Global death toll from the coronavirus surged past 400,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. About 30 percent of those cases, or two million infections, are in the US. Latin America has the second-largest outbreak, with more than 15 percent of cases. There are over 6.9 million cases globally.
Brazil has removed from public view months of data on its COVID-19 epidemic, as President Jair Bolsonaro defended delays and changes to official record-keeping of the world’s second-largest outbreak. At least 36,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the country.
Indonesia has reported nearly 993 new cases, a new single-day high for the country that brought its total caseload past 30,000, with 1,801 deaths – the most in Southeast Asia – as the government unveiled an enhanced stimulus package worth $47.6bn.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its position on face masks and is now encouraging people to wear them in crowded places, citing anecdotal evidence that supports their value in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
Source: Al Jazeera