As of 8 am, April 22, 2020:
World count exceeds 2.5 million
There are now 2,546,527 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 worldwide. The United States has the highest number of cases, with 819,866 infections, followed by Spain (204,178) and Italy (183,957).
There have been 175,621 deaths worldwide and 678,557 recoveries.
Singapore — 1,111 new cases, with 1,050 living in foreign worker dormitories, three new clusters announced
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on April 21 that there are 1,111 new Covid-19 cases in the country. Among them,1,050 are residents of foreign worker dormitories. At this point, 80 percent of all coronavirus cases in the country are migrant workers who live in dormitories. Singapore is conducting around 3,000 tests daily, mostly among residents of these dormitories.
The country now has a total of 9,125 confirmed cases, with an additional 39 discharged from hospital. A total of 839 individuals have recovered.
MOH also identified three new infection clusters—the Jovell construction site at Flora Drive in Tampines, Pesko Engineering on Joo Koon Road, and 5 Sungei Kadut Avenue.
Circuit breaker extended to June 1
On April 21, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the extension of circuit breaker restrictions to June 1. In his fourth address concerning the pandemic, PM Lee said that until May 4, existing measures will be tightened even more, meaning that additional workplaces will be closed to decrease the number of employees in essential services. He mentioned wet markets in particular, saying many people are still going there. PM Lee emphasized that the country cannot afford complacency at this point, since the number of unliked cases have not decreased.
Domestic flights to start again in Vietnam
As restrictions ease in Vietnam, domestic flights are scheduled to begin again on Thursday, said Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority. The country recorded five straight days with no new cases on April 21, and has only had 268 cases and no fatalities. The widespread testing and swift isolation on those infected are credited for having kept the outbreak under control.
Number of cases in Italy falls for 2nd day in a row
Signs that the outbreak is waning in Italy continue to emerge, as the country has reported two straight days of fewer deaths, as well as the biggest daily decrease in active cases on April 20. There are also fewer patients under critical care in the country. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced plans to gradually reopen the country starting from May 4.
Pakistan’s PM to be tested for Covid-19
Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan will be tested for Covid-19, according to his personal physician and senior adviser on coronavirus, Dr Faisal Sultan. The Prime Minister had met six days ago with philanthropist Faisal Edhi, who announced on April 21 that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
UK to start human trials for corona vaccine on Thursday
Matt Hancock, the United Kingdom’s Health Secretary, announced the start of human trials of a coronavirus vaccine on Thursday (Apr 23), as part of the government’s strategy to succeed against the pandemic. “In the long run, the best way to defeat coronavirus is through a vaccine,” he said. “The UK is at the front of the global effort. We have put more money than any other country into a global search for a vaccine and, for all the efforts around the world, two of the leading vaccine developments are taking place here at home.”
UN: Pandemic could cause number of people suffering acute hunger to double
The UN’s World Food Programme said that the coronavirus pandemic could cause a doubling of the number of people worldwide who are experiencing acute hunger. The WFP’s executive director, David Beasley, warned of an impending “global humanitarian catastrophe,” saying, “We are on the brink of a hunger pandemic.”
The number of people in food crisis has increased by almost 10 percent to 123 million people, compared to last year, with another 183 million were at risk of going into food crisis “if confronted by an additional shock or stressor,” which the coronavirus crisis could provide. —/TISG
Read related: Asia virus latest: Japan cases surge, schools to reopen in Wuhan
http://theindependent.sg/asia-virus-latest-japan-cases-surge-schools-to-reopen-in-wuhan/