Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.
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For the first time since Covid-19 was detected there in February, South Korea reports zero new infections, suggesting its aggressive test-and-trace strategy is having results.
In the first evidence of successful treatment, a US clinical trial of the drug remdesivir shows that patients recovered about 30 percent faster than those on a placebo.
"The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery," says Anthony Fauci, the top epidemiologist in the US.
At least 227 482 people have died worldwide since the epidemic surfaced in China in December, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT Thursday based on official sources.
More than 3 180 800 cases have now been reported in 193 countries and territories.
In the United States, which has now passed the one-million-case mark, 60,999 people have died, the most of any country. Italy is the second hardest-hit country, with 27 682 dead, followed by Britain on 26 097 deaths, Spain 24 543 and France 24 087.
Belgium is the country with the most deaths per capita.
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) releases research that shows there will be 11 000 fewer deaths from air pollution in European countries due to a massive drop in fossil fuel pollution during lockdowns.
A still grabbed from an April 2020 video handout by Italian zoologist Andrea Mangoni shows a crab in the Venice lagoon, during the country's lockdown on 26 April 2020. (AFP)
Cases surged past 100 000 in Russia as officials warn infections have not yet peaked and they extend lockdown measures across the country. The country's latest official death toll is 1 073.
Second last African country verifies confirmed coronavirus case
Comoros has announced its first confirmed coronavirus infection, making it the second-last African country to report a Covid-19 case.
The Indian Ocean archipelago and the tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho were the only two countries without any registered coronavirus cases left on the continent.