The number of deaths linked to the novel coronavirus has hit passed 156,000 worldwide, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. The number of US deaths has exceeded 31,000.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has accused US President Donald Trump of “fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies” after the latter urged supporters to “LIBERATE” three states led by Democratic governors.
Britain’s health ministry has said that hospital death toll from COVID-19 in the country rose by 888 to 15,464 as of 16:00 GMT on April 17.
Read Also: U.S. Coronavirus Cases Top 700,000, Deaths Above 37,000
Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti has said Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr prayers could take place at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Here are the latest updates:
Saturday, April 18
17:30 GMT – Turkey’s coronavirus cases overtake Iran, highest in Middle East
Turkey’s confirmed coronavirus cases have risen to 82,329, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said, overtaking neighbouring Iran for the first time to register the highest total in the Middle East.
An increase of 3,783 cases in the last 24 hours also pushed Turkey’s confirmed tally within a few hundred of China, where the novel coronavirus first emerged.
Koca said 121 more people have died, taking the death toll to 1,890.
A total of 1,822 people have recovered from coronavirus so far, and the number of tests carried out over the past 24 hours came to 40,520, the minister said.
17:15 GMT – Britain has to do more to get equipment to health workers: minister
Britain needs to do more to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to health workers on the frontline, housing minister Robert Jenrick said on Saturday after criticism about shortages in hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.
“We’ve got to do more to get the PPE that people need to the frontline,” Jenrick said, adding that a consignment was due to arrive from Turkey containing equipment including 400,000 protective gowns.
“We are trying to do everything we can to get the equipment we need.”
16:50 GMT – New York coronavirus daily death toll at two-week low
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday that 540 people died across his state over the last 24 hours due to the novel coronavirus, marking the lowest daily tally in more than two weeks.
Speaking at a daily briefing, Cuomo also said new hospital admissions stayed around the 2,000-patient mark, which he said was “still an overwhelming number.”
AL JAZEERA
