Coronavirus updates, May 10: Latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from Pakistan and around the world
Nationwide death toll climbs to 666, total cases near 31,000; global death toll passes 279,000
Updated Sunday May 10 2020
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 30,903 on Sunday after new infections were confirmed in the country.
The province-wise break up of the total number of cases as of 12:11am, May 11, is as follows:
Total confirmed cases: 30,903
• Sindh: 11,480
• Punjab: 11,568
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 4,669
• Balochistan: 2,017
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 641
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 442
• AJK: 86
Deaths: 666
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 245
• Sindh: 189
• Balochistan: 26
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 4
• Punjab: 197
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 5
Officials have recorded more than 4.02 million cases and more than 279,000 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 10
Live updates for May 11 to continue here.
12:11am (May 11) — Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab reports five more deaths
Punjab's disaster management authority has reported five more deaths in the province, taking the grim total to 197 in the province and the total number of deaths in the country to 666.
A massive surge by 475 cases was also reported, taking the total number of infections to 11,568.
11:12pm — London, UK — UK to remain in virus lockdown until at least June 1: PM
Britain´s coronavirus lockdown will stay in place until at least June 1, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says, as he unveils cautious plans to lift restrictions imposed seven weeks ago.
"This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week," he said in a televised address but added that some primary school children could return and shops re-open from June 1.
WATCH: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation on roadmap ahead
11:05pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Sixth consignment of safety equipment arrives from China
10:39pm — Quetta, Pakistan — Balochistan reports two deaths, tally rises to 2,017
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani has reported two more deaths in the province, taking the grim total to 26.
Also, 82 new cases have surfaced in the province, taking the tally of infections to 2,017.
So far, 242 have recovered and 26 have died from the virus in the province.
10:24pm — 'Upward trend of cases in Punjab, Sindh have accelerated from May 1'
10:16pm — Sydney, New South Wales — Australia’s Biggest state to ease coronavirus lockdown from May 15
Australia’s most populous state, home to Sydney, will allow restaurants, playgrounds and outdoor pools to reopen on Friday as extensive testing has shown the spread of the coronavirus has slowed sharply, New South Wales state’s premier said, Reuters reported.
The state has been worst hit by the coronavirus in Australia, with about 45% of the country’s confirmed cases and deaths. However it recorded just two new cases on Saturday out of nearly 10,000 people tested, clearing the way for a cautious loosening of lockdown measures.
“Just because we’re easing restrictions doesn’t mean the virus is less deadly or less of a threat. All it means is we have done well to date,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.
From May 15, New South Wales will allow cafes and restaurants to seat 10 patrons at a time, permit outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, and visits of up to five people to a household.
British-Pakistani women in Manchester help needy during COVID-19 lockdown
A group of British Pakistani women in Manchester have created a community support group to fight challenges caused by COVID-19 lockdown in Ramadan.
The initiative which is led by Roshi Javed, a leading community activist, is providing medical supplies, food, safety and security to National Health Services (NHS) staff and individuals in need.
Javed started the initiative, in association with Muslims for Britain, with up to 30 Muslim families from Manchester who provide aid as well as collect donations to run the program.
“I felt that I had a duty as a Muslim to help my community in need, I am born and bred in Manchester therefore this city is very close to my heart,” Javed said.
Read complete story here.
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9:58pm — Paris, France — Total death toll from coronavirus rises by 70 to 26,380
The number of people who have died from coronavirus infections in France rose by 70 to 26,380, the health ministry said, a smaller increase than the previous day as France prepared to emerge from lockdown on Monday, Reuters reported.
The ministry said the number of people in intensive care units - a key measure of a health system’s ability to deal with the epidemic - fell by 36 to 2,776, down from a peak of 7,148 seen on April 8.
9:56pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Domestic flights' suspension extended till May 13
9:54pm — Ottawa, Canada — Smallest daily increases in coronavirus deaths recorded
The total number of people killed by the coronavirus in Canada rose by 2.2% to 4,728, one of the lowest daily increases since the outbreak started, official public health agency data showed, Reuters reported.
The figure for those diagnosed with the coronavirus rose to 67,996. On Saturday there were 4,628 deaths and 66,780 positive diagnoses.
Separately, Ontario - the most populous of the 10 provinces - reported just 294 new cases on Sunday, the lowest day-on-day advance since March 31.
9:52pm — Rome, Italy — Daily coronavirus death toll and new cases fall
Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 165, against 194 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said as the daily tally of new cases fell to 802 from 1,083 on Saturday, Reuters reported.
The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on February 21 now stands at 30,560 the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.
It was the lowest daily death toll since March 9, although in recent weeks of the epidemic the daily death count has tended to fall on Sundays only to rise again the following day.
For the first time since early March new cases were under 1,000 with the total number of confirmed cases amounting to 219,070, the third highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain.
9:50pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh COVID-19 cases at a glance
9:46pm — Washington, US — Unemployment rate will get worse, Treasury's Mnuchin says
The staggering US unemployment rate reported by the government on Friday amid coronavirus lockdowns may get even worse, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, Reuters reported.
“The reported numbers are probably going to get worse before they get better,” Mnuchin told the Fox News Sunday program.
The unemployment rate surged to 14.7% in April, the Department of Labor reported.
That shattered the post-World War Two record of 10.8% touched in November 1982.
Mnuchin indicated the White House was talking about more fiscal measures to ease the economic pain from the pandemic. But, Mnuchin said the federal government did not want to bail out states that were “poorly” managed.
9:40pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Hundreds of doctors sign up for government's telehealth portal
9:35pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Fifth batch of protective equipment sent to Balochistan
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has sent another consignment of protective gear to Balochistan, Radio Pakistan reported.
"The equipment — sent to four hospitals — includes three PCR testing machines, 20,000 testing kits, 20,000 surgical masks, 6,000 D-95 and 10,000 KN-95 masks, 14,000 protective suits, 16,000 pairs of gloves, and 500 gowns," the publication reported.
Furthermore, "500 face shields, 800 protective glasses and eight thousand sanitiser bottles have also been sent to the province," it said.
9:30pm — Tharparkar, Pakistan — Seven patients recover from COVID-19
Weddings move towards video conferencing from large gatherings due to lockdown
9:18pm — Washington, US — Fauci among three members of US virus task force to quarantine: media
Top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci is among three members of the White House's coronavirus task force who will self-isolate after potential exposure to the pathogen, US media said, AFP reported.
On Friday, reports that Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary had tested positive heightened fears about senior administration officials catching the virus.
Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, will self-isolate, CNN said.
But Fauci — who has become the trusted face of the government's virus response — told the network he would undergo a "modified quarantine" because he had not been in close proximity to the contagious White House staffer.
The head of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health will remain at home teleworking and will wear a mask for two weeks.
He is also undergoing daily coronavirus tests, and has so far been negative for the disease.
9:15pm — Libson, Portugal — Country turns to cranes to end care home isolation
9:08pm — Gilgit, Pakistan — GB COVID-19 cases at a glance
9:02pm — London, UK —Johnson tells Britons to 'Stay Alert' as lockdown easing starts
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to “stay alert” to coronavirus risks, as he prepared to outline plans for gradually easing lockdown measures that have shuttered much of the economy for nearly seven weeks, Reuters reported.
“Everyone has a role to play in helping to control the virus by staying alert and following the rules. This is how we can continue to save lives as we start to recover from coronavirus,” Johnson said in a Twitter message.
He also tweeted a new government poster that lists rules including “stay at home as much as possible”, “limit contact with other people” and “keep your distance if you go out”.
Johnson will detail a system ranging from “green” at level 1 to “red” at level 5 that will allow the government to flag coronavirus risks in different parts of England and to increase restrictions where necessary.
Read complete story here.
08:50pm — Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab Assembly deputy speaker tests positive for coronavirus
Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Sardar Dost Mohammad has tested positive for the coronavirus.
In a video message, Mohammad said that he has kept himself isolated and is taking all safety measures.
He asked everyone to pray for him and said he is not experiencing any symptoms.
08:17pm — Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan — Region reports 12 more cases, one recovery
The Gilgit-Baltistan health department has notified 12 more cases in the region, taking the tally of infected to 442.
One more person has also recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 304.
Currently, 134 people are being treated for the virus in the region.
08:02pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh chief minister talks about discussions with federal government
07:32pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh notifies operational hours, SOPs for businesses
According to a notification issued by the home department, community markets, retail outlets, stand-alone/neighbourhood shops located in residential areas shall be allowed to operate from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday.
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are declared "safe days" with 100% lockdown for all but essential services.
6:55pm - Washington DC, USA — White House talking to Congress about more coronavirus economic relief, says Kudlow
The White House has begun informal talks with Republicans and Democrats in Congress about next steps on coronavirus relief legislation, a top economic adviser to President Donald Trump said on Sunday.
“It’s not that we’re not talking. We are. It’s just informal at this stage,” White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told ABC’s “This Week” program. “We’re collecting ideas for next steps, which will undoubtedly be data-driven.”
Kudlow said that he joined a Friday conference call with lawmakers from both parties in the House of Representatives and planned to do the same on Monday with members of the Senate.
6:40pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab govt to clarify on 9-12 grade exams next week
6:35 - Karachi, Pakistan — Murtaza Wahab share 'alarming' numbers for Karachi's District East
6:30pm - Lahore, Pakistan — PCB to conduct fitness tests for women cricketers via video link
The Pakistan Cricket Board will organise an online fitness test for 38 players to encourage the elite women cricketers to maintain their desired fitness standards.
The tests will be taken from May 11 till May 20, in which the players will undergo prone hold, Bulgarian squats, vertical jumps and push ups along with Body Mass Index calculation.
In the backdrop of Ramadan, the tests will be held outside the fasting hours.
The tests will have no financial implications on the centrally contracted cricketers and will be conducted under the supervision of Imran Khalil, who has been assigned the role interim fitness trainer.
6:15pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — PIA plane carrying medical equipment from China arrives in Islamabad: NDMA spokesperson
A PIA plane carrying 17 tonnes of medical equipment from China has arrived in Islamabad, said a spokesperson for the NDMA.
The spokesperson stated that the equipment includes 24 x-ray machines, 371,000 VTM, 1 million different forms of masks.
The spokesperson says that this is the sixth tranche of equipment imported by the NDMA.
6:05pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh govt issues notification for reopening of nine departments
Sindh government has announced that nine government departments will be allowed to operate from May 11 onwards.
According to a notification, the department that will reopen include Auqaf, human rights, industries and commerce, minorities, social welfare, investment, information, science and technology, works and services, and universities and boards.
6:00pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — Pakistan's death toll rises to 659
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has said 11 news deaths were recorded in the province taking the nationwide death toll to 659.
With the new deaths, KP's tally stands at 245.
6:00pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — Nationwide tally of positive cases cross 30,334
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 30,334 after new infections were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to KP health department the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the province rose to 4,669 after 160 cases were reported in the province in the last 24 hours.
5:50pm - Peshawar, Pakistan — 305 stranded Pakistanis in Afghanistan return via Torkham border
Around 305 stranded Pakistanis in Afghanistan have returned to the country via the Torkham border.
They were received by Assistant Commissioner Shamsul-Islam and security officials at the border. The returned passengers were shifted to the quarantine center in Landi Kotal where their corona tests will be conducted.
5:45pm - Karachi, Pakistan — First coronavirus patient being treated under passive immunization recovers from infection
NIBD chief Dr Tahir Shamsi announced that the country’s first coronavirus patient being treated by the passive immunization therapy has recovered from the infection.
“The patient was given the plasma on April 30 and fully recovered on May 8,” said Dr Shamsi. He added that more than 12 patients are being treated under passive immunization therapy.
5:40pm - London, UK — With 'Stay Alert' message, Britain's Johnson to set out plan for gradual lockdown easing
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out a five-tier warning system for the coronavirus in England on Sunday when he outlines the government’s roadmap for gradually easing lockdown measures that have shut down much of the economy for nearly seven weeks.
Johnson will use a televised address at 1800 GMT to announce limited changes, including encouraging more of those who cannot work from home to return to their offices and factories, and allowing people to exercise more than once a day, according to a government minister and British media.
The government’s flagship “stay at home” slogan will be replaced with “stay alert”, a decision that drew criticism from opposition parties for being too ambiguous.
“We need to have a broader message because we want to slowly and cautiously restart the economy and the country,” housing minister Robert Jenrick told Sky News, adding that Johnson would be setting out the roadmap for “the weeks and months ahead”.
In a separate interview on BBC TV, Jenrick said staying at home would still be an important part of the government’s message, and there would be “no grand reopening of the economy tonight”.
Johnson will detail a five-tier warning system for England, ranging from “green” at level 1 to “red” at level 5 to flag the COVID-19 risk in different areas and to allow the government to increase restrictions where necessary.
The government wants the United Kingdom’s other constituent nations — Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — to follow the same steps but they have the power to diverge in their measures.
Jenrick said the country is currently at 4 on the scale and authorities want that brought down to 3 as fast as possible.
Colour-coded systems to distinguish regions with more or less risk have been used in other countries as they emerge from lockdowns, including France and India.
5:25pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Pakistan to launch first Urban Slum COVID-19 Response Programme
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam will inaugurate Pakistan’s first Urban Slum COVID-19 Response Programme on Monday in collaboration with the UN Habitat.
Chairing a meeting in Islamabad, Malik Amin Aslam said that the overall objective of the programme is to prevent spread of the coronavirus in urban slums areas and empowering local communities to mitigate economic impact of the virus.
Briefing the meeting, UN-Habitat’s Country Manager in Pakistan, Jawed Ali Khan said that project would be launched on full scale in collaboration with federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders.
He said that public awareness and advocacy, provision of income generation opportunities and capacity building and rapid assessment of key challenges and issues of urban slums would the key components of the initiative.
5:20pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Model bazars set up by Punjab government to reopen all week
Punjab government has announced that the model bazaars will be open all week across the province.
According to the provincial government, the decision has been taken due to Ramadan and help ease the Eid buying being done by the people.
The government said that shops selling essential items will be opened up all week, while the stalls selling shoes, clothes and related items will be open from Monday to Thursday.
5:05pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Coronavirus samples of lawmakers taken: sources
Samples of MNAs and senators attending the upcoming Senate and National Assembly sessions, sources told Geo News.
According to the sources, the reports of the lawmakers will come this evening. All lawmakers have to get their tests for the virus done before attending the sessions.
The National Assembly session will be held on MOnday, while the Senate will meet on Tuesday.
5:00pm - Beijing, China — China refutes 24 'lies' by US politicians over coronavirus
China has issued a lengthy rebuttal of what it said were 24 “preposterous allegations” by some leading US politicians over its handling of the new coronavirus outbreak.
The Chinese foreign ministry has dedicated most of its press briefings over the past week to rejecting accusations by US politicians, especially Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, that China had withheld information about the new coronavirus and that it had originated in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan.
A 30-page, 11,000-word article posted on the ministry website on Saturday night repeated and expanded on the refutations made during the press briefings, and began by invoking Abraham Lincoln, the 19th century US president.
“As Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people all the time and fool all the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time,” it said in the prologue.
The article also cited media reports that said Americans had been infected with the virus before the first case was confirmed in Wuhan. There is no evidence to suggest that is the case.
Keen to quash US suggestions that the virus was deliberately created or somehow leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the article said that all evidence shows the virus is not man-made and that the institute is not capable of synthesising a new coronavirus.
The article also provided a timeline of how China had provided information to the international community in a “timely”, “open and transparent” manner to rebuke US suggestions that it had been slow to sound the alarm.
Despite China’s repeated assurances, concerns about the timeliness of its information have persisted in some quarters.
4:45pm - Paris, France — Global death toll crosses 279,000
The novel coronavirus has killed at least 279,185 people since the outbreak first emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Sunday.
At least 4,035,470 cases of coronavirus have been registered in 195 countries and territories. Of these, at least 1,340,700 are now considered recovered.
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4:25pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Close to 151 cops tested positive: Sindh Police
Close 151 policemen have tested positive for the virus while performing their duties amid the coronavirus crisis, said the Sindh Police.
According to the department, 36 new cases were reported among policemen in the last two days. It added that two policemen have been martyred due to the coronavirus.
The department added that there are 119 policemen currently under treatment, while 29 have recovered.
3:35pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — Smart lockdown working: Asad Umar
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said the “smart lockdown’ enforced in the country to battle the coronavirus pandemic was working.
“The decisions the government took was keep were done keeping in mind the current situation,” Umar said while briefing the media on Sunday.
“We are aware of the human cost of the virus,” he said. “We wanted to give relief to the public which is why these decisions were taken. All the decisions were taken in consultation with all the federating units. Big policy level decisions have been taken and now it is time for their implementation.
Referring to the reopening of business under the ‘smart lockdown’, the minister said it was not possible to keep people from earning their livelihood for long. “We need a system in which the economic activities continue all the while people are kept safe as well,” he added.
“Instead of putting the entire country under lockdown, we out certain areas in the country under lockdown,” he noted. “In Punjab, 359 areas were put under lockdown while 177 areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were.”
3:30pm - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan — Kyrgyzstan to ease coronavirus restrictions
Kyrgyzstan will end the toughest restrictions it introduced to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, such as curfews, and allow certain businesses to reopen from Monday, the Central Asian nation’s government said on Sunday.
The former Soviet republic will in the meantime keep in place lockdown regulations barring travel between provinces, the cabinet said.
Among the businesses allowed to reopen from May 11 are providers of maintenance, cleaning and financial services, lawyers, property and tourist agents, as well as some non-food retailers.
Kyrgyzstan, which borders China, has confirmed 1,002 COVID-19 cases, of which 12 have died and 675 people have recovered.
3:15pm - Washington, USA — Three key US coronavirus officials in self-quarantine after COVID-19 exposure
Three senior officials guiding the US response to the coronavirus pandemic were in self-quarantine on Saturday after coming into contact with someone who had tested positive for the disease, their agencies and spokesmen said.
Anthony Fauci, a high-profile member of the White House coronavirus response team, is considered to be at relatively low risk based on the degree of his exposure, according to a representative for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Fauci, the 79-year-old director of that institute, has tested negative for COVID-19 and he will continue to be tested regularly, the official said in an emailed statement.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “will be teleworking for the next two weeks” after a “low-risk exposure” on Wednesday to a person at the White House who has the disease, the CDC said in a statement.
Redfield is 68 years old. He is “feeling fine” and has no symptoms, the statement added.
If required to go to the White House, Redfield will follow the CDC’s safety practices like taking temperature, screening for symptoms each day, wearing a face covering, and distancing, the CDC said.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, who is 60, is also in self-quarantine for a couple of weeks after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for the illness, an FDA spokesman told Reuters late on Friday.
All three officials were scheduled to testify on Tuesday to a Senate committee looking at steps that states and the federal government are taking to reopen businesses and schools after coronavirus shut-downs.
3:05pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Negotiations between Sindh govt and traders end successfully
The Sindh government has decided to allow shops to open up from 6am to 5pm, announced a spokesperson for Chief Minister Sindh.
The spokesperson requested the shopkeepers to start closing their shops from 4pm onwards.
“CM Sindh has allowed the reopening of all markets from 6am to 4pm,” said trade leader Hammad Poonawala. But he clarified that shopping centres and malls will remain closed for the time being.
The decision was taken after successful talks were held between the traders and the CM at the Sindh Assembly.
2:55pm - Tokyo, Japan — Japan looks to lift coronavirus emergency in some areas ahead of May 31 deadline
Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Sunday the government is looking to lift the state of emergency in “many of 34 prefectures” that are not among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic before the nationwide deadline of May 31.
“Lifting the state of emergency in many of 34 prefectures that exclude those under specific cautions will likely come in sight as many prefectures have been seeing no fresh infections lately,” Nishimura said in a debate on public broadcaster NHK.
Nishimura, who is in charge of the government’s overall coronavirus response, said a declining trend in the weekly number of new infections and the number of new cases on a per capita basis will be among evaluation criteria for the lifting.
Japan extended its nationwide state of emergency last week to the end of May but said it would reassess the situation at a coronavirus task force meeting on May 14 and possibly lift the measures earlier for some prefectures.
Out of Japan’s 47 prefectures, the government has designated 13 prefectures including Tokyo and Osaka where the virus has spread rapidly as “the prefectures under specific cautions”.
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2:45pm - Lahore, Pakistan — CM Punjab orders officials to strictly implement SOPs
Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar has ordered officials to strictly implement the SOPs related to the easing of the lockdown in the province.
“WE have lifted the lockdown due to the difficulties faced by the common people,” said CM Buzdar. He added that the dangers related to the coronavirus are known to everyone and precaution should be practised.
2:35pm - Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesia's coronavirus infections top 14,000: official
Indonesia reported 387 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, taking the total number to 14,032, said health ministry official Achmad Yurianto.
The Southeast Asian country also reported 14 more people have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, bringing total to 973, Yurianto said. Meanwhile, 2,698 people have recovered.
More than 113,452 people have been tested, he said, adding that many areas across the country are still showing fluctuating number of new infections.
2:30pm - Madrid, Spain — Spain's coronavirus daily death tolls falls again on Sunday
Spain’s daily death toll from the coronavirus fell to 143 on Sunday, down from 179 the previous day, the health ministry reported.
It marks the lowest daily death toll since mid-March.
Overall deaths rose to 26,621 from 26,478 on Saturday and the number of diagnosed cases rose to 224,390 from 223,578 the day before, the ministry said
2:25pm - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Malaysia reports 67 new coronavirus cases with no new deaths
Malaysian health authorities on Sunday reported 67 new coronavirus cases, bringing the cumulative total to 6,656
The health ministry reported no new deaths, with total fatalities at 108.
2:20pm - Manila, Philippines — Philippines reports 184 new coronavirus cases, 15 more deaths
The Philippines’ health ministry on Sunday confirmed 184 new coronavirus cases, taking the Southeast Asian nation’s total reported infections to 10,794.
Fifteen more deaths related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus, were recorded, bringing the toll to 719, while 82 patients have recovered to bring total recoveries to 1,924, it said in a bulletin.
2:15pm - Dubai, UAE — Emirates to raise debt as it doesn't see travel recovering for at least 18 months
Emirates, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, will raise debt to help it through the coronavirus pandemic that has shattered global travel demand, warning that a recovery in travel demand was at least 18 months away.
The state-owned airline, which reported on Sunday a 21% rise in profit for its financial year that ended on March 31, said it would tap banks to raise debt in its first quarter to lessen the impact of the virus outbreak.
Emirates did not say how much it expected to raise. The airline suspended regular passenger flights in March due to the coronavirus pandemic and has been promised financial aid from its Dubai state owner.
“The COVID-19 pandemic will have a huge impact on our 2020-21 performance,” Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed said in a statement.
“We continue to take aggressive cost management measures, and other necessary steps to safeguard our business, while planning for business resumption.”
Emirates Group, which counts the airline among its assets, will not pay an annual dividend to its shareholder, Dubai’s state fund. Its cash assets stood at 25.6 billion dirham ($7 billion), it said.
Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said in the group’s annual report released on Sunday that he was confident Emirates would emerge from the crisis strong, and a global leader in aviation. There was no apparent mention of the state aid, which has been promised by Dubai’s crown prince.
2:10pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Special PIA flight carrying stranded Pakistanis from Abu Dhabi lands in Lahore
A special PIA flight carrying 250 stranded Pakistanis from Abu Dhabi has landed at the Lahore Airport. According to officials, all passengers on flight number PK 702 will be transferred to a quarantine centre.
2:05pm - Melbourne, Australia — Australia's biggest state to ease coronavirus lockdown from May 15
Australia’s most populous state, home to Sydney, will allow restaurants, playgrounds and outdoor pools to reopen on Friday as extensive testing has shown the spread of the coronavirus has slowed sharply, New South Wales state’s premier said on Sunday.
The state has been worst hit by the coronavirus in Australia, with about 45% of the country’s confirmed cases and deaths. However it recorded just two new cases on Saturday out of nearly 10,000 people tested, clearing the way for a cautious loosening of lockdown measures.
“Just because we’re easing restrictions doesn’t mean the virus is less deadly or less of a threat. All it means is we have done well to date,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday.
From May 15, New South Wales will allow cafes and restaurants to seat 10 patrons at a time, permit outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, and visits of up to five people to a household.
Playgrounds and outdoor pools will also be allowed to reopen with strict limits.
The moves are in line with a three-step plan to relax lockdown measures outlined by the Australian government on Friday, which would see nearly 1 million people return to work by July.
Places of worship in New South Wales (NSW) will be permitted to open to up to 10 people from Friday. Weddings, which had been restricted to two guests, will be able to host up to 10, and indoor funerals will be allowed to have 20 mourners.
Schools in NSW are set to reopen from Monday, but only allowing students to attend one day a week on a staggered basis.
Berejiklian gave no time frame for any further reopening of the economy, saying that would depend on infection rates.
2:00pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Pakistan's death toll rises to 648
Sindh Government Spokesperson Murtaza Wahab has said nine news deaths were recorded in the province taking the nationwide death toll to 648.
With the new deaths, Sindh's tally stands at 189.
2:00pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Nationwide tally of positive cases cross 30,000; Sindh's tally jumps past 11,000
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 30,174 after new infections were confirmed in Sindh.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Sindh rose to 11,480 on Sunday after 709 cases were reported in the province in the last 24 hours, said Sindh Government Spokesperson Murtaza Wahab.
1:55pm - Beijing, China — China reports first coronavirus case in Wuhan since April 3 among 14 new infections
China’s National Health Commission reported 14 new confirmed coronavirus cases on May 9, the highest number since April 28, including the first for more than a month in the city of Wuhan where the outbreak was first detected late last year.
While China had officially designated all areas of the country as low-risk last Thursday, the new cases according to data published on Sunday represent a jump from the single case reported for the day before. The number was lifted by a cluster of 11 in Shulan city in northeastern Jilin province.
Jilin officials on Sunday raised the Shulan city risk level to high from medium, having hoisted it to medium the day before after one woman tested positive on May 7. The 11 new cases made public on Sunday are members of her family or people who came into contact with her or family members.
The new Wuhan case, the first reported in the epicentre of China’s outbreak since April 3, was previously asymptomatic, according to the health commission.
Aside from the Shulan cluster and the Wuhan case, the remaining two new confirmed cases were imported infections. It also said newly discovered asymptomatic cases were at 20, the highest since May 1 and up from 15 a day earlier.
No new deaths were reported, it said.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in mainland China reached 82,901 as of May 9, while the total death toll from the virus stood at 4,633, according to the commission.
1:50pm - London, United Kingdom — UK wants to 'slowly and cautiously' ease lockdown to restart economy: minister
The British government wants to slowly and cautiously restart the economy, housing minister Robert Jenrick said on Sunday ahead of a televised address from the prime minister to set out plans to begin easing the coronavirus lockdown measures.
It has been nearly seven weeks since Boris Johnson asked Britons to stay at home to help prevent the spread of the virus, all but shutting down the economy.
“The message ... of staying at home now does need to be updated, we need to have a broader message because we want to slowly and cautiously restart the economy and the country,” Jenrick told Sky News.
Jenrick said the easing of the lockdown would be conditional on keeping the spread of the virus under control, and if the rate of infection begins to increase in some areas, more stringent measures could be re-introduced.
1:45pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Trade leader to ask CM Sindh to open up big markets in province
Trade leader Sahrjeel Goplani has requested Chief Minster Sindh Murad Ali Shah to open up big markets in the province.
Goplani stated that in Punjab the government has allowed the reopening of malls and all markets. He added that this will benefit daily wagers and low income sections of the society.
1:40pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — NDMA starts supplying fifth consignment of PPEs to provinces
NDMA has started supplying fifth consignment of personal protective equipment for doctors to the provinces, reported Radio Pakistan on Sunday.
According to NDMA spokesperson, protective equipment has been dispatched to four hospitals of Balochistan.
The equipment dispatched to Balochistan included three PCR testing machines, 20,000 testing kits, 20,000 surgical masks, 6,00 D-95 and 10,000 KN-95 masks, 14,000 protective suits, 16,000 pairs of gloves and 5000 gowns.
The spokesperson stated that the authority has also dispatched 500 face shields, 8000 protective glasses and 8,000 sanitizer bottles.
The spokesperson said the equipment of fifth consignment is being dispatched to other federating units as well.
1:30pm - Moscow, Russia — Russian coronavirus cases above 200,000
The Russian authorities said on Sunday they had recorded 11,012 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 209,688.
Russia’s coronavirus taskforce said 88 people had died in the past day, pushing the national death toll to 1,915.
Russian coronavirus cases overtook French and German infections this week to become the fifth highest in the world.
1:25pm - Karachi, Pakistan — Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company donates Rs10 mln to PM's corona relief fund
Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company (Pvt) Limited donated Rs 10 Million in the PM’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund, said a press released issued by the company.
The company,a joint venture between Governments of Pakistan and Kuwait, appreciated the PM’s initiative of raising finances to help support the poor and underprivileged people of the country in and extended their support to the cause 'wholeheartedly'.
1:15pm - Lahore, Pakistan — Govt has issued guidelines for home isolation: Chohan
Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul Hasan Chohan announced that the provincial government has issued guidelines for those being home isolated coroanvirus patients.
“Committee will allow home isolation after assessing the house size and people living together,” said the minister. He added that only asymptomatic cases will be allowed to home isolate.
Chohan stated that home isolation can only be ended after the test report comes negative twice after 24 hours. He added that the health department officials will take the samples for the test of the patients from their homes.
1:05pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — PM Imran Khan calls NA speaker Asad Qaiser
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday called National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to inquire about his health after he contracted the coronavirus.
Speaker Qaiser told the PM that he was feeling better after following the directives issued by the doctors.
The PM prayed for the wished the NA speaker recovered as soon as possible and also asked about the health of his children who have also been tested positive for the virus.
12:45pm - Qatar Airways announces new four new flights departing from Pakistan
12:40pm - Singapore — Singapore reports 876 new coronavirus cases, taking total to 23,336
Singapore registered 876 new coronavirus infections, its health ministry said on Sunday, taking the city-state’s total to 23,336 cases.
The vast majority of the newly infected people are migrant workers living in dormitories, the health ministry said in a statement. Three are permanent residents.
Read: Can ultraviolet lamps become a gamechanger in fight against coronavirus?
Scientists are working to test whether a new type of ultraviolet lamps could be used in stations, airplanes and schools to kill dangerous viruses.
Researchers at Columbia University have been working on such uses for years, and the current pandemic could confirm the value of their efforts.
UVC lamps have long been used to kill bacteria, viruses and molds, notably in hospitals and in the food-processing industry. As the coronavirus pandemic knocks world economies on their heels, this technology is experiencing a boom.
Read more here.
11:55am - Islamabad, Pakistan — Islamabad lockdown extended till May 31
Authorities in Islamabad on Sunday issued a notification extending the lockdown in the federal capital till May 31.
According to a notification, in the first phase the construction sector has been opened along with steel plastic pipe, electric parts industries have also been opened.
Shops will be allowed to be open for five days a week, said the notification. It added that parks, trails, polo clubs and tennis courts can be opened under the government announced SOPs.
Watch: Volunteers, chefs makes food for Britain's healthcare workers
11:35am - Peshawar, Pakistan — Doctors associations' govt agree to put aside differences
11:25am — Tokyo, Japan — Japan to lift coronavirus emergency in some areas ahead of May 31 deadline
Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura has said the government is looking to lift the state of emergency in "many of 34 prefectures" that are not among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic before the nationwide deadline of May 31.
"Lifting the state of emergency in many of 34 prefectures that exclude those under specific cautions will likely come in sight as many prefectures have been seeing no fresh infections lately," Nishimura said in a debate on public broadcaster NHK.
Japan extended its nationwide state of emergency last week to the end of May but said it would reassess the situation at a coronavirus task force meeting on May 14 and possibly lift the measures earlier for some prefectures.
WATCH: Venice under lockdown
11:00am — Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab govt releases guidelines for home isolation
The Punjab government has established a special committee to oversee home isolation in the province, a notification released on Sunday said.
According to the notification, every deputy commissioner will nominate members from their district for the committee, while the assistant commissioner will oversee the committee.
The committee will comprise officials from the health and other related departments.
The notification added that sub-committees will be formed on city and union council level as well.
The guidelines for home isolation states that people will be allowed to self-isolate at home after the committee has assessed the number of people at home. “Only those people will be allowed to self-isolate at home who show mild symptoms of the virus,” the notification said, adding the patients will not be allowed to self-isolate at home in case of severe symptoms.
Pakistan evacuates over 250 citizens stranded in Turkey
10:30am — New Delhi, India — Confirmed cases in India rise to 62,939
10:15am — Islamabad, Pakistan — 305 Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan return via Torkham border
Three hundred and five Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan have returned to Pakistan via Torkham border, reported Radio Pakistan on Sunday.
They were received by Assistant Commissioner Shamsul-Islam and security officials and shifted to a quarantine centre in Landi Kotal for tests.
10:00am — Seoul, South Korea — South Korea reports 34 new coronavirus cases, highest in a month
South Korea reported 34 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest daily number in a month, after a small outbreak emerged around a slew of nightclubs that a confirmed patient had visited.
Of the new cases, 26 were domestically transmitted infections and eight were imported cases, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
9:45am — Berlin, Germany — Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise to 169,218
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 667 to 169,218, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday.
The reported death toll rose by 13 to 7,395, the tally showed.
9:30am — Islamabad, Pakistan — Confirmed cases in Pakistan climb to 29,465
The nationwide tally of confirmed coronavirus cases climbed to 29,465 after Pakistan reported 1,991 new cases during the last 24 hours.
According to the national dashboard, 59 new cases were detected in Balochistan, 32 in Islamabad and seven new cases were recorded in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Punjab leads the tally with 11,093 cases, followed by Sindh with 10,771. In Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, 4,509 cases have been recorded while 1,935 cases have been reported in Balochistan. Gilgit Baltistan has reported 430, Islamabad 641 and AJK has reported 86 cases so far.
Coronavirus cases worldwide surpass 4 million: AFP tally
Read more on this here.
US COVID-19 death toll rises to 78,746: Johns Hopkins University
8:40am — New York, US — Three New York children have died from rare illness tied to COVID-19
Three children in New York have died from a rare inflammatory syndrome believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo told a daily briefing on Saturday.
Cuomo had on Friday disclosed the death of a 5-year old linked to the coronavirus and a syndrome that shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, which was the first known fatality tied to the rare illness in New York.
8:30am — New York, US — China 'shocked' by US reversal on UN coronavirus action: diplomat
China and the United States both supported a draft United Nations Security Council resolution confronting the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday and it was "shocking and regretful" that Washington changed its mind on Friday, a Chinese diplomat said.
A US diplomat refuted the Chinese comment, saying there was no US agreement on the text.
"The United States had agreed to the compromise text and it's shocking and regretful that the US changed its position," said the Chinese diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, on Saturday, adding that China supported the draft.
A State Department spokesperson said on Friday the US had worked constructively and accused China of repeatedly blocking compromises during negotiations.
8:20am — Paris, France — Death toll from coronavirus rises by 80 to 26,310
The number of people who have died from coronavirus infections in France rose by 80 to 26,310 on Saturday.
The number of people in hospital with the coronavirus also fell, to 22,614 from 22,724, continuing an uninterrupted three-week fall, and down 30% from an April 14 peak of 32,292.
France will start lifting its almost two-month-old national lockdown from Monday
11:00pm/May 9 — Peshawar, Pakistan — YDA KP president becomes latest medical worker to fall prey to the virus
The president of the Young Doctors Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Rizwan Kundi, has joined the unfortunate list of medical workers diagnosed with COVID-19 in the country.
He has self-isolated at a hostel for doctors and has expressed the resolve to continue serving humanity as soon as he is able.
Dr Kundi had been treating patients via telemedicine at a facility in Hayatabad. He said that via this new method, young doctors have facilitated over 25,000 patients via Whatsapp calls and messages.
10:47pm/ May 9 — Karachi, Pakistan — PTI's Khurram Sher Zaman accuses Sindh of inflating coronavirus figures
PTI member Khurram Sher Zaman has accused the PPP of presenting exaggerated coronavirus statistics.
"When we go to hospitals, we find out no deaths have occurred from the coronavirus," he said.
He also asked the Sindh government to "soon release SOPs [for traders] and open the province's markets for trade".
10:30pm/May 9 — Karachi, Pakistan — Five CM House Sindh staffers test positive for COVID-19 — including chief minister's aide
Five staffers of the Chief Minister House Sindh — including Murad Ali Shah's assistant — have tested positive for COVID-19.
The CM House staff had been tested for coronavirus after Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah's special assistant Rashid Rabbani contracted the infection.
A clerk, a driver, and a technician employed at the CM House are among those who have been diagnosed with the disease. Sources told Geo News that the employees who tested positive for COVID-19 have been isolated.
For our May 9 coverage of coronavirus click here.
