Covid index - April 2020 - June 2020
1 May 2020: 1 million recovered worldwide
US President Donald Trump says he has seen evidence the virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, without giving details
However, US intelligence agencies conclude the virus was not man-made or genetically modified
The UK government says it met its target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests
2 May 2020: People are falsely testing positive for a second time due to dead lung cells, says WHO expert
UK death toll - officially 28,131 - could be nearer 30,000, says head of national statistics office
Almost half of England's doctors may be buying their own protective equipment or relying on donations, survey says
Many countries starting to repoen slowly
The pandemic has now infected more than 3.3 million people worldwide and caused more than 240,000 deaths
3 May 2020: Italy - the first country in the world to order a nationwide lockdown - is easing some restrictions
The number of deaths there is at its lowest level since just after its lockdown began two months ago
President Trump says he is confident of a vaccine by year's end but admits this is optimistic
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says there is "significant evidence" that virus came from Wuhan lab in China
In Brazil, President Bolsonaro again criticises lockdown as cases exceed 100,000
Global confirmed cases exceed 3.5m and the number of deaths almost 250,000
The Nightingale Hospital in London is being "stood down" in the coming days.
4 May 2020: France's first case was end of December
Deaths involving virus in UK care homes rose to total of 5,890 in week ending 24 April, up by 2,794 from week before
UK's top scientific adviser says masks can be "beneficial" in crowded areas
Later on Tuesday, the UK is to begin testing a new contact-tracing app on the Isle of Wight
The US records 1,015 virus-related deaths in 24 hours, the lowest one-day tally in a month
Virgin Atlantic is to cut 3,000 jobs in the UK and stop its operations at London Gatwick Airport
The latest daily reported death total for the UK (29,427) is now higher than the total for Italy (29,315)
6 May 2020: Airbnb reports a jump in bookings from Europeans hoping to get a holiday after lockdown is eased
President Trump announces a "different group" will replace the White House coronavirus taskforce later this month
Schools reopen in China's virus epicentre for the first time since the outbreak began
In the UK, an adviser resigns after claims he had a relationship that broke lockdown rules
More than half the workforce at a US meat processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus
Trump has said virus task force will shift its focus to reopening the economy, a day after suggesting it would be disbanded.
7 May 2020: UK government data suggests black people twice as likely as white people to die
The coronavirus could cause multiple famines, United Nations official Mark Lowcock warns
Bank of England says the UK economy will shrink 14% this year, its deepest recession on record
About 400,000 PPE kits the UK bought from Turkey do not meet British safety standards, the government confirms
The US records more than 2,000 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours
A repatriation of around 15,000 Indians on 64 flights is due to get under way
Brazil reports 615 deaths - the highest one-day tally ever in the southern hemisphere
8 May 2020: Coronavirus lockdown means there will be no large scale VE street parties or parades
Brazil's Economy Minister Paulo Guedes warns of economic collapse if lockdowns continue
Global confirmed cases of Covid-19 stand at 3.8m with 268,000 deaths
Anti-foreigner sentiment is surging, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, anti-Muslim attacks said UN chief
9 May 2020: The UK government plans to bring in a 14-day quarantine for arrivals
Top aide to Vice-President Mike Pence tests positive for the virus - the second White House staffer this week
US jobless rate rises to 14.7% - the highest level since World War Two
Global confirmed cases of Covid-19 near 4 million, with 275,000 deaths
Garden centres in England and Wales are to reopen next week, the BBC has learned
10 May 2020: Boris Johnson will outline plans on Sunday evening to ease the country's lockdown
Former President Barack Obama describes the US response to the coronavirus crisis as "an absolute chaotic disaster"
Cases in Ghana jump by nearly 30% in a single day, as 500 workers at an industrial facility test positive
11 May 2020: Lockdowns are slowly being eased across some parts of Europe
In France, people are able to walk outside for the first time in weeks without filling in a permit
Parts of Paris public transport are struggling to maintain social distancing
Spaniards outside Madrid and Barcelona can meet in bars and restaurants with outside spaces
Boris says go back to work socially distanced if can't work at home
Boris says unlimited exercise and sit in the park
UK meet one non-household person outside. (?both parents)
A 50-page document outlining the UK's plans for easing lockdown will be published later today
The country is split over the government's new "stay alert" messaging, which replaces "stay at home"
China reported 17 new virus cases on Monday, its second consecutive double-digit increase
New Zealand also announced a further loosening of restrictions
12 May 2020: Russia now has second-highest number of confirmed infections after the US
Five Covid-19 hospital patients killed in St Petersburg fire linked to ventilator short-circuit
UK financial support scheme for furloughed workers to be extended for four months says Chancellor Sunak
South Korea says there are now 101 new cases of coronavirus linked to a nightclub district in Seoul
Wuhan draws up plans to test all 11 million residents, Chinese state media report, amid new cluster fear
Number of deaths linked to coronavirus in care homes in England and Wales fell in last week of April
White House staff have been ordered to wear masks in the West Wing after two aides tested positive
President Trump stalks out of press briefing as US deaths surpass 80,000
Iran is reopening all mosques for three days to commemorate specific nights during Ramadan
UK furlough scheme extended by four months
13 May 2020: People in England who cannot work from home are being encouraged to return to their workplaces on Wednesday
Unlimited exercise, meeting a friend at the park and moving house are also now allowed, under new rules
Estate agents in England can now reopen and restart house viewings
"Stay alert: Control the Virus: Save Lives".
Some workers return, unlimited exercise, meet 1 person outdoors. (SI2020/500)
Head teachers say reopening schools on 1 June is 'unfeasible'
The UK economy contracted by 2% in the first three months of the year, official figures show
The economic decline was driven by a record fall in March
Chancellor Rishi Sunak says it's "very likely that the UK economy will face a significant recession this year"
The top US infectious diseases doctor has warned of "needless suffering and death" if the country opens up too soon
Brazil sees a record daily rise in the number of virus deaths, as President Bolsanaro insists the economy must be allowed to run
Russia orders a stop to the use of ventilators believed to have caused two fires at coronavirus hospitals
Staff at Twitter have been told they can continue working from home for as long as they see fit
14 May 2020: The UN says the pandemic has caused widespread psychological distress worldwide
Japan's government announces restrictions are being eased earlier than planned in most regions
The virus "may never go away", even with a vaccine, the WHO has warned
Brazil reports another new record number of cases - 11,385 in 24 hours
President Trump says he "totally" disagrees with top US medical advisor Dr Fauci over opening schools
Dr Fauci warned rushing to reopen schools and the economy could set back the US recovery
Globally, the number of people confirmed to have died with Covid-19 is nearing 300,000
15 May 2020: Germany - Europe’s largest economy - shrinks by 2.2%, the worst since 2009 and the financial crisis
Slovenia becomes first European country to declare an end to its virus epidemic
Restaurants, cafes and shops can now open in Australia's most populous state, but with strict distancing rules
Rick Bright, US whistleblower and virus expert has said "lives were lost" because of early government inaction
The three Baltic states - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - create borderless travel zone for their citizens
More than 1.5m people have recovered from the virus worldwide, but 300,000 people have died
17 May 2020: Spain records 87 deaths in the past 24 hours - the first drop under 100 since the lockdown began
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledges frustration over the "complex" easing of England's lockdown
In the US, former President Barack Obama criticises his successor, President Donald Trump, for his handling of the response
More than 311,000 people globally have now died and more than 4.6 million are infected - Johns Hopkins University
18 May 2020: More European countries are relaxing lockdown restrictions on Monday, with bars and restaurants reopening in Italy
The UK records 170 new deaths - the lowest since 24 March, the day after lockdown was introduced (but a Sunday figure)
The daily death toll is 145 in Italy and 87 in Spain - their lowest in two months
The UK adds loss of smell or taste to the list of coronavirus symptoms people should look out for
The WHO's decision-making body is set to discuss an investigation into the handling of the pandemic
Japan enters first recession since 2015, with 0.9% GDP drop in first quarter
The Mayor of Brazil's biggest city, Sao Paulo, warns its health system is close to collapse
Globally, there are 4.7m confirmed cases and 315,000 deaths
19 May 2020: Donald Trump renews attack on World Health Organization, calling it a "puppet of China"
China accused the US of attempting to distract from its own mishandling of the crisis
The attack came after the WHO said an independent review would happen as soon as possible
The US, the WHO's biggest donor, has already suspended its funding of the group
Mr Trump also says he is taking the unproven virus drug hydroxychloroquine
The number of people claiming unemployment benefit in the UK soared last month, rising by 856,500 to 2.097m
Work and pensions secretary tells BBC that Britain 'can cope' with unemployment surge
France and Germany propose €500bn recovery fund for EU countries
Police and protesters clash in Chilean capital Santiago, which has been in lockdown
There have been 4.8m confirmed cases globally, with 320,000 deaths
20 May 2020: The number of people in Brazil who have died with Covid-19 jumps by 1,179 - a daily record
President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the risks, even though Brazil has the world's third highest number of infections
In the UK, ministers face pressure to reconsider plans to reopen English primary schools to some pupils from 1 June
The World Bank warns 60m more people could be pushed into "extreme poverty"
There have been 4.9m confirmed cases worldwide, with almost 325,000 deaths
21 May 2020: The number of confirmed cases since the outbreak began passes 5m
The number of people with Covid-19 who have died is 328,000 - Johns Hopkins University tracker
The UK is running out of time to set up a "track and trace" system, warns the NHS Confederation
Trials of two anti-malarial drugs to see if they can prevent infection begin in the UK
Brazil authorises the same drugs - chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine - to treat Covid-19
22 May 2020: Brazil's death toll hits 20,047 as fears grow Latin America could become the pandemic's next epicentre
Countries including Mexico, Chile and Peru are also struggling to contain major outbreaks
UK arrivals could face fines if they break isolation rules that are set to be announced
The plan to reopen schools in England on 1 June is questioned by local councils
UK government borrowing reaches £62.1bn ($75.8bn) in April, a record high
Globally, there have been 5.1 million confirmed cases and nearly 333,000 deaths
23 May 2020: Dominic Cummings and wife travelled to parents home when sick so they could ook after his child - row
Globally, more than 5.2m cases have been recorded, says Johns Hopkins University; 338,000 have died and 2m have recovered
24 May 2020: UK PM Boris Johnson backs his chief aide, amid allegations that he breached lockdown restrictions
He says Dominic Cummings acted "responsibly and legally"
Several Conservative MPs had called for the adviser to be removed from his post
Johnson says the UK can move to phase two of the easing of restrictions
This would see some pupils in England returning to school from 1 June
The world's deepest mine, the Mponeng gold mine in South Africa, closes after 164 people tested positive
China's foreign minister says politicians in the US are "jumping at every opportunity to slander" his country
25 May 2020: Japan is lifting its state of emergency, having brought the virus under control - PM Shinzo Abe
In the UK, a political row is intensifying as PM Boris Johnson defends a key aide who travelled during lockdown
Dominic Cummings press conference in Downing Street rose garden
The US has imposed travel restrictions on foreign nationals who have been in Brazil in the last 14 days
Cases have grown exponentially in Brazil and it now has the second highest number of cases globally
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed the risks posed by the virus
Meanwhile the US is nearing the milestone of 100,000 deaths - it already has more than 1.6m cases
India is resuming domestic flights on Monday after two months of shutdown
Globally, at least 5.4 million people have been infected and more than 345,000 have died - Johns Hopkins University
26 May 2020: Denmark is easing controls with other Nordic countries, allowing cross-border couples to meet again
Germany plans to end its travel warning for trips to 31 European countries from 15 June
A UK junior minister has quit over the actions of top aide Dominic Cummings, accused of breaking lockdown rules
Globally, the number of infections has passed 5.5 million and more than 346,000 people have died - Johns Hopkins University
27 May 2020: Latin America has become the centre of the global pandemic, the head of the Pan American Health Organization warns
The region now has more daily reported cases of Covid-19 than Europe and the US
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to be questioned by MPs later amid continued calls for his top adviser to resign
"Local lockdowns" could be introduced to tackle regional outbreaks in England, the health secretary says
The US is nearing 100,000 lives lost as a result of the pandemic
In South Korea, more than two million students return to school as a new cluster linked to a nightclub grows
Twitter tags Trump tweet with fact-checking warning
More than 5.6 million cases and over 350,000 deaths have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University
28 May 2020: A "track and trace" system is set to start in England and Scotland on Thursday
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock says he believes the "vast majority of people" will self-isolate if told to
Scotland is to relax some restrictions from Friday, allowing people to meet those from other households outside
The US has recorded more than 100,000 deaths from Covid-19, figures from Johns Hopkins University show
Its 1.69m confirmed infections account for about 30% of the worldwide total
New York City, especially hard hit, is seeing a drop in the death rate but one study shows it rising in 20 states
In South Korea, a new cluster has been growing linked to a logistics centre outside Seoul
There have been more than 5,690,000 confirmed virus cases worldwide and 355,000 deaths, according to JHU
29 May 2020: People must be prepared for new outbreaks of coronavirus to build up very quickly, the World Health Organization tells the BBC
The WHO's Covid-19 special envoy, Dr David Nabarro, warns "this virus has not gone away" despite lockdowns being eased
More than 200 schools across South Korea return to online teaching days after reopening, amid a fresh outbreak of the virus
On Thursday South Korea reported 79 new cases within 24 hours - its highest number in two months
Japan has seen a new cluster of infections emerge in the south-west, just days after the PM lifted the state of emergency
Brazil reported a daily record of 26,417 new coronavirus cases on Thursday
Moscow more than doubled the official death toll from Covid-19 for the month of April
There are more than 5.8m cases globally and the death toll stands at 359,791, according to Johns Hopkins University
30 May 2020: There is strong criticism of President Trump's decision to end the US relationship with the World Health Organization
India has recorded its biggest single day jump in cases with nearly 8,000 new infections and 265 deaths
But despite the rising number of covid-19 cases, the government has been easing restrictions
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak says the government is "in a position" to ease lockdown despite warnings the infection level remains high
But scientific advisers to the government have warned of the risk of lifting the lockdown in England too soon
London Mayor 'deeply concerned' over lockdown easing
31 May 2020: UK foreign minister Dominic Raab tells the BBC he is confident easing lockdown measures is the right step at this time
It comes a day after scientific advisers to the government warned of the risk of lifting the lockdown in England too soon
Worshippers return to Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque - the third holiest site in Islam - after a two-month lockdown
India says it will further ease its lockdown on 8 June despite a record daily rise in cases
President Trump is forced to postpone a G7 summit in June
Vulnerable people in England who have been at home since the lockdown began can go outdoors from Monday
Domestic competitive sport behind closed doors will be allowed from Monday, the UK government says
Confirmed coronavirus cases across the world have now exceeded six million, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University
Covid index - April 2020 - June 2020
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© Jo Edkins 2024