose a stable 5% to 25,587.
Spanish Cases Fall (5:47 p.m. HK)
Spain reported 619 deaths from the coronavirus on Sunday as the total number of people who have died in the country approaches 17,000. Fewer new cases of the disease were reported than the day before. There were 4,167 new infections in the 24 hours through Sunday, pushing the total above 166,000, according to Health Ministry data.
U.K. Parliament to Resume (4:55 p.m. HK)
U.K. banks have issued 4,200 loans to help companies cope with the interruption to their business caused by the pandemic, Business Secretary Alok Sharma said. Also, Parliament will return on April 21, possibly using technological solutions for virtual sessions, a government spokesman confirmed.
Russia Infections Jump (3:58 p.m. HK)
The number of new cases in Russia increased by 31% overnight to 2,186, taking the total to 15,770. Twenty-four deaths related to Covid-19 were reported, double the count in the previous period and bringing Russia’s total to 130.
Iran Lifting Travel Ban (3:50 p.m. HK)
Iran will lift a ban on civilians traveling between provinces from April 20, President Hassan Rouhani said on state television. The announcement follows the easing of some social-distancing regulations on the business sector as Iran tries to alleviate the virus’s toll on its sanctions-hit economy. The death toll in Iran has risen to 4,357, with over 70,000 known cases.
Hong Kong Salary Cuts (3:35 p.m. HK)
Senior government officials in Hong Kong face a 20% reduction in their annual salaries, through a combination of voluntary income cuts and previously announced donations, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said.
Hong Kong reported four new cases Sunday, the lowest daily toll since mid-March. The city imposed stricter measures after a spike in the number of cases late last month to a peak of 65 on March 27. The government restricted public gatherings to a maximum of four people and closed gyms, bars and other entertainment centers until April 23.
France Lockdown Extension Expected (3:12 p.m. HK)
French President Emmanuel Macron could announce an extension of France’s lockdown until at least mid-May in a speech Monday night, the Journal du Dimanche said, citing people familiar with the matter. Macron could also announce that schools will remained closed until September. According to a poll conducted by Ifop for the JDD, the percentage of French saying they trust the government to tackle the coronavirus crisis has dropped to 38% from 47% a week ago, and from 55% on March 19-20, right after the lockdown started.
German Cases Fall (2:55 p.m. HK)
Germany saw its smallest increase in coronavirus cases in five days, while the country’s death rate edged up to 2.3%, a sign that the spread of the disease may be moderating in Europe’s largest economy.
The total number of cases climbed by 3,281 to 125,452 on Sunday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The increase is the lowest since April 7.
Indonesia Tightens Movement (2 p.m. HK)
Indonesia imposed tighter social-distancing rules to satellite cities of Jakarta, including banning gatherings of more than five people and limiting transport services. The Greater Jakarta area is home to about 30 million people and accounts for more than half of the country’s total 3,842 confirmed cases.
Australia Shouldn’t Ease Measures Yet (1:40 p.m. HK)
Australians have done a good job in adjusting to government restrictions and social-distancing measures, but now isn’t the time to begin easing some of those rules, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said. Australia has more than 6,000 confirmed cases and 57 deaths.
Infections on Flight to Shanghai (12:50 p.m. HK)
China reported 99 new cases, of which 97 were imported. Among those, 51 were Chinese nationals on a flight from Russia who tested positive after landing in Shanghai, city health authorities said. Russia is emerging as a source of new infections for China, with Heilongjiang province in the northeast reporting more than 100 imported from the neighboring country this month.
China Stops Trial of a Gilead Drug (11:45 a.m. HK)
A Chinese trial of Gilead Sciences Inc.’s antiviral drug remdesivir was stopped after failing to enroll enough patients with severe symptoms, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Daniel O’Day wrote in an open letter dated April 10.China previously said it would announce the results of two remdesivir trials for patients with mild to severe symptoms on April 27. The discontinuation of the severe patient trial came as the number of cases dropped in China. “The publication of data from the China remdesivir trials rests with the Chinese investigators, but we have been informed that the study in patients with severe symptoms was stopped due to stalled enrollment,” O’Day said
Singapore to Fine Flouters (11:35 a.m. HK)
Singapore will impose fines on people flouting social-distancing rules, while those who aren’t wearing masks may be barred from entering some premises that provide essential services. The government has closed beaches and some parts of parks and nature reserves, saying tougher measures are necessary.
Philippines Needs Deeper Rate Cut: Diokno (10:30 a.m. HK)
The Philippine central bank will have to reduce its policy rate to below 3% to support the economy, Governor Benjamin Diokno said, adding that another cut in banks’ reserve requirement ratio “is forthcoming.” The policy rate currently is 3.25%.
Tycoon Teresita Sy-Coson, who helps run an empire ranging from banking to retail under SM Investments Corp., said the Philippines should gradually reopen the economy and allow businesses to operate at 50% capacity to protect jobs.
Japan to Expand Childcare Subsidy Program (9:50 a.m. HK)
Japan plans to include private-business owners and freelancers in its subsidy program for covering the hiring of babysitters from this month as nursery and elementary schools remain closed in many areas, Tokyo Shimbun reported, without saying where it got the information.
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