Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.
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Merkel makes first masked appearance to ward off criticism
German Chancellor Angela Merkel made her first public appearance wearing a mask on Friday after dismissing accusations of hypocrisy earlier this week for not wearing one.
Merkel entered the Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament, wearing a black mask marked with EU2020.de, a website dedicated to Germany's six-month presidency of the European Union which started on 1 July.
Merkel, whose government has made wearing a mask compulsory in some public places, was asked by a journalist at a news conference on Monday why she had never been seen wearing a mask in public.
The chancellor, who is known to keep a close eye on opinion polls, responded that she did not need to wear a mask when she was observing social distancing rules, but did so when she could not, for example during private shopping trips when she was not in the public eye.
"But I won't tell you where I go shopping," she said with a smile.
- Reuters
Indonesia reports 1 031 new coronavirus cases, 49 deaths
Indonesia reported 1 301 new coronavirus infections on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 60 695, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.
Yurianto also reported 49 new coronavirus deaths, taking total fatalities to 3 036, while he said 27 568 people have recovered from the virus.
- Reuters
Mexico posts record daily coronavirus tally to overtake Iran
Mexico posted a record daily tally of coronavirus infections on Thursday, as 6,741 cases carried the overall figure to 238,511, according to the health ministry.
The new figure pushed Mexico past Iran to 10th place among nations with the largest number of cases, a Reuters tally showed.
Mexico also recorded 679 more deaths, for a toll of 29,189 since the pandemic reached the country in late February.
Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said authorities had begun examining records for causes of death linked to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus.
The official death toll could climb once such cases were identified, he told a news conference.
Lopez-Gatell said he stood by recent comments to the Washington Post about deaths in Mexico City, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
He had told the newspaper that actual deaths in the capital could outnumber those reported by a factor of three.
The government has often said the real number of infected people is probably significantly higher than the tally of confirmed cases.
- Reuters
Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 10.89 million, death toll at 520 066
More than 10.89 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 520 066 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
- Reuters
Indigenous leaders angry about coronavirus risk from Brazilian military visit
Leaders of an isolated indigenous Yanomami community in Brazil have complained that a military mission to protect them from the coronavirus brought greater risk of infection to their people through contact with outsiders including journalists.
Federal prosecutors said they were investigating the visit for ignoring the wishes of Yanomami communities to remain isolated from society, violating rules of social distancing and distributing chloroquine to indigenous people.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, soldiers brought medical supplies by helicopter to outposts on the border with Venezuela and assembled Yanomami families to be tested for the novel coronavirus, an outreach effort recorded by a contingent of journalists.
"We don't want to be used as government propaganda," said Parana Yanomami. "We don't want outsiders coming here to take photos of our children. The visit took us by surprise."
The Yanomami are the last major tribe to live in relative isolation on a vast reservation about the size of the US state of Indiana and have been invaded for decades by gold miners who have brought diseases fatal to their people.
Roberto Yanomami, head of a community at Surucucu, said the government organised the trip without consulting tribal leaders.
"We are worried strangers came here and left the Covid-19. The Yanomami people were called into the garrison with no explanation," he said in a video message, his face painted black with dye from the fruit of the genipapo tree.
- Reuters
Trump again hails US Covid-19 testing as cases rise by record levels
US President Donald Trump, yet again, hailed the United States' coronavirus testing as Covid-19 cases in the country increased by more than 55 000 on Thursday, a new daily global record for the pandemic.
A surge in coronavirus cases over the past week has put Trump's handling of the crisis under the microscope and led several governors to halt plans to reopen their states after strict lockdowns.
"There is a rise in Coronavirus cases because our testing is so massive and so good, far bigger and better than any other country," Trump said in a tweet late on Thursday.
"This is great news, but even better news is that death, and the death rate, is down," he said.
The daily US tally of cases stood at 55 274 late on Thursday, topping the previous single-day record of 54 771 set by Brazil on 19 June.
The wave of new cases has several governors halting or back-pedalling on plans to reopen their states after months of strict lockdowns, closing beaches and cancelling fireworks displays over the upcoming Independence Day weekend.
The US has now recorded nearly 129 000 deaths from the outbreak, nearly a quarter of the known global total.
More than 10.89 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 520 066 have died, according to a Reuters tally. The US alone has recorded about 2.76 million cases.
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China late last year.
- Reuters
Australia warns conspiracy theories thwarting Covid containment efforts
Coronavirus conspiracy theories are hampering frantic efforts to contain a steep spike in cases around the city of Melbourne, where more than 10 000 people have refused testing, Australian health authorities warned on Friday.
Health officials in the southern state of Victoria pled with the public to get themselves tested for Covid-19 and to ignore disinformation propagating online.
Having dodged the worst ravages of the pandemic and eased most lockdown restrictions, Australia is now struggling to contain several clusters around its second-biggest city that are delivering dozens of new cases each day.
"Disappointingly however we have had more than 10 000 people who have refused to be tested," health minister Jenny Mikakos said.
Officials were still analysing the reasons given for refusing testing, but Mikakos said: "The report that I have received is that some people believe that coronavirus is a conspiracy, or that it won't impact on them."
Describing the trend as "concerning" she said: "What I want to stress here is that coronavirus is a very contagious virus. It can go through your family very quickly."
She said a "testing blitz" was vital to trace, track and ultimately check the spread of the disease.
In the last week, 160 000 tests have been carried out in the area and almost 100 000 doors have been knocked on, she said.
- AFP
Chicago to quarantine all arrivals from US states with Covid-19 surges
Chicago will quarantine for 14 days all arrivals from US states where coronavirus cases are surging, its Public Health Commissioner said late on Thursday, as the country reported a record number of new infections.
Allison Arwady said the directive will take effect on Monday.
It currently covers 15 states, including California, Florida, Texas and Arizona, and it makes provision for adding or removing states as their coronavirus caseloads change, according to the city's official website.
Cases are currently rising in 37 out of 50 US states, leading several governors to halt or back-pedal on plans to end lockdowns.
On Thursday, the country reported more than 55 000 new Covid-19 cases, a global record.
The Chicago order will stay in effect until further notice and violation is subject to fines of $100 - $500 per day, up to a maximum of $7 000.
- Reuters
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