Washington: Globally, more than 3.7 million people have been confirmed infected with the new coronavirus so far, and more than 260,000 have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Poland’s governing parties say they have agreed to postpone a presidential election on May 10 after it became clear the poll could not be held via a postal vote because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the governing Law and Justice (PiS), says “the Speaker of Parliament will announce new presidential elections as soon as possible”.
The United Nations is issuing a new appeal for $4.7bn in funding to “protect millions of lives and stem the spread of coronavirus in fragile countries”.
The money is on top of the $2bn the UN already called for when it launched its global humanitarian response plan on March 25. It has received about half of that money so far.
“The most devastating and destabilising effects” of the novel coronavirus pandemic “will be felt in the world’s poorest countries,” says UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock. “Extraordinary measures are needed.”
The full $6.7bn response plan prioritizes some 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Syria, Liberia, Pakistan, Philippines and Zimbabwe.
The funds are to be used to buy medical equipment to test and treat the sick, provide hand-washing stations, launch information campaigns and develop new programmes to better combat food insecurity.
Grant Robertson, New Zealand’s sports ministers, professional sport could resume as early as next week when authorities decide whether to ease coronavirus restrictions further.
