Corona virus worldwide: New alarming reports are coming from Asia. Cases are increasing rapidly in Japan, and there is also a new outbreak in a border town in China.
- The corona virus * spreads worldwide - with a time delay.
- Donald Trump is now attacking the WHO .
- He is setting in motion a discussion about the role of the World Health Organization .
- Our guide through the reporting: latest case numbers *, symptoms occurring * and possible protective measures *.
April 14 update, 5:57 pm: In India, thousands of migrant workers and slum dwellers have protested the extension of a strict curfew . At a train station in the city of Mumbai, people crowded closely together. They demanded that they leave the financial metropolis and be allowed to return to their villages, as filming by local TV stations showed on Tuesday. Police have dispersed the crowd with sticks, local media reported.
There are no trains at the moment. Because of a curfew that has been in effect for three weeks, the financially battered migrant workers have lost their jobs. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an extension of the world's largest curfew until May 3. In his speech, he said that his country has a better grip on the spread of the virus than other countries .
Troubling images coming from Mumbai; migrants gather in large numbers at station, hoping to go back to their villages. What happened in Delhi a few weeks ago is now being replayed in Mumbai: migrants want to go HOME, lockdown or no lockdown. City of dreams is a city of migrants! pic.twitter.com/6izrx3WGld
- Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) April 14, 2020In the second most populous country after China, there are now more than 10,000 confirmed Covid 19 cases, and more than 300 infected people have died. However, comparatively little is tested in the country.
Update from April 14, 2:48 p.m .: According to the figures from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Iran ranks eighth in the absolute number of coronavirus infections * with almost 75,000 worldwide. Now, the country badly affected, according to the health minister, had a first partial success. "For the first time in the past four weeks, the number of victims was in double digits today, " said Minister Saeid Namaki.
Corona virus worldwide: India extends curfews - millions starve
Since March 11, more than 100 patients have been killed every day as a result of the coronavirus. On Tuesday there were 98 deaths in Iran within 24 hours. The Minister informed the Isna news agency that this number was the result of adhering to contact restrictions and the successful work of the medical sector.
"Please follow the instructions and don't make the work of our doctors and nurses even more difficult than they already are," Namaki appealed. So far, a total of 4683 corona deaths have been reported. However, experts assume a higher actual number.
Update from April 14, 9:35 am: More and more curfews are being imposed or extended worldwide, as is now the case in India , where a strict ban is already in place. According to Indian media, the curfew, which should apply until April 15th, will be extended until May 3rd .
Corona virus worldwide: India extends curfews - millions starve
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was satisfied with the ban, which affects more than 1.3 billion people. Although his new decision looks economically expensive, there are "no costs when it comes to the lives of Indians."
The curfew caused criticism among large sections of the population and chaos in the country, particularly as it affects the low-income classes. Day laborers and migrant workers are unemployed, around 90 percent of Indians are supposed to work in the informal sector and mostly have no employment contracts or reserves. The country had responded early to the crisis, but millions of people plunged into poverty and hunger restrictions.
The South Asian country has had around 10,000 coronavirus infections * so far, 339 people have already died as a result of the virus. The densely populated country is particularly susceptible to viral diseases in the metropolises. It is impossible for many people to keep their distance or wash their hands properly, as millions of Indians are not guaranteed access to clean water.
Corona virus worldwide: IMF demands debt relief for poor countries
Update of April 14, 2020, 8.21 a.m .: In the face of the Corona crisis , the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced immediate debt relief for 25 developing countries . IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva announced on Monday that the IMF will grant poor countries emergency loans for a period of six months to help them fight Corona. The loans were approved for a number of African countries as well as for Afghanistan, Nepal, Haiti and Yemen .
The funds required for this come from the IMR's disaster relief fund CCRT , which was created during the Ebola crisis in West Africa in 2015 and is now being reused due to the corona pandemic . The CCRT currently includes $ 500 million. The largest contributors are Japan, Great Britain, China and the Netherlands. Georgieva campaigned for an increase in the fund and also called on other countries to participate in contributions.
Meanwhile, the Australian authorities made a worrying forecast. The Corona crisis is expected to dramatically increase unemployment in the country. The Treasury expects the current unemployment rate to double from 5.1 percent to 10 percent , according to a ministry report released on Tuesday. If the unemployment rate rose to ten percent, 1.4 million Australians would be out of work. This would be the largest unemployment rate in the country in 30 years.
And the discounter chain Aldi is also hit hard by the corona crisis. An Aldi boss has now commented on possible price increases. His forecast should come as a surprise given the high demand for numerous products such as toilet paper and flour.
Corona virus worldwide: Pompeo makes serious allegations to the Chinese government
Update 18:37: The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made serious allegations against the Chinese government in an interview with the picture . "We regret that this virus, this epidemic that started in Wuhan, China, was not known quickly enough," said Pompeo. The communist party did not provide the information in time.
Pompeo also indicated that there will still be demands on the Chinese government. "There will be a time when those responsible will be held accountable," said the 56-year-old. At the moment, however, the US must concentrate on coping with the current situation in order to restart the American economy. "There will be a time for blame," the Secretary of State added.
Update 6:23 p.m .: The World Health Organization ( WHO) has again advised extreme caution and prudence in easing strict measures in the wake of the corona crisis . "Now is the time for vigilance. Now is the time to be very, very careful, ”said WHO expert Michael Ryan in Geneva on Monday. Several conditions have to be met before one can go back to normality, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom. He also warned that while the corona virus spreads quickly, it slowly softens.
Corona virus worldwide: But infected people in North Korea?
Update, 2:17 p.m .: Until now , North Korean state media had always announced that there was not a single case in the country, but at the weekend these declarations failed to materialize . Senior officials have called for resolute action against the coronavirus pandemic in a meeting with ruler Kim Jong Un on Sunday (April 12) to approve a resolution that provides for stricter "national measures to protect the life and safety" of North Koreans been. The borders with neighboring China were closed shortly after the first cases became known, thousands of North Koreans and hundreds of foreigners were quarantined for weeks. Whether there are registered infections remains unclear, according to the WHO, up to April 2, 709 people, including 11 foreigners, were tested for the coronavirus in North Korea.
Corona worldwide: criticism of Japan's premier - too few tests?
Update of April 13, 8:32 am : After Japan had long reported low case numbers and only closed schools, universities and sports facilities as well as nightclubs last Saturday ( April 11th ), Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abé had been heavily criticized. A study by Oxford University had calculated that only 0.57 tests were carried out per 1,000 inhabitants in Japan - compared to 15.97 in Germany.
Now the number of cases in Japan is increasing strongly - according to information from Johns Hopkins University, there were 863 confirmed new infections on Friday (April 10th), 475 on Saturday and 743 on Sunday. Overall, Johns Hopkins University reports 7,370 confirmed infections and 123 deaths, Japan's Ministry of Health speaks as of April 10th. out of 6720 confirmed cases.
Furthermore, there can be no talk of a nationwide lockdown - on Friday individual prefectures had declared an emergency for their regions on their own initiative. Because hardly any home office is offered, many people still go to work.
Corona virus: New outbreak in Chinese border town
April 12 update, 1:58 p.m .: China is concerned about the influx of travelers infected with the new corona virus who are coming from Russia to the border town of Suifenhe in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang. A team of 15 experts set off on Sunday from Beijing to Suifenhe near the Russian port city of Vladivostok, among other things to expand testing options.
By Saturday, around 300 cases of the Sars CoV-2 virus had been reported in the city, including around 100 people who had no symptoms. Since the flight connections between China and Russia were interrupted, many Chinese now fly to Vladivostok and then set off on the good two-hour journey to the border. All immigrants must be tested and isolated in one facility. The border crossing had to be temporarily closed due to the rush.
A curfew was ordered in the city of 70,000 inhabitants, which resembles the strict measures at the place of origin of the pandemic in Wuhan , which was just lifted after a good two and a half months.
Coronavirus: China reports increase in infections
Update from April 12, 7:31 am: China has the highest number of imported infections with the
Corona virus reported in one day. Of a total of 99 newly registered infections, 97 were imported from abroad, the health commission said.
Most recently, a maximum of 67 imported cases had been reported on March 25. As a result, on March 28, Beijing imposed an entry ban from abroad that continues to apply.
In addition, 49 suspected Corona cases were reported on Sunday, all of which are said to be imported cases.
The two domestic infections therefore both come from the northeastern province of Heilongjiang on the border with Russia.
Corona worldwide: Pakistan bans the export of a possible Covid-19 drug
Update of April 11, 3:52 pm: Pakistan has banned the export of all malaria prophylaxis drugs that may also help against the lung disease Covid-19 . The export ban was introduced on Thursday, the Pakistani Ministry of Commerce said. Analyzes are currently underway in several countries as to whether drugs with anti-malaria active ingredients could also be used to treat Covid-19 .
The German pharmaceutical and chemical group Bayer also produces a medication for malaria prophylaxis in Pakistan. Resochin with the active ingredient chloroquine has so far only been produced at one location in the South Asian country. Bayer announced more than a week ago that it would also like Resochin to be produced in Europe.
Corona sound barrier broken - is there no immunity at all? New study questions everything
Update of April 11, 9:09 am: Schools in China could start teaching again by the end of April. This assessment was made by the head of the government's commission of experts in the fight against the new corona virus , Zhong Nanshan, according to the Global Times newspaper on Saturday. As long as there are no new major outbreaks, schools can be opened.
With the exception of the specially protected capital Beijing and the severely affected province of Hubei , all provinces and metropolises have already announced concrete plans to start school again in the next few weeks.
China has brought the disease under control , but is now facing the risk of imported infections, the professor said in a video conference with experts. The country is seeking a careful balance between restarting the economy and preventing a “second wave” from the Sars CoV-2 virus . "There are two ways to deal with a highly contagious disease: one is encapsulation and the other is abatement." The Chinese government has decided to narrow it down.
Update from April 10, 2020, 8:40 p.m .: How could the corona virus spread so rapidly almost all over the world? Researchers have now followed the path and origin of the new Sars-CoV-2 - with astounding results, as you can read on merkur.de *.
Even in the Corona crisis, Pope Francis gives the Easter blessing "Urbi et Orbi". However, a lot will be different at the celebration.
Update, April 10, 2020, 7:58 p.m .: According to US experts, a sad mark was cracked on Good Friday: Worldwide, there are more than 100,000 deaths from the consequences of the corona virus . This comes from data from the American Johns Hopkins University from Friday.
The number of cases of infection detected worldwide was therefore more than 1.6 million . The United States has so far been the country with the highest number of infections reported, in absolute numbers, followed by Spain and Italy .
The Johns Hopkins University website is updated more frequently and therefore shows a higher level of confirmed infections than the official figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Health Authority (CDC).
Are there long-term effects of coronavirus infection? Experts are now suspicious.
Update, April 10, 2020, 4:30 p.m .: Until now, experts assumed that coronavirus patients who had survived Covid 19 disease were immune to a new corona infection for a certain period of time.
However, a study by the Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea is now raising questions. According to the authorities, Covid-19 has broken out again in 51 people recovering from a coronavirus infection . The tests were positive, although the patients had previously been cured. This is reported by the American news magazine Bloomberg .
Corona virus worldwide: can Covid-19 be reactivated?
Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of the Korean authorities, said the patients had not become infected again after the quarantine ended . Rather, it is likely that the virus has been "reactivated" . "We see reactivation of the virus as a possible cause and will conduct a comprehensive study," said Jeong.
However, it has often happened that a patient was tested negative during one day of treatment and positive on another day, Jeong added. The test results are not always clear.
Corona virus worldwide: Europe most affected
Update, 4:40 p.m .: While Europe remains the most affected continent (with currently 788,000 confirmed cases), the virus is currently spreading fastest in the United States .
Thailand imposed a ban on alcohol sales, which is expected to apply until the end of April. So excessive parties to the upcoming New Year are to be prevented.
In Northeast Syria , where around 1.3 million internally displaced people live, meanwhile, preparations are being made for the worst: According to Medico International, protective clothing, test and hospital capacities are lacking during border crossings. Syria, which only has tests evaluated centrally in Damascus, has only nine positive cases and one death.
Update, 13:34: According to doctors from China, it is conceivable that the virus can be transmitted to babies in the womb. With 81,000 infections in China, four cases occurred in which newborns tested positive for the virus. All babies had only mild symptoms . Although in all cases the children were isolated from the mothers showing Covid 19 symptoms and the births were born by caesarean section, other transmission routes cannot be excluded. A transmission to the uterus in the womb can be considered possible.
Corona virus worldwide: Donald Trump threatens WHO
First report from April 9th, 2020, 12.10pm:
Munich - Donald Trump threatened the WHO yesterday (April 8) to stop paying her. WHO would be hard hit because the United States is the largest donor.
This debate comes at a time when 1.49 million people worldwide tested positive for the coronavirus, almost 89,000 people died in connection with the coronavirus and about 332,000 people have recovered (source and details: Johns Hopkins University ). EUropa is still considered the crisis center. While some countries - such as China and Iran - have already relaxed their measures again, European countries such as Spain and Italy are about to relax the measures, others are only now taking stricter measures.
The WHO and its regional offices have the role of sharing knowledge * and making recommendations and coordinating responses to the pandemic, for example by sending staff.
Coronavirus: Donald Trump against WHO - what's wrong with the allegations?
Although Donald Trump has found a new scapegoat with his allegations against the WHO, which distracts from his own, sometimes abstruse misjudgment of the situation, his attack on the WHO nevertheless gets a discussion rolling.
The Bild newspaper lists (behind the payment barrier) several statements by the WHO that would have turned out to be wrong in retrospect: The WHO had spoken in mid-January that there was no evidence of a person-to-person transmission at the end of January WHO thanks the Chinese government for cooperation and transparency and emphasizes that the virus outbreak was not an international crisis.
Coronavirus: The WHO and China
After two months, these points turned out to be a rough misjudgment - a mistake that was made by other institutions, but which should least happen to the WHO . However, the even more serious reproach is: WHO is listening to China and - too often and still - relies on statements by the Chinese government that other experts have long doubted. According to Tagesschau, WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus admitted not knowing whether China was hiding something or not.
Coronavirus: WHO responses to Trump's allegations
UN head António Guterres defended the role of WHO , that the virus was something never seen before - of course it is possible that the same facts were interpreted differently by different units. Nevertheless, he held out the prospect of post-pandemic investigations in which the role of individual organizations would have to be reviewed. We shouldn't waste time pointing fingers at others, "said WHO chairman Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on Wednesday. He warned against politicizing the virus:
:. ,. @ DrTedros appeals for unity over # COVID19 pic.twitter.com/pDMN6Lu5np
- UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) April 8, 2020Times magazine warns that the United States will withdraw from the WHO because it would give China more leeway - a wrong signal at this time. Civil society organizations, such as Medico International, point out that the WHO has been underfunded for a long time and relies on project-related donations from private sector organizations.
The corona crisis continues to worsen in Turkey.
According to WHO criticism: EU clearly contradicts Trump
The EU has meanwhile clearly contradicted US President Donald Trump in his criticism of the World Health Organization (WHO). "Cooperation, solidarity and multilateralism are the key to our joint success against the coronavirus," wrote EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Thursday. The WHO, led by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, provides life-saving support on the path to recovery for the whole world. "The EU fully supports this important work."
Markus Söder is now getting headwind from the world doctor's president for his hard-hand policy - Frank Ulrich Montgomery says: "Bavaria is in the worst position". After the results were published, the Heinsberg study was seen as a source of encouragement - but criticism is now being voiced.
Donald Trump is exposed in the Corona crisis by his main advisor, but could become the big winner of the situation.
* Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editors network.
Rubric list picture: © picture alliance / dpa / -