World coronavirus dispatch: Numbers jump, scientists recommend mass testing

From Trump blowing a plan to churn out millions of mask, to early release of prisoners in the UK, to an unprecedented economic crisis

On Friday, the number of coronavirus cases around the world crossed a million. A day later, daily new cases, for the first time were higher than 100,000 (see stats below). This clearly shows that the coronavirus graph is moving with a steep upward bent. The only silver lining is that the fatalities aren’t growing as aggressively. However, recovery is still far from sight.

Let’s look at the global statistics:

Total Confirmed Cases: 1,139,207

Change Over Yesterday: 108,579

Total Deaths: 60,874

Total Recovered: 233,689

Nations hit with most cases: US (278,458), Spain (124,736), Italy (119,827), Germany (91,159), and France (83,029)*

*China, today, dropped out of the list of top five affected countries

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center

US job loss at 701,000 in March

About 701,000 workers were out of jobs last month, new data for full month show, taking the total unemployment rate to 4.4 per cent. Most of the job destruction took place at restaurants and bars, where the economy lost 417,400 jobs. Retailers cut 46,200 jobs and health care employment fell by 43,000 jobs. Read more here 

Coronavirus hit worse than 2008 financial crisis: IMF

The coronavirus pandemic has created an economic crisis “like no other” — one that is “way worse” than the 2008 global financial crisis, International Monetary Fund’s managing director Kristalina Georgieva said Friday. She said IMF is encouraging central banks in developed countries to support emerging markets and developing countries. Read more here

UK death toll rises 20% in a day

The UK’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 20% to 4,313 as of April 3. A total of 183,190 people have been tested of which 41,903 tested positive. Read more here

Also read on UK crisis: what we think we know is wrong. Hint: the figures are under-reported, which is messing with the curve.

Investor poll for emergency in Japan

Japanese business magnate Masayoshi Son did a Twitter poll asking how many support declaration of a state of emergency in Japan. 80 per cent respondents, of Son’s 2.5 million Twitter followers, said yes. Read more here

Prisoners may be released early due to Covid-19

Thousands of prisoners across England and Wales will be considered for early release from next week in order to prevent jails from over-crowding, UK’s Ministry of Justice said. Low-risk prisoners who were within two months of their release date will be considered. Read more here

Mass tests only way to ease lockdown

Top science advisors in the UK have advised the government that a system of mass community testing is the only to work towards the possibility of suspending the lockdown in the UK by May. One expects the outbreak to plateau in the next 10 days but social distancing would have to remain in place for some time. Read more here

Specials

Pre-crisis, Trump blew up a plan to make the US prepared for a pandemic

A new machine designed to churn out millions of masks at high speed during a pandemic was given a go-ahead by the Obama administration. In 2018 the Trump administration received a detailed plan on the initiative. Nothing happened. Read about it in this investigative piece

What happened to the world economy in the past week—in charts

US employment numbers, UK debt, rate cuts in Asia, global manufacturing and more. See here (https://bre.is/4eXFcMzx)
 

What treatments and drugs are being developed?

How close are we to a vaccine? Here are seven medical facts about the coronavirus. Read here (https://bre.is/YtsJH2UX)

A reminder of whether you have covid-19 symptoms
 

And what are the ways to protect yourself? See here (https://bre.is/mdav9sFm)

Twitter: @elnovw