UN says pandemic may cause ‘human rights disaster’

• Countries around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Iran and Spain, are moving to ease coronavirus lockdowns as daily infections and deaths slow. Italy has announced it will ease its two-month-old controls from May 4.

• The UN rights chief has warned that countries flouting the rule of law in the name of fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic risk sparking a “human rights disaster”.

• At least 1.3 million Australians have downloaded the government’s COVIDsafe tracing app, as support for Prime Minister Scott Morrison surges thanks to his handling of the outbreak.

• Worldwide, the number of people confirmed to have the coronavirus has risen to more than 2.99 million, and at least 207,000 have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Some 875,000 people have recovered.

Here are the latest updates:

Monday, April 27

16:58 GMT – UK has a ‘very long way’ to go: health official

The UK has a very long way to go in its attempt to contain the coronavirus and people should not just focus on passing through the first peak of cases, the government’s top medical adviser said.

“This has got a very long way to run. I think just thinking about the first peak, which … we have actually managed to go through, we’ve still got some way before it’s falling right off, but there is a long long way to go beyond that,” Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said.

“It’s a big mistake in my view just to consider just the first phase. We need to look at the epidemic as a whole.”

16:54 GMT – Southern hemisphere countries will have lessons for North

Southern hemisphere countries such as South Africa, Chile, Argentina and Australia need support so they have the capacity to manage both seasonal influenza and the coronavirus, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) expert said.

The experience those countries will have with both diseases circulating at the same time will greatly benefit countries in the northern hemisphere that may face the same situation in six months time, Dr. Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s emergencies programme, told a news conference.

16:51 GMT – WHO says US federal plan is clear and science-based

A top World Health Organization (WHO) official said that the US seems to have a “very clearly laid-out”, science-based federal plan for fighting the epidemic.

“The federal government and the system of governors are working together to move America and its people through this very difficult situation,” Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO’s top emergencies expert, told a virtual briefing in Geneva, adding that the federal system linking 50 states made the situation “complex”.

Ryan repeated an earlier WHO warning against easing restrictions too soon. Speaking specifically about US plans to ease confinement measures, he said: “We believe that the over-arching federal plan seems to be very much based on science.”

16:33 GMT – UK hospital deaths rise by 360, lowest daily death toll for four weeks

Another 360 people have died in British hospitals, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, bringing the total death toll to 21,092.

The 360 increase was the lowest daily death toll for four weeks, although weekend reporting delays can distort Monday totals.

Hancock said that the deaths of 82 health service workers were included in the figures.

16:28 GMT – Erdogan says Turkey will send medical gear to the US

President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will send medical gear including protective suits and masks to the US on Tuesday.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said a three-day lockdown would be imposed in 31 cities as of Friday, May 1, and that weekend lockdowns would continue until after Eid al-Fitr in late May.

16:28 GMT – Erdogan says Turkey will send medical gear to the US

President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will send medical gear including protective suits and masks to the US on Tuesday.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said a three-day lockdown would be imposed in 31 cities as of Friday, May 1, and that weekend lockdowns would continue until after Eid al-Fitr in late May.

16:17 GMT – Cuomo to extend stay-at-home order in some parts of New York

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his stay-at-home order will likely be extended beyond May 15 in many parts of the state, but that restrictions could be relaxed in some parts if they have sufficient hospital capacity and meet other criteria.

Cuomo also told a daily briefing that an additional 337 New Yorkers died in the past day, down from 367 a day earlier and the lowest daily death toll since March 30.

16:14 GMT – New York cancels June 23 presidential primary

New York officials made an unprecedented decision to cancel the state’s June 23 presidential primary over coronavirus concerns.

16:10 GMT – Trump slams cities, states seeking relief as ‘poorly run’

US President Donald Trump slammed US cities and states seeking federal aid to offset huge losses, accusing them of being “poorly run” largely by Democrats.

US governors are seeking $500bn in US funding from Congress as lawmakers weigh another possible relief bill, saying the money is needed to cover the costs of responding to the outbreak as well as revenue lost while residents shelter in place.

“Why should the people and taxpayers of America be bailing out poorly run states (like Illinois, as example) and cities, in all cases Democrat run and managed, when most of the other states are not looking for bailout help? I am open to discussing anything, but just asking?” Trump, a Republican, tweeted.