World coronavirus dispatch: No of deaths in Latin America crosses 50,000

Overburdened Mexico struggling to cope while Japan manages the pandemic by controlling small outbreaks

Global coronavirus cases surpassed 6 million on Saturday, as Latin America reported a grim milestone of 50,000 deaths from the disease. Countries such as Brazil, Chile and Mexico are struggling to stem the spread of the virus, which initially peaked in China in February before large-scale outbreaks followed in Europe and the United States.

The first 41 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Wuhan, China, on 10 January and it took the world until April 1 to reach its first million cases. Since then, about 1 million new cases are reported every two weeks. Read more here

Let’s look at global statistics:

Total Confirmed Cases: 6,063,588

Change Over Yesterday: 249,591

Total Deaths: 369,244

Total Recovered: 2,566,035 

Nations hit with most cases: US (1,770,384), Brazil (498,440), Russia (396,575), UK (274,219) and Spain (239,228)

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center

No new coronavirus cases in English Premier League teams: The Premier League confirmed that of the 1,130 players and club staff tested, none turned out to positive of Covid-19. In the three previous rounds of testing since players resumed training there were 12 positives. Read more here  

Coronavirus deaths top 50,000 in Latin America: Latin America hit a grim milestone on Saturday as coronavirus deaths topped 50,000 and cases neared 1 million, with countries such as Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru struggling to stem the tide, according to a Reuters tally. Read more here

Brazil now past France in Covid-19 deaths: Brazil reported a record 33,274 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, its health ministry said, and the death toll surpassed that of France and now ranks only below the US. Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has played down the gravity of the epidemic and criticised lockdowns. Read more here  

Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque reopens after more than two months: The resumption of prayers at Islam’s third-holiest site is done under a few restrictions. Worshippers must wear face masks and bring personal prayer rugs should they wish to pray inside the shrines or on the compound’s outdoor grounds. Read more here  

Specials 

Mexico is overburdened

As the pandemic strikes Mexico, some patients are dying from neglect or mistakes that could be easily prevented because doctors and nurses are overwhelmed in an underfunded system and are themselves being infected and dying from Covid-19. Read more here  

The Japan model of handling coronavirus

Instead of testing for the coronavirus, Japan has focused on containing small outbreaks and educating people on social distancing. The country has reported fewer deaths than other major nations and ended a state of emergency even while maintaining a low testing rate. Read more here  

FTSE 100 faces big reshuffle as pandemic takes its toll

The FTSE 100 is set for its biggest shake-up in more than four years after the impact of coronavirus wiped out revenues for companies in travel and aviation but boosted others in emergency services and technology. Dropping out of the FTSE 100 is significant for companies given the access to tracker or exchange traded funds that only follow the index of the UK’s top companies. Read here to know which ones may fall out and which may join the index  

Video

See: Circles are painted on the grass at this San Francisco park to promote social distancing