Latest updates on the worldwide spread of the new coronavirus

7-9 minutes

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could become endemic like HIV, the World Health Organization said, warning against any attempt to predict how long it would keep circulating and calling for a “massive effort” to counter it.

Workers wearing face shields work at an assembly line of mobile phones at Lava International Limited's manufacturing plant, after some restrictions were lifted during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Noida, India, May 12, 2020. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

More than 4.3 million people have been reported to be infected by the coronavirus globally and 292,845 have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 2123 GMT on Wednesday.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.
* For a U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.

EUROPE

* The European Union pushed to reopen internal borders and restart travel, although the prospects of reviving tourism ahead of the summer season were mixed.
* A total of 33,186 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus have died in the United Kingdom, a rise of 494 in a 24-hour period, the health ministry said.
* England tentatively began easing its lockdown, with some people who cannot do their jobs at home urged to return to work. The rest of Great Britain remains in lockdown.
* Preliminary results from a nationwide coronavirus antibody study showed about 5% of the overall Spanish population had contracted the novel virus - about 10 times more than the tally of diagnosed cases suggests.
* Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy climbed by 195 on Wednesday, against 172 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, but the daily tally of new cases fell to 888 from 1,402 on Tuesday.
* The Italian government has approved a long-delayed, 55 billion-euro ($59.6 billion) stimulus package aimed at helping Italy’s battered businesses and struggling families survive the coronavirus crisis.
* France’s daily death toll from the coronavirus dropped on Wednesday to 83 from 348 the day before, bringing the total number of dead there to 27,074 and putting it just behind Spain in terms of overall fatalities from the disease.
* Germany will start to relax from Saturday some border controls with the aim of having free travel in Europe from mid-June.
* The city of Moscow said it had ascribed the deaths of more than 60% of coronavirus patients in April to other causes as it defended what it said was the superior way it and Russia counted the number of people killed by the virus.
* Austria said its borders with Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein will reopen in a month.
* France will maintain border controls with Germany until June 15, although there will be some relaxation of measures to help the day-to-day lives of those who have to make regular crossings.
* Italy’s education minister said schools across the country would reopen in September.
* Poland will reopen restaurants and hairdressers on May 18 as it begins easing restrictions, while the strict border controls were extended until June 12.

AMERICAS

* More than 1.37 million people have been infected in the United States and 82,030 have died, according to a Reuters tally, as of 2123 GMT on Wednesday.
* Canada and the United States appear likely to extend a ban on non-essential travel until June 21.
* Nine states filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for relaxing a range of companies’ compliance and monitoring needs with federal clean air and water laws.
* The District of Columbia, seat of the U.S. federal government, extended its stay-at-home order through June 8.
* California’s state university system cancelled classes for the fall semester, while Los Angeles County said its stay-at-home order was likely to be extended by three months.
* Mexico will begin opening some automotive factories from May 18 under a plan that loosens restrictions and paves the way for U.S. car giants to ramp up output dependent on parts made south of the border.
* Chile’s Health Minister Jaime Manalich announced a general quarantine for Santiago to force down a surging rate of fresh coronavirus cases in the capital.
* Walt Disney Co said it has suspended all new departures on its Disney Cruise Line through July 27.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* China reported seven new cases on the mainland on May 12, versus one a day earlier, while Jilin city in the country’s northeast has warned of a huge risk of COVID-19 spreading further.
* Authorities in Wuhan launched an ambitious campaign to test all of its 11 million residents, after a cluster of new infections raised fears of a second wave of cases.
* South Korea health authorities said they had no immediate plans to reinstate strict social distancing rules despite a fresh outbreak in Seoul.
* Hong Kong reported its first two cases in three weeks not linked to anyone who had travelled overseas, and authorities were working to trace the origin of the infections.
* Indonesia reported its biggest daily rise in infections with 689 new cases.
* Thailand reported no new daily cases for the first time in two months as the government considered easing more restrictions on businesses.
* Authorities told Australians to stay on guard against new outbreaks as mobility restrictions are eased this week.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Yemen has more suspected cases and deaths than the authorities have so far reported, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
* Yemen’s Saudi-backed government reported the first coronavirus case in Marib province and four other infections elsewhere, taking the tally of cases in areas under its control to 70, including 12 deaths.
* South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he aimed to further ease restrictions, but places with the most infections likely would remain into June on “alert level 4” of a five-level system.
* Tunisia shortened its nightly curfew after three consecutive days without recording any new cases and as the government relaxes a general lockdown.
* Lesotho recorded its first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday,, becoming the last country in Africa to be afflicted by the virus.
* The UAE business and tourism hub Dubai allowed public parks to reopen and hotel guests to access private beaches.
* Israeli police arrested 320 people at a Jewish bonfire festival celebrating an ancient sage, after worshippers rioted over restrictions that denied them access to his tomb.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* Stock markets tumbled on fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections and warnings from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that the U.S. faces a “significantly worse” recession than any downturn since World War Two. [MKTS/GLOB]
* The world economy is projected to shrink by 3.2% in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic sharply restricted economic activity, increased uncertainty and sparked the worst recession since the depression, the United Nations said.
* Over 300 lawmakers from around the world urged the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to cancel the debt of the poorest countries and to boost funding to avert a global economic meltdown.
* Britain’s economy shrank by a record 5.8% in March as the coronavirus crisis escalated and the government shut down much of the country, according to official data that point towards an even bigger hit to come.
Compiled by Milla Nissi, Uttaresh.V and Krishna Chandra Eluri

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