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Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage fo the coronavirus pandemic. I’m Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur.
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a cautious easing of the country’s lockdown, encouraging those who cannot work from home to go back to their workplaces and allowing people tp go out for unlimited exercise.
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Former US President Barack Obama launched a scathing attack on President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, calling it an “absolute chaotic disaster”.
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Globally, more than four million cases of the coronavirus have now been confirmed, and 1.4 million people have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 282,500 people have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Here are the latest updates.
Monday, May 11
02:40 GMT – Tunisia reports zero new cases for first time since March
Tunisia reported no new cases of coronavirus on Monday for the first time since March.
The North African country reported its first case on March 2, and has confirmed 1,032 cases and 45 deaths. It began loosening its coronavirus lockdown last week, and shopping centres, clothing stores and hairdressers are due to open on Monday.
An empty street in Tunisia’s Sidi Bou Said during the coronavirus lockdown. Tunisia recorded zero new cases of coronavirus on Monday for the first time since March [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]
02:35 GMT – Pence not in quarantine, will be at White House on Monday
US Vice President Mike Pence is not in quarantine and will be at the White House on Monday, spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement on Sunday.
O’Malley said Pence had tested negative “every single day” amid reports he was in self-isolation after a member of his staff tested positive for coronavirus.
“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,” the statement said.
More:
02:30 GMT – China reports new cases; five in Wuhan
China reported 17 new cases of coronavirus, including five in Wuhan, the city where the virus first emerged late last year.
The five Wuhan cases all involve people living in the same residential compound.
Seven other cases were among travellers returning from overseas travel, and the remainder in the northeast where there concerns about the resurgence of the virus have prompted some cities to step up their response.
#JUSTIN: Another Chinese city district has raised its virus-response and risk level from low to medium. Following Zhongxihu District in #Wuhan, Fengman District in NE Jilin on Monday adjusted the virus-response level after two new #COVID19 cases were reported. pic.twitter.com/579ngMJFsk
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) May 11, 2020
01:45 GMT – Australia’s Victoria state announces ‘cautious next steps’
Australians living in the southeastern state of Victoria will be able to visit more friends and family under a slight relaxation to the lockdown in the state.
Larger gatherings – of up to ten people outside and five visitors to a home – will be allowed. Residents will also be able to do more outdoor sports providing social distancing rules are followed, and more people will be able to attend funerals.
The changes come into effect at 11.59pm (13:59 GMT) on Tuesday.
Statement from the premier has just landed: pic.twitter.com/zo07VYOjU0
— Benitæ Kolovos (@benitakolovos) May 11, 2020
01:10 GMT – Saudi Arabia to distribute $493 million in ‘Ramadan Aid’
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Monday ordered the distibution of ‘Ramadan Aid’ worth 1.85 billion riyal ($492.6 million) for social security beneficiaries, according to the state news agency.
Providers of families will get 1,000 riyals each, while family members will each get 500 riyals.
00:15 GMT – Shanghai Disneyland to welcome first guests
Shanghai Disneyland will welcome its first guests in more than three months on Monday.
The park, the first of Disney’s theme parks to reopen after the coronavirus pandemic, will operate at 30 percent capacity (24,000 people) and visitors will have to wear masks and follow strict rules on social distancing.
One of the first visitors to Shanghai Disneyland after the theme park reopened on Monday [Aly Song/Reuters]
00:00 GMT – Some Australian children return to school
Some children in the Australian states of New South Wales (NSW) and Brisbane began returning to school on Monday after weeks off school because of the coronavirus.
NSW has equipped schools with sanitiser, soap, personal protective equipment and temperature monitors, while class sizes will be smaller and personal contact reduced.
“I know this is a huge relief for families,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. “It is a huge relief for the state government because we know how important it is for students to receive that face-to-face teaching.”
Read all the updates from yesterday (May 10) here.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
