World is on track for ‘unprecedented’ post-war recession

Ratings agency Fitch says the world is heading for a recession of “unprecedented depth in the post-war period” with global gross domestic product to tumble by 3.9% in 2020. “This is twice as large as the decline anticipated in our early April GEO [global economic outlook] update and would be twice as severe as the 2009 recession,” said Fitch’s chief economist.

Global death pass 180,000

The global death toll from the coronavirus has exceeded 183,000, with the number of cases worldwide at more than 2.6m. The US accounts for more than 842,000 cases and almost 47,000 deaths. The UK has more than 134,000 cases and more than 18,000 deaths.

Missing Wuhan citizen journalist reappears

A Chinese citizen journalist reappears, having gone missing for almost two months after posting videos from Wuhan during the outbreak. Li Zehua claims he was detained by police and forcibly quarantined.

He was one of three Chinese journalists reporting in Wuhan during some of the worst weeks of the epidemic. He was last seen on 26 February after posting a video in which he was chased by a white SUV and an hours-long livestream that ended when several agents entered his apartment.

China coronavirus cases might have been four times official figure, says study

More than 232,000 people might have been infected in the first wave of Covid-19 in mainland China, four times the official figures, according to a study by Hong Kong researchers.

WHO receives both criticism and support from members

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said all members of the World Health Organization (WHO) should cooperate with a proposed independent review into the spread of coronavirus. (04.35) And the US government announced that it will assess whether the World Health Organization is being run the way that it should be. (02.30) Meanwhile Germany’s Angela Merkel called the WHO an “indispensable partner” (08.55) and China donated a further $30 million to the organization, which is seeking more than $1 billion to fund its battle against the coronavirus pandemic. (10.02)

Germany: cases increase by 2,352 to 148,046, deaths increase by 215 to 5,094

Germany’s confirmed virus cases have increased by 2,352 to 148,046, officials said on Thursday. The number of deaths linked to Covid-19 has risen by 215 to now 5,094.

Spain: cases increase by 4,635, deaths up by 440

The Spanish health ministry said on Thursday that 440 people died from the coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, which brought total fatalities to 22,157. That figure ids slightly higher than the previous day when 435 people died. The number of diagnosed cases rose to 213,024 from 208,389 the day before.

Philippines: 271 new confirmed infections, 16 new deaths

The Philippines’ health ministry on Thursday reported 16 new coronavirus deaths and 271 confirmed infections. The health ministry said total deaths have increased to 462 while infections have risen to 6,981. But 29 more patients have recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 722.