Coronavirus: the state of the world facing the pandemic Friday, April 24

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The pandemic has killed more than 192,000 people worldwide. 2.7 million cases have been diagnosed. The World Health Organization is mobilizing for universal access to vaccines.

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In France: a plan to support the hotel and catering industry

The epidemic has killed 22,245 people in France since the beginning of March, with 389 new deaths recorded in 24 hours, but the number of patients hospitalized in intensive care continues to decline. A decline has continued for 16 days now, says the Director General of Health.

President Macron met with representatives of the hotel and catering industry and of tourism. Cafés, restaurants and bars will know at the end of May when they can reopen and when they will benefit from reinforced support measures. A quarter of restaurateurs are threatened with permanent closings according to estimates by professionals in the sector. Sport and culture will also benefit from support measures. Parliament has definitively adopted the new crisis budget and its emergency plan of 110 billion euros.

Fabric stores are authorized to reopen today to "  allow each Frenchman who wishes to obtain the necessary raw materials  " for masks, in anticipation of the deconfinement planned for May 11.

The epidemic has killed 420 people in 24 hours in Italy, the lowest toll since March 19, but the number of new cases has risen to 3,021, down from 2,646 on Thursday. In total, Italy has 25,969 deaths and 192,994 confirmed cases. But there is also an increase in the number of healings. About 1,000 people have left the hospital since yesterday.

Italy forecasts a public deficit at 10% of GDP and the debt at 155% in 2020.

Too early to deconfigure the UK

In the UK, the death toll rose by 684 in hospital Friday, bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to 19,506. This assessment of the authorities still does not take into account retirement homes where several thousand elderly people have died.

The country is awaiting the return of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been recovering from his hospital discharge. Health Minister Matt Hancock said this morning that the head of government "  is in very good shape  ". Despite mounting pressure, including in the conservative ranks, the government has ruled out any relaxation of containment for the time being. The United Kingdom is facing the peak of the pandemic and it is "too early" to relax the measures in place, for fear of suffering "a second wave", estimates Matt Hancock. In contrast, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday that Scotland will gradually emerge from containment, ensuring, however, that social distancing measures will remain in place over time.

In Austria, a plan for schools

The Dutch Football Federation officially ends the championship without naming the champion this season. It is the first UEFA member country to put an end to its championship.

In Austria, the government presented its plan for schools this morning. The courses will resume gradually, by level: from May 4, those who pass this year the equivalent of the baccalaureate. For students aged 6 to 14, it will be from May 18 and for the oldest from June 3. The classes will be split in two. The wearing of a mask will be compulsory for pupils over 10 years old and a distance of one meter must be respected between each pupil.

The Czech government is easing its restrictive measures and announcing the opening of borders to business trips from the European Union (EU).

Bulgaria closes its border with Turkey until next Monday to avoid round trips during the month of Ramadan; only heavy vehicles will be able to pass during the weekend. Bulgarian mosques will remain closed and prayers will be held online.

Ramadan: breaking the fast at home

Millions of Muslims live confined to Ramadan, which begins this Friday. The fast breaking meal and the evening prayer will be at home. Bangladesh and Pakistan have closed mosques and banned night gatherings but in the Indonesian region of Aceh, thousands of worshipers attended the evening prayer yesterday in the largest mosque in the capital.

In Jerusalem, the Grand Mufti confirms that Ramadan begins well today but the esplanade of the Mosques is closed. All the mosques in the city are also. Saudi Arabia, home to the first two holy places of Islam, as well as most Arab countries, also announce the start of Ramadan on Friday but impose containment and curfews to prevent the spread of the virus. Restrictions supported , in most cases, by religious authorities.

The Saudi agency SPA reports that the military coalition which supports the government against the rebels in Yemen, decides to extend a unilateral truce for a month to allow the war-ravaged country to contain the pandemic.

New York wants to be allowed to go bankrupt

The pandemic is now over 50,000 dead in the United States, which has one of the worst records in 24 hours (3,176 dead).

The financial burden of managing the crisis is so heavy for New York State that its governor Andrew Cuomo is asking Congress for permission to declare bankruptcy. New York remains the most affected state in the United States. He refuses to come out of containment yet "  it would ruin all of our efforts so far,  " says Andrew Cuomo. Other states, such as Texas, Vermont or Georgia decide to reopen some of their businesses. In recent days, demonstrations have multiplied against containment. This Friday in Wisconsin, far-right sympathizers are calling to gather outside the governor's seat in Madison.

President Trump talks about an original therapy: " I see that the disinfectant knocks it out (the virus) in a minute (...). Is there a way to do something like that with an injection inside  ”. Statements deemed irresponsible by the scientific community.

Faced with indignant reactions, he returns to his words a few hours later ... The American Congress approves a new aid plan of $ 483 billion to support the economy and hospitals and strengthen screening capacities. The plan promulgated in the wake of the president.

In El Salvador, the Assembly ended its session after a strong coughing fit from a member in the middle of a sitting. A " serious suspicion of Covid-19 in the Assembly, " tweeted the Salvadoran president, which led to the immediate evacuation of the building and the confinement of the hundred deputies.

Economic results at half mast ... not for the Sanofi laboratory

In Russia, the Central Bank expects GDP to fall by up to 6% in 2020 due to containment measures and the oil market crisis. "  The epidemic primarily threatens human life and health but has an equally dangerous impact on the economy,  " says President Vladimir Putin.

Mitsubishi anticipates a net loss of 26 billion yen (224.1 million euros). The automaker, the third member of the Renault-Nissan alliance, explains that "  despite the efforts to further reduce costs in order to achieve the objectives (...), the severe deterioration in demand has greatly exceeded its forecast  ”.

The French pharmaceutical laboratory Sanofi announces a turnover of nearly 9 billion euros in the first quarter, an increase of 6.9%. Sales of Doliprane (paracetamol) notably increased by more than 20%. One of its main competitors, the American laboratory Gilead sees its antiviral Remdesivir revoked by China after clinical trials on the drug, the results of which are published briefly on the website of the World Health Organization (WHO), before be withdrawn.

No deaths in Hong Kong, only 6 new cases in China

Hong Kong for the second time this week, has not registered any case of contamination, the number stabilizing at 1,035. Good news in China also, which reports only 6 new cases today and no deaths. In a mask factory in Beijing, workers run the machines 24 hours a day. The Chinese company is preparing an order for 188 million units for France.

The Philippines announces the extension of one of the strictest containments in the world, until May 15.

In Japan, the mayor of Osaka has caused a scandal since he suggested that men should go shopping during the health crisis because women "  take far too long  " to choose their purchases.

A new Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones released a new recording to everyone's surprise: "Living In A Ghost Town" is the last song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It was started last year in Los Angeles and London, and finalized during containment. The text speaks of chaos, destruction, loneliness and isolation. It also evokes a world emptied of its inhabitants, without joy or celebration. Céline Dion announces that she postpones "  the first months of her European tour  " from May 21 to July 25, "  not knowing when things will return to normal  ". 28 concerts in 19 European cities are concerned.

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