In Peru, the government have ordered men and women to go out separately on alternate days, as part of their efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus.
On Saturday, women were allowed out. Here are some photographs from Lima.
Women go shopping on the first day that only women have permission to circulate, in Lima, Peru, 04 April 2020. Photograph: Sergio Urday/EPA
A group of women are seen at the street in Lima, Peru on April 4, 2020. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
A group of women are seen at the street in Lima, Peru on April 4, 2020. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The conspiracy theory that links 5G technology to the spread of coronavirus is “dangerous nonsense”, a British minister said at the government’s daily coronavirus briefing. The bizarre theory has led to phone masts around the UK being attacked.
You can see Minister for the Cabinet Office, Michael Gove, and medical director of the NHS, Stephen Powis, debunk the theory here:
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Gove warns 5G-coronavirus conspiracy theory is 'dangerous nonsense' – video
Algeria will extend its curfew to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The curfew will last from 3pm to 7am in the capital of Algiers and eight other provinces, and from 7pm to 7am in the majority of others. The two provinces furthest south in the country currently have no confirmed cases of the virus, so will not be subject to the curfew.
Algeria has recorded 1,251 cases of coronavirus.
The president and ministers of Malawi will take a 10% salary cut and redirect the money towards combatting the spread of coronavirus, president Mutharika has said.
The announcement came in a national address on state television, which also unveiled a number of measures to protect businesses, including tax breaks, reduction in fuel allowances and an increase in the risk allowances for health workers.
Donald Trump’s pick for a new watchdog to oversee the $2 trillion support package, issued to combat the economic fallout of coronavirus, is not independent enough, congressional Democrats have said.
Late on Friday, the White House announced that Trump would nominate Brian Miller, a special assistant to the president and senior associate counsel in the Office of White House Counsel, to the role of special inspector general for pandemic recovery.
However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that the role must be “independent from politics” and that Miller’s appointment “clearly fails that”.
Pelosi has also said she would form a bipartisan select committee on the coronavirus crisis to oversee the use of the $2 trillion approved by Congress to respond to the pandemic.
Senate Democrats, including Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the top Democratic senator on the Senate Finance Committee, also criticised the move.
Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a post on Twitter that the appointment was akin to putting a “fox in charge of the henhouse.”
The new watchdog position, which comes with a $25 million budget, was created to “conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the making, purchase, management, and sale of loans, loan guarantees, and other investments” by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
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After the news broke earlier that New York is to receive 1000 ventilators from China, my colleague Jessica Glenza in the US takes a deeper look at the donation and the situation in the state:
New York City authorities must better protect corrections officers at Rikers Island jail, a judge has ruled.
The ruling stated that officers must be provided with protective masks and have their temperatures monitored for signs of coronavirus. It also said there should be an increase in the sanitation of their work spaces.
It comes after dozens of infections have been reported at the facility.
The city has appealed the ruling - which stays the order until the appeal is heard.
Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesman for the New York City Law Department, said the city is deeply concerned about the health and safety of its employees and that “we are confident that the court will recognize the steps we have taken to ensure our correctional facilities are safe.”
The head of the union, Elias Husamudeen, said that the union was “outrageous that we even have to be in court to ensure our employer protects the lives of our members.”
Thanks to all those getting in touch. Just a reminder that if you spot something I miss (or get wrong!) please feel free to drop me a message on Twitter @mollyblackall.
Your input is always appreciated!
Confirmed cases of coronavirus in Turkey have reached 23,934, an increase of more than 3,000 since yesterday.
Coronavirus-related deaths rose by 71 to 501 people, Heath Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.
In the last 24 hours, 19,664 tests were conducted bringing the total performed in Turkey so far to 161,380, Koca, said.
More than 25 organisations helping domestic violence victims in the UK have reported an increase in their caseload since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, my colleague Mark Townsend reports.
The rise in domestic abuse as a result of coronavirus is a trend sadly replicated around the world. You can read more on the situation in the UK here:
The number of coronavirus related deaths in New York has passed 3,000, governor Andrew Cuomo has announced.
In the last day, 630 people have died of coronavirus in the state - the highest increase so far. This takes the total death toll to 3,565.
Long Island, east of New York City, is the worst hit area, Cuomo said, describing the virus there as “like a fire spreading”.
Cuomo said that projections suggested the state was around a week away from the peak of the spread, despite only recording its first case 30 days ago.
New York City alone accounted for more than a quarter of the over 7,000 U.S. coronavirus deaths tallied by Johns Hopkins University.
A senior Iranian health official has said that there may be a resurgence of coronavirus in the area in and around the capital of Tehran, as residents flout restrictions.
The warning came after many residents ignored advice to stay at home, with crowding and traffic jams on the city’s streets as the country’s New Year holidays ended on Saturday.
Iran is the worst-hit country by coronavirus in the Middle East. On Saturday, the country announced 158 more coronavirus patients had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 3,452. The total number of cases currently stands at 55,743.
“We are still concerned about the virus, for example with the level of traffic in Tehran today and queues of cars stuck on freeways, because these people can take the virus to their homes or workplaces,” Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said on state TV.
“Even a medium level of virus here can spread to nearby cities with the high level of job-related traffic between nearby cities and Tehran,” said Harirchi, who has himself had the virus.
“Dr Harirchi cautioned about a probable return of coronavirus in case of negligence and said social distancing measures were absolutely necessary,” said the TV.
The television showed stores that had re-opened despite a closure order on non-essential services and businesses.
Tunisia’s parliament has given the government new powers to combat the spread of coronavirus and expected economic fallout.
This will allow the government to issue decrees, make purchasing agreements and seek finance without consulting parliament.
The decision was backed by all political parties.
Tunisia has 495 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 18 deaths, and has imposed a national lockdown until April 19.
Italy plans to extend special powers to protect key industries from unwelcome foreign interest, a government official has said.
There is allegedly concern in the Italian government that foreign investors might try to take advantage of the collapse of share prices caused by the coronavirus pandemic to buy assets in Italian industries.
Cabinet undersecretary Riccardo Fraccaro said on Saturday that Rome would expand its vetting powers to the whole banking and insurance sector, alongside the health and food industry.
The scheme would allow the government to oppose any move by non-EU and EU players to buy a stake in companies considered to be strategically important.
A draft will soon be proposed to Italy’s cabinet, and measures would also apply to transactions within the EU, Fraccaro said.
Since Italy imposed the first set of restrictive measures on 23 February, Milan’s all-share stock index has fallen by close to 35%.
Dubai has announced a two-week lockdown to limit the spread of coronavirus beginning tonight, according to state news agency WAM.
Mobility will be restricted, and legal action will be taken against those who do not comply, the government has said.
Supermarkets, pharmacies, alongside food and drug delivery services will continue to work as normal.
Carrie Symonds, the pregnant partner of Boris Johnson, had coronavirus symptoms but is now getting better, she has revealed.
Carrie Symonds
✔@carriesymonds
I’ve spent the past week in bed with the main symptoms of Coronavirus. I haven’t needed to be tested and, after seven days of rest, I feel stronger and I’m on the mend.
The UK prime minister said on Friday he was remaining in isolation with mild symptoms of coronavirus, including a raised temperature, seven days after he first tested positive.
