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Summary
- The global death toll from coronavirus has passed 258,000. There are more than 3.6 million known cases of infection but more than 1.2 million people have recovered, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally
- In Australia, the death toll stands at 97 and there are 6875 confirmed cases
- President Donald Trump says the White House coronavirus taskforce will continue "indefinitely" but focus on COVID-19 treatments and safely reopening the US economy
- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he wants some lockdown measures to be eased as soon as Monday
- Trials are starting at Heathrow Airport aimed at setting a global common standard for health screening that would enable international travel to restart
Boris Johnson wants lockdown easing to 'get going' on Monday
By Latika Bourke
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been questioned about his handling of the pandemic which is coming under increased scrutiny, with the UK overtaking Italy to record Europe's highest death toll.
The UK has recorded more than 30,000 deaths, the second-highest reported coronavirus toll in the world.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes a morning walk at St James's Park in London before returning to Downing Street, Wednesday May 6, 2020.Credit:PA
The UK was slow to carry out mass testing, which critics say is partly to blame for allowing the virus to spread and claim so many lives.
Johnson promised to double the UK's testing capacity to 200,000 per day by June, having achieved a target of carrying out 100,000 tests by May - however, this number has since declined.
Johnson is also accused of waiting too long before imposing an enforced lockdown, which eventually came into force on March 23.
The extended shutdown is due to expire on Thursday; Johnson confirmed he will make a televised address on Sunday to outline the first stages of the lockdown easing.
He said he hoped to "get going on some of these measures on Monday."
Spain extends March 14 lockdown by another two weeks
By Latika Bourke
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has extended the country's state of emergency by another two weeks until May 23.
Spain has been in lockdown since March 14 meaning the European country is imposing one of the world's longest lockdowns.
"Lifting the state of emergency at this time would be an absolute mistake," Sanchez said.
People filling the street in Barcelona on Saturday, able to exercise for the first time in months.Credit:Getty
While Spaniards have largely obeyed the lockdown, political support is fraying.
The conservative People's Party, the main opposition group, refused to endorse Sanchez's extraordinary powers for the first time.
But some lockdown restrictions are easing; adults were allowed outside for limited exercise for the first time on the weekend.
Some restaurants and bars have opened this week for takeaways and hairdressers are now allowed to take appointments.
Sanchez has said he aims to return the whole country to a "new normal" by the end of June but has warned that any resurgence in infections could see restrictions tightened again.
Spain has reported 25,857 deaths from coronavirus, the fourth-highest toll in the world.
with Bloomberg
German soccer to resume mid-May, with restrictions
By Latika Bourke
Germany's Bundesliga is set to become the first of Europe's top soccer leagues to resume play after the government said it could restart in the second half of May.
Chancellor Angela Merkel made the announcement, which had been widely expected, as part of measures to begin easing the country's lockdown aimed at halting the spread of the virus.
Players will train in quarantine camps. While spectators at matches will not be permitted, the news will be an enormous boost to sports fans around the world who have been starved of live-competition since coronavirus restrictions halted play in the world's major tournaments.
It will also add pressure for other countries leagues to resume play.
German footballers play in a stadium with no specators.Credit:AP
The German Football League (DFL) and the clubs can decide on their own on the exact date, with May 15-17 the earliest possible option.
"Today's decision is good news for the Bundesliga," said DFL chief executive Christian Seifert.
"It comes with a great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement the medical and organisational requirements in a disciplined manner."
But Seifer said games without stadium spectators were "not an ideal solution for anyone."
"However, in a crisis that threatens the existence of some clubs, it is the only way to ensure the continued existence of the leagues in their current form."
Germany's death toll from coronavirus is 6996, well below the tolls of more than 25,000 recorded by other European nations: the UK, Spain, France and Italy.
Reuters
UK's death toll passes 30,000
By Latika Bourke
The UK has become the second country to report a death toll from coronavirus higher than 30,000.
Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick said the country's death toll reached 30,076, after 649 new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.
Britain has the highest death toll in Europe and the second-highest in the world after the United States.
But Jenrick cautioned against making international comparisons, saying they showed an incomplete picture while the pandemic was still raging.
"The time for accurate international comparisons will come in the future," Jenrick said.
'WHO wants assessment more than anyone': Tedros
By Latika Bourke
Taking you to Geneva where Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is briefing the media.
Dr Tedros was asked about the United States call for China to be given observer status at the World Health Assembly's virtual meeting on May 18 and 19.
Earlier, Mike Pompeo called directly on Dr Tedros to grant Taiwan observer status - something the US Secretary of State said the DG had the power to grant.
Dr Tedros did not answer the question, instead, the WHO's legal counsel responded.
"The question is for the member states rather than the secretariat to decide," he said.
Dr Tedros was again repeatedly quizzed about whether the World Health Organisation was too slow in alerting the world to the pandemic.
Australia's push for an inquiry into the origins of the virus and its rapid spread is gaining international support.
However, many countries including Britain and Canada are cautioning that any investigation should wait until after the pandemic.
Dr Tedros said the WHO would conduct its own review and insisted: "WHO wants assessment more than anyone."
'We don't have certainty': Pompeo retreats on Wuhan lab theory
By Latika Bourke
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has retreated from claiming there is "enormous evidence" that COVID-19 began in a Wuhan lab, now saying there is no "certainty" it began in a lab.
But the former director of the CIA told reporters at the State Department that his two statements were not inconsistent.
"We don't have certainty about whether it began in the lab or whether it began someplace else," he said.
Pompeo said if China was genuine it would cooperate in helping the world understand the virus' origins.
"There's an easy way to find out the answer to that - transparency, openness."
He called for international support for allowing Taiwan to be an observer at the May 18 World Health Assembly meeting and called on WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to grant Taiwan observer status.
Taiwan was a founding member of the UN but China took its seat, and on all other related bodies in 1971. Under the One China Policy, countries including the US and Australia do not have formal diplomatic relationships with Taiwan.
Pompeo said Dr Tedros should be as concerned about China's early handling of the pandemic as countries like Australia were.
Early access super scheme hit by fraud
By Latika Bourke
Bringing you some news that broke late on Wednesday evening regarding the federal government's scheme allowing early access to superannuation.
The scheme is aimed at giving workers hit by the coronavirus restrictions some economic flexibility.
The Australian Tax Office has confirmed that the scheme has been fraudulently accessed, affecting around 100 people.
The matter has been handed to the Australian Federal Police who are investigating.
Read more from reporter Sarah Keoghan: ATO investigating fraudulent activity of government's super scheme
Trump reverses task force shutdown
By Latika Bourke
Donald Trump says the White House's coronavirus taskforce will continue "indefinitely" but will change its focus to treating COVID-19 and safely reopening the US economy.
Coronavirus taskforce: Dr Anthony Fauci speaks while Seema Verma, administrator of the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services, President Donald Trump, Surgeon-General Jerome Adams and Dr Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, listen, in March.Credit:AP
The announcement, made by the President on Twitter, comes less than 24 hours after the White House signalled the taskforce would be closed down.
Recap with this report from our US correspondent Matthew Knott: 'Exit stage left': White House to wind down coronavirus taskforce
But Trump said because of the taskforces' success in procuring enough medical equipment, "the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN."
"We may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate," the President said.
"The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics. Thank you!"
Trials for global screening standard starting at Heathrow
By Latika Bourke
Europe's busiest airport, London's Heathrow, is starting trials of thermal facial recognition screening, aimed at establishing a global common standard for health screening.
Such a standard would be key in kickstarting the global tourism and aviation sectors, which have been stopped in their tracks as a result of the pandemic and economic lockdowns imposed worldwide.
Heathrow's Terminal 4 shown nearly empty as a result of coronavirus pandemic which has grounded the aviation sector.Credit:Alamy
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said some of the measures being reviewed include: UV sanitation for security trays, facial recognition thermal screening technology to accurately track body temperature and contact-free security screening equipment to reduce person-to-person contact.
Holland-Kaye said the first trial will begin in the next two weeks in Terminal 2's immigration halls. The data will be shared to help establish a common international standard.
"This standard is key to minimising transmission of COVID-19 across borders, and the technology we are trialling at Heathrow could be part of the solution," he said.
More than 1.2 million have recovered from coronavirus
By Latika Bourke
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic for Thursday, May 7, 2020.
Latika Bourke here, taking you through developments overnight.
The global death toll from coronavirus has passed 258,000. There are more than 3.6 million known cases of infection but more than 1.2 million people have recovered, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.
In Australia, the death toll stands at 97 and there are 6875 confirmed cases.
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2020-05-06 18:17:00Z
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