Bolsonaro says Brazil cannot take months of isolation
President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday that Brazilian society will not be able to stand two or three months of shutdowns to fight the new coronavirus, denouncing social-distancing measures enforced by states and municipalities across the country.
Countries face ‘fights’ over facemasks in China: German health minister
Countries’ procurement agents are fighting each other in China for access to the protective equipment that must play a key role in stemming the spread of the novel coronavirus, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said.
Swiss coronavirus death toll rises to 484, cases jump by more than 1,000
The Swiss death toll from coronavirus has reached 484, the country’s public health ministry said on Friday, rising from 432 people on Thursday.
Swiss government doubles size of coronavirus loan scheme to $41 billion
The Swiss government is doubling the size of its coronavirus emergency loan scheme to 40 billion Swiss francs ($40.94 billion) after being flooded by requests for help by businesses, it said on Friday.
Europe’s north-south lockdown divide revealed by Google data
Italy and Spain, the two European countries hardest hit by the new coronavirus, have enforced the most drastic lockdowns to curb the pandemic but one country, Sweden, stands out for allowing life to go on much as before, Google data show.
Chechnya becomes first Russian region to impose coronavirus curfew
The southern Russian region of Chechnya on Friday became the first to introduce a night curfew to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, despite having reported only a dozen confirmed cases.
Sticking to UK guidelines, Johnson to self-isolate until temperature falls
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will stick to guidelines issued by health officials and remain in self-isolation until his high temperature falls, his spokesman said on Friday.
Hospitals are ‘at maximum stress’ in Spain’s second worst-hit region by coronavirus
Hospitals in Catalonia, Spain’s second worst-hit region by the coronavirus pandemic, are at “maximum stress”, the regional leader Quim Torra told Reuters on Friday.
Poland’s ruling party coalition partner against May election: Kaczynski
Poland’s ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party junior coalition partner Porozumienie (Accord) is against presidential elections being held on May 10, head of PiS Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Poland’s de facto leader, said on Friday.
Coronavirus outbreak to delay Romania’s June election: PM
Romania’s centrist minority government will almost certainly postpone a June local election as the coronavirus outbreak ruled out the best conditions for such an exercise, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said late on Thursday.
