Monday, 4th May 2020
Latest Confirmed Cases
| China | 82,881 cases 1 new case up 0.001% on yesterday | 4,633 deaths reported to date |
| Hong Kong | 1,041 cases No new cases | 4 deaths reported to date |
| Singapore | 19,419 cases 632 new cases up 3.4% on yesterday | 18 deaths reported to date |
| Australia | 6,847 cases 24 new cases up 0.3% on yesterday | 97 deaths reported to date |
| Korea | 10,804 cases 3 new cases up 0.03% on yesterday | 254 deaths reported to date |
| United Kingdom | 190,584 cases 3,985 new cases up 2.1% on yesterday | 28,734 deaths reported to date |
| United States | 1,212,955 cases 24,534 new cases up 2.1% on yesterday | 68,925 deaths reported to date |
| Italy | 211,938 cases 1,221 new cases up 0.6% on yesterday | 29,079 deaths reported to date |
| Spain | 248,301 cases 1,179 new cases up 0.5% on yesterday | 25,428 deaths reported to date |
| France | 131,863 cases 576 new cases up 0.4% on yesterday | 25,201 deaths reported to date |
| Germany | 166,152 cases 461 new cases up 0.3% on yesterday | 6,993 deaths reported to date |
| Japan | 15,078 cases 201 new cases up 0.3% on yesterday | 536 deaths reported to date |
| India | 46,576 cases 142 new cases up 0.3% on yesterday | 1,571 deaths reported to date |
| Globally | 3,658,266 cases 76,395 new cases up 2.1% on yesterday | 252,564 deaths reported to date |
Asia Pacific News
- In Hong Kong, the Centre for Health Protection announced no new cases today. There has been no local infection for more than 16 days and the total tally remains 1,041.
- Hong Kong people will be allowed to go out and about in groups of up to eight from Friday (May 8), as a limit on the size of gatherings in public places is relaxed amid a dwindling number of new Covid-19 cases. Meanwhile, bars, gyms, cinemas, beauty and massage parlours and various other entertainment venues will be allowed to reopen from Friday, although some restrictions on their operations will remain in place until May 21. Karaokes, party rooms and nightclubs will have to remain closed for an additional two weeks.
- In Hong Kong, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that secondary three to secondary five students will be back in their classrooms from May 27, which will be just after the end of the DSE exams which are currently underway. Lam said children in primary four and secondary one and two, will return to class on June 8, with other primary school children and those in kindergarten three going back on June 15.
- New Zealand has recorded no new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined a coronavirus cabinet meeting with Australia.
- Indonesia’s economy grew 2.97% year-over-year in the first quarter — the weakest growth rate since the first three months of 2001, reported Reuters, citing data by the country’s statistics bureau. A Reuters poll of analysts had a median forecast of 4.04% growth, according to the report.
UK & US News
- The United States could see up to 3,000 deaths per day from the coronavirus by June 1, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday outlined a phased reopening of business activity in the state hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, starting with select retailers, wholesale suppliers and the construction and manufacturing industries.
- The UK government is now paying the wages for nearly a quarter of UK jobs under a programme aimed at helping people put on leave due to the pandemic. About 2.5 million people registered last week for the scheme, bringing the total claims to 6.3 million - 23% of the employed workforce. Separately, the Department of Work and Pensions reported another 1.8 million new Universal Credit claims. The spike in the numbers of people seeking assistance comes as the world braces for the most severe economic crisis since the 1930s. Forecasts suggest the UK economy will contract 6.5% or more this year.
Coronavirus Disease Management and Policies Update
- World leaders promised $8 billion on Monday for the fight against the pandemic, including vaccine, diagnostics and treatment, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said at the end of a pledging event that she chaired.
- Singapore is planning a 500% increase in its virus-testing capacity as part of its fight against the COVID-19 disease, its health minister said on Monday.
- Finland will lift some coronavirus restrictions, allowing restaurants to reopen and public services including libraries and sports facilities to start operating again from June 1, the government has announced. A ban on public meetings will be relaxed from a maximum of 10 people to 50 people from June 1 but emergency powers will be kept in place, it said.
- Australia’s Prime Minister said today that it was time to get people back to work, however work will need to be done differently with staggered work times, and small meeting rooms and handshakes off the cards for a while. It is estimated that each week of restrictions costs the Australian economy $4 billion.
Business and Industry News
- Hong Kong’s retail sales plunged by 42 percent in March to HK$23 billion, continuing a crisis facing the sector that has suffered from the double blow of social unrest and the pandemic. The combined value of total retail sales in January and February slumped by 31.8 percent compared with the same period a year earlier, the Census and Statistics Department said.
- Singapore’s retail sales in March fell at the steepest pace in more than 20 years on an annual basis, official data showed on Tuesday, as consumption especially of discretionary items such as clothes and jewellery fell due to the outbreak.
- Apple confirmed that it will re-open its stores in Australia on Thursday (May 7). Stores will operate from 10 am to 5 pm local time and service at the Genius Bar — Apple’s tech support station — will be prioritised. Appointments can be booked online starting Tuesday.
- German fashion house Hugo Boss said its overall sales in the second quarter could fall by at least 50% due to uncertainties brought about by the pandemic. That warning came after the company reported first-quarter sales of 555 million euros ($605.6 million) — a 17% decline from the same period a year ago after currency adjustments. That led to Hugo Boss registering a 14 million euros ($15.3 million) loss in operating profit in the first three months of 2020.
Events Update
- The Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed by a year because of the outbreak and will now be held from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, the Paris-based organiser said on Monday (May 4).
- The 10th review conference of the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), originally scheduled in April 2020, will take place no later than April 2021.
Recommended Reading
Government/Health Advice: