Here’s the latest COVID-19 news from across the globe

US says WHO’s statement on asymtomatic spread ‘incorrect’

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious-disease expert, says the World Health Organization had to backtrack on its statement about asymptomatic spread of the coronavirus being rare because that simply “was not correct.” WHO’s technical lead on the pandemic has tried to clear up “misunderstandings” about comments she made that were widely understood to suggest that people without COVID-19 symptoms rarely transmit the virus. Maria Van Kerkhove insisted Tuesday that she was referring only to a few studies, not a complete picture. Weighing in on Wednesday, Fauci said the range of ways symptoms manifest is “extraordinary” in that some infected people have no or barely noticeable symptoms while others have more severe symptoms that require them to be hospitalized in intensive care. Fauci said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” : “What happened the other day is that a member of the WHO was saying that transmission from an asymptomatic person to an uninfected person was very rare.“

Africas confirmed coronavirus cases surpasses 2,00,000

Grade 7 pupils return to the Meldene Primary School in Johannesburg Monday, June 8, 2020. Schools were closed down almost three months ago in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus and have started with the return to classes of grade 7 and 12 classes under strict conditions. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

Africas confirmed coronavirus cases have surpassed 200000. That’s according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 54 nation continent has 202782 cases and 5516 deaths. While Africa still represents a tiny percentage of the worlds total COVID19 cases well under 5 officials in South Africa and elsewhere have expressed concern because the number of infections continues to climb South Africa leads the continent with 52991 cases with almost two thirds of them in the Western Cape province centered on the city of Cape Town.  Egypt has 36829 cases and Nigeria has 13464

Germany extends travel warning outside Europe

Germany is prolonging its travel warning for more than 160 countries outside Europe until the end of August. The government agreed Wednesday to extend the guidance introduced on March 17 due to the coronavirus pandemic to almost all non-EU countries, with the exception of some that have successfully contained the outbreak.

Last week, Germany downgraded its travel warning for the rest of the 27-nation EU, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Britain.

Pakistan records highest single-day spike of 5,387 cases

Pakistan has registered its highest single-day spike of coronavirus cases with over 5,000 infections in the last 24 hours, a day after the World Health Organisation urged the government to follow an “intermittent lockdown” policy to stem the spike in the disease. However, advisor on Health Zafar Mirza told the media that “no such policy is under consideration”. The WHO country head pointed out that after the partial relaxation on May 1, and complete relaxation on May 22 the infection rate has increased on both occasions.

Folk dancers selling protective face masks for a living due to a temporary ban on celebration parties in Pakistan (AP)

Brazil restores detailed COVID-19 data after Supreme Court ruling

A justice in Brazil’s top court ordered the nation’s health ministry to resume the publication of detailed reports on the local coronavirus outbreak amid accusations that President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration was trying to hide numbers. Judge Alexandre de Moraes gave the government 48 hours to return to the format it had used up until June 4, which included both daily increases in virus cases and deaths as well as cumulative figures since the start of the outbreak. The ministry strayed away from that model last week, leading to claims from medical experts that it was trying to cover up numbers.

Brazil has recorded the second-highest number of cases in the world, and the peak of the outbreak is still seen as weeks away.

Health personnel work in a field hospital built inside a gym to treat COVID-19 patients in Santo Andre, on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Apple tells staff first phase of HQ return starts June 15

Apple Inc. told staff at its main Silicon Valley headquarters that the first phase of a plan to return to the office will begin on June 15, but stressed that most employees won’t go back for several months at least. Phase 1 will be “very limited” and workers will be allowed in the office only on certain days depending on their job. The company also “strongly encouraged” staff to be tested for the coronavirus before returning. Masks will be required at all times in the office.

“Vaccination means freedom from fear. The coronavirus has reminded us of this old truth.”

Here’s what world leaders are saying about the development of a coronavirus vaccine. https://t.co/TV4u6jlmkf (Video via @QuickTake) pic.twitter.com/KbdPKBfNym

— Bloomberg (@business) June 9, 2020

Zoos, drive-in cinemas to open in UK

Zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinemas will allowed to open starting June 15, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to restart the economy in time for the summer. The government Tuesday said  that non-essential shops, which have been shut since March, can reopen Monday, so long as they can apply social distancing rules. At the same time, it abandoned a plan to let all primary schools reopen completely before the summer break in mid-July.

A man views a mural depicting a nurse wearing scrubs and face mask in the Shoreditch area of east London (Dominic Lipinski / PA via AP)

Widespread mask-wearing could prevent COVID-19 second waves -study

Increased use of facemasks could push COVID-19 transmission down to controllable levels for national epidemics and could prevent further waves of the pandemic disease when combined with lockdowns, according to a UK study published Wednesday. The research, led by scientists at the Britain’s Cambridge and Greenwich Universities, suggests lockdowns alone will not stop the resurgence of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, but that even homemade masks can dramatically reduce transmission rates if enough people wear them in public.

A mannequin in Bejeweled clothing store wears a mask in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Paris Eiffel Tower to reopen June 25

The Eiffel Tower in Paris will reopen following the longest shutdown since World War II. The French capital’s second-most visited tourist landmark behind the Louvre Museum will reopen to visitors on June 25 after being closed for three months due to the virus. Visitors will initially only be able to access the tower via the stairs and will have to wear masks.

Turkey eases curbs

Turkey’s president on Tuesday revealed new plans to ease restrictions in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including the July 1 reopening of theaters, cinemas and other entertainment centers. In a televised addressed following his first face-to-face meeting with Cabinet members, after almost three months of teleconference meetings, Recep Tayyip Erdogan also announced that marriage registration halls will reopen for large gatherings on June 15 while wedding party halls will resume operations on July 1. The government is also relaxing restrictions that were in place on the movement of the senior citizens and minors, Erdogan said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, wearing a face mask to protect against the new coronavirus, and Basri Bagci, the new member of Turkey’s Constitutional Court, greet each other during a ceremony, in Ankara, Turkey (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool)

IMF board approves $5 bln lifeline for Ukraine amid coronavirus recession

The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday its executive board approved a $5 billion, 18-month loan deal for Ukraine to help stabilize the country’s economy as it struggles with the coronavirus pandemic. The fund said the approval allows Ukraine to receive an immediate disbursement of about $2.1 billion, with the remainder of the funds to be phased in over four reviews during the 18-month period.