Coronavirus updates, June 5: Latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from Pakistan and around the world
Nationwide confirmed cases jump past 93,000, death toll crosses 1,900; global death toll tops 385,000
Updated Friday Jun 05 2020
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 93,529 on Friday after new infections were confirmed in the country.
The province-wise break up of the total number of cases as of 12:56am, June 6, is as follows:
Total confirmed cases: 93,529
• Sindh: 34,889
• Punjab: 35,308
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 12,459
• Balochistan: 5,776
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 3,946
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 852
• AJK: 299
Deaths: 1,929
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 541
• Punjab: 659
• Sindh: 615
• Balochistan: 54
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 12
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 41
• AJK: 7
More than 6.52 million people have been reported infected with the novel coronavirus globally and over 385,000 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 5
Live updates for June 6 will begin here.
12:56am (June 6) — Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab reports 30 more deaths, 2,164 new cases
The Punjab disaster management authority has reported 30 more deaths, taking the grim total to 659 in the province.
A rise in cases by 2,164 was also reported, bringing the total number of infections to 35,308.
11:58pm — Washington, US — CDC reports 1,862,656 coronavirus cases
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday reported 1,862,656 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 20,555 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,035 to 108,064, Reuters reported.
The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on June 4 versus its previous report released on Thursday.
The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.
11:52pm — London, UK — Government orders expanded use of face masks in English hospitals
All visitors to hospitals in England will be required to wear face coverings and all hospital staff must wear surgical masks from June 15, health minister Matt Hancock said, Reuters reported.
The announcement comes a day after the government said it would make face coverings mandatory on public transport.
The British government had initially said there was inconclusive evidence on the ability of face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
11:48pm — Paris, France — France reports more coronavirus cases, but says disease is under control
France registered more coronavirus-linked deaths and cases on Friday, although a top health official said the respiratory disease caused by the new virus was under control, Reuters reported.
“The epidemic is currently under control. The virus is still circulating ... but at a slow speed,” Jean-François Delfraissy, head of the COVID-19 scientific committee set up by the government, told France Inter radio.
The coronavirus death toll rose by 46 to reach 29,111, which is the fifth-highest total in the world.
The number of confirmed cases rose by 0.4% to 153,055.
The ministry said the number of people being treated in hospital for COVID-19 fell by 405 to 12,696. At the peak of the outbreak in mid-April that number reached 32,292.
11:45pm — Frankfurt, Germany — AstraZeneca blood cancer drug shows signs of helping COVID-19 patients
AstraZeneca’s cancer drug Calquence has shown initial signs of helping hospitalised COVID-19 patients get through the worst of the disease, as researchers scramble to repurpose existing treatments to help fight the deadly infection, Reuters reported.
Results from the preliminary research involving 19 patients, which was backed by the United States National Institutes of Health, encouraged the British drugmaker to explore the drug’s new use in a wider clinical trial announced in April.
Eleven patients had been on oxygen when they started the 10-14 day Calquence course and eight of them could afterwards be discharged, breathing independently, according to results in a paper co-authored by Astra’s head of oncology research, Jose Baselga.
Eight patients were on mechanical ventilation when they were put on Calquence, and four of them could be discharged, though one died of pulmonary embolism.
“These patients were in a very unstable situation, they would have had a dire prognosis ... Within one to three days the majority of these patients got better in terms of ventilation and oxygen needs,” Astra’s Baselga told Reuters.
11:38pm — New Delhi, India — Temples, malls to reopen but no sprinkling of holy water
India will throw open shopping malls, restaurants and places of worship that typically attract large crowds next week, officials said, even though coronavirus infections are rising at the fastest daily rate than at any time in the past three months.
Strict guidelines will accompany the loosening of restrictions on Monday, however.
Hotel guests will be tested for fever, masks will be compulsory at all times, and restaurants will have to set tables apart to maintain social distancing when they reopen on Monday, according to rules issued by the federal home ministry.
Anurag Katriar, president of the National Restaurant Association of India, said dining needed to be made safe but restrictions such as reducing seating capacity to maintain distance between people would be difficult to sustain.
“Very few restaurants are planning to open up on June 8, Financially, the 50% seating capacity doesn’t work at all.”
11:32 pm — Monte Carlo, Monaco — The chips are down as Monte Carlo casino reopens after coronavirus closure
With steam-cleaned gaming tables, plexiglass around the slot machines, and croupiers in masks and gloves, Monte Carlo’s famed casino is ready for the dice to roll again in the age of coronavirus, Reuters reported.
The Casino de Monte-Carlo had been forced to close its doors due the lockdown measures. But with restrictions gradually easing, it was ready on Friday to welcome back gamers.
“For this reopening, the casino has been completely redesigned in a COVID-19 mode”, casino managing director Boris Donskoff told Reuters.
The hours will be reduced and strict hygiene measures followed in its ornate rooms. Gaming tables have been spaced to respect social distancing measures and to ensure safety for both staff and clients.
Employees wearing masks have cleaned the slot machines.
Donskoff said a limited number of gamers would be allowed to enter the casino and cards would be destroyed every day.
11:23pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Indus Hospitals stops admitting coronavirus patients
Indus Hospital has stopped admitting further coronavirus patients in its facility, the administration said.
According to the administration, the coronavirus wards have been filled completely.
11:17pm — Karachi, Pakistan — CM Murad says he received Rs3.6 billion in coronavirus donations
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said that he had received Rs3.6 billion donations in coronavirus emergency fund which has increased to Rs3.629 billion, after earning bank profit, against which Rs1.09 billion have been utilised so far.
“The fund is being maintained transparently by a five-member committee under chief secretary and the expenditures made so far were being audited by a well-reputed firm and the audit report would be made public,” he said.
11:10pm — Quetta, Pakistan — Balochistan reports 194 new cases, one death
11:04pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Mufti Taqi Usmani urges people to take safety measures and refrain from 'negligence'
Mufti Taqi Usmani said refraining from safety measures during a time of danger is "negligence" and not "bravery".
Mufti Usmani, in a tweet, said: "Coronavirus, may it be an artificial or natural disease, is a reality that is spreading."
"In such a situation, rumors should be avoided and a serious approach should be taken," he added.
10:58pm — Geneva, Switzerland — Wear masks in public says WHO, in update of COVID-19 advice
The World Health Organisation (WHO) updated its guidance to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of transmission of COVID-19 to help reduce the spread of the pandemic disease, Reuters reported.
In its new guidance, prompted by evidence from studies conducted in recent weeks, the WHO stressed that face masks were only one of a range of tools that can reduce the risk of viral transmission, and should not give a false sense of protection.
“Masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19,” the WHO’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a briefing.
The WHO’s technical lead expert on COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said in a Reuters interview: “We are advising governments to encourage that the general public wear a mask. And we specify a fabric mask - that is, a non-medical mask.
10:50pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — More than 60% tests in KP are being done 'Rapid Response Team System'
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10:36pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Here's a list of labs where you can get tested for free
10:30PM — London, UK — Death toll from confirmed COVID-19 cases tops 40,000
The United Kingdom’s death toll from confirmed cases of COVID-19 has exceeded 40,000, according to government data published, Reuters reported.
In all, 40,261 people had died following positive tests for coronavirus as of 1600 GMT on Thursday, the health ministry said, up 357 from the previous day.
Including suspected cases, the United Kingdom’s death toll this week surpassed 50,000, according to a Reuters tally of official data sources.
10:24pm — Beijing, China — China warns against travel to Australia, citing discrimination
China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Friday advised the public to avoid traveling to Austrlia, citing racial discrimination and violence against the Chinese in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reported.
“There has been an alarming increase recently in acts of racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the ministry said in a statement. It did not give any specific examples of such discrimination or violence.
Asians of various backgrounds have said they have been harassed since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, including in the United States. China issued a warning to tourists traveling there earlier this year after some said they were mistreated in connection with the outbreak.
10:18pm —London, UK — Country halts trial of hydroxychloroquine as 'useless' for COVID-19 patients
British scientists halted a major drug trial after it found that the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine, touted by US President Donald Trump as a potential “game changer” in the pandemic, was “useless” at treating COVID-19 patients, Reuters reported.
“This is not a treatment for COVID-19. It doesn’t work,” Martin Landray, an Oxford University professor who is co-leading the RECOVERY trial, told reporters.
“This result should change medical practice worldwide. We can now stop using a drug that is useless.”
Vocal support from Trump raised expectations for the decades-old drug that experts said could have been a cheap and widely available tool, if proven to work, in fighting the pandemic, which has infected more than 6.4 million people and killed nearly 400,000 worldwide.
10:10pm — Detroit, US — Ford re-evaluates office space in coronavirus world
Ford Motor Co is re-evaluating how much office space it needs for white-collar workers as restrictions put in place during the coronavirus pandemic are eased and employees return to workplaces, Reuters reported.
In March, Ford, General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV told salaried employees to work from home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Ford brought back 12,000 salaried employees last month, and others have been told they can work from home until September, spokeswoman Marisa Bradley said. Given potential workplace changes caused by the outbreak, a facility consolidation the No. 2 US automaker had already launched could accelerate.
“If we know we are going to have a smaller population that’s going to come back to work, we could look at maybe shrinking our footprint,” Bradley said.
10:02pm — London, UK — Health minister urges people not to attend large demonstrations
British health minister Matt Hancock urged people not to attend large anti-racism demonstrations because of the risk of the coronavirus, Reuters reported.
Tens of thousands marched through central London on Wednesday to protest against racism after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis, and further demonstrations are planned over the weekend.
“I understand why people are deeply upset but we are still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remains a real threat,” Hancock said at the government’s daily news conference.
“So please, for the safety of your loved ones, do not attend large gatherings, including demonstrations of more than six people.”
09:40pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh reports 40 deaths, 1,353 cases
The Sindh health department has reported 40 more deaths since a day prior, taking the grim total in the province to 615.
A rise in the tally by 1,353 was also reported, taking the tally of infections to 34,889.
WATCH: Punjab govt calls on citizens to 'break the chain' of virus spread
08:52pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — KP reports 20 more deaths, 569 new cases
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has reported 20 more deaths in the province, taking the grim total to 541.
A further 569 cases were also reported, taking the province's tally to 12,459.
08:22pm — Washington, USA — US 'largely through' coronavirus pandemic: Trump
08:07pm — Capetown, South Africa — South Africa's COVID-19 cases rise and president worries about Cape Town region
Even as South Africa eases its coronavirus lockdown, infection numbers have started to rise quickly and President Cyril Ramaphosa has said he is particularly concerned about the province around Cape Town.
Western Cape, whose Table Mountain and wine tours make it a leading tourist destination, has become the country’s main coronavirus hotspot, with around two-thirds of the country’s total 40,792 cases. It has also recorded 651 out of the country’s total of 848 deaths.
South Africa recorded its largest daily jump of cases on Thursday, with 3,267 new cases.
Ramaphosa visited Cape Town on Friday to be briefed on efforts to tackle the virus, including the opening of a new temporary field hospital for mild to moderately sick patients.
“The Western Cape is the epicentre for COVID-19 infections and this concerns us deeply,” he said.
The government is expecting an escalation of cases ahead of a predicted August/September peak and rising community infection rates in densely-packed poor townships. But it is struggling with shortages of test kits, healthcare staff and hospital beds.
“We must increase the number of beds ... It’s better to over provide than to under provide because the worst is still to come,” Ramaphosa said.
07:42pm — Canada — Bombardier to cut 2,500 aviation jobs as pandemic dents travel demand
Canadian plane and train maker Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) has said it would cut 2,500 jobs, or about 11% of the workforce at its aviation unit, as the coronavirus pandemic’s crushing impact on the air industry adds to its long list of problems.
“We are now faced with the difficult decision to adjust the size of our business, considering both disruptions in our supply chain as well as industry-wide forecasts calling for approximately 30% year-over-year drops in unit deliveries due to the pandemic,” David Coleal, president of Bombardier Aviation, said in a memo to workers about the layoffs which was seen by Reuters.
Bombardier Aviation spokesman Mark Masluch said the company is starting to scale back production, but he would not give specifics.
Bombardier, which has nearly 60,000 employees at its aviation and rail units, said it would book a $40 million charge related to the job cuts.
The company, which recently exited the commercial aircraft business, is in the process of selling its rail business to French train maker Alstom (ALSO.PA) for up to 6.2 billion euros ($7.02 billion).
The sale would leave Bombardier as a “pure play” business jetmaker.
7:30pm — London, UK — Undiagnosed COVID-19 could mean English toll is higher than thought: ONS
An increase in the number of deaths in England and Wales in recent months that have not been linked to COVID-19 could indicate that undiagnosed cases are killing more people than previously thought, data from the Office for National Statistics showed, Reuters reported.
ONS figures showed that there were 46,380 excess deaths, the number of deaths above the expected, between March 7 and May 1, and that just over a quarter of those - 12,900 - did not officially involve the coronavirus.
But in an analysis, the ONS said that undiagnosed cases of the disease could explain excess deaths, especially among the older population.
“Undiagnosed COVID-19 is a likely explanation for some of non-COVID-19 excess deaths observed in this setting, because of the increased vulnerability of this population,” the ONS said.
7:22pm — Tokyo, Japan — Country aims to have coronavirus vaccines in use by June 2021
Japan aims to put coronavirus vaccines into use by June 2021, the health minister said, as the country strives to be fully ready to host the Tokyo Olympics, originally planned for this summer but postponed by one year due to the pandemic, Reuters reported.
Drugmakers around the world are scrambling to develop a treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the highly infectious new coronavirus which has so far killed nearly 400,000 people worldwide.
“We will be securing production facilities in parallel with expedited vaccine development,” Japan’s Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters as he outlined plans to bring vaccines into use by the end of the first half of 2021.
Usually, plants for actual vaccine production are arranged only after the successful completion of development.
The Japanese government has earmarked 146 billion yen ($1.34 billion) for vaccine production and distribution in the second extra budget that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet approved last month.
7:15pm — Ottawa, Canada — Surprise 289,600 jobs gained in May, jobless rate hits record
Canada unexpectedly gained 289,600 jobs in May even as the jobless rate hit a record high at 13.7%, data showed, buoyed by the loosening of stay-at-home restrictions in certain parts of the country, Reuters reported.
The job gains were far better than expected. Analysts in a Reuters poll had predicted a loss of 500,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 15.0%.
“I think this probably counts as the largest job gain in Canadian history for one month but it’s also still just a drop in the bucket in terms of recovering the lost jobs over March and April,” said Nathan Janzen, senior economist at RBC. Canada lost a record-breaking 2 million jobs in April.
The Canadian dollar climbed to a three-month high at 1.3395 per U.S. dollar or 74.65 U.S. cents. The United States, Canada's largest trading partner, also posted surprise gains for May.
7:09pm — Lima, Peru — Coffin business booms as COVID-19 deaths increase
7:02pm — Karachi, Pakistan — NCOC's special team visits Karachi
NCOC's special team led by Dr Faisal sultan visited various hospitals in Karachi including Indus, Jinnah Post Graduate Med Centre Civil Hospital, Liaqat National Hospital, and Agha Khan University Hospital as part of NCOC efforts to share experiences and help local administration in capacity building and capability enhancement and possible assistance from NCOC.
Dr Sultan also met provincial leadership. National COVID-19 effort, actions are taken thus far & future course of action discussed. Dr Faisal offered all possible assistance from NCOC to help overcome future COVID future challenges.
6:55pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Health minister Sindh's sister-in-law succumbs to coronavirus
6:49pm — Luxury carmaker Bentley to axe 1,000 UK jobs
German-owned luxury car brand Bentley said it would axe around 1,000 jobs in the UK as the market weathers the coronavirus-induced downturn, AFP reported.
The carmaker, a Volkswagen division that employs 4,200 workers in Britain, said fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak "hastened" its move to cut almost one-quarter of the UK workforce.
"Losing colleagues is not something we are treating lightly but this is a necessary step that we have to take to safeguard the jobs of the vast majority who will remain, and deliver a sustainable business model for the future," said Bentley Motors chairman and chief executive Adrian Hallmark.
6:42pm — Geneva, Switzerland — 'It's not over': COVID-19 cases rise in some nations easing lockdowns: WHO
Some countries have seen “upticks” in COVID-19 cases as lockdowns ease, and populations must protect themselves from the coronavirus while authorities continue testing, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, Reuters reported.
The epicentre of the pandemic is currently in countries of Central, South, and North America, particularly the United States, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said.
“On upticks (in cases), yes we have seen in countries around the world - I’m not talking specifically about Europe - when the lockdowns ease, when the social distancing measures ease, people sometimes interpret this as ‘OK, it’s over’,” Harris told a U.N. briefing in Geneva.
“It’s not over. It’s not over until there is no virus anywhere in the world,” she said.
6:36pm — Mexico city, Mexico — Burials surge as infections rise
6:30pm — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Divorce rates increase amid coronavirus
Divorce rates in the kingdom have increased by 30% during the lockdown period enforced by the coronavirus, reported the Gulf News quoting Saudi Justice Ministry.
The paper said the rate of divorce has increased compared to the same period last year.
However, during the lockdown period, 13,000 people also tied nuptial knots an increase of 5% compared to the same period in the previous year.
6:22pm — ADB, Pakistan sign $5.28 million Norwegian Grant to strengthen COVID-19 response
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Pakistan signed an agreement to expand support for Pakistan’s response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province through the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF).
The Secretary of Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division Noor Ahmed and ADB’s Country Director for Pakistan Xiaohong Yang signed the agreement. After the signing ceremony, Ms. Yang met with Chargé d’affaires of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad Sigbjørn Tenfjord to discuss the project.
Under the agreement, the Government of Norway will provide a $5.28 million grant to strengthen the emergency response system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province amid the COVID-19 crisis. The grant is drawn from the unused resources of the Pakistan Earthquake Fund and will be administered by ADB.
6:16pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — Markets, office to remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Markets and offices will remain closed in Islamabad on Saturdays and Sundays, a notification from the administration said.
Meanwhile, gym, parlours, shrines, marriage halls, business centers will remain completely shut, the notification said.
Sports competitions and public gatherings will be completely banned, the notification said.
6:10pm — Ankara, Turkey — Erdogan cancels curfew over economy worries
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cancelled a weekend curfew introduced to halt the spread of coronavirus, pointing to concerns over the economy, AFP reported.
Turkey has been locked down on weekends and public holidays since April, and the interior ministry said in the early hours of Friday that 15 cities would again be shuttered this weekend.
However, hours later Erdogan announced on Twitter that he had cancelled the curfew after "feedback from our citizens" suggested it would have a negative economic impact.
5:59pm — Islamabad, Pakistan — 'Pakistan cannot undergo another lockdown': PM tells Tiger Force to spread awareness on COVID-19
Prime Minister Imran Khan held a special television briefing for the Coronavirus Tigers Relief Force, telling them to spread awareness among people far and wide in the country, as "Pakistan cannot undergo another lockdown".
"This country cannot undergo another lockdown. That's why we need you to spread awareness," the premier said, addressing members of the force.
He said the force will now be provided identification cards so they can go to hotspots and distribute food if those areas are closed off.
Read complete story here.5:53pm — Karachi, Pakistan — MQM-P's Shahana Ashar tests positive for coronavirus
MQM-P's Shahana Ashar, who attended a session of the Sindh Assembly a day earlier, tested positive for coronavirus, partly leader Kanwar Naveed Jameel said.
The lawmaker has gone into self-isolation, he said.
5:45pm — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Virus toll surges to third-highest in world
Brazil's death toll from the new coronavirus surpassed Italy's to become the third-highest in the world Thursday, as the UN's secretary-general called for a "people's vaccine" to stem the pandemic.
The bleak figures from Brazil underlined the grim toll the virus is taking in Latin America, the latest epicenter in the pandemic, even as Europe seeks to reemerge from lockdown — including with a massive new 600-billion-euro ($674-billion) economic stimulus measure announced by the European Central Bank.
Follow safety measures to save your loved ones
5:34pm — After Pakistan's lockdown gamble, COVID-19 cases surge
Four weeks ago, with its most important festival coming up and millions of people facing starvation as economic activity dwindled, Pakistan lifted a two-month-long coronavirus lockdown, Reuters reported.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said despite rising infections and deaths, the country would need to learn to “live with” the virus to avert pushing tens of millions living on daily wages into destitution.
Now, a Reuters review of government data shows over 20,000 cases of the virus were identified in the three weeks before the lockdown was lifted, and more than double that figure were identified in the three weeks since.
To be sure, testing rates have also increased. But of those tested, the daily average of positive results climbed from on average 11.5% in the three weeks before the lockdown was lifted, to 15.4% on average in the subsequent three weeks. The ratio is around 23% this week, according to the data.
Read complete story here.
5:27pm — Karachi, Pakistan — KU’s Academic Council approves online classes during lockdown
The Academic Council meeting of the University of Karachi approved to conduct online classes to continue the academic activities as part of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus, a statement from the varsity said.
Meanwhile, the university would conduct classes from July 16, 2020, to August 13, 2020 — on Saturdays and Sundays — for those students who are unable to attend online classes.
05:11pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Governor donates plasma for coronavirus patients
Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has donated his blood plasma for the recovery of coronavirus patients.
The process was overseen by NIBD chief Dr Tahir Shamsi.
Governor Ismail had announced after recovering from COVID-19 that he would donate his plasma for the benefit of other patients. He urged others who have recovered to consider doing the same.
"Dr Tahir Shamsi deserves praise for having introduced this method," Ismail said.
Dr Shamsi said that with plasma infusion, 80% patients are saved from being put on ventilators. One person's plasma can be used to treat two patients, he said.
5:00pm - Ankara, Turkey — Erdogan cancels Turkey curfew over economy worries
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday cancelled a weekend curfew introduced to halt the spread of coronavirus, pointing to concerns over the economy.
Turkey has been locked down on weekends and public holidays since April, and the interior ministry said in the early hours of Friday that 15 cities would again be shuttered this weekend.
However, hours later Erdogan announced on Twitter that he had cancelled the curfew after "feedback from our citizens" suggested it would have a negative economic impact.
Cafes, restaurants and other public spaces reopened this week, sparking hopes that the curfew would be lifted.
"We were not willing to see our citizens suffer just as they began to return to their usual daily life following a two-and-a-half-month break," the president said.
But he urged citizens to use masks, practise social distancing and ensure they were following the rules of hygiene.
4:50pm - London, UK — Luxury carmaker Bentley to axe 1,000 UK jobs
German-owned luxury car brand Bentley on Friday said it would axe around 1,000 jobs in the UK as the market weathers the coronavirus-induced downturn.
The carmaker, a Volkswagen division that employs 4,200 workers in Britain, said fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak "hastened" its move to cut almost one-quarter of the UK workforce.
"Losing colleagues is not something we are treating lightly but this is a necessary step that we have to take to safeguard the jobs of the vast majority who will remain, and deliver a sustainable business model for the future," said Bentley Motors chairman and chief executive Adrian Hallmark.
"COVID-19 has not been the cause of this measure but a hastener," he added.
Friday's news caps a grim week for Britain's automotive sector, which has been slammed by tanking demand as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.
Car dealership group Lookers said Thursday that it would axe about 1,500 jobs and shut 12 showrooms.
4:35pm - Peshawar, Pakistan — KP deputy finance secretary tests positive for virus
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Deputy Finance Secretary Dr Nauman Mujahid has tested positive for the virus, confirmed the official’s wife on Friday.
She added that Dr Mujahid is being treated at a privet hospital in Peshawar.
4:20pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — NA speaker forms committee to ensure stranded Pakistanis return home
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has formed a committee to bring back the stranded Pakistanis from abroad.
The committee has been formed to cooperate with the foreign and overseas ministries. The committee will also reach out to the stranded Pakistanis.
4:00pm - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Malaysia reports 19 new coronavirus cases, one new death
Malaysia reported 19 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the cumulative total to 8,266 infections.
The health ministry also reported its first death in two weeks, raising the number of fatalities to 116.
Earlier on Friday, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin unveiled an additional economic stimulus package worth around $8.2 billion in a bid to revitalise industries badly hit by the pandemic.
3:25pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — PTI MNA expresses displeasure over lack of corona testing at PArliament House
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Sana Ullah Masti Khel expressed his displeasure over no tests being carried out at the Parliament House.
“NA and Senate sessions are going on but the situation is like this,” said the Khel. He added that the testing team should have stayed in the Parliament House till the evening and urged the speaker to take action on this.
PDMA Sindh gives helpline number for home isolated patients
2:20pm - Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesia reports 703 new coronavirus infections, 49 new deaths: official
Indonesia reported 703 new coronavirus infections on Friday, taking the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 29,521.
There were 49 new deaths, with total COVID-19 fatalities rising to 1,770, said Achmad Yurianto, a health ministry official.
2:05pm - Karachi, Pakistan — NCOC team reviews coronavirus situation in Civil Hospital
A team from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) visited the Civil hospital in Karachi to review the coronavirus arrangements in the facility, said the management.
The team includes PM’s Focal Person for Coronavirus Dr Faisal Sultan and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tania Aidrus.
According to the management, the medical superintendent of the hospital briefed the team on HDU and ICU set up in the hospital.
1:45pm - Beijing, China — Beijing city government to further cut COVID-19 emergency response level
Beijing’s municipal government said on Friday it will lower its COVID-19 emergency response from level II to level III effective from Saturday, state media reported.
The change removes quarantine requirements for people from Hubei province, the virus’s original epicentre.
Beijing has no confirmed local COVID-19 cases over the past 50 days, according to its Municipal Health Commission.
1:20pm - Moscow, Russia — Russia's coronavirus infections near 450,000
Russia reported 8,726 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, pushing the total number of infections to 449,834.
Officials said 144 people had died in the last 24 hours, bringing the official nationwide death toll to 5,528.
1:00pm - Islamabad, Pakistan — 10 more NA employees test positive: sources
The National Institute of Health told the National Assembly secretariat that 10 more employees of the Parliament have contracted the virus, sources told Geo News.
They added that more than 30 employees of the secretariat have contracted the virus.
12:45pm - Istanbul, Turkey — Turkey could ban layoffs for three more months, Hurriyet reports
Turkey could extend a three-month ban on layoffs that was imposed in April to offset shuttered businesses and unemployment in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Hurriyet newspaper reported on Friday, citing unnamed officials.
Hurriyet said President Tayyip Erdogan could extend the ban for three more months. As part of a new draft law, the government is looking at ways to give incentives to companies that maintain employment or hire new people, it said.
In response to the outbreak, Turkey topped up the wages of employees whose work hours were cut and whose employers applied for the funding. That system could be replaced by alternative support systems, the paper said.
Hundreds mourn their loved ones lost due to coronavirus
12:00pm - Berlin, Germany — Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 394 to 183,271
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 394 to 183,271, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.
The reported death toll rose by 26 to 8,613, the tally showed.
11:45am - Fawad Chaudhry decides to skip parliament session
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has decided not to attend the ongoing session of parliament due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Not only today, but I’m also thinking of not attending the rest of the sessions as well,” said the minister. He added that there are chances of the coronavirus spreading by keeping a physical session of the parliament.
11:25am - Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh education secretary asks govt schools to initiate online classes
Sindh’s education secretary has directed government schools to initiate online classes, said a notification released by the department on Friday.
According to the notification, online classes will be held for classes 6 till 12 and will be carried out with the help of UNICEF and Microsoft.
The department also announced that 75 master trainers will train the teachers for online classes. The secretary has also directed all district directors to share data of students and teachers by June 17.
9:50am — Islamabad, Pakistan — Nationwide death toll climbs to 1,838
Death toll from the novel coronavirus climbed to 1,838 after more deaths were reported in the federal capital.
According to the national dashboard, three more deaths were reported in Islamabad in the last 24 hours to take the city’s tally to 41.
9:50am — Islamabad, Pakistan — Islamabad, AJK report new cases
Confirmed cases in the country jump to 90,290 on Friday after new cases were detected in Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the national dashboard, 402 new cases were recorded in the federal capital in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 3,946 in the city.
While, 14 more case were also recorded in Azad Jammu and Kashmir taking the region’s tally to 299.
