NY Covid deaths below 400 for 1st time in April; lowest daily toll in Spain

The total number of coronavirus cases has reached 2,994,795, while 206,995 died from the disease globally, according to worldometer data on Monday. 

The US, the most affected country in this pandemic, accounts for over 30 per cent of all confirmed cases, and a little over 25 per cent of the global death toll.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said the 367 deaths from the coronavirus were "horrific," but the number was less than half the nearly 800 deaths that occurred in a single day during the pandemic's peak in the state.

It is the first time this month that the statewide daily death toll has been below 400.

The governor said the number of hospitalisations, which still topped 1,000, and the number of individuals put on a ventilator had dropped as well.

The deaths include 349 patients who died in hospitals and 18 individuals who died in nursing homes, the Democratic governor said.

Italy has registered its lowest day-to-day increase in deaths of those infected with Covid-19 since the country was in its first week of lockdown in mid-March.

The Health Ministry released new figures, including 260 deaths, for the 24-hour period ending Sunday. That daily grim statistic was last lower on March 14, when 175 deaths were registered.

Overall, Italy has registered 26,644 deaths of those with known coronavirus infections.

In Spain, which has been one of the countries worst hit in the coronavirus pandemic, has reported its lowest daily death toll in more than a month.

Its health ministry said earlier that 288 more people had died of the virus, the lowest number since 20 March, the BBC reported. The figure is a steep drop from the 378 deaths recorded on Saturday.

On Sunday, children under the age of 14 were allowed to leave their homes for the first time in six weeks. They are now allowed outside for one hour a day.

The health ministry said the total number of fatalities now stood at 23,190.

The UK recorded its lowest daily death toll from the novel coronavirus in a month at 413 on Sunday, with its total number of hospital deaths climbing to 20,732.

UK Environment Secretary George Eustice announced the update during the daily Downing Street briefing in London and revealed that hospitalisations from Covid-19 had continued to register a downward trajectory as it fell to 15,953.

The minister, however, warned that it was still too early to start discussing any let up in the strict lockdown measures in place.

"It is still too early to ease any of those social distancing measures. It will be reviewed in a couple of weeks' time and that would be the right moment to consider the scientific evidence that we have, particularly the medical evidence," said Eustice, in reference to the May 7 deadline for a review of the lockdown.

"It's very important that we don't risk a second peak. It's very important that we see a downward trend and sustainable reduction in the number of infections. And that is our position," he said.

In Turkey, the health minister confirmed 2,357 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 110,130.

Meanwhile, the deaths from the coronavirus have reached 2,805 after 99 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, Fahrettin Koca tweeted on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkey conducted a total of 30,177 tests in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of tests to 889,742, the minister noted.

Coming to Greece, the authorities said there have been four new fatalities from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours to raise the total to 134.

There are 11 new confirmed cases of the disease, which brings the total to 2,517. The number of people on ventilators declined to 46, while 64 patients have exited intensive care.

The total number of tests conducted so far is 64,608.

Coronavirus cases in Singapore crossed the 13,000-mark on Sunday after 931 positive cases, including 886 foreign workers living in packed dormitories, were confirmed.

Another 25 were work permit holders living outside the dormitories, said the Health Ministry on Sunday. There were also two imported cases reported today.

Both are Singaporeans who have been placed on stay-home notice upon their arrival in Singapore on Apr 10, said the ministry.

Only 13 cases were from the local community, Singapore citizens and permanent residents (foreigners), with another five on work passes (foreigners), said the Ministry. The Sunday's cases raised the total number to 13,624.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's coronavirus cases jumped to 13,304 on Sunday, as a top medical body warned that mosques are becoming a major source of transmission for the novel coronavirus in the country and urged people to pray at home during Ramzan.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, at least 15 people have died in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in the country to 269.

A total of 1,508 new cases were reported in one day, taking the total number of infections to 13,304, reports said. The number of those recovered also increased to 2,866, it said.

Pakistan's worst-hit Punjab province reported 5,446 cases, Sindh 4,615, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 1,864, Balochistan 781, Gilgit-Baltistan 308, Islamabad 235 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 55 cases. So far, 144,365 tests have been done in the country, including 6,218 in the last 24 hours.

"Mosques are becoming a major source of virus transmission," Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) President Dr Iftikhar Burney has said.

Talking to reporters on Saturday, Burney said that the infected cases have surged rapidly during the past week.

"Around 6,000 cases for coronavirus surfaced in a month.but the same has doubled in the last six days," he said, warning that the infection would further go up in the coming months of May and June.

The Pakistan government early this month succumbed to pressure from the hardline clerics and allowed conditional congregational prayers in mosques during Ramzan.

In Sri Lanka, the number of Covid-19 cases has risen to 505, according to the latest data from the country's health ministry on Sunday (local time).

Out of all the confirmed cases, 95 are navy personnel who contracted the virus after a team of navy officers went in search of suspected patients and drug traffickers in Suduwella, Ja-Ela recently and got exposed to the virus.

According to Army Commander Shavendra Silva, the navy officers belonged to the Welisara Navy camp, which has now been declared as an isolated zone. All entry and exit from the camp have been banned.

The health ministry said in its latest update that 120 patients of Covid-19 have recovered, 378 are still under medical observation in designated hospitals across the country and seven have died.