World coronavirus dispatch: Brazil is second nation with million-plus cases

One in five people at risk of severe Covid-19 illness, Tesla defers shareholder meet, London restaurants reopen July 4 and other pandemic related news from across the globe

Brazil has become the second country in the world to confirm more than one million cases of Covid-19. Latin America is among the areas currently seeing a spike in infections. There are major outbreaks in a number of countries, including Chile and Peru, while Mexico became the seventh country to officially surpass 20,000 virus-related deaths. Read more here.

Let’s look at the global statistics:

Total Confirmed Cases: 86,65,920

Change Over Yesterday: 1,65,928

Total Deaths: 4,60,043

Total Recovered: 42,46,221

Nations hit with most cases: US (22,22,576), Brazil (10,32,913), Russia (5,68,292), India (3,95,048) and UK (3,03,285)

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center

WHO warns “dangerous phase” of pandemic: Coronavirus cases spiked sharply across the American South and West, particularly in states that loosened restrictions on businesses several weeks ago. Eighty-one nations have seen a growth in new cases over the past two weeks. Only 36 have seen declines. Read more here.

One in five people at risk of severe Covid-19 illness: One in five people worldwide have an underlying health condition that puts them at risk for a severe Covid-19 illness if they contract the virus, scientists found. An estimated 1.7 billion people suffer from conditions ranging from type 2 diabetes to heart disease, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health. Read more here.

Tesla postpones shareholder meeting: Tesla have to postpone its annual shareholder meeting as no large gatherings are allowed by July 7. “Not sure of new date, but am guessing maybe a month or so later,” founder Elon Musk said. Read more here.

US baseball players test positive, practice suspended: Every team in US’s Major League Baseball will shut its spring training camp over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, a move that came in the wake of the Philadelphia Phillies announcing Friday five players had tested positive for Covid-19. Read more here.

Specials

London restaurants to reopen July 4: London restaurants are finalizing plans to reopen on July 4 if they get the go-ahead from the government. Some are waiting to see if the government eases a requirement for two meters (6 feet 6 inches) of social distancing. There will be hand-sanitizers and guests will be invited to download menus on their phones to reduce physical contact. Staff safety will be a priority, with daily wellness checks for all, as well as personal protective equipment for front-of-house staff. Read more here.

How loneliness could be changing your brain: Loneliness might conjure images of being apart from friends and family. Evolutionarily, being part of a group has meant protection, sharing the workload and increased odds of survival. Staying in that state of alert, that high state of stress, means wear and tear on the body. Stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine can contribute to sleeplessness, weight gain and anxiety over extended periods of exposure. Read more here.

England’s contact app fiasco exposes limits of technology: When UK ministers announced that they were ditching efforts to develop a contact-tracing app, it marked the end of a months-long attempt to find a novel solution. Countries across the world have tried to develop tailored smartphone apps that will alert people when they have come into contact with someone infected with the virus, but a number have abandoned these efforts after concluding they must use technology provided by Apple and Google. The UK government has now decided to follow suit and develop an app using Apple and Google software. Read here to know why.

From pools to playrooms: five home-enhancing projects to plan now: Lockdown 2020 made interior designers of us all. We did not necessarily want an entirely new house, but small inconveniences became enormous daily irritants. FT asked five experts to guide you through the principles of designing and commissioning medium-sized projects that will enhance your home and your life, whatever the future may hold. Read here.

Watch: With social distancing being the new norm, there has been a dramatic re-think over what offices should look like in the future.