As of 8 am, April 8, 2020:
World Count—There are now 1,413,415 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 in 176 countries. The number of deaths has risen to 81,200 with 298,389 recoveries. Italy has the highest number of deaths (17,127), followed by Spain (14,045) and the United States (12,627). In New York, the state hardest-hit by Covid-19, the number of deaths rose by 731, its highest uptick in 24 hours. In Europe, currently the epicenter of the pandemic, France joined the number of nations with over 10,000 deaths.
China—No new deaths since April 6, Wuhan liberated from lockdown
In China, there have been no new deaths reported since Monday (Apr 6). China’s local coronavirus transmissions slowed down over the past few weeks, as more recent cases have been imported.
Wuhan, the city in central China where the outbreak originated late last year, a 76-day lockdown has been lifted, giving 11 million people the freedom to leave the city for the first time since January 23 at 12:00 am on Wednesday. China’s decision to lockdown Wuhan and effectively put the province of Hubei under quarantine is believed to have slowed down the spread of Covid-19.
UK — Prime Minister in stable condition
Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in the Intensive Care Unit of St Thomas’ Hospital in central London, but he is reportedly in stable condition and good spirits, and has not been in need of a ventilator.
US told to prepare for the worst week yet
In the United States, the Surgeon General warned that this week would the the country’s worst week yet. Jerome Adams compared the coronavirus pandemic to other dark moments in the nation’s history, saying in an interview, “This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly. This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized. It’s going to be happening all over the country. And I want America to understand that.”
Singapore
In Singapore, there are now 1,481 cases of Covid-19. Six people have died and 377 have been discharged from hospital. There are 29 people in critical condition, while 627 are in stable or improving condition. The other 471 people who have recovered from Covid-19 but have still tested positive are in isolation in other hospitals around the island.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on its website on the evening of April 7 that the country has 106 new cases of the coronavirus. The biggest increase was linked to the cluster at S11 Dormitory @ Punggol (2 Seletar North Link), which now has 98 confirmed coronavirus cases, MOH said.
MOH also showed in a situation report that around one third of local coronavirus cases are unlinked.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday (Apr 7), a law was passed prohibiting gatherings of any size, at home or in public places, to prevent further spread of the disease.
A spokesperson from MOH told TODAY that the law disallows “social gatherings, such as private parties and social get-togethers with friends and relatives.
Individuals can still visit family members for assistance with their daily needs, such as caring for elderly parents or for informal childcare arrangements.” —/TISG
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