Vietnam records no new cases in the community, 17 new imported cases but not worrisome
According to information from the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, as of the morning of May 8, Vietnam has recorded no new cases of Covid-19 in the community. Currently, there are only 34 cases with positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 virus and Vietnam has entered the 22nd day without recording new cases of infection in the community.
To date, Vietnam has recorded a total of 148 cases of the disease detected upon entry and immediately quarantined to avoid the risk of spreading to the community.
The most recent cases were detected on the afternoon of May 7, with 17 cases of Covid-19 returning from abroad and quarantined immediately upon entry. Among the 17 passengers infected with Covid-19, there was a family of 3 who lived with a positive patient in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
Following the Prime Minister's directive on April 10, 2020, from April 14 to now, Vietnam has organized to welcome 1,657 Vietnamese citizens back to the country by air. All of these citizens were quarantined and monitored for their health after entering the country, and those who were sick were taken for treatment.
Passenger transport vehicles resume normal operations from May 8
On the afternoon of May 7, the Ministry of Transport notified transport businesses about the restoration of domestic transport operations of passenger vehicles (buses, taxis, waiting cars, trains, airplanes, ships...) to normal.
The Ministry of Transport also assigned the above-mentioned units within their management scope to coordinate with the Departments of Transport of provinces and centrally-run cities to grasp the passenger transport situation in the localities and promptly handle arising situations; continue to implement measures to ensure Covid-19 epidemic prevention on passenger transport vehicles in the new situation in accordance with regulations.
Vietnam reopens non-essential services, no longer requiring students to wear masks
During the Government Standing Committee meeting on Covid-19 prevention and control on the morning of May 7, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc allowed non-essential businesses to reopen normally, except for dance clubs and karaoke parlors, as well as some sports activities and events that gather large crowds, but must ensure disease prevention and control conditions. The Prime Minister also agreed to remove the limit on the number of seats on public transport but required passengers to wear masks.
At the same time, agreeing with the proposal on the field of education and training, the Prime Minister stated that students are not required to wear masks in the classroom, maintain personal hygiene, wash their hands regularly, and periodically open windows and main doors for ventilation. Schools should strengthen measures to disinfect surfaces, clean rooms, classrooms, and restrooms; social distancing is not required in the classroom...
European "hotspot" gradually cools down
As of the morning of May 8 (Vietnam time), the number of deaths due to the Covid-19 epidemic in France has increased by 178 cases, bringing the total to 25,987 people. The total number of positive cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus in France to this point is 174,791 people, an increase of 600 cases compared to the previous day. On the same day, Health Minister Olivier Véran affirmed that France is ready to deploy large-scale testing. The subjects tested in the near future will be those at high risk of contracting the disease, have symptoms and have been in close contact with Covid-19 patients.
In the UK, in the past 24 hours, the country recorded 5,614 positive cases and 539 deaths due to Covid-19, thereby bringing the total number of cases and deaths due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus to 206,715 and 30,615 respectively. On May 7, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that there are currently no changes to the UK's lockdown order before the government reviews the measures to be announced on May 10.
The Italian Civil Protection Agency announced that in the past day, the country recorded 1,401 cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus to 215,858 people. The number of deaths due to the pandemic in Italy also increased by 274 cases, to a total of 29,958 people. In general, the epidemic in the "hot spot" of Italy has been gradually cooling down in recent days. The Italian government and the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) have signed a protocol allowing the reopening of churches and religious establishments across the country since May 18. The protocol also stipulates that the reopening of religious establishments will be carried out "step by step" to ensure epidemic prevention principles.
With active and effective epidemic prevention measures and a solid health system against the pandemic, Germany is cautiously reopening its economy. However, on May 7, Vice President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) of Germany, Mr. Lars Schaade, warned that the country could face a resurgence of the epidemic before the fall (around September to November). By the morning of May 8, Germany recorded a total of 169,430 cases (an increase of 1,268 cases) and 7,392 deaths, an increase of 117 cases compared to the previous day.
Spain extends national state of emergency
Spain on May 7 witnessed worrying signs again, as the number of deaths showed signs of increasing again. According to worldometers.info, as of the morning of May 8 (Vietnam time), Spain recorded a total of 256,855 Covid-19 patients, of which 26,070 died, an increase of 213 cases compared to the previous day. Spain currently ranks second in the world, after the US, in total Covid-19 cases and fourth in the world in the number of deaths, after the US, UK, and Italy.
The Spanish Parliament has approved Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's proposal to extend the national state of emergency for another two weeks. Accordingly, the emergency order, which expired on May 10, will continue to be in effect until May 23. This is also the fourth time Spain has extended the state of emergency for another two weeks to consolidate efforts and protect achievements in preventing the Covid-19 epidemic.
2-2.5% of Moscow's population infected with COVID-19
In Russia, on May 7, the country recorded 11,231 cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, a record daily increase, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country to 177,160 - only behind the US, Spain, Italy and the UK in the world.
Russia's Covid-19 task force said 88 people died in the past day, bringing the total number of deaths from Covid-19 in the country to 1,625. Moscow remains the hardest hit region with 6,703 new cases of the virus recorded.
Speaking on the live news program of Russia 24 TV channel, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that the actual number of Covid-19 infections in the Russian capital could reach 2-2.5% of the city's population, equivalent to about 300,000 cases.
US offers medical aid to Russia
The White House said on May 7 that US President Donald Trump had offered medical aid to Russia in a phone call the same day with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin later confirmed the offer.
"President Trump emphasized that while the United States is working to care for its own people, the United States is also ready to assist any country in need, including Russia," the White House statement said.
The US added 2,674 deaths
The US is the world's largest epidemic area with 1,290,242 Covid-19 infections, an increase of 32,191 cases compared to the previous day. Another 2,674 people died of Covid-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 76,864.
The epidemic in the US is still considered to have a high risk of spreading in the context of the country gradually relaxing social distancing measures to resume economic activities, an issue that is causing fierce debate in American public opinion.
The New York subway has been shut down for the first time in 115 years for cleaning due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the problem of homeless people staying on the trains.
Meanwhile, the results of a new study published on May 7 showed that New York was the main source of infection causing the Covid-19 pandemic to break out in the US, because thousands of cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection traveled from this city and spread the disease to other states in the US.
610 more deaths, Brazil still wants to loosen lockdown
The Brazilian Ministry of Health announced on May 7 that it had detected 9,942 new infections in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections in this South American country to 135,160. The total number of deaths from Covid-19 in Brazil also increased to 9,146 after 610 more people died.
More than 20 officials in President Jair Bolsonaro's administration have tested positive for the virus, including press secretary Fabio Wajngarten and National Security Minister Augusto Heleno. Bolsonaro said he tested negative for the virus, but did not make the results public.
The Brazilian president has dismissed Covid-19 as a seasonal flu, claiming that the negative impact of Covid-19 has been exaggerated for political reasons. He has also frequently expressed impatience with restrictions imposed by state governors, denounced the “hysteria” surrounding Covid-19 and urged local leaders to restart the economy.
Brazil is currently facing a shortage of coffins.
Brazil is currently the second largest epidemic area in the Americas and the largest in South America. This is the second consecutive day of soaring infections and deaths in the country. However, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Economy Minister Paulo Guedes still want to ease the lockdown measures. Mr. Bolsonaro called for "saving the economy because the economy is also life" while Mr. Guedes warned that Brazil's economy will collapse "within 30 days" if the lockdown is not relaxed.
Iran remains the largest epidemic area in the Middle East
Iran has now recorded 103,135 cases, up 1,485 in 24 hours, and 6,486 deaths, up 146. Iran has reopened mosques in some areas deemed low-risk, after approving a phased reopening of businesses on April 11. However, the city of Qom, the epicenter of the country's outbreak, still has an "increasing trend" of new infections.
Saudi Arabia recorded 1,793 more infections and 10 deaths, bringing the total to 33,731 and 219, respectively.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported 502 new infections and eight more deaths, bringing the totals to 16,240 and 165, respectively.
On May 7, the Egyptian Ministry of Health announced that the country had detected 393 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, marking a record increase in a single day, bringing the total number of infections to 7,981. In addition, the number of deaths due to this dangerous disease also increased by 13 cases, to a total of 482 cases.
South Africa records record number of infections
The South African Ministry of Health announced on May 8 that the country had recorded 424 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases to 8,232, including 161 deaths.
Also in the past 24 hours, South Africa tested 12,774 people for SARS-CoV-2, bringing the total number of people tested in this country of 56 million people to 292,153 cases. Up to now, 3,153 Covid-19 patients in South Africa have recovered.
South Africa is testing its entire population for coronavirus
The South African government was forced to temporarily close schools seven weeks ago to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, which also disrupted a national nutrition program that provides meals to 9 million students from poor households.
More than 100 people die per day from COVID-19 in India
India recorded 3,364 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, bringing the total to 56,351. 104 more people died, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,889.
India imposed a strict nationwide lockdown on March 25, when it had recorded just 60 cases and 10 deaths from Covid-19. However, new infections and deaths continue to rise in the world's second-most populous country. Some experts fear that the real figures in India could be much higher than reported, as many people lack access to medical care and testing.
Japan approves antiviral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19
The Japanese Health Ministry said the government has approved the antiviral drug remdesivir, developed by US pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, to treat patients with Covid-19. This is the first drug in Japan to be approved to treat this dangerous disease.
Japan has become the second country to approve the use of remdesivir to treat Covid-19 patients, following the US last week. The US government made the decision after a large clinical trial showed the drug reduced recovery time by a third in some patients.
COVID-19 cases in South Korea rebound
On May 8, South Korea recorded a return to double-digit new infections. The highest number of infections recorded in South Korea was on February 29 with 909 cases.
Statistics from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) show that as of 10:00 a.m. (local time) on May 8, after 3 consecutive days without new infections in the community, the country recorded 12 more cases (including 11 imported cases), thereby bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in Korea to 10,822.
All Chinese localities at low risk
Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission (NHC), said on May 7 that all localities (county-level) in mainland China have been classified as low-risk for Covid-19. As of the end of May 7, China had only one new domestic infection case in Jilin Province. In addition, there were three suspected cases of infection from abroad, all in Shanghai. The NHC representative affirmed that in the past 22 days, the mainland had not recorded any deaths due to Covid-19.
1,805 people died from COVID-19 in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia recorded 1,494 more cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, bringing the total number in the region to 54,287, of which 1,805 people died and 13,834 people recovered. In the past 24 hours, only two countries, Indonesia and the Philippines, recorded deaths from acute respiratory infections, but eight countries in the region also reported positive cases of SARS-CoV-2.
Indonesia is the ASEAN country that recorded a worryingly high number of deaths in the past 24 hours, with 35 cases. This is one of the highest daily deaths due to Covid-19 in the country. By the end of May 7, Indonesia also had the highest total number of deaths due to Covid-19 in Southeast Asia, with 930 cases, and ranked second in the region in terms of the number of infections, with 12,776 cases.
Singapore's Ministry of Health said on the same day that the country recorded 741 Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases nationwide to 20,939, the highest in ASEAN.
The Philippines, the third largest epidemic area, recorded 10,343 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 and 685 deaths.
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and East Timor are the countries in the region that have not recorded any deaths due to Covid-19.
