WHO warns coronavirus crisis could worsen: Live updates

• The pandemic could potentially get far worse if all nations do not adhere to basic healthcare precautions, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

• The pandemic has caused “an education emergency” with 9.7 million children at risk of never returning to school, according to a report released by human rights group Save the Children . 

• One in three South Korean patients seriously ill with COVID-19 showed an improvement in their condition after being given the antiviral drug remdesivir, health authorities have said.

• More than 12.98 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and more than 570,000 have died, according to a tally by the Johns Hopkins University. More than 7.1 million patients have recovered.

Here are the latest updates.

Monday, July 13

22:55 GMT – Houston, Texas mayor calls for new lockdown as COVID cases explode across the state

The mayor of Houston, Texas, Sylvester Turner, on Monday called for a two-week shutdown of the city “at the minimum” to subdue the coronavirus pandemic. The mayor tweeted that he made his recommendation to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

I do believe that we need a two-week shutdown, at the minimum of two weeks, and I have proposed this to the Governor so we can help blunt #COVID19 progression.

If we can not have a shut down, then at least step back to state’s Phase I. This will allow us to reset and reassess.

— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) July 13, 2020

Turner’s recommendation came just a day after Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo – Houston is the seat of Harris County – called for a stay-at-home order.

“Not only do we need a stay home order now, but we need to stick with it this time until the hospitalization curve comes down, not just flattens. Many communities that persevered in that way are reopening for the long haul. Let’s learn from that & not make the same mistake twice,” she said.

Texas has become a coronavirus hot spot in the US, with Harris County recording the most cases in the state. Harris County has confirmed 47,369 cases with 32,559 cases active. Some 466 people have died.

22:06 GMT – US drugmakers on track to start COVID-19 vaccine production in next few months 

Drugmakers partnered with the United States government are on track to begin actively manufacturing a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus by the end of the summer, a senior administration official said on Monday.

The US government has helped finance the development of several vaccines and therapies through its Operation Warp Speed program and plans to announce more investments in COVID-19 vaccines in the future, the official said.

Would you participate in a #COVID19 vaccine trial? Why or why not, and under what conditions would you agree to do so?

— The Stream (@AJStream) July 13, 2020

The US is aiming to deliver 300 million doses of a vaccine by early 2021. The manufacturing process is already underway even though they are not sure which vaccine, if any, will work, the administration official said. He said they are already buying equipment, securing the manufacturing sites and, in some cases, acquiring the raw materials.

20:52 GMT – Canada, US to extend ban on non-essential border traffic: Report

Canada and the United States are set to extend a ban on non-essential travel, although a final decision has not been taken, two Ottawa sources familiar with the matter have told the Reuters news agency.

The ban, introduced in March, has been extended several times and is due to expire on July 21. The measure does not include trade.

Read more about it here.

20:16 GMT – California again shuts indoor restaurants, bars, movie theaters

California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered all indoor restaurants, bars and movie theaters to close again as coronavirus cases soar across the state.

Churches as well as businesses including gyms, shopping malls, hair salons and non-essential offices must also close indoor operations in 30 of the state’s worst-hit counties including Los Angeles, he said.

“We’re moving back into a modification mode of our original ‘stay-at-home’ order,” Newsom said.

20:03 GMT – Pandemic could tip 132 million into chronic hunger this year: UN

The pandemic may push another 132 million people into chronic hunger by the end of the year, the UN has warned in a new report, as it called on governments to adopt a set of policy tools to help people afford quality, nutritious food.

Read more here.

19:50 GMT – Deaths in Latin America overtake North America

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Latin America has exceeded the number for North America for the first time since the start of the pandemic, a Reuters count has shown.

Latin America has seen at least 144,680 deaths so far, compared to 143,847 deaths in North America, comprising Canada and the United States, according to Reuters figures, which are based on official counts.

19:18 GMT – LA and San Diego schools to resume online-only instruction in August

The Los Angeles and San Diego unified school districts have announced plans to resume instruction in August with online teaching only, citing “skyrocketing” coronavirus infection rates in California during the past few weeks.

19:16 GMT – Trump says he appreciates Dr Fauci but doesn’t always agree with him

US President Donald Trump has said he has a very good relationship with top US infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci but does not always agree with him.

Trump has been increasingly critical of government health officials and their guidance as a steady rise in coronavirus infections threatens the easing of shutdown restrictions across the country.

Last week, Trump told Fox News that Fauci had made a lot of mistakes concerning the coronavirus.

18:51 GMT – Fauci blames virus surge on US not shutting down completely

Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has ascribed the surge in US coronavirus cases to the country’s failure to shut down completely, then a rush to reopen too soon, and urged a commitment to guidelines to snuff out the disease.

He stressed basic protections including physical distancing, wearing masks, avoiding crowds and washing hands.

“Those things, as simple as they are, can turn it around. I think we can do that and that’s what we’ve got to do,” he said.

18:43 GMT – Hospitalisations continues to decline in France

France has reported a new fall in hospitalisations as a result of coronavirus infections as well as a decrease in patients admitted to intensive care.

The Health Ministry said the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 fell to 6,983 from 7,062 as of July 10, continuing a weeks-long downtrend.

The number of people in intensive care units is down to 492 from 496.

18:35 GMT – Chicago Marathon cancelled

The Chicago Marathon that was scheduled to take place on October 11 has been cancelled, organisers have said.

“In response to the ongoing public health concerns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the City of Chicago announced the decision to cancel the 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and all race weekend activities,” organisers said in a statement.

18:15 GMT – US CDC reports 60,469 more cases, 312 deaths

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 3,296,599 cases of the coronavirus, an increase of 60,469 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths has risen by 312 to 134,884.

The CDC reported its tally of cases caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4pm ET on July 12 compared with its previous report a day earlier.

18:05 GMT – Canadian province of Ontario to begin stage 3 of reopening on July 17

Ontario will begin moving most of its health regions into the third stage of its reopening plan from July 17, Premier Doug Ford has said, as Canada’s most populous province lifts lockdowns put in place in March.

Nearly all businesses and public spaces will be allowed to gradually reopen in stage three, according to documents released on Monday.

It will also allow gatherings of 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, but in all cases individuals have to maintain social distancing of at least two meters (6.56 ft). The previous limit on indoor and outdoor gatherings was 10.

17:50 GMT – COVID-19 cases soar in US, grow in India, South Africa and Brazil

The US has been grappling with the worst coronavirus outbreak in the world, as Florida shattered the national record for a state’s largest single-day increase in new confirmed cases.

Deaths from the virus have been rising in the US, especially in the South and West, though they are still well below the numbers reached in April, according to a recent Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.

Read more here.

16:48 GMT – IMF warns of deeper MENA recession and rising social unrest risks

The economic outlook for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) was already grim as the region struggles to cope with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, that horizon darkened further as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected an even deeper recession for the region, and warned of the spectre of rekindling social unrest as inequality and poverty deepens.

Read more here.

16:35 GMT – Southwest Airlines warns it may need job cuts without jump in travel

Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Gary Kelly has told employees the airline needs a dramatic jump in passenger demand or it will be forced to take new steps to reduce staffing.

Employees face a Wednesday deadline on whether to participate in a voluntary incentive program to leave the airline.

“Although furloughs and layoffs remain our very last resort, we can’t rule them out as a possibility obviously in this very bad environment,” Kelly said in a message to employees.

“We need a significant recovery by the end of this year – and that’s roughly triple the number of passengers from where we are today.”

16:20 GMT – Canada still talking to US about future of ban: PM Trudeau

Canada and the US are still in talks on the future of a ban on non-essential travel between the two countries and will have more to say in the coming days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

The ban, introduced in March, has been extended several times and is due to expire on July 21.

Trudeau also told reporters he had talked to US President Donald Trump earlier in the day and reiterated his opposition to the possible imposition of tariffs on Canadian aluminum exports.

15:55 GMT – Trump willing to consider additional aid to reopen schools

US President Donald Trump is willing to consider additional aid to reopen schools, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow has said in an interview with Fox Business Network.

Trump has been pushing for schools to reopen for the beginning of the school year in the fall, even while many states are battling spikes in coronavirus cases.

15:31 GMT – Disney to shut Hong Kong Disneyland again as cases rise

Walt Disney Co is temporarily closing its Hong Kong Disneyland theme park from July 15 amid rising coronavirus cases in the Chinese-ruled city, the company has said.

“As required by the government and health authorities in line with prevention efforts taking place across Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland park will temporarily close from July 15,” a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement.
The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort hotels will remain open with adjusted services. They have put in place enhanced health and safety measures, the company said.

15:24 GMT –  Florida records 12,000 new cases, a day after shattering records

Florida has recorded more than 12,600 new coronavirus cases, its second-highest daily total since the outbreak began, coinciding with the state’s attempt to revive tourism and attract visitors to the recently reopened Disney World.

Florida along with Arizona, California and Texas, has emerged as a new US epicentre of the pandemic in recent weeks. Infections have risen rapidly in about 40 of the 50 states over the last two weeks, according to a Reuters analysis.

15:18 GMT – UK deaths rise by 11 to 44,830

The UK’s death toll from confirmed cases of COVID-19 has risen to 44,830, up 11 on the previous day, the government has said.

The increase in the daily number of deaths is the lowest since early-March, although a lower number of deaths is generally reported during the weekend

14:48 GMT – WHO warns crisis may get ‘worse and worse and worse’

The pandemic could potentially get far worse if all nations do not adhere to basic healthcare precautions, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

“Let me be blunt, too many countries are headed in the wrong direction, the virus remains public enemy number one,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva.

“If basics are not followed, the only way this pandemic is going to go, it is going to get worse and worse and worse. But it does not have to be this way.”

14:45 GMT – G7 finance ministers call for full implementation of G20 debt freeze

Group of Seven finance ministers have called for full implementation of a G20 freeze in debt service payments by all official bilateral creditors and adherence to debt data transparency standards, a US Treasury spokesperson has said.

In addressing the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative offered to the world’s 73 poorest countries through the end of the year, the ministers discussed the need for China, a G20 member and major creditor, to participate fully and transparently, a senior administration official said.

14:14 GMT – Coronavirus has worsened global hunger crisis: UN

Nearly one in nine people in the world are going hungry, with the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating already worsening trends this year, according to a United Nations report.

Economic slowdowns and climate-related shocks are pushing more people into hunger, while nutritious foods remain too expensive for many, the report found.

14:04 GMT – France reduces Chinese flights to Paris in tit-for-tat row

France’s government has started restricting Chinese airlines to one passenger flight to France per week, saying it was acting in response to restrictions imposed by Beijing on French carriers flying to China.

“From July 13, Chinese companies will only be authorised to make one weekly trip,” the French embassy in Beijing said on its website. “Discussions are under way between the two governments with a view to reaching a satisfactory solution.”

13:50 GMT – German study shows low infection rate in schools

Very few of 2,000 school children and teachers tested in the German state of Saxony have shown antibodies to COVID-19, a study has found, suggesting schools may not play as big a role in spreading the virus as some fear.

The study by the University Hospital in Dresden analysed blood samples from almost 1,500 children aged between 14 and 18 and 500 teachers from 13 schools in Dresden and the districts of Bautzen and Goerlitz in May and June.

Of the almost 2,000 samples, only 12 had antibodies, said Reinhard Berner from the University Hospital of Dresden, adding the first results gave no evidence that school children play a role in spreading the virus particularly quickly.

13:30 GMT – Kazakhstan to extend lockdown by two weeks

Kazakhstan will extend its second coronavirus lockdown by two weeks, until the end of July, and will once again offer financial aid to those who have lost their source of income, president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said.

“There are first signs now that the situation is beginning to improve,” he said in a tweet. “The next two weeks are important for the full stabilisation of the situation.”

13:23 GMT

Hello, this is Mersiha Gadzo in Toronto taking over the live updates from my colleague Virginia Pietromarchi in Doha, Qatar.

12:37 GMT – Sri Lanka shuts schools again

Just one week after Sri Lanka started easing restrictions, the government ordered the closure of schools across the nation due to a surge in new cases.

“Based on the direction of health authorities, it is decided to close schools this week,” the education ministry said in a statement, adding that private colleges were also encouraged to shut their doors.

“We will review the situation next week.”

11:45 GMT – IMF forecasts worst Middle East downturn in half century

The International Monetary Fund sharply lowered for a second time its Middle East and North Africa economic forecast, to its lowest level in 50 years, over the “twin shock” of the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices.

The region’s economy will contract by 5.7 percent this year, and shrink by as much as 13 percent in countries torn by conflict, the IMF warned.

11:17 GMT – At least 3,000 health workers killed by COVID-19: Amnesty 

More than 3,000 healthcare workers are known to have died of the new coronavirus, according to Amnesty International, as it raises concerns about unsafe working conditions, low pay, long hours and violence against medical workers in some countries.

In a new report published on Monday, the United Kingdom-based rights group said Russia at 545 had the highest numbers of healthcare worker deaths from COVID-19.

Read the full story here. 

10:59 GMT – People should wear masks in confined spaces: UK PM

People should be wearing face masks in closed spaces, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“Masks have a great deal of value in confined places,” he said adding that the government would say more in the next few days about what “tools of enforcement” would be used.

10:37 GMT – Two coronavirus vaccines get ‘fast track’ status

Two experimental coronavirus vaccines by German biotech firm BioNTech and US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer have received the US Food and Drug Administration’s “fast track” designation.

The vaccines, BNT162b1 and BNT162b2, are the two most advanced of the four vaccines being developed by the companies.

10:26 GMT – Tunisia’s economy to shrink by 6.5 percent: Minister

Tunisia’s economy will shrink by 6.5 percent this year due to the pandemic, said Investment Minister Slim Azzabi.

In an effort to cushion the impact of the lockdown on its economy, Tunisia ended all restrictions on movement and businesses last month. However, the pandemic is hammering the tourism sector, which contributes nearly 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and is a key source of foreign currency.

09:58 GMT – Ireland may strengthen measures at airports 

Ireland will consider implementing 14-day quarantine restrictions on people travelling from abroad, said its tourism minister.

“The cabinet will be discussing measures this week that may be needed, such as strengthening measures at airports, ahead of issuing a possible green list of countries,” Catherine Martin told a local radio station.

Her remarks were made following criticism by opposition politicians and tourism operators that visitors were not complying with measures. Restaurant, hotel and pub owners took to Twitter over the weekend to say they turned away customers from the US after learning they had not self-isolated for 14 days.

09:27 GMT – Human rights group warns of ‘education emergency’

The pandemic has caused “an education emergency” with 9.7 million children at risk of never returning to school, according to the latest report released by human rights group Save the Children . 

“The poorest and the most marginalised are going to be hit the hardest,” says the report. 

In the month of April only, more than 1.6 billion students were out of school and “for the first time in human history an entire generation has their education disrupted”.

Even before the pandemic, 258 million children were out of school.

09:02 GMT – Cases jump in Indonesia, Philippines

Indonesia recorded 1,282 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total to 76,981 cases, while the death toll increased by 50 to 3,656.

The Philippines saw a rise of 836 cases to 57,006 and the overall death toll stood at 1,599 after 65 more deaths.

08:45 GMT – Germany can prevent a second wave: Minister

Germany can prevent a second wave of the coronavirus infections in autumn if people keep “the pandemic in check” by staying vigilant, said Health Minister Jens Spahn.

Speaking to reporters, Spahn said it was important to remain alert when travelling abroad and said he was worried by pictures showing holidaymakers ignoring social distancing rules while partying in Mallorca.

08:17 GMT – 32 more coronavirus cases at US base in Okinawa

Another 32 cases were confirmed at the Futenma US military base on the Japanese southern island of Okinawa, according to local media.

The new cases are an addition to the 62 previously confirmed infections at three US bases on the island.

07:56 GMT – Mexico death toll surges to fourth-highest in the world

Deaths in Mexico from the coronavirus pandemic have crossed 35,000, with the Latin American country overtaking Italy for the world’s fourth-highest total deaths.

This past week saw a record daily numbers of new infections in the country, but President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he was optimistic and blamed what he called “conservative media” for causing alarm.

Get to know more here. 

07:49 GMT – Bangladesh: Patients shun government hospitals

Thousands of beds for coronavirus patients in Bangladesh are lying empty despite the country struggling with a rising caseload as people are too scared to enter hospitals, officials and sufferers say.

Some patients have bluntly told health workers they would “rather die at home than die in a hospital”, an official for a medical charity told AFP news agency.

Read the full story here. 

07:24 GMT – Spanish court suspends regional lockdown 

A local court suspended a home confinement order imposed on over 200,000 people in the Spanish region of Catalonia after an upsurge in virus cases.  

“The Lerida district court has decided not to ratify the measures of the 12 July resolution,” the Catalan Supreme Court said on its Twitter account. 

⚠️El #Juzgado de #Guardia de #Lleida acuerda no ratificar las medidas de la #Resolución de 12 de julio de 2020, de @interiorcat y @salutcat, que afectarían a #Lleida y a otros 7 municipios, por la #Ley Orgànica 3/1986, de 14 abril, al ser contrarias a derecho.

— TSJCat (@tsj_cat) July 12, 2020

The decision, which suspends the stay-at-home order, can be appealed.

07:01 GMT – India reports another surge

With the number of new infections rising to 28,701 in the past 24 hours, several Indian states imposed weekend curfews and locked down high-risk areas.

The total number of cases in the country is now close to 900,000, behind only the United States and Brazil.

The Ministry of Health also reported another 500 deaths, taking the country’s death toll to 23,174.

06:47 GMT – South Africa extends COVID-19 measures

South Africa extended measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus as the number of cases in the country continued to rise.

Starting from Monday, a curfew will be reimposed from 9pm (19:00 GMT) to 4am (00:20 GMT), while wearing a mask is now mandatory in all workplaces, vehicles and common closed areas.

“The national disaster situation announced as part of the COVID-19 measures is extended until August 15,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday addressing the nation.

As part of new measures, selling alcoholic beverages is also forbidden in an effort to reduce the volume of trauma patients, so hospitals have more beds open to treat COVID-19 patients, said the president.

Read the full story here.

06:20 GMT – Hong Kong Book Fair postponed 

Visitors will have to wait for their visit to the annual Hong Kong Book Fair as the event has been postponed due to a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus cases in the global financial hub.

The fair, which draws about one million visitors each year, was supposed to start on July 15 and has been rescheduled to a later, unspecified date, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Three other July fairs and expos were postponed.

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Hello, this is Virginia Pietromarchi in Doha, Qatar, taking over the live blog from my colleague Ted Regencia. 

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05:11 GMT – Heatwave drives Californians to beaches amid pandemic

A heatwave has brought crowds to California’s beaches, where people mostly heeded warnings to keep a safe distance from each other as the state grappled with a spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalisations.

Orange County Lifeguard chief Jason Young told The Associated Press news agency that people are spread out on beaches.

California’s death toll increased by 71 to hit 7,107 on Sunday. There are more than 320,800 cases statewide. Meanwhile, two more inmates from San Quentin State Prison have died.

04:43 GMT – One in three South Korean COVID-19 patients improve with remdesivir

One in three South Korean patients seriously ill with COVID-19 showed an improvement in their condition after being given Gilead Sciences Inc’s antiviral remdesivir, Reuters news agency reported on Monday quoting health authorities.

More research was needed to determine if the improvement was attributable to the drug or other factors such as patients’ immunity and other therapies, authorities said.

Remdesivir has been at the forefront of the global battle against COVID-19 after the intravenously administered medicine helped shorten hospital recovery times in a US clinical trial.

Several countries including South Korea have added the drug to the list of treatment for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. There is no approved vaccine for it.

04:14 GMT – Northern Spain tightens regional lockdown

Regional authorities in northeast Spain have tightened a health lockdown and confined more than 140,000 people to only leaving their homes for work and other essential activities, the AP reported.

Catalan authorities announced the confinement on Sunday, a week after they had already limited travel to and from the county of El Segria because of an outbreak of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The outbreak in the rural area is connected to farm work and seasonal day labourers, many of whom work and live in precarious conditions. Overall, Spain has almost 254,000 cases and more than 28,000 deaths.

03:58 GMT – Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise to 198,963

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 159 to 198,963, Reuters reported on Monday citing data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

The reported death toll rose by one to 9,064, the tally showed.

03:33 GMT – Japan, US discuss jump in COVID-19 cases at Okinawa bases

Japan and the US are sharing information about coronavirus cases at US military bases in Okinawa prefecture, a government spokesman said on Monday, after 62 new cases were confirmed at three bases.

Reuters quoted the Okinawa government as saying that 39 people at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, 22 people in Camp Hansen and one person in Camp Kinser had tested positive for COVID-19 between July 7 and July 12.

“Japan and the US are sharing information about activity history of infected military individuals,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a regular news briefing.

03:13 GMT – Honduras extends coronavirus curfew for another week

Honduras will extend its coronavirus curfew for another week to tame the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reported quoting the country’s security ministry.

Honduras first imposed a curfew in March but the government has been talking about slowly reopening businesses to help the economy.

02:48 GMT – New coronavirus cases in Australia linked to pub for freight drivers

Australia’s most populous state reported 14 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, with a growing cluster at a pub used by freight drivers travelling the country adding to fears of a second national wave of the virus, according to Reuters. 

The new cases in New South Wales come after neighbouring Victoria state last week forced about five million people back into lockdown after a surge of new coronavirus cases.

Australia has avoided the high COVID-19 casualty numbers of other nations with swift and strict measures, recording fewer than 10,000 cases in total, or about a sixth of the daily cases seen in the US in recent days. However, authorities are worried about the rising cases of community transmission.

02:02: GMT – Philippines reports 162 deaths, biggest daily increase

The Philippines’ health agency on Monday confirmed 162 coronavirus deaths, the country’s biggest single-day increase in casualties, as a health ministry official said authorities validated some earlier cases included in the tally.

The Department of Health said total deaths had reached 1,534, while confirmed infections rose 2,124 to 56,259, according to Reuters.

01:37 GMT – South Korea cases surge to about 60 a day

South Korea’s new virus cases bounced back to above 60 on Monday as imported cases and cluster infections in large cities continued to rise, Yonhap news agency reported.

The country added 62 cases, including 19 local infections, raising the total caseload to 13,479, according to Yonhap quoting the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The tally marked a sharp rise from 44 new cases reported on Sunday and 35 on Saturday. It marked the highest jump since the number of daily virus cases hit 63 on Wednesday.

There were no additional deaths reported and the death toll remained at 289.

01:10 GMT – China reports eight new cases, six asymptomatic patients

Mainland China reported eight new COVID-19 cases as of the end of July 12, up from seven reported a day earlier, Reuters reported on Monday quoting the Chinese national health authority.

The National Health Commission said in a statement all of the new cases were imported infection involving travellers from overseas, the same as the seven cases a day earlier. The capital city of Beijing reported no new confirmed cases for the seventh consecutive day.

The Commission also reported six new asymptomatic patients, those who are infected with the coronavirus but have no symptoms, compared with five a day earlier. China does not consider such patients as confirmed cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases for China now stands at 83,602, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.

00:53 GMT – Mexico reports 4,482 new cases, 276 more deaths

Mexico’s Health Ministry has reported 4,482 new confirmed coronavirus infections and 276 more deaths, bringing the total in the country to 299,750 cases and 35,006 deaths.

The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases, Reuters reported on Sunday.

00:35 GMT – Argentina coronavirus cases hit 100,000

Argentina has exceeded 100,000 cases of novel coronavirus infections as it struggles to contain spiralling case rates despite a strict quarantine imposed on the capital Buenos Aires and its surroundings.

The health ministry said on Sunday 2,657 new cases were confirmed overnight, taking the total to 100,166.

The South American country imposed a strict quarantine in mid-March to stop the pandemic. It relaxed restrictions slightly in May but then reinstated them in late June for Buenos Aires and its surroundings due to a spike in cases.

The death toll in Argentina is 1,845, a far cry from the 71,469 deaths in Brazil until Sunday and 11,682 in Peru.

00:01 GMT – Brazil coronavirus deaths hit more than 72,000

Brazil has registered 631 more deaths, with a new total of 1,864,681 confirmed cases, Reuters news agency reported quoting the country’s health ministry.

Brazil now has an official total of 72,100 deaths as of the end of Sunday, the ministry said.

The numbers of deaths and cases are usually lower on the weekend because of patchy reporting. Experts say the true totals are likely much higher due to a lack of testing.

______________________________________________________________

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. I’m Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

You can find all the key developments from yesterday, July 12, here.