Europe

Global death toll due to corona tops 80,000

PARIS, April 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The worldwide number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus rose to 80,142 on late Tuesday, according to a tally compiled from official sources.

More than 1,397,180 declared cases have been registered in 192 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 257,100 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Italy counts 135,586 COVID-19 cases, daily recoveries exceed new infections

ROME, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Italy on Tuesday registered 135,586 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 17,127 fatalities, according to fresh figures from the Civil Protection Department managing the COVID-19 emergency.

Of these, the new active infections registered against Monday were 880, which brought to total 94,067 infections nationwide. Recoveries kept rising, with a relevant number of 1,555 more people cured compared to the previous day, reaching 24,392 in total.

China becomes top filer of int'l patents in 2019: WIPO

GENEVA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- China surpassed the United States in 2019 as the top source of international patent applications filed with WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said on Tuesday in a statement.

With 58,990 applications filed in 2019 via WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System, China overtook the U.S., which filed 57,840 applications the same year, as the biggest user of the PCT System, a position previously held by the U.S. each year since the PCT began operations in 1978, according to WIPO.

British PM spending second night in intensive care: spokesman

LONDON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is spending a second night in intensive care in hospital, where he is being treated for COVID-19, and he is in "stable" condition, a Downing Street spokesman said on Tuesday night.

The prime minister was moved to intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital in London on Monday night following a worsening of symptoms. He has received oxygen treatment but has not required a ventilator so far.

COVID-19 deaths surpass 10,000 in France

PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- As France entered its fourth week of lockdown, the coronavirus epidemic still hit hard, claiming on Tuesday 1,417 more deaths in hospitals and nursing homes, making the combined fatalities at 10,328, a French health official said.

Data unveiled by General Director of Health Jerome Salomon showed a fresh daily record of deaths in hospital where 607 people have succumbed to COVID-19 on Tuesday, representing a daily increase of 9.4 percent to a cumulative total of 7,091, compared with a 10 percent rise registered on Monday.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to intensive care

London, Apr 7 (PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was in hospital due to persistent coronavirus symptoms, has been shifted to the intensive care unit after his coronavirus symptoms "worsened", Downing Street has said.

Johnson, 55, asked UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him as he was moved on Monday to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at St Thomas' Hospital in London, a move Downing Street said was a precaution should he require ventilation to aid his recovery.

Italy injects record US$430b into pandemic-hit economy

ROME, April 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy unveiled a record 400 billion euro stimulus to help businesses hurt by a month-long national lockdown that is like to run on for many more weeks.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told the nation to be patient in the face of a pandemic that has now officially claimed 16,523 lives in the Mediterranean country and left millions at least temporarily unemployed.

“We will soon see a new spring for Italy but for the moment we must stay at home,” the Italian leader said in a television address.

World short of six million nurses, WHO says

GENEVA, April 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — As COVID-19 captures global headlines, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday that the world needs nearly six million nurses.

The UN’s health agency along with partners Nursing Now and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) underscored in a report the crucial role played by nurses, who make up more than half of all health workers worldwide.

“Nurses are the backbone of any health system,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

Ireland’s PM returns to medical practice to help in coronavirus crisis

DUBLIN, April 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ireland’s prime minister Leo Varadkar has re-registered as a medical practitioner and will work one shift a week to help out during the coronavirus crisis, his office said.

Varadkar worked as a doctor for seven years before leaving the profession to become a politician and was removed from the medical register in 2013.

Russia's advanced MiG-31K, Su-57 aircraft to take part in Moscow V-Day parade

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/: Four MiG-31K attack aircraft in the role of Kinzhal missile carriers and four Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets will take part in an aerial display to be held as part of the May 9 Victory Day celebrations on Moscow's Red Square, a military source told TASS on Tuesday.

"The aerial display of the parade will involve 55 planes and 20 helicopters: 75 aircraft in total to mark the 75th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, including four Kinzhal systems and four Su-57," he said.

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