by Summary for Friday, 1st May
Welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. We’re writing from across Asia and Australia and will later be joined by our teams in Europe and the US.
Here’s what you need to know this Friday morning.
He said individual nations pursued their own strategies – and the lack of collective action helped the virus spread.
In comments that appeared to be directed at the US and Beijing, he also bemoaned the failure of the world’s strongest nations to combine what he called power and leadership. That has created much of the dysfunction and fragility, as he put it, in today’s world.
He also said there was an opportunity for countries to retool their economics in ways that are more environmentally sustainable. He called on governments to withhold emergency financial support from fossil fuel and carbon-intensive companies and to focus instead on green jobs.
We'll have more updates from Nick's interview soon - stay tuned.
The number of confirmed cases is more than three million. The vast majority will recover - but there is a lag between an infection being noted, and the recovery being confirmed.
See the data here
He said he had a "high degree" of confidence the virus originated in a Chinese laboratory - adding he wasn't allowed to say whether China "made a mistake" or did "something on purpose".
Earlier in the day, US intelligence officials said Covid-19 "was not manmade or genetically modified".
Trump has recently suggested China didn't warn the US in order to hurt his re-election bid.
He also slammed the WHO, saying it "should be ashamed of itself" for being "like the public relations agency for China".
The Northern Territory - a sparsely populated, outback region - will charge ahead with lifting group limits and re-opening parks and pools from today.
However, it's the social easing in New South Wales (which includes Sydney) which will be far more closely watched. People can now visit their friends and families - but households can only accept two visitors at a time.
This is a big step out of isolation for millions of people - and many will be celebrating with dinner parties tonight - but officials are urging people to keep their social circles tight.
While Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia are also easing restrictions, in contrast Victoria (which includes Melbourne) has not relaxed its social rules and does not plan to until 11 May.
Every Australian state is moving at a different pace - read more here.
Covid-19 has a low mortality rate, which means almost all of those three million infected will eventually recover - even though in some cases it might take a long time.
But precisely how many will recover? That depends on the mortality rate of the virus - i.e. how many people who catch it will die - which we still don't know.
Estimates by medical journal The Lancet suggest it's higher than influenza (0.1%) and lower than Sars (9.5%).
If you look at the cases on cruise ships - where you don't have imported cases or lack of testing - the mortality rate seems to be around 1%, the journal writes.
But because the testing situation is so different from country to country (and no country has a 100% testing rate like those cruise ships) we can only see the ratio of deaths to confirmed infections.
When only people with stronger symptoms get tested, that "death rate" is often higher than 1%.
In reality, it's likely that many people will catch the virus without being officially recorded - meaning the death rate is lower than "official" ratios may suggest.
The 90km (56 miles) trip was announced in the president's daily schedule late on Thursday.
It did not say how much time Mr Trump would spend at the retreat.
Mr Trump last left the White House on 28 March, when he travelled to Norfolk, Virginia.
Half of the confirmed infections were imported. From the local transmission, five were in the Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia, where there has been a relative spike in cases in recent weeks.
The overall number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 82,874, although more than 90% of those have recovered.
Chinese numbers also showed 24 new asymptomatic cases for the past day, which the country counts in a separate tally.
There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 4,633.
Australia has long supported Taiwan's bid for observer status and was responding to a call from Taiwan's health minister this week.
The endorsement comes amid a huge row between Beijing and Canberra this week.
China would attempt to block Taiwanese membership of the WHO as it does not recognise Taiwan as a country - and Taiwanese bids for United Nations membership have been rejected in the past.
Australia has been calling for a global investigation into how the virus started, and that has sparked threats from Beijing about the two nations' trade relationship.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has so far dismissed China's criticisms and is standing by his calls for an investigation.
Here's what else is happening:
Outbound shipments dropped to $36.9bn (£29bn), compared with $48.7bn last year - the worst contraction since 2009. Imports also sank by 15.9% to $37.8bn.
The East Asian nation was once among the world's biggest virus hotspots - but Thursday was the first day when no locally transmitted cases were recorded.
The government in Seoul put a number of restrictions in place in February, stopping short of a total lockdown.
But he said that those that usually involve large gatherings of employees would remain shut.
The authorities shut down all non-essential businesses, restricted travel and closed schools on 18 March to try to halt the spread of the virus.
Malaysia has more than 6,000 confirmed infections and 102 deaths, according to America's Johns Hopkins university.
Initially, authorities pencilled in 11 May as the decision-making date for when measures might be lifted.
However - as the nation has effectively contained the virus spread - Mr Morrison said the decision would be brought forward to 8 May.
"Australians have earned an early mark through the work they have done," he said in press conference in Canberra.
Several states this week have begun loosening social restrictions - for example, people in Sydney and elsewhere in New South Wales can now visit other people's homes.
Eight of the nine cases were believed to have been brought from oversees.
Thursday was the first day in two and a half months that no locally transmitted cases were reported.
South Korea now has 10,774 infections, with 248 deaths
No alien but a cute little garden eel
Social isolation can be tough. Thanks to video calls we can still check in with parents, grandparents and friends. But did you ever spare a thought for the eels?
Neither did we, until an aquarium in Tokyo put out an appeal. No visitors are allowed in the Sumida Aquarium in the landmark Tokyo Skytree tower and the eels seem to be forgetting what humans look like.
"Creatures in the aquarium don't see humans except keepers and they have started forgetting about humans," the aquarium said.
"Garden eels in particular disappear into the sand and hide every time the keepers pass by."
That means the keepers can't check on their health anymore. To fix this, the aquarium is setting up computer tablets facing the tank, and are asking people to call, show their faces, wave, and talk to the eels.
One note of caution - don't shout as the eels are very sensitive.
The country has recorded 16,697 cases and 385 deaths so far.
Mr Khan said the virus was less intense in Pakistan compared to the United States or Europe - a statement he has made before.
He said the decision to reopen was taken after consulting leaders in Egypt and Iran, which have also started to reopen, because the economic cost of continuing the lockdown was too high.
"Iran and Egypt have opened all businesses by maintaining a ban on public gatherings and we will also further ease lockdown by sharing information with these states,” he said.
The US intelligence community has not directly contradicted that. But it did say, in a rare public statement on Thursday, that the virus was not "man-made or genetically modified".
Sergio Aguero is Manchester City's top scorer this season
Gregory Peck was her favourite Hollywood actor, according to Ms Ewing's daughter
Gulshan Ewing, a pioneering Indian journalist who mingled with some of the world's biggest celebrities, has died from Covid-19 at a home for the elderly in London.
She was 92. Her death comes amid growing concerns over how Britain is handling infections in care homes, where thousands have died.
Ewing, who edited two popular Indian magazines, Eve's Weekly and Star & Style, from 1966 to 1989, was once described by Nobel laureate VS Naipaul as "India's most famous female editor".
Ms Ewing (L) with Nargis, one of India's most famous actresses
She interviewed Hollywood legends Gregory Peck, Cary Grant and Roger Moore; socialised with Prince Charles; dined with Alfred Hitchcock; posed for photographs with Ava Gardner, and taught Danny Kay how to drape a sari.
Her friendships ran deep in Bollywood too, where she often partied with some of the biggest stars such as Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor and Nargis.
"I think mum was a very lucky woman, she had an amazing career, and she was loved and adored by her husband. She had it all," her daughter, Anjali, told me.
Read the full story here.
Here’s how she’s coping as she shields from coronavirus.
At the end of a crumbling jetty I stared out across the broad blue expanse of Manila Bay and counted 12 cruise ships, all neatly lined up in an anchorage area about 5km from shore.
The bay has become busy because of the large numbers of returning Filipinos who work in the cruise ship industry. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, around 2,000 crew members are undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine on board the ships before they are allowed onto the mainland.
Foreign crew will only be allowed off the ships if they can prove they have a flight within four hours of disembarking.
Last night I was contacted by a British worker on one of the ships. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she told me she had been at sea for more than 50 days and had spent most of that time observing strict social distancing and self-isolation in a small cabin.
With limited human contact she told me she was feeling “mentally exhausted”. She said she and her colleagues' biggest concern was that people around the world might have forgotten about the thousands of crew members still stuck on board these ships.
South Africa is easing some of its lockdown restrictions today. Some businesses will be allowed to reopen, restaurants will be able to deliver food, and families will be allowed to leave home to exercise.
But in some respects, South Africa’s five-week lockdown will remain just as strict as it was before.
The sale of alcohol will still be banned. This restriction has helped keep the country's hospital wards empty.
The government will also deploy more troops on the streets and impose an overnight curfew.
The security forces have faced criticism for being heavy-handed. Tens of thousands of extra troops could now, potentially, be deployed to patrol the streets.
The government – which has so far been praised for moving fast to fight the virus – must now balance the need to keep the infection rate down with the risk of growing frustration and hunger in a country that is already marked by deep inequality and economic struggles.
Singapore has begun housing some of its foreign workers who have recovered from Covid-19 onboard two cruise ships docked at port.
There will be tight infection control measures and safe-distancing policies, and sick bays and isolation stations will be nearby should new infections occur, officials say.
Singapore's dramatically high number of virus cases is a bit of a tale of two cities. Almost all infections are among the foreign workers who live in often cramped dormitories that make social distancing impossible.
The workers' dorms are now under quarantine, and authorities are trying to find new locations they can convert into living areas to spread out the workers affected.
Singapore has more than 300,000 foreign workers, mostly from South Asia. While initially praised as a model of how to contain the virus, the city state now has more than 16,000 confirmed cases.
An international charity has warned that more than seven million children are at risk of hunger in Afghanistan as food prices soar during the coronavirus crisis.
Save the Children describes Afghanistan as one of the most dangerous places to be a child – where children have only known war, and now, for many, growing hardship and hunger.
The charity says food prices have soared since the virus struck. Staples like wheat flour and cooking oil now cost up to 23% more.
That’s because the lockdown has sporadically closed borders and disrupted supply chains.
In the capital, Kabul, where most shops are shut, thousands of children who are their families’ main earners still beg on the streets. For working children and day labourers, no money means no food.
Aid agencies are now calling for urgent international help for a country where they say the greatest impact of this pandemic will not be the virus, but hunger.
English Premier League clubs remain committed to playing this season's 92 remaining fixtures, behind closed doors. The English Football League - which oversees the three tiers below - is waiting for government guidance. Premier League officials will join a video conference on Friday, which will include Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, to discuss the medical and safety aspects of a return.
Italy's Serie A wants to complete its fixtures, but Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Wednesday it was "unlikely".
Spain's government appears more optimistic. On Thursday, it approved La Liga’s plans for clubs to test their players for Covid-19 before they return to training as the country's top flight targets a June resumption.
Germany's Bundesliga will need to wait another week to find out about a possible restart after the government on Thursday delayed any decision over a league resumption.
Below are the countries which according to Johns Hopkins have recorded the highest number of people recovering.
The US has had the most recoveries from Covid-19 - but has also had the largest number of cases.
But these figures come with caveats attached.
Firstly, they probably underestimate the true number of people who have recovered because many infections are mild and go unrecorded. The extent of testing also varies widely between countries.
Different countries may also record data about who has recovered in different ways.
With that said, Johns Hopkins says there has been a total of 1,014,931 recoveries from Covid-19 worldwide.
The UK is shown to have recorded only 859 recoveries from 172,481 confirmed cases of the virus.
However, that is likely to be a significant underestimate of the true figure. On Thursday, there were 15,043 people in hospital with coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
Recovery from the virus can also take a long time, as our health correspondent, James Gallagher, reports here.
There's a lot of bleak news in the world right now. From the outbreak to massive unemployment to vulnerable people being separated from their loved ones, it can be easy to feel helpless.
But for those of us who are lucky enough to be healthy, and have time and resources available, there are also lots of practical ways we can help healthcare workers, our communities and people we care about.
From making donations to writing a diary to donating blood to reading a story online to your friends' children, here are some simple, and sometimes surprising, things you can do.
Read more from Helier here.
The vast majority of new cases have for weeks been among foreign workers, who mostly work in construction and are housed in large dormitory complexes - which now are under quarantine. New infections among locals are often in the single-digit range.
Critics say authorities have underestimated the risk for the workers and failed to protect them from the outbreak, while the government insists it is now doing all it can to provide free treatment and additional housing for them.
The country has allowed young children to return to school, and hairdressers and other small businesses to reopen.
While its infectious disease agency said the reproduction rate - the number of people to which one infected person will pass the virus - had increased slightly, it was still below one.
"There are no signs that the Covid-19 epidemic is accelerating," the agency said in a statement.
Denmark has received some praise for its swift action in restricting movement before Covid-19 infections were able to spread across the population.
Twelve BBC correspondents look at different aspects of how our lives might be affected, including: changes to the way we work and learn; our shopping habits and the impact on retail; the possible rise in plane ticket prices; and how the arts and sport might be affected.
Read more in our Explainers article.
The "muguet" (lily of the valley) is a traditional flower for French florists to sell on May Day
For much of Europe, 1 May is normally a public holiday highlighting the rights of workers - but this is not a normal May Day.
In France, it is usually a day of union marches when people buy lily of the valley from the local florists. But florists are shut, and instead people will bang on pots and pans on balconies, as they do every evening, and there will be online protests.
A three-hour livestreamed protest is planned in Germany, although some mini-demos are planned in Berlin. One party leader, Christian Lindner, says it should be a day for jobs rather than Labour Day, as more than 10 million workers have signed up to a German state salary scheme.
Portugal's main union federation will hold events in 24 towns, but only union officials will attend. Protesters are hoping to defy Greece's tight lockdown to attend two rallies in Athens, despite the government's plea for the day to be postponed until 9 May.
In Austria, 1 May is the day for all shops, hairdressers and beauty salons to reopen, but most are likely to stay closed for the day.
May Day in Finland is normally a big deal, with communal picnics and rallies. Now it's all moved online with a broad array of political speeches going out instead on social media.
Italian President Sergio Mattarrella has given a May Day address. "There can be no Republic without work... Because work is a condition of freedom, dignity and autonomy for people."
- More than 1,014,000 people known to have had the virus globally have recovered, Johns Hopkins University says
- It remains unclear how many people who were not tested have also made a recovery
- US President Donald Trump says he has seen evidence the virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, without giving details
- However, US intelligence agencies conclude the virus was not man-made or genetically modified
- The UK government says it is "likely to get very close to or meet" its target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests
- Some Australian states are easing their restrictions as the number of cases fall, starting with the Northern Territory
- In New South Wales, households can soon welcome some visitors and Queensland will allow non-essential shopping
- Economic fallout continues, with nearly 4m more Americans filing for jobless benefits
Welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. We’re writing from across Asia and Australia and will later be joined by our teams in Europe and the US.
Here’s what you need to know this Friday morning.
- Some parts of Australia are beginning to lift their lockdowns as the country sees a continuously low infection rate
- South Korea hopes to keep its new infections at zero for a second day after on Thursday it reported no new domestic cases
- Indonesia’s confirmed cases have risen beyond 10,000 - making it the worst hit country in South East Asia after Singapore
- US President Donald Trump has again blamed China for the pandemic and threatened consequences for Beijing
- The outbreak has now led to 30 million Americans losing their jobs since mid-March
- In his first briefing since returning to work, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK was "past the peak" and promised to set out a lockdown exit strategy next week
UN chief 'disappointed' in global lack of coordination
The United Nations' secretary general Antonio Guterres has just given an interview to the BBC's Nick Bryant, telling our correspondent he's "disappointed" the world had not come together in a coordinated way to confront the pandemic.He said individual nations pursued their own strategies – and the lack of collective action helped the virus spread.
In comments that appeared to be directed at the US and Beijing, he also bemoaned the failure of the world’s strongest nations to combine what he called power and leadership. That has created much of the dysfunction and fragility, as he put it, in today’s world.
He also said there was an opportunity for countries to retool their economics in ways that are more environmentally sustainable. He called on governments to withhold emergency financial support from fossil fuel and carbon-intensive companies and to focus instead on green jobs.
We'll have more updates from Nick's interview soon - stay tuned.
One million recovered from Covid-19
More than one million people have now officially recovered from Covid-19, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.The number of confirmed cases is more than three million. The vast majority will recover - but there is a lag between an infection being noted, and the recovery being confirmed.
See the data here
Trump has 'high confidence' that virus came from lab
US President Donald Trump has again lashed out at both China and the World Health Organization over the pandemic.He said he had a "high degree" of confidence the virus originated in a Chinese laboratory - adding he wasn't allowed to say whether China "made a mistake" or did "something on purpose".
Earlier in the day, US intelligence officials said Covid-19 "was not manmade or genetically modified".
Trump has recently suggested China didn't warn the US in order to hurt his re-election bid.
He also slammed the WHO, saying it "should be ashamed of itself" for being "like the public relations agency for China".
Visits allowed in Sydney as outback opens up
With the virus curve now "crushed", Australia's states and territories are really starting to motor out of lockdown.The Northern Territory - a sparsely populated, outback region - will charge ahead with lifting group limits and re-opening parks and pools from today.
However, it's the social easing in New South Wales (which includes Sydney) which will be far more closely watched. People can now visit their friends and families - but households can only accept two visitors at a time.
This is a big step out of isolation for millions of people - and many will be celebrating with dinner parties tonight - but officials are urging people to keep their social circles tight.
While Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia are also easing restrictions, in contrast Victoria (which includes Melbourne) has not relaxed its social rules and does not plan to until 11 May.
Every Australian state is moving at a different pace - read more here.
What do the recovery numbers mean?
Today's headline figure is one million recoveries out of more than three million confirmed cases. The statistic - like all coronavirus data - has to be read with caution though.Covid-19 has a low mortality rate, which means almost all of those three million infected will eventually recover - even though in some cases it might take a long time.
But precisely how many will recover? That depends on the mortality rate of the virus - i.e. how many people who catch it will die - which we still don't know.
Estimates by medical journal The Lancet suggest it's higher than influenza (0.1%) and lower than Sars (9.5%).
If you look at the cases on cruise ships - where you don't have imported cases or lack of testing - the mortality rate seems to be around 1%, the journal writes.
But because the testing situation is so different from country to country (and no country has a 100% testing rate like those cruise ships) we can only see the ratio of deaths to confirmed infections.
When only people with stronger symptoms get tested, that "death rate" is often higher than 1%.
In reality, it's likely that many people will catch the virus without being officially recorded - meaning the death rate is lower than "official" ratios may suggest.
Trump to leave White House for first time since 28 March
US President Donald Trump is due to travel on Friday to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, leaving the White House in Washington DC for the first time in more than a month.The 90km (56 miles) trip was announced in the president's daily schedule late on Thursday.
It did not say how much time Mr Trump would spend at the retreat.
Mr Trump last left the White House on 28 March, when he travelled to Norfolk, Virginia.
China reports 12 new cases, zero deaths
Mainland China has reported 12 new cases, slightly up on four new cases the previous day.Half of the confirmed infections were imported. From the local transmission, five were in the Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia, where there has been a relative spike in cases in recent weeks.
The overall number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 82,874, although more than 90% of those have recovered.
Chinese numbers also showed 24 new asymptomatic cases for the past day, which the country counts in a separate tally.
There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 4,633.
Australia endorses Taiwan bid amid row with China
Australian news outlets are reporting the country has re-committed support for Taiwan to rejoin the World Health Organization.Australia has long supported Taiwan's bid for observer status and was responding to a call from Taiwan's health minister this week.
The endorsement comes amid a huge row between Beijing and Canberra this week.
China would attempt to block Taiwanese membership of the WHO as it does not recognise Taiwan as a country - and Taiwanese bids for United Nations membership have been rejected in the past.
Australia has been calling for a global investigation into how the virus started, and that has sparked threats from Beijing about the two nations' trade relationship.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has so far dismissed China's criticisms and is standing by his calls for an investigation.
What's happening in India?
Good morning from Delhi. It's a bright, warm morning in the Indian capital on the 38th day of a nationwide lockdown. The lockdown is supposed to end on 3 May but it's likely it will continue in most places.Here's what else is happening:
- India has recorded a little more than 35,000 active cases and 1,147 deaths so far. The government has said the lockdown has helped slow down the spread of Covid-19 and some states - such as Punjab - have already announced extensions
- Delhi's state government is ramping up screening in hotspots, saying it has seen a rise in some of these areas despite the strict lockdown. At 3,515, Delhi has the third-highest number of infections in the country.
- The federal government is mulling a bailout package for small and mid-size businesses, according to media reports, to mitigate the devastating effect of the lockdown.
South Korea's exports plunge nearly 25%
South Korea's exports dived 24.3% year-on-year in April because of the coronavirus outbreak and plunging oil prices, the country's trade ministry says.Outbound shipments dropped to $36.9bn (£29bn), compared with $48.7bn last year - the worst contraction since 2009. Imports also sank by 15.9% to $37.8bn.
The East Asian nation was once among the world's biggest virus hotspots - but Thursday was the first day when no locally transmitted cases were recorded.
The government in Seoul put a number of restrictions in place in February, stopping short of a total lockdown.
Businesses in Malaysia to reopen from 4 May
The majority of businesses in Malaysia will be allowed to reopen from 4 May, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is quoted as saying by Reuters.But he said that those that usually involve large gatherings of employees would remain shut.
The authorities shut down all non-essential businesses, restricted travel and closed schools on 18 March to try to halt the spread of the virus.
Malaysia has more than 6,000 confirmed infections and 102 deaths, according to America's Johns Hopkins university.
Australians 'deserve an early mark', says PM
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flagged that Australia's social distancing restrictions could be eased in one week's time.Initially, authorities pencilled in 11 May as the decision-making date for when measures might be lifted.
However - as the nation has effectively contained the virus spread - Mr Morrison said the decision would be brought forward to 8 May.
"Australians have earned an early mark through the work they have done," he said in press conference in Canberra.
Several states this week have begun loosening social restrictions - for example, people in Sydney and elsewhere in New South Wales can now visit other people's homes.
South Korea again reports under 10 new cases
South Korea recorded nine new infections on Friday - a single-digit rise for the third consecutive day.Eight of the nine cases were believed to have been brought from oversees.
Thursday was the first day in two and a half months that no locally transmitted cases were reported.
South Korea now has 10,774 infections, with 248 deaths
Give this lonely eel a call!
No alien but a cute little garden eel
Social isolation can be tough. Thanks to video calls we can still check in with parents, grandparents and friends. But did you ever spare a thought for the eels?
Neither did we, until an aquarium in Tokyo put out an appeal. No visitors are allowed in the Sumida Aquarium in the landmark Tokyo Skytree tower and the eels seem to be forgetting what humans look like.
"Creatures in the aquarium don't see humans except keepers and they have started forgetting about humans," the aquarium said.
"Garden eels in particular disappear into the sand and hide every time the keepers pass by."
That means the keepers can't check on their health anymore. To fix this, the aquarium is setting up computer tablets facing the tank, and are asking people to call, show their faces, wave, and talk to the eels.
One note of caution - don't shout as the eels are very sensitive.
PM Khan says Pakistan will further ease lockdown
More businesses and industries will be allowed to reopen in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said, according to Dawn news.The country has recorded 16,697 cases and 385 deaths so far.
Mr Khan said the virus was less intense in Pakistan compared to the United States or Europe - a statement he has made before.
He said the decision to reopen was taken after consulting leaders in Egypt and Iran, which have also started to reopen, because the economic cost of continuing the lockdown was too high.
"Iran and Egypt have opened all businesses by maintaining a ban on public gatherings and we will also further ease lockdown by sharing information with these states,” he said.
US intelligence: Virus 'not man-made'
As we reported earlier, US President Donald Trump has said he has a "high degree" of confidence that the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.The US intelligence community has not directly contradicted that. But it did say, in a rare public statement on Thursday, that the virus was not "man-made or genetically modified".
:tweet: :Left Quotes: Office of the DNI:
Intelligence Community Statement on Origins of COVID-19
The latest from the UK
If you're just joining us in the UK, good morning and welcome. Here are the latest headlines:- Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK was "past the peak" of the outbreak. At a news conference on Thursday, he said he would set out a "comprehensive plan" next week on how to restart the economy and reopen schools following the lockdown
- But Mr Johnson said that to avoid the "disaster" of a second peak the UK must keep the R rate - the number of people to which one infected person will pass the virus - below one
- Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government is "likely to get very close to or meet" its target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests. "At the beginning of the week we only had 5,000 home tests available, we now have 20,000," he said
- Some 26,771 people have now died with the virus in the UK, with more than 171,000 recorded cases
Sports round-up: Premier League players 'scared'
Sergio Aguero is Manchester City's top scorer this season
- Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero says players are "scared" about the prospect of returning to action amid the pandemic. The Premier League has been suspended since 13 March - but clubs remain committed to playing this season's 92 remaining fixtures
- Paris St-Germain have been awarded the Ligue 1 title after it was announced the season would not resume
- Rugby league in England will receive £16m in government loans to help it recover from the impact of the pandemic
- The Cheltenham Festival could have helped to "accelerate the spread" of Covid-19, an ex-government chief scientific adviser has said. About 250,000 people attended the four-day event in March, which ended 10 days before lockdown measures began
Indian editor's death adds to care home tragedy
Geeta Pandey - Editor, women and social affairs India
Gregory Peck was her favourite Hollywood actor, according to Ms Ewing's daughter
Gulshan Ewing, a pioneering Indian journalist who mingled with some of the world's biggest celebrities, has died from Covid-19 at a home for the elderly in London.
She was 92. Her death comes amid growing concerns over how Britain is handling infections in care homes, where thousands have died.
Ewing, who edited two popular Indian magazines, Eve's Weekly and Star & Style, from 1966 to 1989, was once described by Nobel laureate VS Naipaul as "India's most famous female editor".
Ms Ewing (L) with Nargis, one of India's most famous actresses
She interviewed Hollywood legends Gregory Peck, Cary Grant and Roger Moore; socialised with Prince Charles; dined with Alfred Hitchcock; posed for photographs with Ava Gardner, and taught Danny Kay how to drape a sari.
Her friendships ran deep in Bollywood too, where she often partied with some of the biggest stars such as Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor and Nargis.
"I think mum was a very lucky woman, she had an amazing career, and she was loved and adored by her husband. She had it all," her daughter, Anjali, told me.
Read the full story here.
Shielding' yourself from coronavirus
In the UK, those who are clinically extremely vulnerable with serious health conditions have been advised to greatly minimise their contact with others, in a concept called "shielding".Grace is a 26-year-old with an invisible illness. She can’t see her boyfriend or her family and she’s been told she cannot leave her flat for 12 weeks.Here’s how she’s coping as she shields from coronavirus.
Manila's cruise ship 'car park'
Howard Johnson - Philippines Correspondent, BBC News
At the end of a crumbling jetty I stared out across the broad blue expanse of Manila Bay and counted 12 cruise ships, all neatly lined up in an anchorage area about 5km from shore.
The bay has become busy because of the large numbers of returning Filipinos who work in the cruise ship industry. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, around 2,000 crew members are undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine on board the ships before they are allowed onto the mainland.
Foreign crew will only be allowed off the ships if they can prove they have a flight within four hours of disembarking.
Last night I was contacted by a British worker on one of the ships. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she told me she had been at sea for more than 50 days and had spent most of that time observing strict social distancing and self-isolation in a small cabin.
With limited human contact she told me she was feeling “mentally exhausted”. She said she and her colleagues' biggest concern was that people around the world might have forgotten about the thousands of crew members still stuck on board these ships.
South Africa to relax lockdown measures
Andrew Harding - BBC News, JohannesburgSouth Africa is easing some of its lockdown restrictions today. Some businesses will be allowed to reopen, restaurants will be able to deliver food, and families will be allowed to leave home to exercise.
But in some respects, South Africa’s five-week lockdown will remain just as strict as it was before.
The sale of alcohol will still be banned. This restriction has helped keep the country's hospital wards empty.
The government will also deploy more troops on the streets and impose an overnight curfew.
The security forces have faced criticism for being heavy-handed. Tens of thousands of extra troops could now, potentially, be deployed to patrol the streets.
The government – which has so far been praised for moving fast to fight the virus – must now balance the need to keep the infection rate down with the risk of growing frustration and hunger in a country that is already marked by deep inequality and economic struggles.
Singapore begins housing workers on cruise ships
Singapore has begun housing some of its foreign workers who have recovered from Covid-19 onboard two cruise ships docked at port.
There will be tight infection control measures and safe-distancing policies, and sick bays and isolation stations will be nearby should new infections occur, officials say.
Singapore's dramatically high number of virus cases is a bit of a tale of two cities. Almost all infections are among the foreign workers who live in often cramped dormitories that make social distancing impossible.
The workers' dorms are now under quarantine, and authorities are trying to find new locations they can convert into living areas to spread out the workers affected.
Singapore has more than 300,000 foreign workers, mostly from South Asia. While initially praised as a model of how to contain the virus, the city state now has more than 16,000 confirmed cases.
Afghan children face hunger crisis
Lyse Doucet - Chief International CorrespondentAn international charity has warned that more than seven million children are at risk of hunger in Afghanistan as food prices soar during the coronavirus crisis.
Save the Children describes Afghanistan as one of the most dangerous places to be a child – where children have only known war, and now, for many, growing hardship and hunger.
The charity says food prices have soared since the virus struck. Staples like wheat flour and cooking oil now cost up to 23% more.
That’s because the lockdown has sporadically closed borders and disrupted supply chains.
In the capital, Kabul, where most shops are shut, thousands of children who are their families’ main earners still beg on the streets. For working children and day labourers, no money means no food.
Aid agencies are now calling for urgent international help for a country where they say the greatest impact of this pandemic will not be the virus, but hunger.
Top European leagues yet to make decision
While the French and Dutch leagues have prematurely brought an end to their seasons, their English, Italian, Spanish and German counterparts have yet to come to a decision.English Premier League clubs remain committed to playing this season's 92 remaining fixtures, behind closed doors. The English Football League - which oversees the three tiers below - is waiting for government guidance. Premier League officials will join a video conference on Friday, which will include Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, to discuss the medical and safety aspects of a return.
Italy's Serie A wants to complete its fixtures, but Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Wednesday it was "unlikely".
Spain's government appears more optimistic. On Thursday, it approved La Liga’s plans for clubs to test their players for Covid-19 before they return to training as the country's top flight targets a June resumption.
Germany's Bundesliga will need to wait another week to find out about a possible restart after the government on Thursday delayed any decision over a league resumption.
Which countries have seen most people recover?
Earlier we reported that the number of people confirmed to have recovered from the virus had passed one million, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US.Below are the countries which according to Johns Hopkins have recorded the highest number of people recovering.
The US has had the most recoveries from Covid-19 - but has also had the largest number of cases.
- US 153,947 (from a total of 1,070,026 cases)
- Germany 123,500 (163,009 cases)
- Spain 112,050 (213,435 cases)
- China 78,523 (83,956 cases)
- Italy 75,945 (205,463 cases)
But these figures come with caveats attached.
Firstly, they probably underestimate the true number of people who have recovered because many infections are mild and go unrecorded. The extent of testing also varies widely between countries.
Different countries may also record data about who has recovered in different ways.
With that said, Johns Hopkins says there has been a total of 1,014,931 recoveries from Covid-19 worldwide.
The UK is shown to have recorded only 859 recoveries from 172,481 confirmed cases of the virus.
However, that is likely to be a significant underestimate of the true figure. On Thursday, there were 15,043 people in hospital with coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
Recovery from the virus can also take a long time, as our health correspondent, James Gallagher, reports here.
How can I help?
Helier Cheung - BBC News, Washington DCThere's a lot of bleak news in the world right now. From the outbreak to massive unemployment to vulnerable people being separated from their loved ones, it can be easy to feel helpless.
But for those of us who are lucky enough to be healthy, and have time and resources available, there are also lots of practical ways we can help healthcare workers, our communities and people we care about.
From making donations to writing a diary to donating blood to reading a story online to your friends' children, here are some simple, and sometimes surprising, things you can do.
Read more from Helier here.
Singapore surpasses 17,000 cases
Singapore has recorded another 932 new infections for the past day, bringing the country's total to more than 17,000. The city-state of fewer than six million people has by far the highest number of cases in all of South-east Asia.The vast majority of new cases have for weeks been among foreign workers, who mostly work in construction and are housed in large dormitory complexes - which now are under quarantine. New infections among locals are often in the single-digit range.
Critics say authorities have underestimated the risk for the workers and failed to protect them from the outbreak, while the government insists it is now doing all it can to provide free treatment and additional housing for them.
Denmark outbreak 'not accelerating' post-lockdown
Denmark, which became the first European country to begin easing its lockdown measures earlier this month, says there has been an uptick in infections but the overall number of Covid-19 infections has continued to fall.The country has allowed young children to return to school, and hairdressers and other small businesses to reopen.
While its infectious disease agency said the reproduction rate - the number of people to which one infected person will pass the virus - had increased slightly, it was still below one.
"There are no signs that the Covid-19 epidemic is accelerating," the agency said in a statement.
Denmark has received some praise for its swift action in restricting movement before Covid-19 infections were able to spread across the population.
How will coronavirus change the way we live?
Our lives have already been reshaped by coronavirus, but what about in the months and years ahead?Twelve BBC correspondents look at different aspects of how our lives might be affected, including: changes to the way we work and learn; our shopping habits and the impact on retail; the possible rise in plane ticket prices; and how the arts and sport might be affected.
Read more in our Explainers article.
May Day like no other for Europe
The "muguet" (lily of the valley) is a traditional flower for French florists to sell on May Day
For much of Europe, 1 May is normally a public holiday highlighting the rights of workers - but this is not a normal May Day.
In France, it is usually a day of union marches when people buy lily of the valley from the local florists. But florists are shut, and instead people will bang on pots and pans on balconies, as they do every evening, and there will be online protests.
A three-hour livestreamed protest is planned in Germany, although some mini-demos are planned in Berlin. One party leader, Christian Lindner, says it should be a day for jobs rather than Labour Day, as more than 10 million workers have signed up to a German state salary scheme.
Portugal's main union federation will hold events in 24 towns, but only union officials will attend. Protesters are hoping to defy Greece's tight lockdown to attend two rallies in Athens, despite the government's plea for the day to be postponed until 9 May.
In Austria, 1 May is the day for all shops, hairdressers and beauty salons to reopen, but most are likely to stay closed for the day.
May Day in Finland is normally a big deal, with communal picnics and rallies. Now it's all moved online with a broad array of political speeches going out instead on social media.
Italian President Sergio Mattarrella has given a May Day address. "There can be no Republic without work... Because work is a condition of freedom, dignity and autonomy for people."
Reality Check
:tweet: Donald J. Trump:
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