Coronavirus updates, June 9: Latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from Pakistan and around the world
Nationwide confirmed cases jump past 110,000, death toll crosses 2,200; global death toll tops 405,000
Updated Tuesday Jun 09 2020
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 110,851 on Tuesday after new infections were confirmed in the country.
The province-wise break up of the total number of cases as of 11:43pm, June 9, is as follows:
Total confirmed cases: 110,851
• Sindh: 41,303
• Punjab: 40,819
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 14,527
• Balochistan: 7,031
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 5,785
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 974
• AJK: 412
Deaths: 2,216
• Punjab: 773
• Sindh: 696
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 610
• Balochistan: 62
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 14
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 52
• AJK: 9
More than 7.09 million people have been reported infected with the novel coronavirus globally and over 405,000 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
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 JUNE 9
Live updates for June 10 to continue here.
12:01am (June 10) — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh's cases at a glance
11:43pm — Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan — Region reports 22 new cases
11:30pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — As many as 188 doctors providing services on government's telehealth dashboard
11:15pm — Ankara, Turkey — Erdogan relaxes coronavirus restrictions further, vows to boost economy
President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was largely lifting stay-at-home orders for people aged over 65 and for children as part of a further easing of restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, Reuters reported.
Turkey had already lifted restrictions on intercity travel and allowed restaurants, cafes, parks and sports facilities to reopen on June 1 after a sharp slowdown in the number of new cases and fatalities due to COVID-19, the lung disease caused by the virus.
In a televised statement following a cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said his government would provide incentives to boost employment and would support industry to maintain export- and production-oriented growth to revive the economy.
“We will support employment for young people under 25 and enable them to get (work) experience,” he said, adding that “normalisation support” would be provided to employers.
24-hour coronavirus update
11:06pm — Berlin, Germany — Virus-related travel warnings for non-European countries to be extended until Aug 31: sources
Germany plans to extend its travel warnings for non-European countries until Aug. 31, government sources told Reuters, adding that Berlin was also strongly advising against any cruises due to the special risks related to coronavirus.
10:59pm — US government offers $25 billion in COVID-19 relief to some hospitals
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it would distribute about $25 billion to hospitals that have not previously received relief funds as they grapple with a rise in COVID-19 cases, Reuters reported.
The agency said it would provide about $15 billion of the total to hospitals serving patients covered by federal Medicaid program for low-income individuals and children’s health insurance program, and $10 billion to safety net hospitals that treat patients regardless of their insurance status.
The US government has earmarked $175 billion for hospitals and medical providers to meet the increased expenses from rising COVID-19 cases and cover lost revenues due to suspension of medical procedures and routine visits.
10:50pm — Karachi, Pakistan — WHO is not an organisation representing PPP, Wahab slams PTI over easing lockdown
World Health Organisation does not represent the PPP, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said, while criticising federal government over its policy to ease the lockdown.
He said that the government and courts need to take stern actions because this pandemic cannot be tackled without it, he said while speaking in Geo News' programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath".
The WHO, in its letter to the country, had mentioned that Pakistan did not meet any prerequisites of lifting the lockdown restrictions.
10:36pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — More than 100 deaths registered for the first time
Pakistan recorded its highest single day death toll — 100 deaths, according to the national dashboard.
10:23pm — Tehran, Iran — One in five people may have had virus, says health official
Nearly one in five Iranians may have been infected with the novel coronavirus since the country's outbreak started in February, a health official said, AFP reported.
“About 15 million Iranians may have experienced being infected with this virus since the outbreak began,” said Ehsan Mostafavi, a member of the task force set up to combat COVID-19.
This meant the virus was “much less lethal than we or the world had anticipated”, the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.
Mostafavi said it was derived from serology tests to identify antibodies in patients who have recovered from the illness.
WATCH: Message for mothers infected with coronavirus
10:00pm — Qeutta, Pakistan — Balochistan's cases at a glance
9:54pm — Quetta, Pakistan — Balochistan reports four deaths, more than 200 infections
9:48pm — Online used car seller Vroom's shares surge 83% in debut
Shares of online used car seller Vroom Inc soared nearly 83% in their market debut, as the U.S. IPO market roars back to life after the coronavirus crisis slammed the brakes on new listings, Reuters reported.
Shares opened at $40.25, giving the company a market value of $4.54 billion.
The IPO was priced at $22 apiece on Monday, above the upwardly revised range of $18 to $20, and sold 21.25 million shares compared with the earlier plan of 18.8 million shares.
The blockbuster listing highlights the strong appetite for new stock offerings, as well as healthy demand for online-focused companies against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
9:32pm — Paris, France — Eiffel Tower to welcome back visitors on June 25
The Eiffel Tower in Paris will reopen on June 25 from its longest closure since World War Two after being forced to shut for more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tower’s management said, Reuters reported.
Wearing a face mask will be compulsory for all visitors from 11 years old.
The French government has started to ease lockdown measures from mid-May.
The Palace of Versailles reopened on June 6 while the Louvre museum will welcome back visitors from July 6.
9:26pm — Manaus, Brazil — A 92-year-old patient recovers from COVID-19
9:08pm — China, scientists dismiss Harvard study suggesting COVID-19 was spreading in Wuhan in August
Beijing dismissed as “ridiculous” a Harvard Medical School study of hospital traffic and search engine data that suggested the new coronavirus may already have been spreading in China last August, and scientists said it offered no convincing evidence of when the outbreak began, Reuters reported.
The research, which has not been peer-reviewed by other scientists, used satellite imagery of hospital parking lots in Wuhan - where the disease was first identified in late 2019 - and data for symptom-related queries on search engines for things such as “cough” and “diarrhea”.
The study’s authors said increased hospital traffic and symptom search data in Wuhan preceded the documented start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in December 2019.
“While we cannot confirm if the increased volume was directly related to the new virus, our evidence supports other recent work showing that emergence happened before identification at the Huanan Seafood market (in Wuhan),” they said.
8:46pm — Rotselaar, Belgium — Belgian aged 103 walking marathon to raise funds for COVID-19 research
A 103-year-old Belgian doctor is walking a marathon around his garden in daily stages to raise money for research into the new coronavirus, inspired by a centenarian who became a hero in Britain for clocking up the charity miles with a walking frame.
Alfons Leempoels, a retired general practitioner, started his 42.2 km (26.2 miles) journey in the municipality of Rotselaar, north-east of Brussels, on June 1 and plans to complete it on June 30.
Every day he walks 10 laps of 145 metres (159 yards); three in the morning, three at noon and four in the evening. To avoid losing count, he throws a stick into a bowl every time he completes a lap.
Leempoels said the idea came to him when he saw World War Two veteran Tom Moore, 100, strike a chord in Britain by raising the equivalent of more than $40 million for the country’s health service by walking around his garden.
“My children said that I can walk at least as well as Tom Moore and on top of that I am 103 years old,” he told Reuters.
“So they suggested that maybe I should do something. My granddaughter had just run a marathon and as a joke I said: I will run a marathon.”
Read complete story here.
8:35pm — Geneva, Switzerland — WHO retraces assertion that asymptomatic transmission is ‘very rare'
A top expert at the World Health Organisation took back her earlier assertion that transmission of the coronavirus by people who do not have symptoms is “very rare.”
Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, who made the original comment at a WHO briefing on Monday, said that it was based on just two or three studies and that it was a “misunderstanding” to say asymptomatic transmission is rare globally.
“I was just responding to a question, I wasn’t stating a policy of W.H.O. or anything like that,” she said.
8:25pm — SBP governor to speak in World Bank's panel discussion on COVID-19
8:18pm — Paris, France — Airlines heading for $84 billion loss this year: IATA
Airlines are set to lose $84 billion as the coronavirus pandemic reduces revenue by half to mark the worst year in the sector’s history, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast, Reuters reported.
With most of the world’s airliners currently parked, IATA said revenue would likely fall to $419 billion from $838 billion last year.
“Every day of this year will add $230 million to industry losses,” IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac said.
The average loss amounts to almost $38 per passenger flown.
In 2021, IATA warned losses could hit $100 billion as traffic struggles to recover and airlines slash fares to win business.
“Airlines will still be financially fragile in 2021,” De Juniac said, predicting “even more intense” competition.
8:00pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Only 3% Pakistanis clear-headed about coronavirus: survey
As Pakistan crossed its highest 150 coronavirus-related deaths in a day, a survey reveals that only three percent Pakistanis are clear-headed about the disease, with no misconceptions about its prevention, spread and cure, APP reported.
A snap poll by Ipsos, a global market research and public opinion specialist showed public perceptions, attitudes and behaviors among Pakistanis towards the coronavirus pandemic.
7:52pm — As many as 26 US states witness increasing COVID-19 cases
7:46pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — NCOC informed 102 labs testing for COVID-19
7:40pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — More than 250 Pakistanis repatriated from Baghdad
Another special flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying 253 passengers departed Baghdad for Islamabad.
The total number of repatriated Pakistanis has thus reached 645 including 81 prisoners, said a press release received from Iraq here today.
7:34pm — Gilead's remdesivir shows promise in COVID-19 study on monkeys
Gilead Sciences Inc’s antiviral drug, remdesivir, prevented lung disease in macaque monkeys infected with the new coronavirus, a study published in medical journal Nature showed, Reuters reported.
Remdesivir is the first drug to show improvement in COVID-19 in human trials, and its progress in clinical studies is being closely watched as nations look for a treatment for the disease, which has infected more than 7 million people and killed over 400,000.
In the study, 12 macaque monkeys were deliberately infected with the new coronavirus, and half of them were given early treatment with remdesivir.
Macaques that received remdesivir did not show signs of respiratory disease and had reduced damage to the lungs, according to the study.
7:26pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — KP reports 23 new deaths, 521 infections
7:21pm — Ankara, Turkey — Turkish industrial production plunged 17% in April as pandemic took hold: Reuters poll
Turkey’s industrial production is expected to have contracted 17% annually in April due to a severe economic downturn brought on by measures to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Industrial production contracted 2% in March, compared to expectations of 1.8% expansion in a Reuters poll.
The median estimate in a Reuters poll of seven institutions showed a year-on-year contraction of 17% of the calendar-adjusted industrial production index in April.
Forecasts ranged between contractions of 9.5% and 28%.
Turkey’s economy expanded by 4.5% in the first quarter of 2020, remaining below expectations. It had contracted annually in the three quarters to the middle of 2019, with growth surging in the final quarter of the year.
7:16pm — Karachi, Pakistan — ICC bans use of saliva, allows COVID-19 replacement players as part of interim regulations
The International Cricket Council banned the use of saliva as it modified its playing regulations on an interim basis, a statement from the ICC said.
The teams will be allowed to apply for a COVID replacement player, the statement said. The new rules have paved the way for the appointment of all-home umpires during international games due to travel restrictions around the world.
The statement confirmed that the Chief Executives’ Committee has ratified recommendations of the Cricket Committee to mitigate the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus and protect the health of players and match officials when cricket resumes.
According to new interim playing conditions, the teams will be allowed to replace players displaying symptoms of COVID-19 during a Test match. In line with concussion replacements, the match referee will approve the nearest like-for-like replacement.
7:04pm — Vienna, Austria — Number of Austrian job-seekers falls below 500,000
The number of Austrian job-seekers has fallen below half a million for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic pushed unemployment to the highest level recorded since World War Two, Labour Minister Christine Aschbacher said, Reuters reported.
The government has taken to reporting unemployment figures weekly rather than monthly. Unemployment stood at 11.5% at the end of May by a national measure, having eased from a peak above 12% in mid-April as the country’s lockdown was loosened.
A week after that data was reported it has fallen further, Aschbacher said. The number of job-seekers fell to 492,616, of whom 447,143 were registered as unemployed and the rest were in training. At the end of May there were 517,221 job-seekers.
“For the first time since the corona crisis, we have fewer than 500,000 people looking for work in Austria,” Aschbacher told a news conference.
6:55pm — Wllingtin, New Zealand — Cuts in research to keep Antarctica virus free
New Zealand said it will reduce its scientific projects in Antarctica to keep the virtually uninhabited continent free from COVID-19, Reuters reported.
Antarctica New Zealand, the government agency that does environmental research on the desolate landmass and the Southern Ocean, said limiting the number of people visiting was key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
The agency said it had decided to support "only long-term science monitoring, essential operational activity and planned maintenance this season" at its Scott Base after consulting other research programmes in the region.
According to reports, the number of projects was being cut from 36 to 13 across the upcoming research season from October to March.
6:46pm — Paris, France — Prosecutor opens probe into handling of COVID-19 crisis
The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary inquiry into the authorities’ response to the coronavirus epidemic, to determine whether any criminal offences might have been committed, Reuters reported.
The prosecutor said in a statement the court had received 62 complaints about the handling of the crisis by public bodies, including government ministries, local authorities and nursing homes.
In France, 29,209 people have died from coronavirus infection and there are 154,188 confirmed cases.
6:40pm — Karachi, Pakistan — 888 inmates and hundreds of jail officials test positive for COVID-19 in Sindh
Sindh Health Department said that hundreds of jail officials and 888 inmates have tested positive for coronavirus in the province's jails with the most infections in Karachi's Central Jail.
828 inmates and 14 jail officials have tested positive, while one has died of the virus in Karachi's Central Jail.
Meanwhile, 30 inmates have tested positive in District Jail Badin, 12 in Larkana, and 11 in District Jail Mirpur Khas.
6:30pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Five more hospitals to be establish in Sindh: Health minister Sindh
Health minister Sindh Azra Fazal Pechuho said that the province will establish five more hospitals in Karachi to tackle coronavirus.
High Dependency Units with 800 beds will be set up and an additional 210 ventilators will also be procured by the end of July, she said.
The minister said that the government will keep taking steps to curb coronavirus, but it is better if the people follow safety measures.
6:20pm — Brazil reports 679 new coronavirus deaths amid controversy over data
Brazil reported 679 new COVID-19 deaths and 15,654 additional confirmed cases, as controversy grew over the country’s official coronavirus data amid allegations of manipulation from a senior lawmaker, Reuters reported.
Brazil’s Health Ministry removed data from its website over the weekend and stopped releasing cumulative totals for coronavirus deaths and infections. The move came soon after it released two contradictory sets of data.
The numbers the government issued on Monday were the same as those reported earlier by the National Council of Health Secretaries (Conass), which brings together the heads of Brazil’s state health departments but is separate from the federal health ministry.
According to Conass, Brazil’s death toll now stands at 37,134, the world’s third highest after the United States and Britain. There were 707,412 confirmed cases as of Monday, the second highest level after the United States.
Read complete story here.
5:59pm — Dubai, UAE — Emirates airline planning thousands of job cuts, lays off pilots, cabin crew: sources
Emirates, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, is planning to cut thousands of jobs and has began laying off pilots and cabin crew as to manage a cash crunch caused by the global coronavirus pandemic, according to five company sources.
5:51pm — Rome, Italy — For Muslims, lack of burial space deepens grief in pandemic
5:38pm — Lahore. Pakistan — WHO recommends Punjab impose strict 2-week lockdown to stem COVID-19 spread
The World Health Organisation has recommended enforcing a strict two-week lockdown in Punjab as the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow in the province.
In a letter to the Punjab government, WHO lauded the provincial government’s efforts in response to the pandemic.
“Government intervention on April 12th 2020 detailing social distancing measures including restrictions, closure of schools and businesses, international travel restrictions and geographical area restrictions were instituted with the aim of limiting the spread of the disease,” the letter said.
Read complete story here.
5:32pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — The capital's cases at a glance
5:22pm — Lahore, Pakistan — Will impose lockdown in areas with higher number of coronavirus cases: Rashid
Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid said that the provincial government will impose a lockdown in areas with higher number of coronavirus cases to stem the spread of the disease.
The provincial health minister spoke to media today, where she said that the government had warned earlier that the number of cases will rise.
The minister said that the final decision regarding the lockdown will be taken by the cabinet committee.
“Lahore has more than 19,000 coronavirus cases,” said the Punjab health minister, adding that when the lockdown was eased ‘people thought that the coronavirus has left’.
Read complete story here.
5:00pm - London, UK — Windies' arrival in England a 'huge step forward' for cricket
West Indies captain Jason Holder said international cricket will take a "huge step forward" following the coronavirus shutdown as his team arrived on Tuesday for a Test series in England.
Fans who have had to make do with months of television repeats can now look forward to the real thing again, with England captain Joe Root saying of the West Indies' decision to tour: "It must be extremely scary and I think the whole cricketing world will be grateful to see some cricket again."
The three-match contest was originally meant to be played in June but will now start on July 8 instead because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This is a huge step forward in cricket and in sports in general as we travel over to England for this series," said Holder.
"A lot has gone into the preparations for what will be a new phase in the game."
But rather than matches before crowds at The Oval, Edgbaston and Lord's, a now back-to-back series will take place behind closed doors at the more 'bio-secure' Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford.
Whereas players usually spend evenings during a Test away from the ground, they will now instead find themselves in a protective bubble at two venues which both have onsite hotels.
4:45pm - Paris, France — France presents aid package to 'save' aerospace industry
France launched what it said was a 15 billion euro ($17 billion) rescue plan for its aerospace industry on Tuesday, warning 100,000 jobs were directly at stake due to the coronavirus crisis travel slump.
The package, which includes some already announced measures, includes an investment fund starting at 500 million euros with a target of 1 billion to boost the development of medium-sized suppliers, and 300 million euros of other aid to help aerospace sub-contractors modernise plants.
“We must save our aerospace industry,” Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said as he presented the aid plan, adding Europe would not sacrifice its place on the world market - symbolised by France-based planemaker Airbus -—to US giant Boeing or China’s upcoming planemaking competitor COMAC.
France will also invest 1.5 billion euros over three years to support research into new environmentally friendly aviation technology, of which 300 million will be available this year.
4:30pm - Bratislava, Slovakia — Slovakia to allow travel from 16 more countries, ease mask rules
Slovakia will allow free travel to and from 16 more European countries from June 10 and no longer require face masks to be worn outside, Prime Minister Igor Matovic said on Tuesday, as the country further eased its coronavirus lockdown.
There will be no restrictions on visitors from Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.
Slovakia last week reopened borders with neighbours Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary.
Slovakia had imposed relatively strict restrictions including border closures before it reported any coronavirus cases, and has moved cautiously in reopening.
4:15pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Spokesperson says 10 Governor house employees test positive
A spokesperson of the Governor House shared that ten employees have tested positive for the virus after the 133 employees were tested for the disease.
The spokesperson shared that the driver of Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar has also tested positive for the virus. But clarified that the governor’s test results were negative.
3:15pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Positive cases in Sindh shoots past 41,000
Nationwide positive cases of coronavirus crossed 110,065 after new cases were reported in Sindh.
According to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, 1,745 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.
The new cases takes the provincial tally of positive cases to 41,303.
3:15pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Countrywide death toll rises to 2,189
Nationwide death toll from the coroanvirus rose to 2,189 after new deaths were reported in Sindh.
According to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, 17 new deaths were recorded in province taking the provincial tally to 696.
COVID-19 reproduction rate
2:55pm - Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesia resumes domestic air travel, coronavirus cases jump
Indonesia has resumed domestic flights for all passengers provided airlines operate at 70% capacity and follow strict rules brought into force on Tuesday, when the country announced its biggest daily rise in cases of the novel coronavirus.
Indonesia’s Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the new regulations for flights followed discussions with airlines, the country’s COVID-19 taskforce and the health ministry.
“Transportation management in the era of the new normal hinges on health aspects,” Sumadi told an online news conference. “We hope that people stay productive, but safe.”
All travellers will be required to wear masks, maintain physical distancing and present a recent health certificate to show they have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, under the regulations that Novie Riyanto, a transport ministry official, told Reuters came into effect on Tuesday.
2:20pm - London, UK — UK COVID-19 death toll nears 52,000, Reuters tally shows
The United Kingdom’s COVID-19 death toll neared 52,000 on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally of official data sources that highlighted the country’s place as one of the worst hit in the world.
New data for England and Wales brought the toll to 51,766, the highest in Europe and putting the UK behind only the much larger United States in a pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 people around the world.
Such a large death toll has prompted criticism of Prime Minister Johnson, who opposition parties say was too slow to impose a lockdown or protect the elderly in nursing homes or to build a test and trace system.
The Reuters tally comprises fatalities where COVID-19 was mentioned on death certificates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to May 29, and up to May 31 in Scotland. It also includes more recent hospital deaths.
1:45pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — PM Imran to chair briefing to consider imposing stricter lockdown: sources
Prime Minister Imran Khan has called a meeting today, after the cabinet meeting, to consider imposing a stricter lockdown in the country, sources told Geo News.
According to sources, PM Imran will be briefed on the coronavirus situation by the officials of the NCOC. While NDMA officials will also brief the PM on the supply of medical equipment.
The health ministry officials will brief the PM on the issues being faced by the doctors and the paramedical staff, said the sources.
1:30pm - Berlin, Germany — A quarter of German companies needed liquidity aid in May
Around a quarter of German companies needed liquidity aid last month, the Ifo economic institute said on Tuesday, as Europe’s largest economy is struggling with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic despite a gradual easing of social distancing measures.
Some 24% of companies polled needed aid in May - unchanged from April, Ifo said.
The survey showed that 85% of travel agencies and tour operators accepted aid compared with 17% in the industrial sector and 5% in construction.
1:00pm - Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tests negative for virus
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has tested negative for the virus after he had gotten himself tested for the virus after attending an event held by MNA Jai Prakash.
Prakash had tested positive for the virus on Monday.
12:15pm - London, UK — Novel coronavirus may have been spreading in China in August, Harvard research indicates
The novel coronavirus might have been spreading in China as early as August 2019, according to Harvard Medical School research based on satellite images of hospital travel patterns and search engine data.
The research used high-resolution satellite imagery of hospital parking lots in Wuhan — where the disease emerged in late 2019 — and data for symptom-related queries on search engines for things such as “cough” and “diarrhoea”.
“Increased hospital traffic and symptom search data in Wuhan preceded the documented start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in December 2019,” according to the research.
“While we cannot confirm if the increased volume was directly related to the new virus, our evidence supports other recent work showing that emergence happened before identification at the Huanan Seafood market.”
“These findings also corroborate the hypothesis that the virus emerged naturally in southern China and was potentially already circulating at the time of the Wuhan cluster,” according to the research.
It showed a steep increase in hospital parking lot occupancy in August 2019.
“In August, we identify a unique increase in searches for diarrhoea which was neither seen in previous flu seasons or mirrored in the cough search data,” according to the research.
12:00pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Murtaza Wahab says people who are isolating and resting well are recovering in high numbers
11:20am - Islamabad, Pakistan — 102 testing labs operational across country: NCOC
The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) shared that there are currently 102 testing labs equipped to for coronavirus testing across the country.
During today's meeting, the NCOC discussed in detail the incentive package for front line healthcare workers.
The NCOC was also told that over 11,000 SOP violations were observed across the country including AJK and Gilgit Baltistan.
11:05am - Sydney, Australia — Australian state lets sports fans back in stadiums as COVID-19 cases slow
As Australia moves ahead with relaxing a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, a state government gave the all clear for more than 2,000 fans to attend an Australian Rules Football game at a stadium in Adelaide this weekend.
“Football and crowds are back in South Australia,” Steven Marshall, South Australia’s premier told reporters in the state capital on Tuesday, heralding the match between the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide.
Professional sport was allowed to resume in Australia last month after a two-month hiatus, but it will become one of the first nations to admit spectators to stadiums as lockdowns begin to be relaxed in many countries.
Australia has suffered at least 102 COVID-19 deaths and about 7,200 infections, but it has not reported a death for more than a week, and new cases have dwindled to less than 20 daily.
10:45am - PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb tests positive for virus
AC Kalat Wakeel Ahmed Kakar loses life to coronavirus
10:25am - Wellington, New Zealand — In New Zealand, shopping, parties and big hugs mark start of 'COVID-free' life
New Zealanders hugged and kissed, shopped, and planned parties on Tuesday as the country took off all coronavirus restrictions for the first time in more than three months, while much of the rest of the world is still grappling with the pandemic.
The South Pacific nation of 5 million declared on Monday that it was free of the coronavirus, becoming one of the first countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic normality.
This meant no more limits on people in cafes, malls, stadiums, night clubs or public and private gatherings. Life, for the most part, is back to normal.
“I’m just walking in the city today and I’ve seen more people than I have seen in months,” said Steve Price of the capital, Wellington.
“People are shopping, dining and just hanging about holding hands... it’s so lovely to see,” he said.
New Zealanders are emerging from the pandemic while big economies such as Brazil, Britain, India and the United States continue to struggle with the virus.
Its largely due months of restrictions, including about seven weeks of a strict lockdown in which most businesses were shut and everyone except essential workers had to stay home.
Bangladeshi policemen hold yoga session to boost immune system
9:40am - SAPM DR Zafar Mirza shares centres for plasma donation
9:30am — Islamabad, Pakistan — Death toll rises to 2,172
Death toll from novel coronavirus climbed to 2,172 in Pakistan after new deaths were reported in the country.
According to the national dashboard, 29 new deaths were recorded in Sindh and one more death was reported in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
9:30am — Islamabad, Pakistan — Positive cases shoot past 108,000
Confirmed cases in the country jumped to 108,317 after new cases were reported in Sindh, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the national dashboard, 1,447 new cases were reported in Sindh, 456 in Islamabad and 16 new cases in AJK.
As of now, 40,819 cases have been reported in Punjab, 39,555 in Sindh, 14,006 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6,788 Balochistan, 5,785 Islamabad, 952 Gilgit Baltistan and 412 in Azad Kashmir.
WHO says pandemic 'far from over' as daily cases hit record high
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus as it continues to wreak havoc across around the world.
"More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal," Ghebreyesus told an online briefing.
More than 136,000 new cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, the most in a single day so far, he said. Nearly 75% of them were reported from 10 countries, mostly in the Americas and South Asia.
In response to a question on China, WHO's top emergencies expert, Brazil is now one of the hotspots of the pandemic, with the second-highest number of confirmed cases, behind only the United States, and a death toll that last week surpassed Italy's.
8:45am — US, Washington — University of Washington forecasts 145,000 US COVID-19 deaths by August
University of Washington researchers estimated on Monday that 145,728 people could die of COVID-19 in the United States by August, raising their forecast by more than 5,000 fatalities in a matter of days.
8:30am — Mexico, City — Mexico reports nearly 3,000 new cases, total infections at 120,000
The Mexican government reported 2,999 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing total confirmed infections to 120,102, according to data from the health ministry.
The country's official coronavirus death toll rose to 14,053, up from 13,699 on Sunday.
The government has said the actual number of infections and deaths caused by COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus, is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.