Hue exempts water bills for the poor
On the afternoon of April 14, Mr. Phan Ngoc Tho, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province, issued a decision on exemption and reduction of clean water prices in the area due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Accordingly, poor and near-poor households, concentrated quarantine areas, and facilities providing examination, treatment, and care for Covid-19 are exempted from paying for domestic water. A 10% reduction in domestic clean water prices is available for individuals and households with clean water supply contracts with Thua Thien Hue Water Supply Joint Stock Company.
The exemption and reduction period is calculated within 3 months (April, May, June 2020). After June 30, depending on the development of the epidemic, the continued exemption and reduction of clean water prices will be considered.
Vietnam Airlines brings British citizens back home
On April 13, Vietnamese authorities coordinated with the British Embassy in Hanoi to bring about 100 British citizens traveling in Vietnam and Cambodia back home on a Vietnam Airlines flight. Among them, some people infected with Covid-19 have been cured in Vietnam.
This flight also transported masks as gifts from the Vietnamese Government and people to the British Government and people.
Japan suggests using alcohol instead of hand sanitizer
Japanese health officials say hospitals can use high-alcohol drinks to disinfect their facilities if hand sanitizer is in short supply. Under Japanese regulations, disinfectants must contain between 76.9 and 81.4 percent alcohol. Anything higher is ineffective and must be diluted.
Some sake brewers have started making stronger sake to meet the need for sterilization.
Japan has not yet experienced a strong outbreak like the US or Europe, but infections are still rising, especially in Tokyo, causing many concerns.
Record high death toll in Indonesia
On April 14, Indonesia recorded its highest daily death toll with 60 cases, bringing the country's total to 459. Indonesia also had 282 new cases within 24 hours, bringing the total number of Covid-19 patients in Indonesia to 4,839.
On the same day, Singapore recorded 334 new cases of coronavirus infection, bringing the total number of infections to 3,252. Notably, most of the new infections are related to outbreaks in foreign workers' dormitories.
Thailand extends ban on incoming flights
On April 15, the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced the decision to extend the ban on incoming flights to the country until April 30, except for flights carrying Thai people back to the country and some other flights serving the Covid-19 pandemic control work.
This is the third extension of the ban on incoming flights since the regulation was issued on April 3.
Thailand currently records 2,613 cases of Covid-19 infection
India extends nationwide lockdown to May 3
In a speech on April 14, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the nationwide lockdown will last until May 3.
The lockdown in India, which covers the entire population of 1.3 billion, is the world's largest pandemic lockdown and has been in place since midnight on March 24.
Pakistan extends lockdown for another 2 weeks
Pakistan's Prime Minister announced an extension of the country's lockdown for another two weeks, but key industries will reopen in phases, with construction being the first.
Pakistan has been in lockdown for three weeks now, recording more than 5,700 cases and nearly 100 deaths.
The World Bank has warned that Pakistan's economy will fall into recession in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
Record number of deaths, US announces to stop funding WHO
The US death toll rose by at least 2,228 on April 14, bringing the total to 26,047, a record daily increase in deaths in the US, as government officials debate how to reopen the economy while still preventing the spread of the virus.
The United States now has more than 613,886 cases of Covid-19.
On the same day, President Trump said he had directed the US government to temporarily suspend funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, citing the organization as having "failed in its basic duties and must be held accountable."
Responding to Donald Trump's statement, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations said that this is "not the time" to cut funding for WHO. "This is the time for solidarity and the world community to work together to prevent the corona virus as well as the consequences of the epidemic," Mr. Guterres added.
US: Saliva test to diagnose COVID-19
On April 14, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of saliva tests to diagnose Covid-19 in emergency cases.
Rutgers University, which is developing the tests along with several other research groups, said it has received FDA authorization for the new test, which will help health care professionals avoid the risk of infection when performing throat swabs.
Europe eases lockdown
Authorities in some countries such as Austria, Denmark and Italy have begun to ease restrictions, allowing some workers to return to work to revive the economy that has been "frozen" due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
In Austria, after nearly a month of lockdown, from April 14, the government began to lift restrictions. Non-essential stores with an area of less than 400 m2allowed to reopen. Shopping malls, hair salons and large-format stores will also operate normally from May 1.
In Denmark, schools will start operating normally from April 15. People are required to wear masks in public places, and a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people will be maintained.
Italy, the epicenter of Europe’s outbreak, has reopened bookstores, children’s clothing stores and laundromats, a decision Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described as “a difficult but necessary decision”.
Although Spain remains the country with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Europe, health officials say the country has passed the peak of the epidemic. The lockdown measures, imposed last month, are gradually being relaxed.
Nearly 300,000 Spaniards who work in construction sites and factories began returning to work today. Non-essential shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues remain closed.
He pledged to test nursing homes.
The British government pledged on April 14 to test all health workers and elderly residents with Covid-19 symptoms in care homes across the country, after official data showed the number of coronavirus deaths was much higher when elderly residents were included.
The UK Department of Health's daily death data only counts deaths in hospitals and does not include deaths in the community such as in nursing homes, according to Reuters.
Canada builds shelter for homeless people
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is designing a 400-bed homeless shelter in Toronto. According to Reuters, 30 homeless people in Toronto have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far, including 11 at a shelter for refugees. Canada's total death toll now stands at 823.
