Coronavirus updates, May 8: Latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from Pakistan and around the world
Nationwide death toll climbs above 600, confirmed cases shoots past 26,000; global death toll crosses 268,000
Updated Friday May 08 2020
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 26,806 on Friday after new infections were confirmed in the country.
The province-wise break up of the total number of cases as of 5:20pm, May 8, is as follows:
Total confirmed cases: 26,806
• Sindh: 9,691
• Punjab: 10,033
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 4,327
• Balochistan: 1,725
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 558
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 394
• AJK: 78
Deaths: 622
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 221
• Sindh: 176
• Balochistan: 24
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 3
• Punjab: 194
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 4
Officials have recorded more than 3.86 million cases and more than 268,000 deaths since the virus emerged in China in December.
Read on for the latest updates from Pakistan and around the world.
Disclaimer: There may be some discrepancy in the number of confirmed cases reported at the country level due to differences in figures quoted by federal and provincial authorities.
Geo News is constantly gathering fresh information from concerned authorities and striving to keep our readers up to date with the most accurate information available.
Orange: General updates coming in from Pakistan
Red: Reports on new cases in Pakistan
Maroon: Reports on new deaths in Pakistan
Green: Reports on recovered patients in Pakistan
END OF LIVE UPDATES FOR MAY 8
Live updates for May 9 to continue here.
12:43am (May 9) — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh govt to obtain clearance list from Centre for businesses allowed to operate starting Monday
Sindh education minister Saeed Ghani, in a late night press briefing, has said that a list of businesses will be prepared on Saturday and sent to the Centre seeking approval for their resumption on Monday.
He said that the National Coordination Committee had decided that shopping malls, large markets and departmental stores will remain closed.
"In the first phase of the eased lockdown, businesses attributed to the grey structure of construction work had been permitted to resume operations.
"In the second phase, other businesses related to construction have been allowed to resume work," said the minister.
He said that the list will clearly outline which businesses are considered big and which are considered small, said Ghani, adding that it will be sent to the Centre for input. "We will try to finalise a few things in the next two days."
Ateeq Mir, a traders' representative said that the Sindh government had "agreed to a reopening of malls".
"A list of which businesses will ultimately be allowed to open will be sent to the Sindh government [by the Centre]," he said.
11:52pm — Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab govt to issue lockdown notification tomorrow
The Punjab government has said it will issue a detailed notification regarding the revised lockdown measures tomorrow.
It said that the industries and businesses allowed to operate will have to abide by the standard operating procedures (SOPs) outlined in the notification.
11:22pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — KP CM's aide's follow-up test comes back negative for COVID-19
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister's aide on local government, Kamran Bangash, has tested negative for COVID-19 in his follow up test.
Bangash had been diagnosed with the disease on April 25. Thanking everyone for praying for his recovery, he announced he is "resuming responsibilities on immediate basis".
10:44pm — Singapore city, Singapore — Roaming 'robodog' SPOT politely tells Singapore park goers to keep apart
Far from barking its orders, a robot dog enlisted by Singapore authorities to help curb coronavirus infections in the city-state politely asks joggers and cyclists to stay apart.
The remote-controlled, four-legged machine built by Boston Dynamics was first deployed in a central park on Friday as part of a two-week trial that could see it join other robots policing Singapore’s green spaces during a nationwide lockdown.
“Let’s keep Singapore healthy,” the yellow and black robodog named SPOT said in English as it roamed around. “For your own safety and for those around you, please stand at least one metre apart. Thank you,” it added, in a softly-spoken female voice.
Despite the niceties, breaches of Singapore’s strict lockdown rules can result in hefty fines and even jail.
The city-state of 5.7 million people has more than 21,000 cases, one of the highest tallies in Asia, largely due to mass infections among migrant workers living in cramped dormitories in areas little visited by tourists.
Under rules to enforce the lockdown in place until June 1, residents can only leave their homes for essential trips like grocery shopping and must wear a mask at all times in public. Exercise outdoors is permissible but must be done alone.
Another robot, in the shape of a small car, has been deployed at a nearby reservoir to warn visitors “not to loiter” and that “gatherings are not allowed”.
The authorities behind the latest trial — the government technology and cyber security agencies — said in a statement that SPOT could better cross rough terrain in parks and gardens.
As well as broadcasting messages reminding visitors of social distancing measures, SPOT is fitted with cameras and analytics tools to estimate the number of people in the park.
Authorities said the cameras would not be able to track individuals or record personal data.
SPOT has also recently been trialled for use at a temporary hospital delivering medicines to patients.
10:15pm — Karachi, Pakistan — SBP launches loan scheme for purchase of new plant, machinery
State Bank of Pakistan has opened up its subsidised Temporary Economic Relief Facility to enable the purchase of new plant or machinery at a maximum end-user rate of 7%.
According to a statement by the central bank, it hopes this will "provide further stimulus to the economy" at a time it is hit badly by the coronavirus outbreak.
The scheme is for a maximum borrowing amount of Rs5bn for a single project and financing will be available for 10 years.
"Loans can't be used for procuring second hand machinery, land or carrying out civil works," said the statement.
10:10pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh health dept shares list of facilities where you can get tested for COVID-19
09:48pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh 309 cases away from 10,000
The Sindh health department spokesperson has alerted everyone that Sindh is 309 cases away from hitting a total of 10,000 and urged everyone to "please stay home".
"...don't step out unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary," she added.
She also said that if one must step out, they should ensure they are wearing a mask.
09:23pm — Washington, USA — Coronavirus outbreak enormous crisis due to China behaving like authoritarian regime: Pompeo
09:10pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Zulfi Bukhari announces first flight to Wuhan to bring back Pakistani students
The prime minister's aide on overseas Pakistanis and human resource development, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, has announced the first flight to Wuhan since the outbreak of coronavirus.
The flight, to operate on May 18, will bring back stranded Pakistani students. "You guys have been the bravest soldiers," wrote Bukhari while addressing the students, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan are proud of them.
08:57pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh's cases at a glance
08:51pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh establishes biosafety level 3 lab in Larkana
In furthering its commitment to increasing testing capacity, Sindh has established a biosafety level 3 lab at Larkana's Civil Hospital, Murtaza Wahab has said.
"The validation tests have been successfully conducted and normal tests will begin from tomorrow," he wrote.
08:47pm — Washington, USA — White House won't consider another stimulus bill this month: Kudlow
The White House has halted talks with Congress over any further coronavirus stimulus package as it awaits the impact US state reopenings have on the economy this month, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow tells reporters.
Congress has already passed four major bills in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, including three aimed at stabilising the economy in the wake of record unemployment as most Americans sheltered in place the past two months.
Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, are pushing for a vote as soon as next week on another massive coronavirus-response bill that would include more money for state and local governments, coronavirus testing and the US Postal Service.
Kudlow told reporters that formal talks with Congress have paused for May.
“Well we just had another big infusion,” Kudlow said with regard to why there was a pause in talks.
In a separate interview on Bloomberg Television, he said the Trump administration was making contingency plans for a second wave of potential novel coronavirus cases, including possible future activity shutdowns.
Public health officials have cautioned against a fast and widespread restart to economic activity, saying it could lead to a second spike in COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus that has already led to nearly 76,000 American deaths out of more than 1.26 million known infections.
The US economy lost a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April as the unemployment rate surged to 14.7% last month, a Labor Department report on Friday showed.
“No one could look at today’s jobs report, the highest unemployment since the Great Depression, and say we should hit the pause button on further government action,” US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “We need a big, bold approach now to support American workers and families.”
08:26pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Govt requests industries to follow safety SOPs
The government has issued a special message for industries to ensure that safety precautions are followed.
"Your cooperation can ensure that the health of workers remains protected and our economic situation improves," said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
08:09pm — Karachi, Pakistan — State Bank releases Rs23bn in loans for 209 companies
State Bank of Pakistan has released Rs23bn in concessionary loans for 209 companies so they may pay their employees instead of laying them off.
SBP, in a statement said that the measure had ensured that jobs of 220,000 people remain intact.
The central bank said that the loan was being given out at a 3% interest rate. It added that 1,100 applications received asking for Rs90 worth of loans are under review.
With the issuance of loans to these companies 850,000 jobs will be saved, said SBP.
07:55pm — Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan — District reports zero positive cases after 53 days of 'untiring efforts'
Gilgit-Baltistan's Nagar district has reported that no new cases have been found today after 53 days of "untiring efforts" to curb the spread of the virus.
The good news was shared by Nagar's deputy commissioner, who warned that "we still need to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols".
07:30pm — Ottawa, Canada — Country loses most jobs ever due to pandemic, unemployment hits 13%
Canada shed three million jobs in the last two months due to the coronavirus lockdown, causing the unemployment rate to shoot up to 13 percent in April, the government has reported,
That rate more than doubled, following a small increase the previous month when restrictions started to be put in place, its statistical agency said.
The new rate is second only to the 13.1% observed during the recession of 1982, but lower than analysts had forecast.
Statistics Canada said the figure would have been much higher had it included a large number of people who wanted to work but could not job-hunt "presumably due to ongoing business closures and very limited opportunities to find new work."
Many also worked fewer hours, the agency said.
The declines over the past two months were observed in all provinces, but Quebec — which has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities — led the pack with 821,000 jobs lost.
Employment also dropped sharply in Canada's three largest cities — Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
Statistics Canada noted, however, that most of the newly unemployed were temporarily laid off, meaning they could return to work when restrictions are lifted.
06:50pm — Quetta, Pakistan — Balochistan to go ahead with 'smart lockdown'
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani has announced that the province will go ahead with the implementation of a "smart lockdown".
He said that businesses will be allowed to open from 3am to 5pm. It will be incumbent upon all businesses and trader associations to follow precautionary SOPs; a failure to do so will result in legal action.
06:15pm — Karachi, Pakistan — 'Please wear a mask for your own safety,' urges Murtaza Wahab
The Sindh chief minister's law adviser, Murtaza Wahab, has shared an image of himself wearing a mask in a bid to urge everyone to make the practice a habit.
"Please, please wear [a] mask for your own safety," he wrote.
5:55pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Finance ministry briefs PM on impact of coronavirus on Pakistan
The Finance ministry on Friday briefed PM Imran Khan on the impact of the coronavirus in the county in a high-level meeting chaired by the premier at the PM House.
During the meeting, the ministry also presented its report on the implementation of the relief package for the people.
“Finance Ministry has done great work amid the COVID-19 crisis,” PM Imran told the officials present in the meeting. He added that the government will have to focus on small and medium enterprises.
5:50pm — Washington, USA — Coronavirus deals US job losses of 20.5 million, historic unemployment rate in April
The US economy lost a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April, the steepest plunge in payrolls since the Great Depression and the starkest sign yet of how the novel coronavirus pandemic is battering the world’s biggest economy.
The Labor Department’s closely watched monthly employment report on Friday also showed the unemployment rate surging to 14.7% last month, shattering the post-World War Two record of 10.8% touched in November 1982.
The bleak numbers strengthen analysts’ expectations of a slow recovery from the recession caused by the pandemic, adding to a pile of dismal data on consumer spending, business investment, trade, productivity and the housing market. The report underscores the devastation unleashed by lockdowns imposed by states and local governments in mid-March to slow the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus.
The economic crisis spells trouble for President Donald Trump’s bid for a second term in the White House in November’s election. After the Trump administration was criticized for its initial reaction to the pandemic, Trump is eager to reopen the economy, despite a continued rise in COVID-19 infections and dire projections of deaths.
“Our economy is on life support now,” said Erica Groshen, a former commissioner of the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. “We will be testing the waters in the next few months to see if it can emerge safely from our policy-induced coma,” added Groshen, who is now a senior extension faculty member at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
5:45pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — DC holds orientation session of Tiger Force
5:40pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh health department issues home isolation guidelines
5:35pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Varsity VC urges recovered patients to donate plasma
Vice-Chancellor of University of Health Sciences Professor Javed Akram has urged those recovered patients of the coronavirus to donate their plasmas for treatment of active cases.
The professor assured that those donating the plasmas will not put their life at risk. He added that the lives of people can be saved by the plasma donations.
5:30pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — SAPM Dr Sania Nishtar visits Ehsaas Emergency cash payment site in Burqa
5:25pm - Karachi, Pakistan — PIA sets up payment desk at NADRA mega centres
Pakistanis citizens stranded in America can now pay for their PIA tickets at a desk set up at NADRA mega centres across the country.
The PIA payment collection centres will operate from 10am to 4pm and on Sundays will remain open from 9am to 10pm.
5:20pm – Peshawar, Pakistan — Pakistan's death toll rises to 622
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department reported that 12 new deaths were recorded in the province taking the nationwide death toll to 622.
With the new deaths KP's tally stands at 221.
5:20pm – Peshawar, Pakistan — Nationwide positive cases rises to 26,806
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department reported 371 new cases were registered across the province in the last 24 hours.
The new cases has taken the provincial tally to 4,327 and the nationwide tally now stands at 26,806.
5:10pm - Rome, Italy — Milan a ticking virus 'bomb', virologist warns
Italy's economic capital Milan is a virus time "bomb" at risk of erupting with residents now free to move around — some gathering for canal-side cocktails — after two months under a pandemic lockdown.
The city in the northern Lombardy region is the epicentre of Italy's outbreak, one of the worst in Europe in terms of deaths and infections.
More than 80,000 infections have been recorded in Lombardy — almost 40 percent of Italy's overall cases — according to official data.
Only 33,000 of Lombardy's cases are considered recovered.
The region's capital Milan, is "a bit of a bomb," said Massimo Galli, the head of the infectious diseases department at the renowned Sacco hospital in Milan.
5:05pm - Tehran, Iran — Iranians urged to take virus seriously as cases stay high
Iran urged its citizens to take social distancing "more seriously" on Friday as it announced more than 1,500 new cases of coronavirus infection in the Middle East''s hardest-hit country.
Since reporting its first cases in mid-February, the Islamic republic has struggled to contain the spread of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 55 new virus fatalities in the past 24 hours took the overall death toll in the health crisis to 6,541. He said another 1,556 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus over the same period of time, taking the country''s caseload to 104,691.
"We (Iranians) are urged to continue to follow health advice, especially social distancing, more seriously than on previous days and weeks," Jahanpour said in televised remarks.
Experts and officials both in Iran and abroad have cast doubts over the country''s COVID-19 figures, saying the real number of cases could be much higher than reported.
5:00pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Deputy chairman Senate warns of holding senate session with testing members, staff
Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwala has warned that holding a session with carrying out coronavirus tests of the members may backfire.
“Do not keep a session without carrying out coronavirus tests of members and staff,” said the senator. He added that the Senate building does not have ventilation.
The senator stated that it would be catastrophic if the session is held without the tests. He hoped that the decision will be taken wisely.
4:50pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Microfinance bank approaches IHC for relief
Microfinance banks have approached the Islamabad High Court to seek relief from the State Bank of Pakistan for relief.
A representative for the National Rural Support Programme told the court that the central bank has the rights and should be asked to help microfinance banks.
The court during the hearing directed the SBP, finance division and SECP to listen to the concerns of the microfinance banks and take its decision.
4:35pm - UN says Pakistani women not receiving the health care they need
4:30pm - Berlin, Germany — China open to probe of origins of coronavirus, says envoy
China is open to an independent investigation to determine the origins of the coronavirus now sweeping the world, its ambassador to Berlin told a German magazine on Friday, amid US allegations that it came from a laboratory.
China has dismissed as groundless US and Australian questioning of how it had handled the coronavirus pandemic, saying it had been open and transparent, despite growing scepticism about the accuracy of its official death toll.
“We are open to an international investigation,” Wu Ken told Der Spiegel magazine in an interview. “We support the exchange of research among scientists.
“...But we reject putting China in the dock without evidence, assuming its guilt and then trying to search for evidence through a so-called international investigation.”
4:15pm - Beijing, China — Special PIA flight with equipment leaves for Pakistan: envoy
4:10pm - Madrid, Spain — Spain's coronavirus daily death tolls rises again on Friday
Spain’s daily death toll from the coronavirus rose to 229 on Friday, up from 213 on the previous day, the health ministry reported.
Overall deaths rose to 26,299 from 26,070 on Thursday and the number of diagnosed cases rose to 222,857 up from 221,447 the day before, the ministry said.
4:05pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — FM Qureshi uses FMconnect to meet world leaders
4:00pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — President Alvi reviews arrangement for upcoming NA session
President Arif Alvi reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming National Assembly session in the hall for the lower house of the Parliament.
Social distancing should be followed according to the guidelines set by the World Health Organisation,” said Dr Alvi. He added that the spread of the disease can only be stopped by following the guidelines.
4:00pm - Facebook to allow employees to work remotely until year end
Facebook Inc said on Friday it would allow its workers who are able to work remotely to do so until the end of the year as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to extend stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease.
The social media giant also expects most offices to stay closed until July 6, according to a company spokesperson.
The virus, which has infected more than 3.8 million people globally so far, has forced strict lockdowns in most countries and changed the way businesses function, with work from home emerging as the new norm.
3:55pm - Geneva, Switzerland — Wuhan market had role in virus outbreak, but more research needed: WHO
A wholesale market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan played a role in the outbreak of the novel coronavirus last year, as the source or possibly as an “amplifying setting”, the World Health Organisation said on Friday, calling for more research.
Chinese authorities shut down the market in January as part of efforts to halt the spread of the virus and ordered a temporary ban on trade and consumption of wildlife.
“The market played a role in the event, that’s clear. But what role we don’t know, whether it was the source or amplifying setting or just a coincidence that some cases were detected in and around that market,” said Dr Peter Ben Embarek, a WHO expert on food safety and zoonotic viruses that cross the species barrier from animals to humans.
It was not clear whether live animals or infected vendors or shoppers may have brought the virus into the market, he told a Geneva news briefing.
3:50pm – Karachi, Pakistan — Pakistan's death toll rises to 610
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah reported that five new deaths were recorded in the province taking the nationwide death toll to 610.
With the new deaths Sindh's tally stands at 176.
3:50pm – Karachi, Pakistan — Nationwide positive cases jumps past 26,000
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said that 598 new cases were reported across the province on Friday.
The new cases has taken the provincial tally to 9,691 and the nationwide tally now stands at 26,435.
3:15pm- Barcelona, Spain — Beaches open in Barcelona as Spain decides on next steps of lockdown exit
The Spanish government will decide on Friday in which regions bars, restaurants and places of worship will open under the next phase of a gradual exit from the coronavirus lockdown, although it looked likely that Madrid and Catalonia would not move forward.
In a sign of life returning to normal, Barcelona beaches opened for a short window from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday to allow people to swim and jog. People paddled on boards and swam in the water under the supervision of police.
3:10pm - California, United States — Facebook to allow employees to work remotely until year end
Facebook Inc said on Friday it would allow its workers who are able to work remotely to do so until the end of the year as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to extend stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease.
The social media giant also expects most offices to stay closed until July 6, according to a company spokesperson.
The virus, which has infected more than 3.8 million people globally so far, has forced strict lockdowns in most countries and changed the way businesses function, with work from home emerging as the new norm.
3:00 – Islamabad, Pakistan — Senate session summoned on May 12
According to an official notification today, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani summoned a session of the Senate on May 12. The session was summoned upon the opposition’s requisition.
The chairman senate also presided over a Senate House Business Advisory Committee session today.
Opposition leader in the Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq said that due to the ongoing coronavirus issue it is not mandatory that all members attend session at the same time.
Chairman Senate Sadiq said that the session is scheduled at a time when the country is battling the pandemic, adding that adequate measures have been taken for the meeting of the lawmakers.
2:40pm -Berlin, Germany — German spy agency doubts US 'China lab' coronavirus accusations: report
A German intelligence report casts doubts on US allegations that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory and says the accusations are an attempt to divert attention from US failure to rein in the disease, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Friday.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday there was “a significant amount of evidence” that the coronavirus had emerged from a Chinese laboratory, but did not dispute US intelligence agencies’ conclusion that it was not man-made.
Spiegel said Germany’s BND spy agency had asked members of the US-led “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance for evidence to support the accusation. None of the alliance’s members, the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, wanted to support Pompeo’s claim, it said.
An intelligence report prepared for German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer concluded that the US accusations were a deliberate attempt to divert public attention away from President Donald Trump’s “own failures”.
A German government spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
2:35pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab asks federal govt to allow lockdown in 'big cities'
Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul Hasan Chohan that the provincial government has asked the federal government not to ease restrictions in major cities as positive cases are rising.
“If the federation agrees then lockdown will be in place in big cities,” said Chohan. He added that the federal government SOPs were being followed in the province.
2:20pm - Tokyo, Japan — Sony to make, donate face shields to Japan hospitals
Sony Corp said on Friday it will manufacture and donate medical face shields to hospitals in Japan, amid worries about the availability of protective equipment for healthcare workers dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Sony joins a growing list of global companies such as Boeing and Exxon Mobil helping to provide hospitals with face shields, which protect frontline workers from potential virus-containing droplets released by coughing, sneezing and other forms of close contact.
The Japanese technology and entertainment company said it has begun producing face shields repurposed from eye shields normally used by surgeons to view images on Sony’s 3D medical monitors.
Sony said it will also help mass produce ventilators designed and developed by medical goods maker ACOMA Medical Industry Co. Production is due to begin in July, with plans to manufacture 500 units by the end of September.
2:15pm - Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesia reports 336 coronavirus infections, 13 deaths
Indonesia reported 336 new coronavirus infections on Friday, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 13,112, said health ministry official Achmad Yurianto.
Yurianto reported 13 more deaths, taking the total to 943, while 2,494 have recovered.
More than 103,300 people have been tested, he said.
2:10pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Govt to clarify on board exams on Monday: Minister
2:05pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — US mission in Islamabad only processing emergency appointments despite ease in restrictions announced by government
2:00pm - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Malaysia reports 68 new coronavirus cases with no new deaths
Malaysian health authorities on Friday reported 68 new coronavirus cases, bringing the cumulative total to 6,535 cases.
The health ministry also reported no new deaths at its daily media briefing for a second straight day, leaving total fatalities at 107 cases.
1:40pm - Manila, Philippines — Philippines' coronavirus deaths inch closer to 700
The Philippines’ Health Ministry on Friday recorded 11 new coronavirus deaths and 120 additional confirmed cases.
In a bulletin, the ministry said total infections had increased to 10,463 while deaths had reached 696. It added that 116 patients had recovered, bringing total recoveries to 1,734.
Latest data from five worst-hit countries
1:30pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — More than 100,000 Pakistanis want to return home: FO
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aisha Farooqui has stated that more than 100,000 Pakistanis want to come back to the country.
“We are facing difficulties in setting up quarantine facilities for their return,” said the spokesperson, adding that discussions with the provinces regarding the isolation facilities are underway.
Farooqui shared that more than 60,000 Pakistanis in the UAE want to return home, while more than 15,000 want to return from Saudi Arabia alone.
“All Pakistanis returning from abroad will have to spend three days in the quarantine facility,” said the spokesperson. She added that they will be allowed to return home only if they test negative for the virus.
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1:20pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — IHC CJI Athar Minallah tests negative for virus
Court officials have stated that Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah has tested negative for the coronavirus.
Officials shared that the IHC CJ got his test done on Thursday after his secretary tested positive for the virus. They added that the other six members of Justice Minallah’s staff have also tested negative for the coronavirus.
IHC employees are being tested for the coronavirus in phases.
1:15pm - Singapore — Singapore records 768 new COVID-19 cases, total now 21,707
Singapore recorded 768 new coronavirus cases on Friday, its health ministry said, taking the city-state’s tally to 21,707.
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1:10pm - Karachi, Pakistan — MQM delegation to meet CM Sindh today: sources
A two-member MQM delegation will meet Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to discuss the situation emerging from the lockdown, conditions of the health sector and convey the concerns of the business community.
According to sources, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar and MQM leader Khawaja Izhar will meet the CM at 4pm.
1:05pm - Mumbai, India — India may see 0% GDP growth this fiscal year: Moody's
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak will exacerbate the material slowdown in India’s economic growth, with the country expected to see 0% expansion in the current fiscal year, analysts at Moody’s said on Friday.
The ratings agency said it expected India to see no growth in financial year 2021 and bounce back to a 6.6% GDP growth in FY22, while the fiscal deficit is seen rising to 5.5% of GDP in FY21 versus the budgeted estimate of 3.5%.
The COVID-19 spread in the country has also “significantly reduced the prospects of a durable fiscal consolidation,” it said in a report.
In November, Moody’s cut the outlook on India’s sovereign rating of Baa2 to “negative” from “stable” due to a slowdown in growth and had said it will monitor the country’s debt levels closely.
Baa2 is the second-lowest investment grade score.
1:00pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Karachi police chief asks Sindh's top cop to call coronavirus deceased cops martyrs
Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon has asked IG Sindh to call the police officials losing lives to coronavirus as martyrs, sources told Geo News.
Nabi requested in a letter sent to the Sindh police chief on May 6, said the sources. If the deceased cops are called martyrs then their families would benefit from the martyrs' package.
12:55pm - Karachi, Pakistan — 9 out of 24 patients in Mirpurkhas recovered from virus: Murtaza Wahab
12:50pm - Moscow, Russia — Russia's coronavirus cases rise by more than 10,000 for sixth straight day
The number of new coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 10,699 over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 187,859, the coronavirus crisis response centre said on Friday.
It was the sixth consecutive day that cases had risen by more than 10,000, but down on Thursday’s record daily rise of 11,231.
It also reported 98 new fatalities from COVID-19, bringing the total death toll in Russia to 1,723.
12:45pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Officials submit report to SHC regarding ration distribution in Sujawal district
The officials shared the details in a report submitted to the SHC in a case regarding the quality of the ration bags distributed in the district.
The officials have told the court that the government issued funds of more than 20.81 million during the lockdown. They also reported that 90.34 million was distributed among more than 74,000 people under the Ehsaas Programme.
During today’s hearing, the petitioner alleged that the person given the contract to distribute the ration has been threatening the petitioner.
To this Justice Muhammad Ali said if it continues then a case will be registered against the contractor. He also remarked that the court will also investigate the matter regarding the ration bags.
12:40pm - Copenhagen, Denmark — Denmark to ease coronavirus restrictions further from June 8
Danish museums, amusement parks and cinemas will be allowed to reopen from June 8, the government said on Friday, after it struck a deal with parliament on how restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 could be eased further.
In the third phase of its reopening plan, Denmark will also increase the maximum number of people allowed to meet in public to between 30 and 50, up from a 10-person limit, it said.
Danish shopping malls, schools for the oldest students and restaurants will be allowed to reopen in the coming weeks said the government late on Thursday as it enters the second phase of reopening after curbing the spread of the virus.
The third reopening phase would only take place if the number of infected and hospitalisations did not “increase more than expected,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Night clubs, music venues and gyms would remain shut until the fourth phase of the reopening which is expected to start by the beginning of August, it added.
12:35pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Senate committee meets to draw up plan to hold session of upper house of Parliament
A meeting of the Senate’s Business Advisory Committee is underway to formulate a plan to hold a session of the upper house of Parliament in the amid the coronavirus crisis.
Senators in Islamabad attended the meeting in person, while the other members of the committee joined through a video link.
12:25pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Karachi in complete lockdown
Karachi has undergone a complete lockdown after the Sindh Home Department stated that movement in the port city will be restricted from 12pm to 3:30pm.
The ministry shared that the police officials have been told that people should be asked to go back to their homes if they come out on the roads.
12:20pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab govt approves notification for additional salary for professionals dealing with coronavirus patients
The Punjab government approved a notification allowing additional salary for the doctors and related professionals providing their service to the coronavirus patients.
According to Secretary Finance Abdullah, the additional salary will be given to permanent, contractual and temporary employees.
“The additional salary will be issued this month before Eid,” said the secretary. The announcement for the additional income was made by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar last month.
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12:10pm - Bahawalpur, Pakistan — 18 cops test positive for virus
Spokesperson of Bahawalpur police shared that 18 cops have tested positive for the virus in the district.
The spokesperson stated that patients include members of the elite force, traffic police and officials of various police stations. He added that the affected officials have been shifted to the affected hospitals in the district’s civil hospital.
12:00pm - Sindh health minister shares details of coronavirus hospitals in Karachi
The state of virus lockdowns in Asian countries
As countries around the world are reporting a flattening in the curve of coronavirus infections and moving towards an easing in restrictions, major Asian economies, eager to resume business activity, are following suit.
Have a look at the few countries as examples of how in some places success in defeating the virus came after stringent measures, signalling a time for curbs to be lifted and how in others, a constant battle to keep the economy afloat meant that governments could not wait that long.
In others still, lockdown measures came late in the backdrop of much controversy and skepticism.
Read more here.
11:40am - IMF says more than 100 countries have approached for assistance
The International Monetary Fund has stated that more than 100 countries have approached the lender for emergency assistance due to the coronavirus.
The IMF stated that they are providing assistance to various countries, adding that it will provide $100 billion under rapid credit financing. The fund stated that the lender has already provided $18 billion worth of assistance to 50 countries till May 7.
11:30am - Lahore, Pakistan — NDMA donates protective equipment to PIA
The National Disaster Management Authority has donated protective kits worth $100,000 to PIA for the passengers and the national carrier's staff.
The equipment includes protective suit, masks and goggles. PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik thanked Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Afzal for the donation.
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11:05am - Islamabad, Pakistan — Country may return to lockdown if precaution is not followed, warns minister
Federal Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz has warned that if precautionary measures are not followed then the country may have to go back to a lockdown.
“We need the public’s cooperation to open the lockdown,” tweeted Faraz, adding that businesses will have to strictly follow the SOPs set for them.
The minister stated that the government has to take the public’s health and economic situation along with it. He assured that a gradual reopening of the lockdown will benefit the weaker segments of the society severely affected by the coronavirus.
11:00am - Bangkok Thailand — Thailand reports eight new coronavirus cases, no new deaths
Thailand on Friday reported eight new coronavirus cases but no deaths, bringing the total to 3,000 cases and 55 deaths since the outbreak started in January.
Of the new cases, three are from the southern province of Yala where authorities are aggressively testing the population due to high infection rates, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, spokesman for the government’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
Five other new cases are migrants who have been detained at an immigration detention centre in southern Songkhla province, Taweesin said. The centre has seen 60 other cases in the past two weeks.
Slowing numbers of new cases have prompted Thailand to cautiously allow some businesses this week to reopen after weeks of semi-lockdown.
10:35am - Sydney, Australia – PM Morrison maps out staged easing of COVID-19 curbs
Australia will ease social distancing restrictions in a three-step process, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, as Canberra aims to remove all curbs by July and get nearly 1 million people back to work amid a decline in coronavirus cases.
Australia in March imposed strict social distancing restrictions, which coupled with the closure of its borders, are credited with drastically slowing the number of new infections of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
With fewer than 20 new infections each day, Morrison said Australian states and territories on Friday agreed a road map to remove most of the curbs.
"You can stay under the doona forever. You'll never face any danger," Morrison told reporters in Canberra, using an Australian word for quilt. "But we've got to get out from under the doona at some time."
10:20am – Washington, US — Pompeo sees WHO role in polio despite virus feud
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced openness Thursday to US participation in World Health Organization efforts on polio and other diseases, despite vows to freeze funds over its coronavirus response.
President Donald Trump on April 14 said he would cut off money to the UN body which he accused of acting too late on the pandemic and blindly taking the word of China, where the SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected.
Pompeo, in two interviews on Thursday, said the Trump administration recognized that the WHO worked on a wide range of issues.
"We’re trying to figure out, are there pieces of it that still make sense? It’s done good work in some places on polio and the like," Pompeo told conservative radio host Chris Stigall.
Pompeo separately told host Jack Heath: "Let’s see if there’s a piece of this which we ought to continue to participate in because it´s doing good work on polio or whatever it may be."
10:15am – UAE, Dubai — Massive India repatriation begins with flights from Gulf state
The first wave of a massive exercise to repatriate hundreds of thousands of Indians stuck abroad began Thursday, with two flights landing in India from the United Arab Emirates.
Delhi banned all incoming international flights in late March as it imposed one of the world’s strictest virus lockdowns, leaving vast numbers of workers and students stranded.
Some 15,000 nationals will be repatriated from 12 countries on planes and naval ships, in a mammoth exercise which saw the civil aviation ministry’s website crash Wednesday as panicked citizens rushed to register.
10:10am - Washington, US — No apparent harm or benefit from hydroxychloroquine: study
A study performed in New York hospitals found no evidence of either harm or benefit from giving the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to severely ill coronavirus patients.
"The risk of intubation or death was not significantly higher or lower among patients who received hydroxychloroquine than among those who did not," the authors of the study said.
They said the study, published on Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, "should not be taken to rule out either benefit or harm of hydroxychloroquine treatment."
"However, our findings do not support the use of hydroxychloroquine at present, outside randomized clinical trials testing its efficacy," they said.
10:00am — Islamabad, Pakistan — Confirmed virus cases rise to 25,837, death toll at 605
The day Pakistan announced to ease lockdown restrictions, 1,764 new cases were recorded in a single day with 35 fatalities, according to an update by the national dashboard tracking the spread of the virus.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country has soared to 25,837 after the new infections.
Of these, 9,093 were reported in Sindh, 10,033 in Punjab, 3,956 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,725 in Balochistan, 558 in Islamabad, 394 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 78 in Azad Kashmir.
Over 7,500 patients have also recovered from the virus so far.
9:45am — Canberra, Australia — Central bank sees worst economic slump on record
Australia’s central bank on Friday predicted the country is facing its biggest economic contraction on record and said it was committed to support jobs and incomes as the government announced plans to relax pandemic-related restrictions by July.
In its quarterly statement on monetary policy, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) forecast the A$2 trillion ($1.3 trillion) economy would shrink by 10% in the first half of the year, marking the first recession in three decades, Reuters reported.
9:30am — Paris, France — Take a look at the geographic spread of virus laboratories
9:15am — Tokyo, Japan — Abe, Trump agree to cooperate on steps to fight coronavirus
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump on Friday agreed to cooperate closely on measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, including the development of drugs and vaccines, Japan’s top government spokesman said.
Abe and Trump held talks by phone for about 45 minutes from around 10:00am (0100 GMT), Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, according to Reuters.
9:00am — Cairo, Egypt — Africa battles on as virus lockdowns ease elsewhere
8:45am — Lahore, Punjab — Confirmed virus cases in Punjab rise above 10,000, death toll nears 200
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Punjab rose to 10,033 early on Friday after new infections were confirmed across the province, Geo News reported. The total number of virus dead in the province climbed to 194.
The update in the virus numbers of Punjab took the country-wide virus cases to above 25,000 and the country-wide death toll to 603.
8:30am — Mexico City, Mexico — Ex-presidential residence turned into coronavirus base for nurses, doctors
Mexico has transformed the luxurious former presidential “Los Pinos” complex, which was for many decades the country's most prestigious residence, into a temporary home for healthcare workers battling the coronavirus outbreak, according to Reuters.
Once famed for its sumptuousness, the sprawling residence now appears sparse with converted rooms housing modest single beds with crisp white sheets and grey metal lockers, similar to those found in hospital changing rooms.
12:00am — Ottawa, Canada — State to help fund pay hikes for essential workers
Canada and the country’s 10 provinces will boost pay for essential workers such as employees in seniors’ residences, which are linked to 80% of coronavirus deaths, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, Reuters reported.
“If you’re risking your health to keep this country moving and you’re making minimum wage, you deserve a raise,” he told a daily briefing.
For our May 7 coronavirus coverage click here.