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Coronavirus toll at 11:00 (GMT) Wednesday

Paris – The worldwide death toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to 177 822 on Wednesday, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 (GMT).

More than 2 571 880 declared cases have been registered in 193 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 583 000 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Many countries are testing only the most serious cases.

In the United States, now the worst-hit country, the death toll stood at 45 075 with 825 306 infections. At least 75 673 patients have recovered. Italy is the next most affected country with 24 648 deaths and 183 957 confirmed infections.

 - AFP

Half of French private-sector workers now unemployed - minister

Paris – More than 10 million employees in France – one out of every two in the private sector – have been laid off during the coronavirus lockdown and are now benefitting from an extended indemnity programme to weather the crisis, the government said on Wednesday.

"Today in France there are 10.2 million employees whose salaries are being paid by the state," Labour Minister Muriel Penicaud told BFM television.

Around 820 000 employers, or more than six-in-ten, have applied for a social security programme that grants 84% of net pay for workers temporarily laid off because of a drop in business, a number that is increasing "day after day", she said. "It's a considerable number, we've never done anything like it in our country."

President Emmanuel Macron vowed that "no company would be abandoned to the risk of bankruptcy" when announcing the widespread business closures and stay-at-home orders implemented on 17 March.

 - AFP

UK govt accused of slow response to virus outbreak

London - The new leader of Britain's main opposition Labour party on Wednesday accused the government of being slow in its coronavirus response, as lawmakers met for a virtual session in parliament.

In his first chance to question the government since being elected Labour leader earlier this month, Keir Starmer said there was "a significant gap between promise and delivery" in how ministers were handling the crisis.

"There's a pattern emerging here: we were slow into lockdown, slow on testing, slow on protective equipment," Starmer said, as he also questioned Britain's sluggish testing regime.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he recovers after being hospitalised for Covid-19, insisted ministers had been guided by scientific and medical advisers "at every step along this way".

"I don't accept his premise that we've been slow," he said. "If he thinks he knows better than they do, with the benefit of hindsight, then that's his decision. But that is not the way we've proceeded."

 - AFP

Race for virus vaccine picks up as Germany, UK start trials

Berlin – The race to develop an effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus gathered pace this week, as clinical trials on humans were approved in Germany and launched in the UK.

Though there are now around 150 development projects worldwide, the German and British plans are among only five clinical trials on humans which have been approved across the globe.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, German regulatory body PEI green-lighted the country's first trials on human volunteers for a vaccine developed by German firm Biontech and US giant Pfizer.

The Oxford trial, run by the university's Jenner Institute, will involve 510 volunteers aged between 18 and 55 in the first phase. Research director Professor Sarah Gilbert estimated that it has around an 80% chance of being successful.

 - AFP

Turkey medics blame govt for health worker deaths

Ankara – Turkey's top medical association on Wednesday accused the government of failing to protect health workers after 24 died of the coronavirus this month.

Close to 3 500 medical professionals have also been infected with the virus in Turkey, or about 3.6% of the country's total cases.

The Turkish Medical Association (TTB), which represents 80% of the country's physicians, blamed the deaths and infections on a lack of action from Ankara. It accused the government of "not taking the necessary precautions on time and effectively" and "failing to provide personal protective equipment on time".

At the beginning of April, some 600 medical workers were confirmed to be infected, according to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. Among the 24 health professionals who have died this month, 14 were doctors.

 - AFP

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