View on the world: April 12

Ursula von der Leyen (EU) said: “we have to limit as much as possible contact with the elderly” until a vaccine against Covid-19 is developed.

The top three countries with the most deaths per 100,000 people are Spain (35.5),
Italy (32.2) and
Belgium (29.2),
Numbers based on confirmed virus cases are not reliable as countries have different testing regimes.

World
1.8 million cases, 112,000 deaths

Australia
Two hospitals in Tasmania, the North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital,  close for two weeks because of large-scale infection among their staff. 1,000+ staff in quarantine.

Tasmania has 133 positives, of which 49 are linked to an outbreak in the hospitals.

China
Guangzhou
Soon after health officials began door-to-door testing targeting African immigrants landlords and hotels have evicted hundreds of Africans. Many, including community leaders,  were forced into quarantine despite testing negative for the virus. Hundreds now remain homeless as fears grow that cities like Guangzhou could face a second wave of the outbreak. Various African ambassadors in China have written to the country’s foreign minister to voice complaints about “stigmatisation and discrimination”.

France
14,393 deaths

Germany
120.000 positives, 2673 deaths

Italy
156,363 positives, 19,899 deaths

Russia
15.777 positives,

Spain
166,019 positives, 16,972 deaths

The Netherlands
25.587 positives
2.737 deaths
8.582 admissions (past and present)

• The plans for Remembrance Day (May 4) are announced.
• Tourists visited the flower fields and some other areas, but are told to leave.
• An app will be launched to warn people when they have been close to a possible corona patient.

Turkey
52,000+ cases

UK
10,612 died in hospital

• The Queen gave her first ever Easter speech.
• The health secretary announces a new NHS app to help trace those who potentially have contracted coronavirus.
• Royal College of Nursing has issued new guidance to members saying they should refuse to work rather than risk their own safety if they do not have appropriate PPE and have no other way of treating a patient.

Scotland
566 deaths

Wales
369 deaths.

Northern Ireland 
118 deaths

• The UK will send £200m to help developing nations fight the coronavirus - e.g. handwashing stations in refugee camps
• Only 14% of people in England and Wales are from ethnic minority backgrounds, but the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre found that 34% of more than 3,000 critically ill coronavirus patients identified as black, Asian or minority ethnic.
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from hospital

USA
530.000 positives
The total number of cases among the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt went up to 550 - or 10% of those on board.
Many companies now make materials that are needed. Some create scams.

New york
1880.000 positives, 9,385 deaths


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