Vietnam has had no new community infections for 16 days.
The National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control said that as of 6 a.m. on May 2, Vietnam had no new cases of Covid-19 infection in the community. The current number of infections remains at 270 and 219 Covid-19 patients have been declared cured and discharged from the hospital. The remaining 53 patients are currently being treated and monitored at 9 medical facilities, including 14 cases that tested positive again after being discharged from the hospital. Among the patients being treated, 16 cases have tested negative at least once. In addition, Vietnam has a total of 130 imported cases that were immediately quarantined.
92 people related to Patient 92 in Ho Chi Minh City all tested negative.
On May 1, information from the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control said that 92 people (including 87 residents of Apartment 1A-1B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Da Kao Ward, District 1 and 5 convenience store employees) tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 virus. These are people related to patient 92, the 4th re-positive patient in Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam brings nearly 300 citizens from Canada home
On the evening of May 1, Vietnam Airlines announced that flight VN08 from Canada carrying 300 Vietnamese citizens back to Vietnam landed safely at Van Don airport. Immediately after, all passengers and crew were checked for health and quarantined according to regulations. This is the first time a Vietnam Airlines plane has flown to Toronto airport in Canada carrying nearly 300 Vietnamese citizens, including many children under 18 years old, the elderly, the sick and international students, returning home after a long time stuck due to the pandemic. The Vietnamese Embassy in Ottawa has sent officials to Toronto to directly support citizens at the airport.
According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, previously, Vietnamese authorities, the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada and Vietnam Airlines brought a number of Canadian citizens home. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also informed that in the coming time, based on the wishes of citizens, the quarantine capacity in localities in the country and the development of the epidemic, authorities and airlines will continue to deploy commercial flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home.
US announces $9.5 million aid to Vietnam to fight COVID-19
On May 1, the US State Department announced that Vietnam will receive a total of $9.5 million in aid to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, including $5 million for economic assistance funds and $4.5 million for health support. Over the past 20 years, the US has provided Vietnam with more than $1.8 billion in assistance, including more than $706 million for health.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the US Government has committed $775 million in emergency health, humanitarian, economic and development assistance to help governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations fight the pandemic.
The number of people who died from Covid-19 in Europe exceeded 140,000
As of the morning of May 2, Vietnam time, the total number of deaths from Covid-19 in Europe has surpassed 140,000 people. Europe is currently the continent most affected by the Covid-19 epidemic with 1,495,293 cases of infection, including 140,096 deaths, accounting for nearly 60% of the total number of deaths worldwide.
European countries with the highest number of deaths from Covid-19 include Italy (28,236 people), UK (27,510 people), Spain (24,284 people) and France (24,594 people).
According to the Italian Civil Protection Agency, on May 1, the country recorded 1,965 more cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 207,428. The number of deaths due to Covid-19 in Italy increased by 269 cases in the past day, to 28,236 cases.
The number of deaths due to Covid-19 infection in the UK increased by 739 people on May 1, bringing the total number of deaths in this country to 27,510. Currently, the UK has become the country with the second highest number of deaths in Europe, after Italy. On the same day, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that the UK has achieved the target of conducting 100,000 tests on the last day of April.
As of the morning of May 2, the number of deaths due to Covid-19 infection in France has reached 24,594 people, an increase of 218 cases in 24 hours, the lowest number of deaths in 24 hours in more than 5 weeks. The French government announced that the strict lockdown will be relaxed from May 11, but the implementation process will be slower in areas heavily affected by the epidemic.
Along with France, Spain also confirmed the downward trend of the epidemic when in the past 24 hours only recorded 281 more deaths. Spain will continue to relax the anti-epidemic blockade measures this weekend, allowing people to go out to participate in sports activities.
Nearly 3,000 people on German cruise ship quarantined
A statement from German travel company TUI on May 1 said: 2,899 people (including crew and passengers) on their cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 were quarantined in the port of Cuxhaven on Germany's North Sea coast after one person on board tested positive for Covid-19.
Mein Schiff 3 Cruise
In the past 24 hours, Germany recorded 1,068 new Covid-19 infections and 133 deaths, bringing the total to 164,077 and 6,736, respectively. From May 4, Germany will allow religious organizations, playgrounds, museums and zoos to reopen, but must ensure "hygiene requirements, access control and avoiding long queues". On May 6, German leaders will meet to decide on the reopening of schools, restaurants and football tournaments.
Russian Construction Minister Hospitalized for COVID-19
A day after Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced he had contracted the coronavirus, Russian Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev was also hospitalized with Covid-19. Interfax news agency reported that a deputy minister of the Russian Construction Ministry had also contracted the disease. The news agency quoted Mr. Yakushev as saying that he was being treated by doctors at a hospital in Moscow.
Russia has 114,431 cases, the eighth highest in the world, including 1,169 deaths, mostly in the Moscow region and Saint Petersburg. Russian authorities have closed most public places since late March to prevent the spread of the virus. Russian President Putin announced an extension of paid holidays until May 11, asked localities to continue to strictly maintain "social distancing" and said Russia could gradually ease restrictions from May 12, depending on the pandemic situation.
The number of Covid-19 infections in the US continues to decrease
Johns Hopkins University said 32,908 more people were infected with Covid-19 in the US in the past 24 hours, higher than the increase of nearly 30,000 cases yesterday, bringing the total number of infections in this country to 1,100,197. The US continues to be the epidemic area with the highest number of infections and deaths in the world.
Protests demanding the lifting of lockdowns continue to take place in many US states, such as in Michigan, where many protesters carrying guns gathered in the lobby of the state senate demanding the governor reopen the economy, but were stopped by the police.
New York is the state hardest hit by Covid-19, with 313,575 cases, an increase of 9,203 cases compared to the previous day. Another 289 people died in this state, a continuous decrease in recent days and the lowest since March 30. The total number of deaths in New York is 23,841. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all schools in the state will close for the rest of the school year and switch to remote teaching. Summer school programs will be announced at the end of May.
Meanwhile, several US states began easing restrictions on May 1, despite the continued rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths. Texas was the most open state, allowing stores, restaurants, cinemas, museums and libraries to operate at 25% capacity.
The number of Covid-19 infections in South America may be much higher than the figures
Brazil recorded 6,357 new cases and 483 deaths from Covid-19, bringing the total to 91,737 and 6,384, respectively. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the death toll could be higher than the official figure, while experts believe the number of infections in the country could be 12-15 times higher due to a large number of cases that go undetected due to limited testing capacity.
Rio de Janeiro state, one of the hardest-hit areas in the country, has continued to ask residents to stay at home until May 11. President Jair Bolsonaro has frequently expressed impatience with restrictions imposed by state governors and urged local leaders to restart economic activity. Bolsonaro has also sparked controversy by dismissing Covid-19 as just a common flu, fueling public discontent with his government's response to the pandemic.
Leaders and people of South American countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Nicaragua tend to downplay the severity of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Mexico reported 19,224 cases and 1,859 deaths, up 1,425 and 127 respectively. The government said the actual number of infections could be much higher than the confirmed cases.
Despite the rise in new cases, the government is facing calls to ease restrictions on industry. More than 300 US executives wrote to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador last week urging a quick reopening of their suppliers in Mexico.
Middle East eases curfews during Ramadan
Saudi Arabia reported 1,344 new cases and seven deaths, bringing the totals to 24,097 and 169. The country has eased its daytime curfew for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but Mecca remains under 24/7 lockdown. Elsewhere, people are allowed to leave their homes between 9am and 5pm and some businesses have resumed operations until May 13. Shopping malls, wholesalers and construction companies are also allowed to reopen.
UAE reports 557 new cases and six more deaths, bringing totals to 13,038 and 111 respectively
Iran continues to be the epicenter of the epidemic in Asia with 95,646 infections, an increase of 1,006. The country recorded 63 more deaths, marking the 18th consecutive day of daily deaths below 100, bringing the death toll to 6,091. The Iranian government has allowed the reopening of shops in stages and lifted restrictions on inter-provincial travel. However, schools, mosques, cinemas, stadiums and other public places remain closed across the country. The government has in recent days raised the possibility of reopening mosques in less affected areas, but has not yet made a specific plan.
China and South Korea have controlled the epidemic.
China has detected only one new imported case in the past 24 hours. The country has recorded no new deaths, maintaining the death toll at 4,633 out of a total of 82,875 cases; 989 asymptomatic cases are under surveillance. Hubei Province, the epicenter of China's Covid-19 outbreak, lowered its Covid-19 emergency response from the highest level to the second highest level since May 2. Hubei has recorded no new cases for 28 consecutive days.
South Korea reported six new cases, all imported, marking the fourth consecutive day of fewer than 10. Two more people died, bringing the total to 250 out of 780 cases. 9,123 people have recovered. South Korea will announce on May 3 whether it will ease social distancing measures, allowing schools and workplaces to reopen while ensuring precautions are taken.
India extends nationwide lockdown
In South Asia, India reported 2,394 new cases and 69 deaths, bringing the total to 37,257 and 1,223, respectively. Officials divided the country into red, orange and green zones, depending on the severity of the local outbreak. The nationwide lockdown was due to expire on May 4, but the government decided to extend it by two weeks, but allowed some restrictions to be eased in orange and green zones.
Air, rail and metro travel and inter-city road travel remain banned in India, while schools, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, cinemas and religious establishments remain closed.
Southeast Asia remains a hot spot for the epidemic.
Southeast Asia recorded 1,725 more Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the region to 46,179, of which 1,558 people died. Singapore remains the region's largest epidemic area with 17,101 infections and 16 deaths. Indonesia ranks second with 10,551 infections and 800 deaths. The Philippines reported 8,772 infections and 579 deaths, making it the third largest epidemic area.
Along with Vietnam, Cambodia, East Timor and Laos are the countries that have not recorded any deaths due to Covid-19. The number of infections in these countries and Brunei has not changed in the past 24 hours.
WHO and EIB will support 10 African and Middle Eastern countries to fight COVID-19
On May 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it will strengthen cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to strengthen public health, provide essential equipment, training and invest in epidemic prevention and control work around the world, especially in countries vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the immediate future, WHO and EIB will urgently invest in infrastructure as well as medical staff in 10 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
The new partnership will benefit from the EIB's support package of up to 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to address the health, social and economic impact of Covid-19 in Africa, according to a WHO statement on May 1.
