The worldwide coronavirus case count has passed 3 million in a new grim milestone. The US remains the virus’ global hub followed by Spain, Italy, France, Germany, UK, Turkey, Iran, and Russia as other majorly affected countries. The number of lives claimed by Covid-19 has jumped over 211,000 while recoveries are approaching 1 million.
But, the countries hit worst by the outbreak are now seeing some flattening on their virus charts, hinting at the possibility of their peak having passed. These new trends are giving some countries the courage to cautiously eye exit from virus lockdowns. Countries like Spain, Italy, New Zealand, China, Iran, and others have already begun to take baby steps towards normalcy. Even the US has begun charting a path out of the pandemic lockdown.
In Pakistan, the case numbers have touched 14,000 with deaths approaching 300. Although the outbreak is seeing a constant climb in the country, some experts and government officials maintain that its intensity here is low compared to other countries. The same thoughts were expressed by PM Imran Khan on Monday while presiding over a meeting on impact of Covid-19 on the country’s social fabric and economy.
Here are the latest updates:
In a bid to increase the testing capacity in the city and shield the staff from the coronavirus, Chughtai Lab in Lahore has established a drive-through testing facility. It will facilitate the people who want to take the test for the virus.
In an official press statement, the lab said they have set up the facility to guarantee safety as well as limit the exposure of its staff to the virus. The statement added that the new lab has been set up in DHA Lahore and will allow people to be tested within the comfort and safety of their own cars.
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German medical experts warned the public to stay disciplined Tuesday after official data offered a mixed picture on the battle against the novel coronavirus since Europe’s biggest economy began a cautious easing of lockdown measures.
The number of deaths related to the novel coronavirus in Pakistan has reached 312.
The numbers saw a fresh spike after new deaths were reported from Sindh and Punjab.
Healthcare authorities in the United Kingdom have alerted pediatricians that COVID-19 might be associated with a rare disease in children that causes blood vessels to become inflamed and may lead to heart disease.
National Health Service (NHS) has reported more than a dozen cases in which severely ill children were admitted to intensive care after exhibiting overlapping symptoms of toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease. Most of the children were tested positive for COVID-19 as well. No deaths have been reported among them so far.
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Sindh education authorities have come up with an average mark awarding formula for matriculation and intermediate students, in case examinations get canceled due to the coronavirus.
The decision was taken during a meeting of Inter Board Committee of Chairman (IBCC) on Monday. It was convened to discuss the way forward during the ongoing situation and was attended by the representatives of seven education boards in Sindh.
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A suspected coronavirus patient in Karachi has committed suicide after being kept in the isolation ward without confirmation of the disease.
As per details, a resident of Landhi was brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) on Sunday night with complaints of fever and chest pain. As per the standard procedure, he was tested for the virus while his X-rays were also taken before being shifted to the isolation ward.
The man spent the night protesting against the move, claiming that he did not have the contagious virus.
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Austria is loosening its general lockdown rules by allowing gatherings of up to 10 people, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober said on Tuesday.
The rules, which include guidance that the public only leave their homes for a limited number of reasons including shopping or exercise, are due to expire on April 30. Anschober told a news conference there was no need to extend them.
-Reuters
As many as four persons were killed after consuming hand sanitizer for the purpose of alcohol in Bhatta Number 1 area here on Monday.
According to police sources, four persons identified as Haroon Masih, Robin Masih, Shaukat Masih and Rauf Masih drunk hand sanitizer for the purpose of alcohol and fell unconscious. They were rushed to Bahawal Victoria Hospital where all of them expired.
However, the brother of Shaukat Masih told the police that his brother was a patient of diabetes and had died after the level of diabetes dropped in his body while the heirs of Rauf Masih submitted that he had died due to cardiac arrest.
China has criticised India’s decision to stop using Chinese testing kits for the novel coronavirus because of quality issues as unfair and irresponsible, in the latest strain in their ties.
The Indian Council of Medical Research, the top agency dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, said on Monday (April 27) it planned to return the kits for antibody tests procured from two Chinese firms because of poor accuracy.
The Chinese embassy said it was deeply concerned by the Indian decision and Chinese authorities had validated the equipment produced by the two firms, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics.
-Reuters
The coronavirus pandemic is “far from over” and is still disrupting normal health services, especially life-saving immunisation for children in the poorest countries, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
The U.N. agency is concerned about rising numbers of cases and deaths in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and some Asian countries, even as the numbers flatten or decline in some wealthier nations.
The new coronavirus appears to linger in the air in crowded spaces or rooms that lack ventilation, researchers found in a study that buttresses the notion that Covid-19 can spread through tiny airborne particles known as aerosols.
At two hospitals in Wuhan, China, researchers found bits of the virus’s genetic material floating in the air of hospital toilets, an indoor space housing large crowds, and rooms where medical staff take off protective gear. The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Research, didn’t seek to establish whether the airborne particles could cause infections.
The question of how readily the new virus can spread through the air has been a matter of debate. The World Health Organization has said the risk is limited to specific circumstances, pointing to an analysis of more than 75,000 cases in China in which no airborne transmission was reported.
For our coronavirus coverage from April 27, click here.