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brajeshupadhyay · 4 years

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By Ruchi Kumar When it was announced in late March that Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, was well on his way to recovering from Covid-19, there was some celebration 4,000 miles away in India, a former British colony. But it was not colonial nostalgia that brought on the cheer, so much as the declaration a few days later by an Indian government minister that the Prince of Wales had been cured using Ayurveda — a blend of, among other things, herbal medicine, breathing exercises, and meditation. At a press conference on 2 April, Shripad Naik, India’s minister for alternative medicines, declared that the treatment’s supposed success “validates our age-old practice.” The British government swiftly issued a statement rejecting his claim. “This information is incorrect. The Prince of Wales followed the medical advice of the National Health Service in the U.K. and nothing more,” a spokesperson said the following day. Indian government minister declared that the Prince of Wales had been cured using Ayurveda. Image credit: Wikipedia But this hasn’t deterred Naik’s Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy — or AYUSH for short — from promoting Indian alternative medicines as treatments for Covid-19. Established in 2014, the goal of AYUSH is to develop and popularize these treatments, many of which have their historical roots in India. Ayurveda, for example, has been practised in India for thousands of years. Now, Naik said, the ministry aims to confirm that Prince Charles was cured using a combination of Ayurveda and the pseudoscience known as homoeopathy, which has its roots in Germany so that the treatment can be rolled out to the masses. This is in stark contrast to the position of mainstream medicine, which has not yet confirmed any evidence-based medicine for Covid-19 and is still highly cautious of giving experimental drugs to patients. Many experts say that statements like Naik’s are false and dangerous, particularly now that the country is struggling to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, among its 1.35 billion people. With a lack of testing and a shortage of physicians, many experts feel the Indian government is failing its people by directing attention and resources to unsubstantiated and unscientific practices — especially when these practices themselves can be harmful. And yet for many, the actions of the right-wing Indian government don’t come as a surprise. Aside from the popularity of alternative medicine in India generally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is known for supporting Hindutva, a form of nationalism that seeks to transform India from being a secular nation into an openly Hindu one. This partly plays out in the field of health, where alternative therapies that have their roots in India, such as Ayurveda, are considered more “Hindu” or “Indian” than modern medicine. Supporting them becomes an opportunity to push forward this nationalist agenda. Shripad Naik, India’s minister for alternative medicines department - AYUSH. Image credit: Wikipedia In the early days of the epidemic, AYUSH heavily promoted therapies that lack an evidence base, said Sumaiya Shaikh, a neuroscientist based at the Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience at Linköping University Hospital in Sweden. Shaikh is also editor of science at Alt News, an Indian website that works to expose misinformation. Examples of treatments pushed by AYUSH included a homoeopathic medicine containing diluted arsenic, an Ayurvedic drug developed by the ministry to treat malaria, and dietary changes including drinking warm water, putting sesame oil inside the nose, or consuming holy basil, ginger, cloves, and turmeric. The ministry suggested these interventions could prevent people from developing Covid-19 as well as treat its symptoms. “There was some amount of criticism to that,” said Shaikh. And so in response, the ministry provided a list of “scientific evidence” to bolster its claims. Aside from the fact that homoeopathy has been repeatedly shown to have no biological effects, Shaikh said that when she and her team reviewed the list, the only actual research they could find was one analysis that examined the same homoeopathic treatment in bovines with gastric infections. Despite this, the ministry’s promotion of the therapy increased demand in many Indian states. This isn’t the first time the ministry has faced criticism for promoting unscientific claims or backing research derived from religious myths and beliefs. One of its repeated focuses has been cow urine, which is believed by many Hindus to have healing properties given the sacred nature of cows in Hinduism. The urine has been touted as a treatment for many illnesses, including diabetes, epilepsy, and AIDS. Naik himself has made several comments in parliament about how cow urine can cure cancer. In reality, its use can be dangerous. In fact, so widespread is the belief in cow urine that on March 17, an activist working for the BJP in Kolkata organized a “gomutra (cow urine) party” to ward off Covid-19. He believed that drinking the urine would protect them from the disease. Unfortunately, one of the volunteers fell seriously ill after ingesting the urine. The Ministry of AYUSH’s research portal carries papers on the uses of panchagavya, the five products derived from a cow, of which urine is one, supporting its use as a medical product. However, Ipsita Mohanty, who co-wrote a paper listed there titled “Diversified Uses of Cow Urine,” said in an email that she couldn’t definitively answer whether cow urine fights off Covid-19, as “it has not been proven by independent researchers.” This reflects how AYUSH researchers and doctors seek validation, explained Shaikh. “If a paper gets published anywhere — doesn’t matter what type of journal it is or how bad the statistics are — they take it as scientific proof,” she said, adding that the alternative medicine community also has a lot of journals of its own. These are regulated and edited by the same people who are published in them, Shaikh said. Despite being an advocate of cow urine, Mohanty urges doctors to not spread misinformation. “It is misleading to spread the rumor about something so important when more than half of our world is engulfed by Covid-19,” she said. “There is no vaccine nor any treatment for it. At this point, promoting cow urine against Covid-19 can be very fatal, as people might resort to it for treatment as their only hope.” The Ministry of AYUSH did not respond to requests for comments from Undark. “Practitioners of such therapies get their clientele from two distinct groups,” said Aniket Sule, a science education researcher and astronomer at the Homi Bhabha Center for Science Education. He is part of a steadily growing rationalist movement in India that is encouraging dialogue and critical thinking to counter misinformation, including within the realm of alternative medicine. The first group Sule identified is patients from impoverished communities and remote villages, “who don’t have access to doctors prescribing modern medicines.” The other set of clients is the “affluent and educated class in the cities, who have read half-baked internet posts and develop strong scepticism towards modern medicines,” he said. A government banner at Arogya, an Ayurvedic expo funded by the government of India, in December of 2010. Visual: Hari Prasad Nadig / flickr/Undark “Pushing such a narrative to gullible masses is akin to actively spreading misinformation, and senior functionaries of government should take strict action against such baseless propaganda,” he urged. The ministry has faced some institutional backlash. The Press Council of India, the statutory body responsible for maintaining good media standards, has issued an order asking print media to stop publicity and advertisements of AYUSH-related claims for Covid-19 treatments. But despite that, the Ministry of AYUSH continues not only to receive political backing but also a large share of the annual health budget. From 2019 to 2020, the Indian government allotted approximately $250 million for study and promotion of alternative medicines, a 15 percent increase from the previous year. According to Shaikh, only the defense ministry saw a larger proportional increase to its budget last year. Indian scientists fighting disinformation say there is an underlying nationalist agenda to this move. Certain radical groups affiliated with the government have dreams of spreading Hindu values beyond India’s borders to create an “Akhand Bharat,” or “consolidated Hindu nation,” which would include annexing a large part of the Indian subcontinent. One of these is Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a militant organization that has a long history of promoting Hindutva. Its leader recently said that Ayurveda is part of India’s “soft power” in the South Asian region, said Shaikh. Since coming to power in 2014, India’s current government (BJP) has increasingly backed divisive policies that consolidate the power of the majoritarian Hindu population. “Overall, this government has made virtue out of extreme and thoughtless nationalism. Increased support to all these questionable therapies is a natural byproduct of that,” Sule said, adding there is also a distinct motivation among many people who believe in these claims. “There are people who are so completely blinded by ‘glorious ancient India’ that they willingly walk into any trap if it is presented as ‘this is what our great ancestors did,’” he said. Sule also thinks that AYUSH exists, in part, to protect commercial interests. There are nearly 800,000 practitioners of alternative medicine in India, he said, and over 650 colleges teaching related courses. The Ayurveda industry alone in India is worth $4.4 billion and is expected to grow by 16 percent in the next five years. Shaikh, Sule, and others have been critical of the Ministry of AYUSH for years, exposing and unmasking its questionable research and dubious medical advice. “It is very dangerous, especially now. We are the only country that has a parallel ministry for alternative systems,” Shaikh said. “Why not just have the one ministry and then have everything under it? Use whatever herbs you want, but run them through appropriate trials, and if they work then they should be in the mainstream and everybody should benefit from them,” she said. Shaikh doesn’t call for closing the ministry but insists the way it works needs to change. “Don’t start with a belief system, start with the hypothesis,” she advised. “Don’t start with the basis that this drug is going to work. Start with realizing that ‘we don’t know and we want to find out.’ That is unbiased research.” This article was originally published on Undark. Read the original article.

http://sansaartimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/coronavirus-outbreak-indian-officials.html

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asfeedin · 4 years

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South Dakota: Latest updates on coronavirus

Last updated on April 20 at 3:45 p.m. EDT.

South Dakota has 1,685 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the state’s health department. An additional 10,641 tests have come back negative for the virus. At least 709 patients have recovered from the virus, and 87 have been hospitalized. The state has so far seen seven deaths from COVID-19.

More than 80% of the state’s COVID-19 cases have been tied to a local outbreak at the Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, the most populous city in South Dakota. Minnehaha County, where the city is located, has reported 1,405 positive tests and three deaths, according to the state’s health department.

Our daily #SouthDakota #COVID19 testing update has been posted. There are 49 new positive cases to report. https://t.co/ymAsWFOPFh pic.twitter.com/6whCLqELaJApril 20, 2020

Cases by county

Aurora – 1

Beadle – 21

Bon Homme – 4

Brookings – 9

Brown – 20

Charles Mix – 4

Clark – 1

Clay – 5

Codington – 13

Corson – 1

Davison – 3

Deuel – 1

Fall River – 1

Faulk – 1

Hamlin – 2

Hughes – 5

Hutchinson – 2

Hyde – 1

Jerauld – 4

Lake – 3

Lawrence – 9

Lincoln – 95

Lyman – 2

Marshall – 1

McCook – 3

Meade – 1

Miner – 1

Minnehaha – 1,405

Moody – 1

Oglala Lakota – 1

Pennington – 11

Roberts – 4

Sanborn – 3

Spink – 3

Sully – 1

Todd – 1

Turner – 6

Union – 7

Walworth – 5

Yankton – 23

Latest updates

— On April 20, South Dakota’s health department reported 50 new positive COVID-19 tests, bringing the state’s total up to 1,685, with no new deaths reported. There were fewer new cases than any day last week, and only seven of the new cases were reported outside Minnehaha County, which has the largest outbreak in the state.

— On April 17, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said that the state will not reopen on President Donald Trump’s timeline. Trump has suggested that some states can lift social distancing restrictions and reopen their economies by May 1, but Noem said that South Dakota’s outbreak is expected to peak in mid-June, the Associated Press reports. The governor has not yet issued a sweeping stay-at-home order for the state.

— On April 16, South Dakota reported its seventh COVID-19 death. The state’s health department did not specify the county where the person died or any details about the patient, like their age or whether they suffered from preexisting conditions.

— On April 16, a nursing home in Sioux Falls called the The Good Samaritan Village reported eight COVID-19 cases among residents and employees, according to the local news site Argus Leader.

— Several major meat processing plants across South Dakota have shut down as workers fall ill with COVID-19, raising concerns about a possible shortage of beef, poultry and pork in supermarkets, the Associated Press reported April 13. The Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls, which is now the fourth-largest coronavirus hotspot in the United States, produces about 5% of the nation’s pork supply.

— On April 9, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed an executive order extending the state of emergency. Noem’s original order, signed March 13, was set to expire on April 12. The new order extends the state of emergency until May 31.

— On April 7, South Dakota reported two new deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to six deaths 320 cases in all.

— On April 5, President Donald Trump declared a major disaster for South Dakota, granting federal resources to local coronavirus recovery efforts.

— On April 3, a resident at Avera Prince of Peace Retirement Community in Sioux Falls died from COVID-19. Later that day, South Dakota State Representative Bob Glanzer of Huron passed away from the virus, according to the Associated Press.

— On April 1, South Dakota reported its second COVID-19 death. The patient was a 51-year-old teacher at James Valley Christian School in Beadle County. She had no underlying health conditions and died suddenly on March 28, KELO reported.

— On March 23, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem issued a new executive order restricting gatherings of 10 or more people in restaurants, businesses and municipalities. She also asked hospitals to postpone elective surgeries and other procedures to limit the spread of the virus and to free up resources for COVID-19 patients.

— On March 19, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced that the state had obtained more COVID-19 testing supplies and would resume testing after a temporary halt due to a supply shortage.

— On March 18, South Dakota’s public health lab temporarily halted all COVID-19 testing due to a shortage of supplies, the AP reported. “The lab had to stop this week after running out of supplies both from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and private suppliers,” the AP report states.

— On March 17, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said that two of the state’s largest healthcare providers, Sanford and Avera, are working to make more tests available and expand testing to commercial labs.

— On March 13, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem declared a state of emergency in South Dakota and issued an executive order requiring nonessential personnel of the office of state government to work remotely.

— The first death due to COVID-19 in South Dakota was reported March 10, and the patient was a man in his 60s from Pennington County who had underlying health conditions, according to KELO.

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lovelyshadowynightmare · 4 years

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H&M not going to the high court in London this Friday then? 🤣🤣

FROM THE WASHINGTON POST April 20, 2020.

Harry and Meghan at war with British tabloids ahead of court case

Harry and Meghan cut ties with British tabloids

Prince Harry and Meghan have cut ties with journalists from The Sun, The Daily Mail, the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror as of April 19. (Reuters)

Karla Adam

April 20, 2020 at 4:17 p.m. GMT+1

LONDON — Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, may have left their royal lives behind, but this week they are continuing their battle with British tabloids, declaring they will have "zero engagement" with four newspapers and taking one to court.

In a letter sent Sunday evening to the editors of the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror, the couple’s representatives wrote that Harry and Meghan will not “offer themselves up as currency for an economy of click bait and distortion.”

The couple’s communications team will no longer take calls from those outlets, even to confirm whether reports are accurate.

The letter adds that Harry and Meghan “have watched people they know — as well as complete strangers — have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”

Harry’s anger at the tabloids goes back to the death of his mother, Diana, whose car crashed in a Paris tunnel while she was being chased by paparazzi. In a blistering statement last fall, Harry wrote: “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.” He issued that statement at the same time Meghan filed a lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday and its parent company, Associated Newspapers, for printing excerpts of a private letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle, after her wedding.

The case will be heard at London’s High Court on Friday.

Harry and Meghan have charged that the letter was published “unlawfully in an intentionally destructive manner” and that the tabloid omitted “select paragraphs, specific sentences, and even singular words to mask the lies they had perpetuated for over a year.”

A Mail on Sunday spokesman has said the publication “stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously. Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess’s letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning.”

Prince Harry and Meghan sue tabloid for publishing a private letter

The hearing will be conducted remotely, in accordance Britain’s guidelines on social distancing.

Even though they have given up their responsibilities as working royals and now live in Los Angeles, Harry and Meghan are still regular fixtures in the tabloids — and there statement this week is unlikely to change that.

David Yelland, a former editor of the Sun, told the BBC on Monday that Harry and Meghan may have endured stronger criticism in the press than most royals — including “an element of racism” in coverage of Meghan. But he questioned whether ending cooperation with the tabloids would change things for the better. "The reality is it will have no positive effect whatsoever,” he said.

He added: “The world is in the middle of an immense crisis … and yet, this all-about-me stuff from them.”

The tabloids, too, pushed the notion that this faceoff is poorly timed.

The Daily Mail ran the headline: “ ‘We’re not talking to you anymore’: As thousands die and Britain fights for its economic life, LA-based Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce they won't deal with the country's most popular newspapers.”

Andrew Neil, a prominent BBC presenter, wrote: “As the world grapples with Covid-19, do they really think people care what media they deal with? Their solipsism is amazing. Can’t they just consign themselves to oblivion for a while? Or at least hire someone who can write a press release in clear, decent English.”

Harry and Meghan are not deaf to the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic. Harry’s father, Prince Charles, has overcome a case of covid-19. And in a statement last month about their upcoming work, they wrote: “covid-19 has presented the world with one of the greatest public health and socio-economic challenges of modern times. It has also forced one of the biggest human behavioural changes in generations.”

Harry is working with a nonprofit organization to promote “responsible tourism” and help communities recover after travel restrictions are lifted. In the letter sent to tabloid editors on Sunday, the couple’s representatives said the “media have every right to report on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie. They also want to be very clear: this is not in any way a blanket policy for all media.

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brookstonalmanac · 4 years

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Events 4.4

503 BC – Roman consul Agrippa Menenius Lanatus celebrates a triumph for a military victory over the Sabines. 1147 – Moscow is mentioned for the first time in the historical record, when it is named as a meeting place for two princes. 1268 – A five-year Byzantine–Venetian peace treaty is concluded between Venetian envoys and Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. 1460 – Basel University is founded. 1581 – Francis Drake is knighted for completing a circumnavigation of the world. 1609 – Moriscos are expelled from the Kingdom of Valencia. 1660 – Declaration of Breda by King Charles II of Great Britain promises, among other things, a general pardon to all royalists for crimes committed during the English Civil War and the Interregnum. 1721 – Sir Robert Walpole becomes the first British prime minister. 1768 – In London, Philip Astley stages the first modern circus. 1796 – Georges Cuvier delivers the first paleontological lecture. 1814 – Napoleon abdicates for the first time and names his son Napoleon II as Emperor of the French. 1818 – The United States Congress, affirming the Second Continental Congress, adopts the flag of the United States with 13 red and white stripes and one star for each state (20 at that time). 1841 – William Henry Harrison dies of pneumonia, becoming the first President of the United States to die in office, and setting the record for the briefest administration. Vice President John Tyler succeeds Harrison as President. 1850 – A large part of the English village of Cottenham burns to the ground in suspicious circumstances. 1850 – Los Angeles is incorporated as a city. 1859 – Bryant's Minstrels debut "Dixie" in New York City in the finale of a blackface minstrel show. 1865 – American Civil War: A day after Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln visits the Confederate capital. 1866 – Alexander II of Russia narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by Dmitry Karakozov in the city of Saint Petersburg. 1873 – The Kennel Club is founded, the oldest and first official registry of purebred dogs in the world. 1875 – Vltava, composed by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana and also known by its German name Die Moldau, premiered in Prague. 1887 – Argonia, Kansas elects Susanna M. Salter as the first female mayor in the United States. 1905 – In India, an earthquake hits the Kangra Valley, killing 20,000, and destroying most buildings in Kangra, McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala. 1913 – First Balkan War: Greek aviator Emmanouil Argyropoulos becomes the first pilot to die in the Hellenic Air Force when his plane crashes. 1925 – The Schutzstaffel (SS) is founded under Adolf Hitler's Nazi party in Germany. 1933 – U.S. Navy airship USS Akron is wrecked off the New Jersey coast due to severe weather. 1939 – Faisal II becomes King of Iraq. 1944 – World War II: First bombardment of oil refineries in Bucharest by Anglo-American forces kills 3000 civilians. 1945 – World War II: American troops liberate Ohrdruf forced labor camp in Germany. 1945 – World War II: American troops capture Kassel. 1945 – World War II: Soviet troops liberate Hungary from German occupation and occupy the country itself. 1949 – Cold War: Twelve nations sign the North Atlantic Treaty creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 1958 – The CND peace symbol is displayed in public for the first time in London. 1960 – France agrees to grant independence to the Mali Federation, a union of Senegal and French Sudan. 1964 – The Beatles occupy the top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. 1965 – The first model of the new Saab Viggen fighter aircraft is unveiled. 1967 – Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" speech in New York City's Riverside Church. 1968 – Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated by James Earl Ray at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. 1968 – Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 6. 1968 – A.E.K. Athens B.C. becomes the first Greek team to win the European Basketball Cup. 1969 – Dr. Denton Cooley implants the first temporary artificial heart. 1973 – The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City are officially dedicated. 1973 – A Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, dubbed the Hanoi Taxi, makes the last flight of Operation Homecoming. 1975 – Microsoft is founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 1975 – Vietnam War: A United States Air Force Lockheed C-5A Galaxy transporting orphans, crashes near Saigon, South Vietnam shortly after takeoff, killing 172 people. 1979 – Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan is executed. 1981 – Iran–Iraq War: The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force mounts an attack on H-3 Airbase and destroys about 50 Iraqi aircraft. 1983 – Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Challenger makes its maiden voyage into space. 1984 – President Ronald Reagan calls for an international ban on chemical weapons. 1988 – Governor Evan Mecham of Arizona is convicted in his impeachment trial and removed from office. 1990 – The current flag of Hong Kong is adopted for post-colonial Hong Kong during the Third Session of the Seventh National People's Congress. 1991 – Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania and six others are killed when a helicopter collides with their airplane over an elementary school in Merion, Pennsylvania. 1994 – Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark found Netscape Communications Corporation under the name Mosaic Communications Corporation. 1996 – Comet Hyakutake is imaged by the USA Asteroid Orbiter Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous. 2002 – The Angolan government and UNITA rebels sign a peace treaty ending the Angolan Civil War. 2009 – France announces its return to full participation of its military forces within NATO. 2013 – More than 70 people are killed in a building collapse in Thane, India. 2020 – China holds a national mourning day for martyrs who died in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

#Events

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dailykhaleej · 4 years

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Saudi Arabia’s crown prince calls UK’s Prince Charles to check up on him after coronavirus recovery

On Jan. 31, the Italian authorities introduced a state of emergency to include the unfold of the coronavirus illness (COVID-19). COVID-19 has introduced Italy into “its worst disaster for the reason that battle,” in accordance to the Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte. So far there have been 110,574 confirmed circumstances leading to 13,915 deaths, which have included an growing variety of docs and well being professionals who’re finishing up heroic work in difficult circumstances.

Among the many healthcare staff within the front-line in opposition to COVID-19 right here is Dr. Nasser Alabdulaaly, a 27-year-old Saudi physician who’s on the employees of the ASST Hospital of Lodi, in Lombardy, Italy’s hardest-hit area. Alabdulaaly, who speaks fluent Italian, described his expertise.

“I arrived in Italy in 2011 to research medication on the College of Pavia, in Lombardy, thanks to a scholarship from the Saudi authorities. I obtained my medical diploma {and professional} qualification in 2019. I used to be about to undertake a post-graduate coaching initially of this yr, when the coronavirus broke out in Italy, proper within the space the place I used to be dwelling,” says Alabdulaaly.

“When the Saudi authorities provided me the chance to return to Saudi Arabia, I selected to keep in Italy. My diploma doesn’t qualify me to work but within the Kingdom; subsequently, I couldn’t have provided any contribution to my nation.”

“Within the meantime, Lombardy area was declared red-zone and in lockdown, the variety of constructive circumstances continued to rise, and there was a necessity for well being staff to face the disaster. My hospital internship had been suspended due to the emergency and I used to be at dwelling for the quarantine. In my silent lockdown metropolis, I used to be listening to the sirens of the ambulances leaving the hospital relentlessly. It was heartbreaking. I couldn’t keep at dwelling realizing that I might make my contribution, even when small, to the native well being service.”

Alabdulaaly obtained his medical diploma {and professional} qualification in Italy in 2019. (Equipped)

With hospitals beneath extraordinary pressure, Italy elevated the variety of docs being recruited and in addition expedited the process for medical faculty graduates getting into the workforce. Many Italian areas made appeals for well being staff, and Nasser determined to take up the Lombardy area’s name. The area’s response was not lengthy in coming.

“They had been extraordinarily pleased to obtain my utility,” says Nasser. “They provided me work in 4 totally different cities: Cremona, Brescia, Bergamo or Lodi. I select Lodi, although I knew that, at the moment, was the middle of COVID-19.”

“I at present work with fundamental to medium depth COVID19-positive sufferers in three totally different departments. On my first day on the hospital, I used to be impressed by the big workload of the docs. They had been giving their most skilled and human dedication with braveness and perseverance. My colleagues instantly welcomed me into the staff, and we quickly turned a household.

“Working completely with COVID-19 constructive sufferers, and specifically with essential circumstances, means that you’ve got to take care of loss of life every single day. I’ve to name their households and break the unhealthy information. Consider me, it’s the hardest aspect of my mission. Family members ask you, generally beg you, to enable them to see their beloved ones to give them a final farewell. However you possibly can’t enable them. The precedence is to shield them from the virus and include the unfold of the contagions.”

“Performing my first skilled job in a time when the well being trade is dealing with one among its greatest crises, is difficult and although. However I’m proud and honored to give my assist on this emergency, and to be within the front-line as a part of a staff of extraordinary docs.”

*This interview was equipped by the Saudi embassy in Italy

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jennifer-wayne · 4 years

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Prince Charles is out of self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19

Clarence House has confirmed that Prince Charles is now out of self-isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).

This comes after it was reported that the Prince of Wales tested positive for the virus that has been declared a world pandemic. It was previously reported that the heir to the British throne (71) is said to have displayed “mild symptoms”, but “otherwise remains in…

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automaticpostinfluencer · 4 years

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New US cases outpace world, J&J eyes human vaccine testing

This is CNBC’s live blog covering all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak. All times below are in Eastern time. This blog will be updated throughout the day as the news breaks.

Global cases: More than 732,153

Global deaths: At least 34,686

US cases: At least 143,055

US deaths: At least 2,513

The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

8:12 am: Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to go into quarantine

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says he will enter self-quarantine after an aide tested positive for coronavirus.

The office said that Netanyahu has undergone a test and will remain in quarantine until he receives results or is cleared by the health ministry and his personal doctor. His close advisors are also isolating. His office says the step is a precaution prior to the conclusion of an epidemiological investigation. Netanyahu’s adviser for parliamentary affairs, Rivka Paluch, tested positive.

More than 4,300 Israelis have been infected with the new virus and 15 have died. —Associated Press

8:01 am: New US cases outpace world

7:59 am: Johnson & Johnson says human testing of its coronavirus vaccine to begin by September

Johnson & Johnson said human testing of its experimental vaccine for the coronavirus would begin by September and that it could be available for emergency use authorization in early 2021.

J&J also said it has committed more than $1 billion of investment along with U.S. agency Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, to co-fund vaccine research. —Will Feuer

7:28 am: Trump extends distancing guidelines

President Donald Trump reversed himself on Sunday evening, extending the national social-distancing guidelines to April 30 in an effort to keep the projected death toll in the U.S. from reaching 100,000.

Trump’ previously said he wanted the country to reopen for business by Easter. Public health experts have warned that loosening restrictions by Easter, on April 12, would result in unnecessary death and economic damage. Trump had suggested that the coronavirus death rate would likely peak within two weeks.

“Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory has been won,” Trump said at an evening press briefing. The president claimed Sunday that Easter was just an “aspiration” and he hopes the country will “be well on our way to recovery” by June 1. —Emma Newburger

7:25 am: Virgin Atlantic asks UK for financial help

Sir Richard Branson

Getty Images

Virgin Atlantic asked the U.K. government for emergency financial help in addition to the coronavirus package made available to all British companies, a source familiar with the situation said.

Britain-based Virgin Atlantic, which is 51% owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin group and 49% by Delta Air Lines, made a proposal to the government’s advisor Rothschild and is hoping to get a response by early next week, the source told Reuters on Monday.

It was not clear whether Virgin could receive commercial loans and guarantees or whether the government could take a stake in the airline. British Transport Minister Grant Shapps said in a report of a transport committee meeting published on Friday that everything was on the table. —Reuters

7:21 am: Spain’s health emergency chief tests positive

A healthcare worker dressed in protective gear takes samples from a driver at a drive-through testing point for the COVID-19 disease at the University Hospital in Burgos on March 28, 2020.

Cesar Manso | AFP | Getty Images

Spain’s health emergency chief Fernando Simon, who leads the country’s response to the coronavirus epidemic and maintains regular contact with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, has tested positive for the virus, a top health official said.

Speaking at a daily news conference where she replaced Simon, Maria Jose Sierra said the trend in daily infections had changed since the introduction of lockdown measures, with new infections now rising at roughly 12% a day, compared with around 20% before March 25. —Reuters

7:18 am: Italy’s death toll surpasses 10,000 as prime minister warns of rising ‘nationalist instincts’

Italy is the worst-hit country by the pandemic so far in Europe, with the highest number of deaths and cases among its 60 million citizens. Now, it’s prime minister is warning that Europe is not doing enough to help Italy.

“If the EU does not live up to its vocation and its role in this historical situation, will citizens have more confidence in it or will they permanently lose it?,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte asked during an interview with El Pais.

He added that the risk of a higher anti-EU sentiment was “obvious” as a result. “Nationalist instincts, in Italy, but also in Spain and elsewhere, will be much stronger if Europe is not up to the task,” he said. —Silvia Amaro

7:15 am: Apple supplier Foxconn’s profit down 24% in last quarter of 2019

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn reported a 23.7% fall in profit in the last three months of 2019 as it braces for the impact from the coronavirus pandemic that has hit demand from key customers such as Apple.

Foxconn, which assembles iPhones at factories in China, reported net profit of $1.6 billion, according to Reuters calculations, slightly above average consensus estimates compiled by Refinitiv. The world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer did not give any explanation for the decline in the same period a year earlier.

Foxconn is among manufacturers worldwide grappling with the fallout from coronavirus restrictions that have disrupted supply chains and hurt demand. —Reuters

6:55 am: US crude dips below $20 as lockdowns hurt demand

Oil prices fell sharply, with U.S. crude briefly dropping below $20 and Brent hitting its lowest level in 18 years, on heightened fears that the global coronavirus shutdown could last months and demand for fuel could decline further.

Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, was down $1.92, or 7.7%, at $23.01, after earlier dropping to $22.58, the lowest since November 2002. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped $1.03, or 4.8%, to $20.48. Earlier in the session, WTI fell as low as $19.92.

The price of oil is now so low that it is becoming unprofitable for many oil companies to remain active, analysts said, and higher-cost producers will have no choice but to shut production, especially since storage capacities are almost full.

“Global oil demand is evaporating on the back of COVID-19-related travel restrictions and social-distancing measures,” said UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo. —Reuters

6:43 am: Carnival’s Cunard extends suspension of cruises to May 15

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is among the ships registered in Bermuda.

Source: James D. Morgan | Cunard Line

Carnival’s luxury cruise ship operator Cunard said it will extend the suspension of all voyages by a month to May 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Carnival, also the operator of two coronavirus-stricken Princess cruises, already temporarily suspended several of its ships due to concerns over the rapidly spreading COVID-19 crisis.

Cunard, which extended the suspension from April 11, said it would provide a 125% credit for future cruise to travelers impacted by the suspension. The credit can be redeemed against a new booking before the end of March 2022.

Theme park operator Walt Disney and several other retailers have also extended temporary closures as the health crisis worsens. —Reuters

6:08 am: Sweden defends its more relaxed coronavirus strategy

While the rest of Europe imposes severe restrictions on public life and closes borders and businesses, Sweden is taking a more relaxed approach to the coronavirus outbreak.

Unlike its immediate neighbors Denmark, Finland, and Norway, Sweden has not closed its borders or its schools. Neither has it closed nonessential businesses or banned gatherings of more than two people, as the U.K. and Germany have.

The country’s lead epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told CNBC on Monday that although his country’s strategy to tackle the virus was different, the aim was the same.

“My view is that basically all European countries are trying to do the same thing — we’re trying to slow down the spread as much as possible to keep health care and society working … and we have shown some different methods to slow down the spread,” he told CNBC.

“Sweden has gone mostly for voluntary measures because that’s how we’re used to working,” Tegnell added. “And we have a long tradition that it works rather well.” — Holly Ellyatt

5:53 am: Boris Johnson’s senior advisor Dominic Cummings has coronavirus symptoms

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior adviser, Dominic Cummings, has symptoms of coronavirus and is self-isolating at home, Sky News said Monday.

He started developing symptoms over the weekend and will be staying in contact with the rest of the Downing Street team during his quarantine period, No. 10 has confirmed, Sky reported.

Johnson and his health minister, Matt Hancock, announced on Friday they have tested positive for the virus. Prince Charles also has COVID-19. — Holly Ellyatt

5:02 am: UK lockdown could last six months; US and Europe prepare for longer restrictions

The lockdown in the U.K. to stop the coronavirus outbreak could last six months, government officials warned on Sunday, as the U.S. and other European nations also announced prolonged restrictions on public life.

Speaking at the U.K.’s daily press conference on the latest coronavirus news, the U.K.’s deputy chief medical officer said a lockdown could last, in some form, for months. “Over time, probably over the next six months, we will have a three-week review,” Jenny Harries said, “We will see where we’re going.”

“We need to keep that lid on and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social-distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal. So I think three weeks for review, two or three months to see whether we’ve really squashed it. But about three to six months ideally,” she said. — Holly Ellyatt

Read CNBC’s full coverage from the Asia-Pacific team overnight: Australia plans $80 billion more stimulus as global cases cross 700,000.

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NEW DELHI: More than one billion Indians went into lockdown Wednesday, leaving a third of the planet now under orders to stay at home, as the United States vowed to spend $2 trillion to counter the economic harm of the coronavirus.

Europe remains at the heart of the epidemic, with first Italy and now Spain’s death toll overtaking that of China, while Britain’s Prince Charles became the latest prominent figure to test positive for the COVID-19 disease.

The Houses of Parliament (L) at the end of an empty Westminster Bridge in central London on March 24, 2020, after Britain ordered a lockdown to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Photo: AFP

Coronavirus cases are also spreading in the Middle East, where Iran’s death toll topped 2,000 on Wednesday, and in Africa, where Mali joined all seven of its neighbours in declaring its first cases — two nationals who arrived home recently from France.

Government policies and the capacity for virus testing vary widely around the world, so the true extent of the pandemic is difficult to estimate, but more than 404,000 cases have been declared in 175 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December.

What is in less doubt is the number of deaths, with more than 19,000 attributed to the new coronavirus strain since the outbreak began.

‘Wartime level of investment’

The economic damage of the virus — and associated lockdowns — could also be devastating, with fears of a worldwide recession worse than the financial meltdown that occurred over a decade ago.

But financial markets soared as the US Senate and the White House agreed a stimulus package worth roughly 10 percent of the entire American economy, an injection Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said represented a “wartime level of investment”.

President Donald Trump has voiced hope that the United States will be “raring to go” by mid-April, but his optimism appeared to stand almost alone among world leaders, who were ratcheting up the movement restrictions in a bid to stifle the spread of the disease.

India ordered its 1.3 billion people — the world’s second-biggest population — to stay at home for three weeks.

A man walks on a deserted road in New Delhi during an Indian government-imposed lockdown against Covid-19. AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “total lockdown” call doubled the number of people around the globe under some form of movement restriction to more than 2.6 billion people.

“To save India, to save its every citizen, you, your family… every street, every neighbourhood is being put under lockdown,” Modi said in a televised address.

Whether the order will be obeyed in full remained to be seen. Mumbai vegetable trader Rafiq Ansari said his customers were getting angry over shortages and price hikes.

“I don’t understand what’s going on,” the 35-year-old told AFP. “We are going to face major shortages in the days ahead.”

In China, where the new virus emerged last year, authorities loosened tough rules on the 50 million people in Hubei province on Wednesday after a months-long lockdown as the country reported no new domestic cases.

The provincial capital Wuhan — the ground zero of the outbreak after it was initially detected at a market that sold wild animals for human consumption — will allow residents to leave from April 8.

Olympics on hold

The pandemic has cut a swathe through the world’s sporting and cultural events, and on Tuesday claimed the biggest of them all: the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed until 2021.

“These postponed Olympic Games will need sacrifices, will need compromises by all of the stakeholders,” IOC chief Thomas Bach told reporters, promising “to make the Olympic dreams of athletes come true”.

The medical situation is still critical in Europe, where Spain joined hardest-hit Italy in surpassing even China’s toll after 738 people died over the past 24 hours, bringing deaths in the country to 3,434.

The surging number of deaths came as Spain entered the 11th day of an unprecedented lockdown to try to rein in the COVID-19 epidemic that has now infected 47,610 people, the health ministry said.

Iran’s president warned that mandatory movement restrictions could be introduced as soon as Wednesday evening in the country, which has seen one of the world’s highest death tolls from the pandemic so far, with 143 new deaths recorded overnight for a total of 2,077.

Meanwhile, nearly 130 million Americans, or 40 percent of the population, are under or will soon come under some lockdown order, including in the largest state of California.

Many governments are listening to health experts who warn the only way to slow the epidemic — and save the lives of the elderly and vulnerable — is by imposing “social isolation” measures.

But Trump is not convinced the move is worth the enormous economic cost of a closure extending beyond April 12.

“Our country — it’s not built to shut down,” he told Fox News. “You can destroy a country this way by closing it down.”

Global markets finally started to recoup some of the losses they have logged over a tumultuous few weeks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 11.3 percent on Tuesday, its biggest rally since 1933 during the Great Depression, and was followed by huge jumps on Wednesday on Asian markets and a more mixed response in Europe.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: Indian officials from AYUSH tackle COVID-19 by peddling pseudoscience

By Ruchi Kumar

When it was announced in late March that Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, was well on his way to recovering from Covid-19, there was some celebration 4,000 miles away in India, a former British colony. But it was not colonial nostalgia that brought on the cheer, so much as the declaration a few days later by an Indian government minister that the Prince of Wales had been cured using Ayurveda — a blend of, among other things, herbal medicine, breathing exercises, and meditation.

At a press conference on 2 April, Shripad Naik, India’s minister for alternative medicines, declared that the treatment’s supposed success “validates our age-old practice.” The British government swiftly issued a statement rejecting his claim. “This information is incorrect. The Prince of Wales followed the medical advice of the National Health Service in the U.K. and nothing more,” a spokesperson said the following day.

Indian government minister declared that the Prince of Wales had been cured using Ayurveda. Image credit: Wikipedia

But this hasn’t deterred Naik’s Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy — or AYUSH for short — from promoting Indian alternative medicines as treatments for Covid-19. Established in 2014, the goal of AYUSH is to develop and popularize these treatments, many of which have their historical roots in India. Ayurveda, for example, has been practised in India for thousands of years.

Now, Naik said, the ministry aims to confirm that Prince Charles was cured using a combination of Ayurveda and the pseudoscience known as homoeopathy, which has its roots in Germany so that the treatment can be rolled out to the masses. This is in stark contrast to the position of mainstream medicine, which has not yet confirmed any evidence-based medicine for Covid-19 and is still highly cautious of giving experimental drugs to patients.

Many experts say that statements like Naik’s are false and dangerous, particularly now that the country is struggling to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, among its 1.35 billion people. With a lack of testing and a shortage of physicians, many experts feel the Indian government is failing its people by directing attention and resources to unsubstantiated and unscientific practices — especially when these practices themselves can be harmful.

And yet for many, the actions of the right-wing Indian government don’t come as a surprise. Aside from the popularity of alternative medicine in India generally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is known for supporting Hindutva, a form of nationalism that seeks to transform India from being a secular nation into an openly Hindu one. This partly plays out in the field of health, where alternative therapies that have their roots in India, such as Ayurveda, are considered more “Hindu” or “Indian” than modern medicine. Supporting them becomes an opportunity to push forward this nationalist agenda.

Shripad Naik, India’s minister for alternative medicines department - AYUSH. Image credit: Wikipedia

In the early days of the epidemic, AYUSH heavily promoted therapies that lack an evidence base, said Sumaiya Shaikh, a neuroscientist based at the Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience at Linköping University Hospital in Sweden. Shaikh is also editor of science at Alt News, an Indian website that works to expose misinformation.

Examples of treatments pushed by AYUSH included a homoeopathic medicine containing diluted arsenic, an Ayurvedic drug developed by the ministry to treat malaria, and dietary changes including drinking warm water, putting sesame oil inside the nose, or consuming holy basil, ginger, cloves, and turmeric. The ministry suggested these interventions could prevent people from developing Covid-19 as well as treat its symptoms.

“There was some amount of criticism to that,” said Shaikh. And so in response, the ministry provided a list of “scientific evidence” to bolster its claims. Aside from the fact that homoeopathy has been repeatedly shown to have no biological effects, Shaikh said that when she and her team reviewed the list, the only actual research they could find was one analysis that examined the same homoeopathic treatment in bovines with gastric infections. Despite this, the ministry’s promotion of the therapy increased demand in many Indian states.

This isn’t the first time the ministry has faced criticism for promoting unscientific claims or backing research derived from religious myths and beliefs. One of its repeated focuses has been cow urine, which is believed by many Hindus to have healing properties given the sacred nature of cows in Hinduism. The urine has been touted as a treatment for many illnesses, including diabetes, epilepsy, and AIDS. Naik himself has made several comments in parliament about how cow urine can cure cancer. In reality, its use can be dangerous.

In fact, so widespread is the belief in cow urine that on March 17, an activist working for the BJP in Kolkata organized a “gomutra (cow urine) party” to ward off Covid-19. He believed that drinking the urine would protect them from the disease. Unfortunately, one of the volunteers fell seriously ill after ingesting the urine.

The Ministry of AYUSH’s research portal carries papers on the uses of panchagavya, the five products derived from a cow, of which urine is one, supporting its use as a medical product. However, Ipsita Mohanty, who co-wrote a paper listed there titled “Diversified Uses of Cow Urine,” said in an email that she couldn’t definitively answer whether cow urine fights off Covid-19, as “it has not been proven by independent researchers.”

This reflects how AYUSH researchers and doctors seek validation, explained Shaikh. “If a paper gets published anywhere — doesn’t matter what type of journal it is or how bad the statistics are — they take it as scientific proof,” she said, adding that the alternative medicine community also has a lot of journals of its own. These are regulated and edited by the same people who are published in them, Shaikh said.

Despite being an advocate of cow urine, Mohanty urges doctors to not spread misinformation. “It is misleading to spread the rumor about something so important when more than half of our world is engulfed by Covid-19,” she said. “There is no vaccine nor any treatment for it. At this point, promoting cow urine against Covid-19 can be very fatal, as people might resort to it for treatment as their only hope.”

The Ministry of AYUSH did not respond to requests for comments from Undark.

“Practitioners of such therapies get their clientele from two distinct groups,” said Aniket Sule, a science education researcher and astronomer at the Homi Bhabha Center for Science Education. He is part of a steadily growing rationalist movement in India that is encouraging dialogue and critical thinking to counter misinformation, including within the realm of alternative medicine.

The first group Sule identified is patients from impoverished communities and remote villages, “who don’t have access to doctors prescribing modern medicines.” The other set of clients is the “affluent and educated class in the cities, who have read half-baked internet posts and develop strong scepticism towards modern medicines,” he said.

A government banner at Arogya, an Ayurvedic expo funded by the government of India, in December of 2010. Visual: Hari Prasad Nadig / flickr/Undark

“Pushing such a narrative to gullible masses is akin to actively spreading misinformation, and senior functionaries of government should take strict action against such baseless propaganda,” he urged.

The ministry has faced some institutional backlash. The Press Council of India, the statutory body responsible for maintaining good media standards, has issued an order asking print media to stop publicity and advertisements of AYUSH-related claims for Covid-19 treatments.

But despite that, the Ministry of AYUSH continues not only to receive political backing but also a large share of the annual health budget. From 2019 to 2020, the Indian government allotted approximately $250 million for study and promotion of alternative medicines, a 15 percent increase from the previous year. According to Shaikh, only the defense ministry saw a larger proportional increase to its budget last year.

Indian scientists fighting disinformation say there is an underlying nationalist agenda to this move. Certain radical groups affiliated with the government have dreams of spreading Hindu values beyond India’s borders to create an “Akhand Bharat,” or “consolidated Hindu nation,” which would include annexing a large part of the Indian subcontinent. One of these is Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a militant organization that has a long history of promoting Hindutva. Its leader recently said that Ayurveda is part of India’s “soft power” in the South Asian region, said Shaikh.

Since coming to power in 2014, India’s current government (BJP) has increasingly backed divisive policies that consolidate the power of the majoritarian Hindu population. “Overall, this government has made virtue out of extreme and thoughtless nationalism. Increased support to all these questionable therapies is a natural byproduct of that,” Sule said, adding there is also a distinct motivation among many people who believe in these claims. “There are people who are so completely blinded by ‘glorious ancient India’ that they willingly walk into any trap if it is presented as ‘this is what our great ancestors did,’” he said.

Sule also thinks that AYUSH exists, in part, to protect commercial interests. There are nearly 800,000 practitioners of alternative medicine in India, he said, and over 650 colleges teaching related courses. The Ayurveda industry alone in India is worth $4.4 billion and is expected to grow by 16 percent in the next five years.

Shaikh, Sule, and others have been critical of the Ministry of AYUSH for years, exposing and unmasking its questionable research and dubious medical advice. “It is very dangerous, especially now. We are the only country that has a parallel ministry for alternative systems,” Shaikh said. “Why not just have the one ministry and then have everything under it? Use whatever herbs you want, but run them through appropriate trials, and if they work then they should be in the mainstream and everybody should benefit from them,” she said.

Shaikh doesn’t call for closing the ministry but insists the way it works needs to change.

“Don’t start with a belief system, start with the hypothesis,” she advised. “Don’t start with the basis that this drug is going to work. Start with realizing that ‘we don’t know and we want to find out.’ That is unbiased research.”

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US deaths soar past 1,000, Spain deaths spike

People line up outside Elmhurst Hospital to get tested due to coronavirus outbreak on March 24, 2020 in Queens, New York City.

Eduardo Munoz Alvarez | Getty Images

This is a live blog. Please check back for updates.

Global cases: At least 416,686.

Global deaths: At least 18,589.

Top six countries with the highest number of reported cases: China (81,869), Italy (69,176), U.S. (51,914), Spain (39,673), Germany (31,554), Iran (27,017). The data above was compiled by the World Health Organization.

All times below are in Beijing time.

4:50 pm: European stocks decline ahead of upcoming US jobs data

European markets retreated Thursday as global market sentiment sours once again, ahead of upcoming U.S. jobless claims data.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 fell 1.6% in early trade, with oil and gas and basic resource stocks tumbling 3.4% to lead losses as all sectors and major bourses slid into negative territory.

U.S. stock futures shed prior gains in early Thursday morning trading and in Asia, stocks were mixed as investors looked ahead to the latest U.S. jobless claims data expected to be out around 8:30 a.m. ET Thursday. It’s expected to show a massive spike in unemployment claims after businesses stateside closed their doors to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. — Holly Ellyatt and Elliot Smith

4:26 pm: Italy’s death toll rises above 7,000 — but number of new cases declines for the 4th day in a row

4:10 pm: Singapore plans a massive $33.2 billion to tide its economy through the coronavirus outbreak

3:55 pm: Governments should offer lifelines to airlines ‘as fast as possible,’ IATA says

Government support “can’t come soon enough” for airlines, the International Air Transport Association said Thursday. Many airlines in the region have reduced capacity dramatically as countries impose travel restrictions to stem the tide of coronavirus infections.

According to IATA, 75% of airlines only have around three months of cash cover. “So it’s very, very important for the government to introduce these lifelines as fast as possible,” said Conrad Clifford, regional vice president, Asia Pacific, of IATA. That could come in the form of cash injects, loans or tax relief, he said.

“But the most important thing is to do it as quickly as possible,” he told CNBC’s “Capital Connection.” Clifford also estimated that the wider aviation and tourism industry accounts for about 30 million jobs in the Asia Pacific. “The impact on jobs is quite catastrophic,” he said, adding that it will have an “enormous” effect on the well- being of countries in this region. — Abigail Ng

3:35 pm: Prince Charles didn’t ‘jump the queue’ for a coronavirus test, UK says

Britain’s heir to the throne, Prince Charles, who tested positive for the coronavirus, did not jump the queue to take a test, U.K. health authorities said, according to a Reuters report.

When asked why he had a test when millions of frontline health workers have not, Britain’s junior health minister Edward Argar said that was because his symptoms met the criteria for a test, the report said.

“The Prince of Wales didn’t jump the queue,” Argar told Sky News, according to the report. — Weizhen Tan

3:05 pm: Singapore’s central bank announces $60 billion funding for banks

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said it will provide up to $60 billion of funding to banks in the city state as part of a previously announced currency exchange arrangement with the Federal Reserve.

The Fed last week said it was extending the arrangement to more central banks, including Singapore’s, as demand for the U.S. dollar intensifies. The program, known as dollar swaps, will be in place for six months.

Singapore’s economy contracted in the first quarter of 2020, preliminary estimates showed. (See 9:35 am update) — Yen Nee Lee

2:05 pm: Russia to suspend all international flights

Russia has ordered the grounding of all regular and charter flights to and from the country starting Friday, reported Reuters, citing information from the government website.

Exceptions to the rule include Russian airlines flying to other countries to bring citizens back and flights authorized by special government decisions, according to Reuters. — Yen Nee Lee

1:40 pm: Germany reports close to 5,000 new cases

Germany reported another 4,995 cases of the coronavirus disease, with the country’s total now standing at 36,508, according to the latest data from the Robert Koch Institute.

The institute is a federal government agency responsible for disease monitoring and prevention.

Fatalities from COVID-19 in Germany increased by 50 to 198, said the institute. — Yen Nee Lee

1:05 pm: Cases in Thailand cross 1,000

Thailand reported 111 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing its tally to 1,045, Reuters reported.

A nationwide state of emergency took effect in Thailand from Thursday and is expected to last until April 30, according to a statement by the government public relations department. During the period, non-resident foreigners are not allowed into the country and large gatherings are banned, the statement read.

The emergency declaration also allows the government to impose more stringent measures to control the spread of the virus, the statement said. — Yen Nee Lee

12:55 pm: Hong Kong to boost domestic tourism

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is using the current lull to review its positioning, said Dane Cheng, the agency’s executive director.

Tourist arrivals to Hong Kong have been hit by the double whammy of anti-government protests and the coronavirus outbreak.

Cheng told CNBC that visitor numbers have fallen from 200,000 on any given day in early 2019 to fewer than 200,000 in the entire month of Feb 2020.

The Chinese special administrative region closed its borders to most non-residents recently as it sees a second wave of infections from imported cases.

“It might seem ridiculous, Hong Kong is such a small place, how to do domestic tourism?” said Cheng.

But Hong Kongers are keen travelers over long weekends, so these people can now take the opportunity to discover hidden gems in the city after the situation stabilizes, said Cheng.

“The first phase (of the tourism drive) is more like rekindling our love of Hong Kong, and the pride of Hong Kong, and hopefully rekindling the spirit of Hong Kong,” said Cheng. — Huileng Tan

12:40 pm: US Senate passes $2 trillion stimulus package

The Senate passed a historic $2 trillion coronavirus relief package Wednesday night, as it tries to stem the destruction the pandemic has brought to American lives and wallets.

The chamber approved the mammoth bill in a unanimous 96-0 vote after days of furious negotiations, partisan sniping and raised tempers on the Senate floor. The bill now heads to the House, which will push to pass it by voice vote Friday morning as most representatives are out of Washington.

The 880-page legislation includes direct payments to individuals, stronger unemployment insurance, loans and grants to businesses and more health care resources for hospitals, states and municipalities. It includes requirements that insurance providers cover preventive services for the coronavirus disease COVID-19. — Jacob Pramuk

11:30 am: US deaths soar past 1,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data

The number of deaths in the U.S. has reached 1,041, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.

New York City has the highest number of fatalities at 280, followed by 100 in King County, Washington State. The total number of cases in the U.S. was at 68,960, according to the data. — Weizhen Tan

10:30 am: McDonald’s is pulling its all-day breakfast menu as it limits options amid pandemic

McDonald’s is pulling its all-day breakfast menu to simplify operations as the coronavirus pandemic strains restaurant operations.

“To simplify operations in our kitchens and for our crew, and ensure the best possible experience for our customers, we are working with our franchisees and local restaurants to focus on serving our most popular choices and will begin temporarily removing some items from the menu over the next few weeks,” Bill Garrett, the senior vice president of McDonald’s U.S. operations, said in a statement.

McDonald’s said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday that the virus could have a “material” impact on its business. In the United States, “substantially all” locations are operating with only drive-thru, takeout or delivery options, the filing said. Some locations may have limited hours. — Amelia Lucas

9:55 am: White House health advisor Fauci says US needs to be prepared for second cycle

Americans need to prepare for a second cycle of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, a White House health advisor said Wednesday.

“What we’re starting to see in the Southern Hemisphere of Southern Africa and the Southern Hemisphere countries, is that we’re having cases that are appearing as they go into their winter season,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director, said at a White House press briefing. “If they have a substantial outbreak, it will be inevitable that we need to be prepared that we’ll get a cycle a second time.” — Berkeley Lovelace Jr.

9:40 am: South Korea reports 104 cases, 5 deaths

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a jump of 104 cases and five more deaths. That brings the country’s total to 9,241 cases and 131 fatalities.

U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly asked South Korea this week for medical supplies to combat the pandemic, driving up the stocks of South Korean coronavirus test kit makers for a second day on Thursday. South Korea has been praised for its swift and effective response to COVID-19, marked by rapid mass testing. — Weizhen Tan, Tucker Higgins

9:35 am: Singapore expects its economy to shrink in 2020

Singapore’s economy contracted by 2.2% in the first quarter from a year ago, official preliminary data showed, and authorities further downgraded their GDP forecast for 2020 as countries around the world battle the coronavirus outbreak.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry said Singapore economy is now expected to shrink by between 1.0% and 4.0% this year. That’s worse than its forecast last month for a change of between -0.5% and 1.5% in annual gross domestic product.

The Southeast Asian economy is one of the earliest to release data on gross domestic product in the first quarter, providing a glimpse on how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak could affect economies around the world. — Yen Nee Lee

9:15 am: China’s resumption of work rises

The resumption of work rate for small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the country reached 71.7% as of March 24, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology disclosed Wednesday. The ministry also noted the figure marked an increase of 42.1 percentage points from a month ago. — Evelyn Cheng

8:55 am: LA Mayor Garcetti says city to receive $1.1 billion for airport, metro system

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday said the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus package will give the city receive $400 million for its airport and $700 million for its metro system. The package will also provide Los Angeles with “tens of millions” in community development block grants to aid the worst off, like seniors and unemployed, Garcetti said.

Los Angeles will also receive $32 million in emergency solution grants to help house the homeless. “I call this an economic survival bill because while it’s not enough, it maybe will ensure that some folks will be able to get through the next month or two,” Garcetti said.

Garcetti also said that Los Angeles will not shut off water or power or impose any late fees for those bills during this time. Additionally, he said that the city will relax enforcement of parking tickets and that Los Angeles Police Department will not give tickets to any individuals driving with expired drivers licenses. “Everyone of these changes is about the same principle — that you are safer at home,” Garcetti said. — Salvador Rodriguez

8:05 am: China reports 67 new cases, 6 more deaths

China’s National Health Commission reported it had 67 new confirmed cases, and six more deaths as of March 25.

All the new cases were imported, meaning people who traveled from overseas, with the overall number of imported cases at 541. None of the additional cases were in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, but all six deaths were in the province.

That brings China’s total case count to 81,285, and its death toll to 3,287. — Weizhen Tan (This entry has been corrected to reflect that China’s total number of cases is at 81,285.)

7:55 am: Spain’s death toll spikes in biggest daily jump, now overtakes China

Spain reported 738 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours — its highest daily death toll yet, according to Reuters. Its total number of confirmed deaths was 3,434 as of Wednesday, and overall infections were at 47,610.

A Spanish soldier stands next to beds set up at a temporary hospital for vulnerable people at the Fira Barcelona Montjuic centre in Barcelona on March 25, 2020, during the new coronavirus epidemic.

Pau Barrena | AFP | Getty Images

Spain’s death toll has now surpassed China, days after Italy overtook China. Italy’s confirmed fatality count was last at 6,820 according to data from the World Health Organization. Both countries have been among the worst-hit in Europe, and now account for the highest numbers of fatalities globally, according to the report.— Weizhen Tan

7:45 am: India needs to help its most vulnerable survive a 3-week lockdown

India’s move to put its 1.3 billion people in a 21-day lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak will disproportionately hurt the informal sector, experts told CNBC.

The whole nation was placed under lockdown on Wednesday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that people would not be allowed to leave their homes for three weeks after the order went into effect.

The impact of the lockdown on India’s informal sector, which includes many street vendors as well as taxi and auto drivers, will be huge, Kunal Kundu, India economist at Societe Generale, told CNBC. — Saheli Roy Choudhury

All times below are in Eastern time.

7:04 pm: FDA warns consumers against fraudulent coronavirus tests, vaccines and treatments

Consumers should beware of buying or using products that sellers claim will help diagnose, treat, cure or prevent COVID-19 as the coronavirus continues to sweep across the country, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

Some companies are trying to profit from the pandemic by selling unproven and illegally marketed products and falsely claiming they are able to prevent or cure the coronavirus, the FDA said.

“Because COVID-19 has never been seen in humans before, there are currently no vaccines to prevent or drugs to treat” the coronavirus that have been approved by the FDA, the agency said. “These fraudulent products that claim to cure, treat, or prevent COVID-19 haven’t been evaluated by the FDA for safety and effectiveness and might be dangerous to you and your family.” —Noah Higgins-Dunn

6:41 pm: Futures point to gains at the open, building on two-day rally

U.S. stock futures moved modestly higher in early trading and pointed to gains at the open on Thursday, building on recent strength in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500.

The two indexes have just posted their first back-to-back gains since February. Fueling the rally is the hope that the White House and Senate will soon agree to a stimulus package to prop up markets as the coronavirus outbreak rages on.

Dow futures rose 161 points, indicating a gain of 107 points at the open. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq were also set to open higher, with gains of 0.8% and 1%, respectively. —Pippa Stevens

4:44 pm: California sees one million unemployment claims in less than two weeks

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that Wells Fargo, Citi, JPMorgan, and U.S. Bank all agreed to grant a 90-day waiver for mortgage payments “for those impacted by COVID-19.” The announcement came after he said that one million Californians have applied for unemployment insurance since March 13. Newsom also announced measures the state is taking to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 patients. The state has ordered 100 million new masks, he said, and the state is ramping up its number of available hospital beds and ventilators, a potentially life-saving device that helps patients breathe. —Will Feuer

Read CNBC’s coverage from the U.S. overnight: Hundreds flood NYC hospital ICU, ERs; global coronavirus cases top 466,000

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