(Reuters) – The number of confirmed infections of the novel coronavirus exceeded 1.41 million globally and the death toll crossed 83,400, according to a Reuters tally as of 1400 GMT.
Two people gesture as they lean out of their window after the applause in honour of healthcare workers, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in downtown Ronda, southern Spain, April 7, 2020. Placard reads: “Cheer up! Your efforts are our pride”. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
– For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.
– U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.
EUROPE
– European Union finance ministers failed in all-night talks to agree on more economic support, spurring Spain to warn the bloc’s future was on the line without a joint response to the crisis.
– The president of the European Union’s main science organisation quit over frustration at the response to the pandemic.
– Italian ports cannot be considered safe because of the epidemic and will not let charity migrant boats dock, the government ruled.
– British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was “clinically stable” in intensive care on Wednesday and responding to treatment.
– Switzerland’s government, which said its economy could contract by as much 10.4% this year, extended the nation’s restrictions for another week but said a gradual loosening of measures would begin this month.
– The World Health Organization’s regional director described the outbreak in Europe as “very concerning” and urged governments to give “very careful consideration” before relaxing measures to control its spread.
– Pope Francis condemned people he said were exploiting the pandemic to turn a quick profit and decried the “hypocrisy” of how some politicians are dealing with t