DUBAI: More countries have announced plans of easing lockdown measures to revive their economies, as the number of coronavirus cases globally topped 2.7 million on Friday.
Dubai has announced on Thursday lifting the 24-hour curfew, but has warned residents of violating precautionary measures when going out of their homes. Abu Dhabi has also adjusted curfew hours in the emirate from 10p.m. to 6a.m.
Friday April 24, 2020 (All times in GMT)
16:32 - Turkey's confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by 3,122 in the past 24 hours, and 109 more people have died, taking the death toll to 2,600, Health Ministry data showed on Friday.
The total number of cases in the country stood at 104,912, the data showed, the highest total for any country outside Europe or the United States.
15:39 - Britain will host a virtual international summit on accelerating the development of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus on June 4, foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Twitter.
"Diseases have no borders so we must come together to make sure that @gavi is fully funded and its expertise is at the heart of efforts to secure broad access to any COVID-19 vaccine," Raab said.
15:14 - The coronavirus death toll in the US exceeded 50,000, Johns Hopkins University said on Friday.
14:45 - The UAE announced 525 new cases of coronavirus and 123 cases of recovery on Friday.
14:23 - The death toll from the new coronavirus in hospitals across the United Kingdom has risen to 19,506, an increase of 684 in 24 hours, the latest data from the health ministry showed on Friday.
The country now has 143,464 confirmed cases of the virus, up 5,386 in a day.
14:00 - The UN on Friday joined forces with world leaders and the private sector on an initiative to speed up development of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, and ensure equal access for all.
"This is a landmark collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for COVID-19," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing.
12:38 – Saudi Arabia announced 1,172 new coronavirus cases on Friday.
12:32 – Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council recommended that the government extends isolation for two weeks due to coronavirus.
11:13 – Lysol and Dettol maker Reckitt Benckiser warned people against using disinfectants to treat the coronavirus, after US President Donald Trump suggested researchers try putting disinfectants into patients’ bodies.
11:02 – Authorities closed all entrances to a Palestinian refugee camp in eastern Lebanon on Friday after four more people tested positive for the coronavirus, heightening concerns the virus could further spread among its overcrowded population. READ THE STORY
10:35 – Qatar confirmed 761 new cases and 59 recoveries.
10:23 –Morocco’s number of coronavirus patients has reached 3,692 after the country has confirmed 124 new cases.
10:11 – Spain has reported 367 new coronavirus deaths, raising the total number of fatalities to 22,524. The country’s total number of coronavirus cases has reached about 220,000.
10:01 – The US death toll from the novel coronavirus is expected to reach 50,000 on Friday, doubling in 10 days and the highest in the world, according to a Reuters tally. READ THE STORY
10:00 – Iran has confirmed 93 new coronavirus deaths, bringing the country’s total number of fatalities to 5,574. The country’s total number of people infected with COVID-19 has reached 88,194, a health official said.
09:53 – The French European Affairs Minister has said that no-deal Brexit would be an extra shock on top of coronavirus crisis but the UK will suffer the most.
09:26 – Kuwait has confirmed 115 new coronavirus recoveries, bringing total to 613.
09:01 – Indonesia’s healthy ministry has said the number of coronavirus deaths has risen to 689.
08:36 – Malaysia confirmed 88 new cases, bringing the total to 5,691 with one new death.
08:22 – Oman’s health ministry has reported one coronavirus death and 74 new cases, raising country’s caseload to 1,790
08:18 – The UAE’s health ministry extended the grace period for service renewal to three months, and waived fines and penalties for delays in applications.
07:45 – Parts of India have recorded dramatic falls in mortality rates after a nationwide lockdown was imposed to fight the new coronavirus, suggesting there has not been an undetected surge in virus-related deaths. READ THE STORY
07:42 – Britain will keep lockdown measures in place until it is safe to ease restrictions despite the economic costs of the rules, health minister Matt Hancock told BBC Radio
07:33 – Russia reported 5,849 new cases in past 24 hours.
06:24 – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte angrily threatened to declare martial law after accusing communist rebels of killing two soldiers who were escorting food and cash deliveries during a coronavirus quarantine.
06:05 – Jordan said it was thinking of reopening some government offices, as the country continues to ease lockdown measures prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
05:13 – Bahraini authorities have confirmed receiving a shipment of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a possible treatment for the new coronavirus.
04:37 – Thailand has reported 15 new cases of coronavirus, with no new death.
WATCH: Labour Party leader Keir Starmer pays tribute to Britain’s Muslim coronavirus frontliners ‘for keeping us going at this vital time’ during Ramadan:
04:29 – Germany has reported 2,337 new cases of coronavirus, bringing total to 150,381, with 5,321 fatalities.
03:39 – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was illegal for non-health officials to access data from COVID-19 tracing application.
Read the Abu Dhabi government’s announcement on the National Sterilisation Programme:
01:44 – The Saudi G20 presidency has called for increased contributions to meet the $8-billion target for global pandemic response, treatment, and the development of vaccine. It said $1.9 billion has been raised so far for the fund.
01:40 – New Zealand’s finance minister said “there will be a time when economy needs more stimulus, but no decision yet on how that would be done.”
