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The number of coronavirus infections continue to rise worldwide, with more than 1,013,000 people diagnosed, as the death toll nears 53,000, including almost 6,000 in the United States, according to the data from Johns Hopkins University early on Friday.
The coronavirus pandemic death toll in Spain passed 10,000 on Thursday, as the country reported its highest single-day number of deaths since the outbreak began with the total rising by more than 1,000 to 10,348 among 112,065 infections.
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In response, the UN General Assembly has unanimously approved a resolution recognising “the unprecedented effects” of the coronavirus pandemic and calling for “intensified international cooperation to contain, mitigate and defeat” the deady disease.
More than 210,000 people have recovered from the disease, including 9,000 in the US.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to rapidly expand domestic manufacturing of N95 protective masks, as health officials debate new guidelines amid concerns that the disease is being spread by infected people who are showing no symptoms.
Here are the latest updates:
Friday, April 3
00:22 GMT – Iraq has confirmed thousands more COVID-19 cases than reported, medics say
Iraq has thousands of confirmed COVID-19 cases, many times more than the 772 it is has publicly reported, according to three doctors closely involved in the testing process, a health ministry official and a senior political official.
Three doctors, who work in pharmaceutical teams helping test suspected COVID-19 cases in Baghdad, each said that confirmed cases of the disease, based on discussions among fellow medics who see daily results, were between about 3,000 and 9,000 although they each gave different estimates.
The sources all spoke to Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity. Iraqi authorities have instructed medical staff not to speak to the media.
Iraq’s health ministry, the only official outlet for information on the coronavirus, dismissed the sources’ reading of the spread of the disease.
“It’s incorrect information,” said Saif al-Badr, the health ministry spokesman, in a text message sent to Reuters without elaborating.
The ministry said in its latest daily statement on Thursday that the total recorded confirmed cases for Iraq were 772, with 54 deaths.
00:22 GMT – UN calls for unity against ‘unprecedented’ coronavirus threat
The UN General Assembly has unanimously approved a resolution recognising “the unprecedented effects” of the coronavirus pandemic and calling for “intensified international cooperation to contain, mitigate and defeat” the deady disease.
General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande sent a letter to all UN member nations Thursday night informing them that there were no objections to the resolution entitled “Global Solidarity to fight the coronavirus disease” sponsored by Ghana, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. He said the resolution was approved and is in effect.
The resolution also recognises the disease, also known as COVID-19, has resulted in “severe disruption to societies and economies, as well as to global travel and commerce, and the devastating impact on the livelihood of people” and that “the poorest and most vulnerable are the hardest hit.”
00:06 GMT – WHO urges Middle Eastern countries to act fast
Governments in the Middle East need to act fast to limit the spread of the coronavirus after cases rose to nearly 60,000, almost double their level a week earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
“New cases have been reported in some of the most vulnerable countries with fragile health systems,” said Ahmed Al-Mandhari, the WHO’s director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Djibouti, as well as Middle Eastern states.
“Even in countries with stronger heath systems, we have seen a worrying spike in the numbers of cases and deaths reported,” he said in a statement.
“I cannot stress enough the urgency of the situation,” said Mandhari. “The increasing numbers of cases show that transmission is rapidly occurring at local and community levels.”
“We still have a window of opportunity, but this window is slowly closing day by day,” he added.
23:20 GMT Thursday – Trump to Iran: If they want help, we will give them help
President Donald Trump has said if Iran requests his administration for help in dealing with the coronavirus emergency that he would be willing to do it.
“They have a very big case of virus. A very, very big case. One of the worst on earth if you believe what you’re reading and I happen to believe what I see and what I know. If they want help, we will give them help.”
Earlier, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, former Vice President Joseph Biden said he supports the lifting of sanctions against Iran as the country deals with the deadly disease.
I’m Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur with Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read all the updates from yesterday (April 2) here.
