Virus Outbreak: Pope Francis opens Holy Week with livestream Mass

Pope Francis marked a surreal Palm Sunday in an empty St Peter’s Basilica yesterday, urging people living through the COVID-19 pandemic not to be so concerned with what they lack, but how they can ease the suffering of others. The service, starting Holy Week events leading to Easter, usually attracts tens of thousands of people to a St Peter’s Square bedecked with olive and palm trees. The Mass normally includes a long procession of cardinals, priests and faithful carrying palm fronds. This time, it was held from a secondary altar behind the main one Francis normally uses and attended by only about two dozen people, including a few aides, nuns and a scaled-down choir, all practicing social distancing. The symbolic procession was only several meters long and a few potted olive trees were brought in. The Mass was broadcast on television and over the Internet to many millions. Churches in countries around the world were holding similar, virtual services this week because of restrictions on gatherings. Cutting a solitary figure, Francis listened as three priests read the gospel account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and being hailed as the messiah. In his sermon, Francis urged his listeners to turn to God “in the tragedy of a pandemic, in the face of the many false securities that have now crumbled, in the face of so many hopes betrayed, in the sense of abandonment that weighs upon our hearts.” The pandemic could help transform fear into service, he said. The Vatican has been in its own lockdown, mostly mirroring that in Italy, where more than 15,500 people have died since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in northern Italy on Feb. 21. “The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that

China frees rights lawyer detained in 2015 crackdown

NOT FREE YET: Wang Quanzhang has been sent far from his family to serve a 14-day quarantine amid fears that he will then be placed under house arrest

A leading Chinese human rights lawyer has been released from prison after almost five years behind bars, his wife said yesterday. Wang Quanzhang (王全璋), 44, was first detained in 2015 in a sweeping crackdown on more than 200 lawyers and government critics. He was escorted yesterday to a property he owns in Shandong Province for 14 days in quarantine as a precaution against the coronavirus, his wife, Li Wenzu (李文足), said in Beijing. Li said she feared Wang would be placed under house arrest, despite his release from prison, and would be subject to surveillance. “I think [authorities] have been lying to us step by step,” Li said. “They used the pretext of the epidemic as an excuse to quarantine him for 14 days when he should have been able to return to his home in Beijing according to the relevant legal guidelines.” Wang’s initial detention in 2015 came as part of the so-called “709” crackdown, nicknamed as such because it began on July 9 that year, but it was not until January last year that he was sentenced after a closed-door trial to four-and-a-half years in prison for “subverting state power.” A prominent lawyer who has defended political activists and victims of land seizures, Wang was held incommunicado prior to the trial. “I am really worried they plan on putting him under long-term house arrest and will prevent us from being reunited as a family,” said Li, who has campaigned for her husband’s release. Police had forcibly evicted tenants from Wang’s property in the city of Jinan to make way for his return to Shandong, she said. She said Wang called her from the prison on Saturday, telling her to not to go to meet him at the prison. In a recording she posted on Twitter, Wang said he had to be quarantined “for some time” due to

Virus Outbreak: CECC messages warn against crowding

TARGETED TEXTS: The center’s head said that visitor numbers at scenic spots were greater than expected and people did not do a very good job of social distancing

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday sent two warning text messages to urge people to practice social distancing, especially by avoiding crowded scenic areas. The two messages were sent at 11:55am on the third day of the four-day Tomb Sweeping Day weekend, reminding people about social distancing and hand hygiene to help prevent COVID-19 infection. “When visiting crowded scenic spots during the Tomb Sweeping Day weekend, please keep a social distance of at least 1.5m indoors and 1m outdoors, wear a mask and wash your hands frequently. Please wear a mask and seek immediate medical attention if you are feeling ill and call 1922 for inquiries,” the first message read. The second message read: “Please avoid going to scenic areas near Kenting (墾丁). Practice social distancing of at least 1.5m indoors and 1m outdoors, or wear a mask. Please wear a mask and seek immediate medical attention if you are feeling ill and tell the doctor your travel history. Call 1922 for inquiries.” The first message was sent to cellphones near 11 scenic spots: Alishan National Forest Recreation Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區); Dongdamen Night Market (東大門夜市) in Hualien County; Wenhua Road in Chiayi City; Guanzihling (關子嶺), Hutoupi (虎頭埤), Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫) and Wusanto Huching Resort Hotel in Tainan; Bade Pond Ecological Park (埤塘風景區) in Taoyuan; Singda Harbor (興達港) and Chishan Old Street (旗山老街) in Kaohsiung; and Chaotian Temple (朝天宮) in Yunlin County’s Beigang Township (北港). The second message was sent to phones south of Pingtung County’s Nanjhou Township (南州), including Kenting National Park. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, yesterday afternoon said that visitor numbers at scenic spots on the first two days of the holiday were greater than expected and people did not do a very good job of social distancing. “We urge people who are already in those areas to

By Lee I-chia

Virus Outbreak: Lockdowns not needed if notices heeded: experts

There is no need to lock down Taipei, but the International Workers’ Day long weekend from May 1 to 3 should be postponed, a public health researcher said yesterday. Although the spread of COVID-19 in Taiwan has not reached an extent that would necessitate the closure of any area, large crowds that gathered over the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, which ends today, showed reduced vigilance among some people, National Taiwan University College of Public Health dean Chan Chang-chuan (詹長權) said. This reduced vigilance increases the risk of the virus spreading, Chan said, adding that the government should push back national holidays to prevent crowds during the pandemic. Social distancing is proving effective in fighting the virus’ spread worldwide, he said. Taiwanese authorities are also aware of the effectiveness of distancing, which is why large events like the Matsu pilgrimage were either canceled or revamped this year, he said, adding that groups larger than 10 people posed many risks. The Central Epidemic Command Center recommends keeping 1m between people while outdoors and 1.5m indoors, but he recommended a distance of 2m at all times, which would require about 16m2 per person, Chan said. “In all places — night markets, tourist spots, etc — the government should determine how many people can safely be there at a time to maintain proper distancing,” he said. Infected people might be asymptomatic, so large crowds present a risk of infection from someone who does not appear to be infected, he said. In the US and Europe, COVID-19 spread quickly after people failed to avoid crowds and such a scenario could emerge in Taiwan if crowds — such as those at Kenting National Park and other tourist spots over the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday — recur, he said. Strict measures are necessary to prevent such behavior during the pandemic period, he said. Meanwhile, Asia University vice

By Rachel Lin and William Hetherington

Virus Outbreak: Seven new cases of COVID-19 reported, one domestic

Seven new cases of COVID-19, including one domestic case, were reported yesterday by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), which added “diarrhea of unknown cause” to the criteria for reporting suspected cases. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said the domestic case — the nation’s 352nd — is a man in his 40s who lives alone, did not travel abroad recently and began showing symptoms on Monday. “The man sought treatment for a fever at a clinic on March 30, went to the same clinic again on April 1 for loss of taste and smell, and sought treatment again at a hospital the next day and was hospitalized and reported for testing,” Chen said. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), the CECC’s spokesman, said that the man lives alone and was mostly either at work or at home, and he did not go to work on Tuesday. So far, nine people who have had direct contact with him have been listed for investigation, Chuang said. The nine people are seven coworkers and two friends, he said, adding that surveillance footage from his workplace has been obtained to help identify people he had close contact with, while the local health department is investigating whether he had contact with people who recently returned to Taiwan from overseas. The six imported cases are four women and two men who returned from Germany, South America, Switzerland, the UK and the US from March 15 to Thursday, Chen said. Case No. 350 is a man who was on a business trip to the US from March 12 to 18, Chen said, adding that as he returned on the same flight as a married couple who were previously confirmed to have COVID-19 — cases 197 and 202 — and was considered to have

By Lee I-chia

Dozens swept from Solomon Islands ferry feared dead

‘WARNING IGNORED’: The prime minister said the boat had departed from the capital as a storm approached, even after forecasters warned against any unnecessary voyages

At least 28 ferry passengers were swept overboard in a powerful storm off the Solomon Islands, reports said yesterday, with the captain unaware he had lost anyone until the boat docked. The passengers were heading from the capital, Honiara, to West Are’are, more than 120km away, under a government program to evacuate people to their home villages during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MV Taimareho set sail on Thursday night as tropical cyclone Harold bore down on the Solomon Islands, even after weather forecasters warned against any unnecessary voyages. The captain ignored advice not to sail, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sovagare said. Survivors reported that dozens of people were swept overboard by huge waves and strong winds. Local media put the death toll at 28. Police said it was impossible to verify the number. “Initial reports say the captain of the boat had no knowledge of the missing people until he was informed when the boat arrived at her destination at Are’are,” police marine department chief Charles Fox Sau said. “At this stage we cannot confirm how many people are missing as the investigation into this sad incident continues.” In an address to the nation, Sovagare said a search-and-rescue operation was under way. “It is with deep regret to learn that a number of passengers are missing at sea after being washed overboard from a passenger vessel which departed ... from Honiara, despite the several weather warnings issued,” he said. Disaster authorities in the Solomon Islands, which has limited healthcare facilities, have been stretched as they prepared for the effects of the novel coronavirus while the storm approached. Harold, packing winds of up to 160kph, downed trees and damaged homes before heading away and was expected to intensify before reaching Vanuatu today.

UN says ceasefire appeal produced some good results

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday said that warring parties in 11 countries have responded positively to his appeal for a global ceasefire to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, but turning words into peace is enormously difficult, and fighting has escalated in major conflicts including Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan. Guterres called on all governments, groups and people with influence “to urge and pressure combatants around the world to put down their arms,” saying the need is urgent because “the COVID-19 storm” is now coming to all conflict areas. His appeal 10 days ago was rooted in the recognition that “there should be only one fight in our world today: our shared battle against COVID-19,” Guterres told a briefing at UN headquarters in New York. The appeal is “resonating” around the world, he said, citing a growing number of endorsements for the ceasefire from 70 countries, civil society, religious leaders including Pope Francis and more than 1 million people in an online petition organized by Avaaz, he said. Parties to conflicts in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Colombia, Libya, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen have also expressed their acceptance, Guterres said. However, “there are enormous difficulties to implementation, as conflicts have festered for years, distrust is deep, with many spoilers and many suspicions,” he said. He also warned that “terrorist or extremist groups may take profit from the uncertainty created by the spread of the pandemic.” “In many of the most critical situations, we have seen no let-up in fighting and some conflicts have even intensified,” he said. In Yemen, he said that despite support for a ceasefire by the government, Houthi rebels and other parties, “the conflict has spiked.” In Libya, the warring parties welcomed calls to stop the fighting, “yet clashes have escalated drastically on all front lines, obstructing efforts to effectively respond to

Virus Outbreak: Fines authorized for unmasked riders

NINE NEW CASES: The CECC said two locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, and seven imported ones – five women and two men – brought the nation’s total to 348

People who refuse to wear a mask on public transportation after being asked to do so would face a NT$3,000 to NT$15,000 fine, effective immediately, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday after announcing nine additional COVID-19 cases. In a move to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on Tuesday announced that people must wear masks on trains and intercity buses, while Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, on Tuesday said that people should wear them when they cannot maintain a social distance of 1.5m indoors. Chen yesterday added that the government would fine those who do not wear masks on public transportation after being asked to, citing the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法). Service personnel at Taiwan Railways Administration and High-Speed Rail stations from Tuesday have been directing people to convenience stores to buy masks if they do not have one, said Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), who is also deputy head of the center. Fines on local buses and MRT systems would be handled by local governments, while those on nationwide systems would be managed by the transportation ministry, Chen Tsung-yen said. The center would ask the transportation ministry to negotiate with local governments over which party is to be responsible for fines issued on buses that operate across municipalities, he said. Later yesterday, the Taipei City Government said in a news release that it would follow the center’s instruction to implement the policy immediately. Meanwhile, the CECC yesterday reported nine additional cases of COVID-19 — seven imported and two locally transmitted — bringing the nation’s total to 348. The imported cases, five women and two men, are all Taiwanese who had traveled to Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Thailand, the UK or the US before returning to Taiwan

By Lin Chia-nan

Virus Outbreak: Companies to get salary assistance

STIMULUS FUNDS: Companies that report weak sales can apply for the financial aid, while subsidies for a one-time injection of working capital would also be available

The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday said that it would subsidize up to 40 percent of workers’ salaries for businesses that have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by a NT$39.6 billion (US$1.31 billion) budget — part of a newly expanded NT$1.05 trillion economic stimulus package approved by the Executive Yuan on Thursday — the ministry plans to assist companies with employee wages to help prevent job cuts. Companies facing an annual drop in sales of at least 50 percent for two consecutive months can apply for the financial aid, which would cover up to 40 percent of their employees’ monthly salaries for a maximum of three months, the ministry said. The ministry said that it would also subsidize a one-time injection of working capital for such firms, based on their number of employees, and hand out a 30 percent discount on utility rates. The financial aid comes on top of another plan launched last week, which includes a 5 to 10 percent discount on utility rates for companies with at least a 15 percent decline in revenue on an annual basis. The ministry said that it is also offering to defer rent for one to three years with no interest for companies operating production sites in the nation’s industrial parks and export processing zones. While the ministry has aimed to shelter local industries from a global economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, its approach toward boosting consumer spending has been relatively timid. Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) on Thursday announced that a budget for coupons, which are to be issued by the end of the month and would be valid for up to three months, had been increased to NT$11 billion. Capped at NT$1,000 per person per month, the coupons would mainly be redeemable when using mobile payment systems and consist of a

By Natasha Li

Virus Outbreak: US agency thanks Taiwan for its provision of masks

The US National Security Council yesterday thanked Taiwan for its support amid the COVID-19 pandemic following President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) announcement that Taiwan would donate 10 million masks to hard-hit countries. The donation includes 2 million masks to the US on top of the weekly 100,000 announced previously; 7 million to Europe; and 1 million to diplomatic allies, on top of 1 million Taiwan procured for allies from their neighboring countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. After European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed appreciation for the donations, the US body yesterday wrote its thanks on Twitter. “We thank the people of Taiwan for their generous support and collaboration as we continue our fight against the coronavirus pandemic,” it said in a retweet of a Reuters report on the donations, adding the hashtag “FreeAndOpenIndoPacific.” Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said that the Vatican, one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, was among the recipients. Taiwan’s embassy in the Holy See would help distribute the masks to members of the clergy, including the Camillian order, with which Catholic Father Giuseppe Didone, who is based in Yilan County, is affiliated, Ou said. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yeh Yu-lan (葉毓蘭) on Thursday accused the government of using the masks for lavish diplomacy instead of helping people in urgent need. Didone had previously asked Taiwan for help. The nation thanks the Catholic Church and its clergy for their dedication and service in Taiwan, and the ministry will help deliver the medical supplies collected by domestic Catholic groups, Ou said, adding that lawmakers should understand the facts before commenting. Separately, Palauan Representative to the UN Ngedikes Olai Uludong thanked Taiwan, saying that it is the only country that has helped Palau amid the pandemic. “Palau has been asking the global community for help and NO one responded except Taiwan! Thank you

By Lin Chia-nan

Virus Outbreak: Global virus cases top 1 million, deaths pass 50,000

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has soared past 1 million and fatalities have topped 50,000 as the US reported the highest daily death toll of any country so far. Despite more than half the planet living in some form of lockdown, the virus is continuing to spread rapidly and claim lives, with the US, Spain and Britain all seeing their worst days yet. The US now accounts for about one-quarter of all known infections around the globe. About 6,000 people have died in the US outbreak, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, more than 1,100 of them on Thursday. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to cover their faces when outside and US Vice President Mike Pence said there would be a recommendation on the use of masks by the general public in the next few days. Europe has been at the center of the crisis for weeks, but there have been signs that the epidemic could be approaching its peak there. Spain and Britain saw record numbers of new deaths in a 24-hour period — 950 and 569 respectively. Italy and Spain together account for almost half of the global death toll, but experts have said that the number of new infections in both countries is continuing to slow. “The data show the curve has stabilized” and the epidemic has entered a “slowdown” phase, Spanish Minister of Health Salvador Illa said. The virus has chiefly affected elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions, but recent cases of deaths among teenagers and even of a six-week-old have highlighted the dangers for people of all ages. “The very notion that ‘COVID-19 only affects older people’ is factually wrong,” WHO regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said on Thursday. Severe cases have been reported among teens and young adults, with some requiring intensive care and

Virus Outbreak: UN calls for global ‘cooperation’ and ‘multilateralism’

The UN General Assembly on Thursday approved a resolution calling for “international cooperation” and “multilateralism” in the fight against COVID-19, in the first text to come out of the international body since the pandemic began. The resolution, approved by consensus, also said there was “the need for full respect for human rights” and that “there is no place for any form of discrimination, racism and xenophobia in the response to the pandemic.” Russia was unsuccessful in opposing the resolution with its own text, which was supported by four other countries. The UN resolution emphasizes the central role of the body in the global health and economic crisis. It was submitted by Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore, Norway, Liechtenstein and Ghana, and adopted by 188 of the 193 states that make up the body, diplomats said. The Russian text — which also discussed cooperation, but included an implicit demand for a general lifting of international sanctions, seen as a brake on efforts to fight the virus — was supported by the Central African Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Unlike the UN Security Council, resolutions adopted by the General Assembly are not binding. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the novel coronavirus is “the most challenging crisis we have faced since the Second World War.” Just last week, as the pandemic spread around the world, killing thousands and infecting many more, Guterres warned that unless the world came together to fight the virus, millions of people could die. On March 23, he called for an “immediate global ceasefire” to protect vulnerable civilians in conflict zones from the ravages of the pandemic. Few countries have heeded his appeal. “Unfortunately, hostilities have gone unabated,” said Laetitia Courtois, the UN representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross. On the council, which has been silent since the start of the pandemic, the five permanent members — the

Virus Outbreak: Economic stimulus package expanded

TRILLION PROPOSED: The premier said the goal was to keep ‘businesses solvent, the unemployment rate down, transportation and logistics going, and cash flowing’

The Executive Yuan yesterday announced an expanded economic stimulus package totaling NT$1.05 trillion (US$34.64 billion), including NT$81.6 billion in subsidies for employers to prevent a spike in unemployment. The increased budget comprises a special budget of NT$210 billion, up from the NT$60 billion already passed by the Legislative Yuan; NT$140 billion — up from NT$40 billion — to be appropriated from the general budget; and NT$700 billion in loans to industries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Minister Chu Tzer-ming (朱澤民) told a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei. The NT$150 billion increase in the special budget is to be paid for by increasing national debt by NT$100 billion in the current fiscal year and NT$50 billion in the next, Chu said. The NT$700 billion in loans, double what was originally planned, is to be provided by the central bank and state-owned banks, as well as Chunghwa Post Co (中華郵政), he said. Overall, the package is to make up about 5.4 percent of this year’s nominal GDP, he said. As a proactive measure to prevent the unemployment rate from soaring, the government is to inject NT$81.6 billion to help about 1.92 million people, or 16.6 percent of the nation’s working population, keep their jobs, Minister Without Portfolio Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said. That includes NT$39.6 billion in wage subsidies that the Ministry of Economic Affairs would give to about 660,000 people in the manufacturing and service industries, as well as NT$8.4 billion that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) is to give to about 140,000 people in the tourism and transportation industries, Kung said. The transportation ministry plans to give the nation’s approximately 92,000 taxi and 16,000 tour bus drivers NT$10,000 per month for three months, while the economic ministry would issue a monthly subsidy of NT$10,000 to about 1

By Sean Lin

Virus Outbreak: Healthy can spread virus: study

Scientists on Wednesday offered more evidence that COVID-19 is spread by seemingly healthy people who show no clear symptoms and the US government issued new guidance warning that anyone exposed to the disease can be considered a carrier. A study by researchers in Singapore became the latest to estimate that about 10 percent of new infections might be sparked by people who carry the virus, but have not experienced its flu-like symptoms. In response to that study and others, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed how it defined the risk of infection. The agency’s new guidance targeted people who have no symptoms, but were exposed to others with known or suspected infections. It essentially says that anyone might be a carrier, regardless of any symptoms. The findings increase the challenges of containment measures, the researchers wrote, but added that the magnitude of the effects depends on the extent and duration of transmissibility while a patient is pre-symptomatic, which has so far not been clearly established. The findings complicate efforts to gain control of the pandemic and reinforce the importance of “social distancing” and other measures designed to stop the spread, experts said. “You have to really be proactive about reducing contacts between people who seem perfectly healthy,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin who has studied coronavirus transmission in different countries. The newest research was published online on Wednesday by the CDC in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. It focused on 243 cases of coronavirus reported in Singapore from mid-January through the middle of last month, including 157 infections among people who had not traveled recently. Scientists found that so-called pre-symptomatic people triggered infections in seven disease clusters, accounting for about 6 percent of the locally acquired cases. One of those infections was particularly striking. A 52-year-old woman’s infection

Virus Outbreak: NHRI announces test kit; CDC to work on approval

The National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) yesterday said it has developed a rapid-testing kit that can screen people for SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, while the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said that such products have to be approved. NHRI vice president Sytwu Huey-kang (司徒惠康) said that after more than a month of research, it has been shown that antibodies for SARS can also be used in the screening process for SARS-CoV-2. The results can be produced in 10 to 15 minutes, Sytwu said. The NHRI is testing a number of coronaviruses to determine whether the reagent could be an exclusive test for COVID-19, he said. The institutes next week would hold a meeting with businesses to discuss trial production of the kits, he said. However, it is still uncertain when the kits might be ready for clinical use, he said. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) told the CECC’s daily news briefing yesterday that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) would have to verify the NHRI’s product, as well as others introduced by private companies abroad. The CDC would help accelerate commercialization if they prove effective, said Chen, who also heads the CECC. In other developments, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) posted on Facebook yesterday that US biotechnology company Gilead Sciences began clinical research collaboration with experts in Taiwan on potential treatment options. The AIT did not name any drug in the post, but the company is known for developing remdesivir, a drug hoped to be a treatment for COVID-19. “Gilead’s clinical trials in Asia are also taking place in China, Japan, S[outh] Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. Last week, AIT and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced enhanced efforts to cooperate on addressing the spread of COVID-19. Scientific cooperation like this is one of the great examples of how we #StriveTogetherThriveTogether,” the

Virus Outbreak: Death tolls surge in Spain and NY, world count passes 47,000

The COVID-19 death toll in Spain yesterday surged past 10,000 after a record 950 deaths in 24 hours, while New York rushed to bring in an army of medical volunteers as the statewide death toll grew to more than 2,190. The global number of people diagnosed with the illness edged closer to 1 million yesterday. Spain has the world’s second-highest death toll after Italy, with the virus so far claiming 10,003 lives, although the rate of new infections and deaths continued its downward trend, Spanish Ministry of Health figures showed. “The data show the curve has stabilized” and the epidemic has entered a “slowdown” phase, Spanish Minister of Health Salvador Illa said. In the US, the nation’s biggest city was the hardest hit, with bodies loaded onto refrigerated morgue trucks by forklifts and gurneys outside overwhelmed hospitals. The wail of ambulances in the otherwise eerily quiet streets of the city became the heartbreaking soundtrack of the crisis. “It’s like a battlefield behind your home,” said 33-year-old Emma Sorza, who could hear the sirens from severely swamped Elmhurst Hospital in Queens. “How does it end? And people want answers,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday. “I want answers. The answer is nobody knows for sure.” US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that a federal stockpile was nearly depleted of personal protective equipment used by doctors and nurses, and warned of trying times to come. “Difficult days are ahead for our nation,” Trump said. “We’re going to have a couple of weeks, starting pretty much now, but especially a few days from now that are going to be horrific.” Altogether, close to 940,000 people worldwide have contracted the virus, according to a tally being kept by Johns Hopkins University. More than 47,280 people have died from the virus, which emerged in China late last year. The real figures are believed

US to tighten China exports rules: sources

BEIJING REACTS: The Chinese foreign ministry called on Washington to ‘stop this purposeful slandering and ... do more for the cooperation between our two sides’

US President Donald Trump’s administration is tightening rules to prevent China from obtaining advanced US technology for commercial purposes and then diverting it to military use, sources said. Three measures agreed to by senior US officials in a meeting on Wednesday last week, but not finalized, would introduce hurdles that could be used to stop Chinese companies from buying certain optical materials, radar equipment and semiconductors, among other things, from the US. The moves are advancing as relations between the US and China, a key customer for US technology, sour over the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China, and tit-for-tat expulsions of journalists from each country. They are also a sign of growing nervousness within the US government over China’s “civil-military” fusion promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), which aims to build up its military might and supercharged technological development in tandem. Some US officials have said that it is time to update the rules in light of the Chinese policy, as some US shipments abroad are authorized based in large part on whether they would be used for civilian or military applications. Since “the Chinese have said to us: ‘Anything you give to us for a commercial purpose is going to be given to the military,’ what point is there in maintaining a distinction in our export control regulations?” said former White House official Tim Morrison, who was involved in drawing up the changes, which have been in the works since at least last year. It was not clear if Trump would sign off on them, despite the decision last week to press ahead with their rollout. Industry fears that the new rules, which include withdrawing license exceptions, could drive Chinese consumers into the arms of foreign rivals. “There’s a chilling effect when they start taking away the availability of these license exceptions for particular