Beijing: The authorities of the Chinese city of Wuhan - the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic - have recalculated statistics of the coronavirus disease, increasing the number of confirmed cases by 325 to 50,333 and the death toll by 1,290 to 3,869.

"The number of confirmed cases has risen by 325 to 50,333, the number of victims has increased by 1,290 to 3,869," the authorities said via the Weibo social network.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 2.1 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 144,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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The novel Coronavirus has been wrecking havoc in the world with scores of people infected and many lives claimed. Amid a time when countries are imposing lockdown on their citizens, restricting their movements, a digital artist posted a cryptic message of hope with a picture that has gone viral.

Phil Shaw, a digital printmaker posted a picture of a stack of books on a shelf, placed in a way that the titles when read together, forms a message about the pandemic and social distancing. He uses bestsellers such as Stephen King’s It, Adam Thorpe’s Still, Ginger Simpson’s Hope Springs Eternal and Mark Billingham’s In The Dark among others.

The UK-born artist posted the picture on his Instagram page last week, captioned, “Shelf isolation 2 - the story so far...” that has received 2,854 likes so far. The cryptic message in the books kept in the first shelf reads, “"The English patient had caught it on the beach. I should have stayed at home she said. Now she was in quarantine in the dark house of splendid isolation.

The books placed in the second shelf reads, “"Still hope springs eternal with a little bit of luck and personal hygiene. The corona book of horror stories must end soon. Always remember clean hands save lives and when in doubt don't go out!"

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phil Shaw (@philshaw775) onApr 10, 2020 at 1:20am PDT

Since it was posted online, it has been received comments of praise from netizens across the globe. One user said, “this is FANTASTIC!” Another user said, “Wow... Did you have all these books already? Perhaps I should try reorganising my bookshelves.” A user said, “I love how the last book on the top shelf promises the hopeful turn that plays out on the bottom. Bravo!

This is not the first time Shaw has posted such a picture. Here’s another picture of a book artwork where he conveys a message about social distancing.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phil Shaw (@philshaw775) onMar 31, 2020 at 6:45am PDT

What do you think of this post?

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With humans in their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown, animals are roaming free on the streets. After pictures of dolphins off Marine Drive, peacocks venturing in the streets of Mumbai and tigers taking a stroll in the forests of Madhya Pradesh went viral, stunning pictures of lions sleeping in a park in South Africa is making rounds on social media.  

 The picture posted on Twitter by the Kruger National Park in South Africa, show the rare sight of the pack of lions sleeping in the pathways of the park. Clicked by Section ranger Richard Sowry, the caption for the post reads, “Kruger visitors that tourists do not normally see.  #SALockdown This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see.  This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.”

Kruger visitors that tourists do not normally see. #SALockdown This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see. This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.
📸Section Ranger Richard Sowry pic.twitter.com/jFUBAWvmsA

— Kruger National Park (@SANParksKNP) April 15, 2020

The astounding pictures that were posted on Twitter on Wednesday, garnered over 19,500 likes and was retweeted more than 6,700 times. The users commenting on the post spoke how such rare sights are seen when humans are at home and how mother nature is recovering from the wounds.

Now mother earth belongs to all of us as nature intended.

— Aaron Moloisi (@aaronmoloisi) April 16, 2020

Mother nature is enjoying the #lockdown. No humans to bother them.

— Emile van Rooyen (@EmilevanRooyen2) April 15, 2020

We’re seeing glimpses of the world when the humans are gone ...

— Jason Randa (@JasonRanda2) April 16, 2020

Looks pretty nice. I've seen a few videos from around the world other animals walking through city streets and looking around and then just continuing to do their thing. It's quite beautiful and they are wondering where we are.

— Lori Brown (@LoriBrown82) April 17, 2020

The animals are loving having their turf back.

— Heartbeat Of Africa (@PeterDermauw) April 15, 2020

What do you think about the pictures?

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After an elephant, monkey and wild bears, another heartwarming video of penguins roaming freely on the streets of Cape Town in South Africa has taken the internet by storm. The adorable video, which has gone viral now was shared by Twitter user Susanta Nanda, an Indian Forest Service officer who is working in Odisha. In the video, a small group of penguins can be seen strolling the streets of cape town amid the coronavirus crisis.

Penguins check the streets of Auckland, searching for the humans💕 pic.twitter.com/lEsiGSPes3

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) April 19, 2020

In the 27-seconds video clip, three penguins can be seen strolling the streets of Cape Town in South Africa and walking in a disciplined manner on the pavements of a society. In the adorable video, the three penguins can be seen following each other as they enjoy a leisure walk on the empty streets of Cape Town.

New Order.... Humans in Homely Cages,
Animals Come to See. https://t.co/JWNEOmILR5

— Pankaj Thapliyal (@PankajT04765688) April 19, 2020

IFS officer Susanta shared the adorable video with the caption: Penguins check the streets of Auckland, searching for the humans. However, Susanta was soon corrected by his one of his followers who said that the place is South Africa's Cape Town and not Auckland in New Zealand.

They have come to zoo for the humans 😍😍😍

— 𝓈𝓊𝒹𝒾𝓅 🇮🇳 (@iam_Sudip) April 19, 2020

The video which was shared on Sunday has garnered over 3,000 views and about 600 likes. Netizens were amazed looking at the play-time that the penguins enjoyed amid lockdown across the globe. One user said, "Wildlife love lock down," while another user commented, "This is so beautiful..." A third user jokingly said, "Joined army it seems...patrol duty."

Here are some of the best reactions to the video:

Joined army it seems...patrol duty

— P. Madhavi (@PMadhav45856047) April 19, 2020

That jump was cute.

— ajay (@Ajaychennai2) April 19, 2020

This is so beautiful...keep sharing such wonderful videos sir..

— Mangesh (@iammangs) April 19, 2020

Really sweet

— Asheesh Talwani (@AsheeshTalwani) April 19, 2020

What do you think of the adorable video?

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The worldwide death toll from the novel Coronavirus pandemic rose to 160,685 on Sunday, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP. More than 2,334,130 declared cases have been registered in 193 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December.

Of these cases, at least 518,900 are now considered recovered. The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation, probably reflect only a fraction of the actual figures.

Only serious being tested
Many countries are testing only the most serious cases. In the US, now the worst-hit country, the death toll stood at 39,090 with 7,35,287 infections. At least 66,819 patients have recovered. Italy is the next most-affected country with 23,227 deaths and 1,75,925 confirmed infections.

It is followed by Spain with 20,453 fatalities and 1,95,944 infections, France with 19,323 deaths and 1,51,793 infections and Britain with 15,464 deaths and 1,14,217 cases. China — excluding Hong Kong and Macau — has to date declared 4,632 deaths and 82,735 cases.

Europe has listed 1,153,148 cases and 101,493 deaths to date, the US and Canada together have 7,68,670 cases with 40,619 deaths, Asia 1,62,256 cases with 6,951 deaths, the Middle East 1,22,819 cases with 5,559 deaths, Latin America and the Caribbean 98,202 cases with 4,915 deaths, Africa 21,165 cases with 1,058 deaths and Oceania 7,879 cases with 90 deaths.

2,334,130
No. of people infected worldwide

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Covid-19 related deaths within the UK's care homes for the elderly and vulnerable doubled within just one week, according to data collected and analysed by a leading representative body for the not-for-profit adult social care sector. The National Care Forum (NCF) report, released on Saturday, demonstrates 2,500 deaths within care homes within seven days, figures which it says highlights significant flaws in the current national reporting of coronavirus related death toll in the UK. It is hoped that this analysis will provide insight and impetus for the government to better address the needs of the care sector, the NCF said. The group's research came as pressure mounts on the British government to start counting deaths within the wider community and care homes to its daily hospital toll figures, which hit 15,464 on this week. Amid concerns that the national statistics presented by the government for coronavirus related mortality rates were not incorporating figures of deaths within residential and nursing homes, the NCF said it led an independent benchmarking exercise.

As many as 47 of its care provider members contributed to the audit, representing 1,169 care services that collectively support 30,217 people across the UK - 7.4 per cent of the overall residential care sector population. The resulting sample analysis suggests that a total of 4,040 people may have died of the deadly virus within UK residential and nursing services before April 13.

The figure of more than 4,000 people passing away of Covid-19 within care homes in little more than one month is devastating. Every death is a loss and a tragedy, said Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum. It is even more worrying to see a virtual doubling of deaths within homes in just one week, clearly indicating that whilst all attention has been on managing the peak in hospitals, the virus has attacked our most vulnerable communities, she said. The NCF said the data should be a wake up call to the government and society as a whole to recognise that its official whatever it takes approach has to be applied equally.

By highlighting the scale of the tragedy, we are giving the government an opportunity to respond with equal effort. It must act immediately and build a `ring of steel' around care homes. They need the right PPE [personal protective equipment], medical monitoring devices, rapid and comprehensive testing, proper funding and intensive research to safeguard the people they care for, Rayner added. The UK's Department of Health has repeatedly explained the focus on hospital deaths in its daily death toll tally on the time lag involved in care home deaths being collated. "Every death from this virus is a tragedy and that is why we are working around the clock to give the social care sector the equipment and support they need to tackle this global pandemic," a DoH spokesperson said.

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After enduring extended trade disputes and worker shortages, US hog farmers were poised to finally hit it big this year with expectations of climbing prices amid soaring domestic and foreign demand. Instead, restaurant closures due to the coronavirus have contributed to an estimated USD 5 billion in losses for the industry, and almost overnight millions of hogs stacking up on farms now have little value. Some farmers have resorted to killing piglets because plunging sales mean there is no room to hold additional animals in increasingly cramped conditions. "One producer described it to me the other day as a snowball rolling downhill, and every additional disruption that we have just kind of adds to that and how fast and how big it's going to be when it finally hits," said Mike Paustian, who farms 2,400 acres of corn and soybeans and sells 28,000 pigs a year near the small eastern Iowa community of Walcott.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has created problems for all meat producers, but pork farmers have been hit especially hard. They entered this spring in shaky financial condition because tariffs had drastically reduced sales to China and Mexico. Many operations have struggled to get enough workers, in part due to federal immigration policies. Then demand plunged because the virus forced the closure of restaurants, hotels and other businesses that buy about 25 per cent of pork, including nearly three-quarters of bacon produced in the US. The biggest problem could be getting worse as additional giant slaughterhouses that can process more than 20,000 hogs a day have had to close at least temporarily as the virus spreads among workers. The industry slaughters from 10 million to 12 million pigs a month. Whereas poultry producers can slow production by not hatching baby chicks and ranchers can keep cattle on pastures longer, pork farmers don't have good options. Hogs are raised inside barns with limited space, and it takes time to stop the birthing cycle for pigs.

"We are in crisis and need immediate government intervention to sustain a farm sector essential to the nation's food supply," said Howard Roth, a pig farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin, and president of the National Pork Producers Council, an industry trade group. The group has asked the federal government to buy USD 1 billion worth of pork in cold storage that had been destined for restaurants and instead give it to food banks, which have been besieged by people who have lost their jobs as much of the economy has shut down. On Friday, the US Department of Agriculture announced it would spend USD 3 billion to buy fresh produce, dairy and meat that will be sent to food banks. Roth said the purchase will hopefully help move a backed up supply of pork and help raises hog prices. The USDA also said it planned USD 1.6 billion in direct payments to pork farmers with limits of USD 250,000 per individual. Roth said the aid was appreciated but wasn't enough to meet their problems. Farmers have also received emergency waivers from the government to increase the number of pigs they can keep in barns beyond normally allowed limits. Still, farmers without extra space are faced with the prospect of killing baby pigs they can't afford to feed.

"Sadly it's true that euthanising is a question that's going to come up on farms," Roth said. Paustian, the eastern Iowa farmer, said the most frustrating part has been the uncertainty of scheduling deliveries of hogs to meat producers that fall through. Even as the majority of slaughterhouses have continued to operate, most plants are large and their closure is a severe hardship for hog farmers who operate in the region, he said. Because a plant has closed about 40 miles away in Columbus Junction, Iowa, Paustian said farmers in his area are sending hogs to other plants in the state and Indiana. "Producers are on pins and needles every day right now, and nobody knows if they're going to get loads out. They get loads scheduled then they get canceled. It's kind of a roller coaster of emotion for producers right now," Paustian said.

Producers he knows have been able to sell about half of the pigs they'd normally send to market. It's enough to get by for a few weeks, but it's not sustainable, Paustian said. For many pork producers, the coronavirus pandemic may be the final straw, said Nick Giordano, a vice president at the National Pork Producers Council. "We are hearing from lots of producers. They're hanging on for dear life," Giordano said. Besides seeking the purchases for food banks and direct payments to producers, the group wants to make agricultural businesses eligible for a federal economic injury disaster loan program.

While not denying the industry's problems, some people who raise pigs independently say the coronavirus has revealed that the the industry is too reliant on a few large international corporations that oversee everything ' from raising hogs to processing plants and even marketing and sales. Chris Petersen, a northern Iowa farmer, raises Berkshire pigs 'the old fashioned way' ' in individual A-frame houses instead of large confinement buildings. He laments the loss of the independent farmers who marketed pigs to nearby buying stations that delivered the animals to smaller packing plants much closer to the farms. "It's a very fragile system because everything has to work just right," Petersen said.

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New York: The idea formed on a day when all the news headlines were dire. The coronavirus was surging worldwide; Nashville had lost lives in a devastating tornado and children had their lives upended as they separated from beloved classmates to shelter at home.

But only bad news is never the whole story. Days later, The Associated Press started its daily series 'One Good Thing' to reflect the unheralded sacrifices made to benefit others that normally wouldn't make a story, but maybe always deserved one.

Since March 17, when a Norwegian mom tried to soften the blow of birthdays under quarantine for her two teens by asking via social media that people reach out to them, there have been 35 stories about the ways that everyday people have tried to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The gestures have been grand and small, some as simple as chalk-written messages on a sidewalk thanking healthcare workers at a New Orleans hospital for their efforts.

Music has been a central theme. The series has included stories about a Rio firefighter sharing his love of music from a hydraulic ladder 150 feet up as he played the trumpet for cooped-up apartment dwellers; a virtual rendition of 'Bolero' from the National Orchestra of France, with each musician playing alone at home; the virtual Corona Community Choir with members around the world, performing on Sundays.

If music soothes the soul, food feeds it. There have been six stories that tell of benefactors feeding health care workers, the poor, the elderly shut ins, even volunteers feeding hungry animals at a revered Hindu temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.

There have been meals from Brooklyn caterer Israel Frischman for Holocaust survivors who are shut in. The day after the story ran, donations poured in and now Frischman has financial backing for the needed meals.

And simpler fare from the 'Solidarity Menu' started by Emiliano Moscoso who employed his hamburger chain of restaurants in Colombia to feed poor neighborhoods in Bogota.

The delivery of lifesaving supplies has been a storyline as well, from the professional cyclist in Italy who has gone from racing against competitors to racing medicine to those in need, to Yale student Liam Elkind's delivery service. A month after reporting on Elkind's 'Invisible Hands' effort which he started with a friend, he reports that it's ballooned.
'We're making over 1,000 deliveries a week now, and over 10,000 volunteers have joined our group. I feel like I haven't slept in decades, but, honestly, I've never felt more energized,' he said.

Heroes have emerged in youth, from Nova Knight, a 5-year-old firecracker in Alaska imploring her cohorts to wash their hands and postpone playdates, to 16-year-old TJ Kim, who can't drive, but can fly. He uses those skills to deliver much-needed medical supplies across rural Virginia.

The stories have circled the world, from Colombia and Nepal, to Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Indonesia and South Korea where Kim Byung-rok, a shoe cobbler, donated land to help raise money for the fight against the virus.

In the month of stories about the goodness of others, it's no surprise when we doubled back to the previous subjects of the coverage, AP journalists found the obvious: the givers' giving has expanded.

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Amid the coronavirus gloom, a Turkish man is giving netizens a reason to smile with his unique antics and helping attitude. The man identified as Burak Soylu dresses up as the famous Marvel superhero Spiderman to help his neighbours amid the global pandemic.

In Turkey, a man named Burak Soylu has been going around dressed like Spiderman.

He drives around in a Beetle, buys milk and groceries for the elderly, and delivers it to their doorsteps.

When he was asked why, he said "My superpower is doing good for the neighborhood." pic.twitter.com/KAYm3hyPyb

— Goodable (@Goodable) April 17, 2020

According to a Twitter post shared by Goodable, just like the 'friendly neighbourhood' Marvel superhero who helps people with his superpowers, Burak dresses up in a Spiderman suit and goes around helping his neighbours, especially elderly people by distributing milk, groceries and essentials at the doorsteps.

In the pictures shared by Goodable, Burak can be seen buying vegetables from the market and delivering it to those in need of help at a time when most countries have imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. While speaking to Goodable, Burak said that his superpower is doing good for his neighbours.

you forgot to add his best pictures.. here they are pic.twitter.com/9feElnkjg5

— Serhan (@serhanbilgin) April 18, 2020

Twitter user Serhan also shared some breathtaking pictures of Burak as Spiderman driving his Beetle and even posing on a tractor. Since the time it was shared, the post has garnered over 10,000 re-tweets and about 4,000 likes.

And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey! 👏👏👏👏👏

— Omowunmie (@molarah26) April 17, 2020

The post, which has gone viral now has garnered tons of appreciation from netizens. While some Twitterati lauded Burak for helping the elderly amid coronavirus crisis, others talked about how Burak was spreading the safety message by wearing a costume that includes a face mask and hand gloves which are highly important to combat COVID-19.

Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..

— Dequondre Agee (@DequondreA) April 18, 2020

One user said, "And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey!" while another user commented, "Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..." A third user jokingly said, "So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha." Talking about the Turkish spiderman's noble cause, a fourth user said, "He also visits disabled kids school and presents toys along with mask."

Here's how netizens reacted to Turkish spiderman's noble work:

Spiderman! Spiderman!
Helps the elderly how he can!
Drives around, in his car!
Buys some food, drives it far!
Look out! Here comes a helpful man!

— Cleodora Silvestri (@drakkenmensch) April 18, 2020

This is truly theirs FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD SPIDERMAN. pic.twitter.com/Mye8pKyvJo

— AbeAbeStudio (@StudioAbe) April 18, 2020

Quality bloke!! Humanity need more people like this!

— The Darge Knight (@DargeKnight) April 18, 2020

😆So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha 😂

— Özlem (@icbukeydis) April 19, 2020

This is humanity's at its finest

— jack (@jackdilnessa) April 18, 2020

Isn't the Turkish Spiderman living by the well-known proverb of the Marvel superhero, "With great power comes great responsibility".

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Doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff are working on the frontline, dutifully serving patients in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. Most healthcare workers have been working in longer shifts risking their lives to save others while combatting daily challenges like shortage of PPEs and other issues. Their efforts have been lauded and people across the globe have taken to social media to praise the healthworkers 

Business tycoon Harsh Goenka shared a video on Twitter of a doctor getting praises from people in a unique way that has gone viral. In an emotional video that is been widely circulated online, medical practitioner Dr Uma Madhusudan is seen outside her house getting 'Thank you' praises from cars passing by with passengers holding placards in a 'Drive of Honour'.

The car rally also had the fire brigade trucks and police cars with neighbours holding 'Thank You' placards for her. The elated doctor is seen thanking them and waving at them.

According to the Star of Mysore, Dr Madhusudhan studied at the JSS Medical College in Mysuru and is currently working at the South Windsor Hospital in the US.

“Dr Uma Madhusudan, an Indian  doctor, was saluted in a unique way in front of her house in USA in recognition of her selfless service treating Covid patients,” the caption for Goenka’s post read.

Dr Uma Madhusudan, an Indian doctor, was saluted in a unique way in front of her house in USA in recognition of her selfless service treating Covid patients pic.twitter.com/Hg62FSwzsP

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) April 20, 2020

The video posted on April 21, garnered more than 44,600 views and over 3,400 likes and was retweeted 354 times. Here’s how the Twitterati reacted on the post:

She's from my wife's medical college in Mysore. The alumni group was having lot of joy seeing this.

— D Prasanth Nair (@DPrasanthNair) April 21, 2020

Proud and salute for her dedication.

— Vimal (@gupt1001) April 22, 2020

Also in India we have people who are showering flowers on police & sanitation workers. Thinking matters among different people, societies & localities.

— Arvind Behal (@ArvindBehal) April 20, 2020

What do you think about the video?

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Four tigers and three lions have tested COVID-19 positive at the Bronx Zoo in New York, authorities announced, weeks after a Malayan tiger at the facility was confirmed positive and six other big cats were said to be exhibiting similar symptoms. On April 5, the Wildlife Conservation Society that runs the New York zoo, reported that one tiger had tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first known COVID-19 infection found in a big cat, reports Efe news.

The first big cat, a four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia, developed a dry cough and loss of appetite in late March, while Nadia's sister Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions also showed the same symptoms. "We can confirm that the three other tigers in Tiger Mountain and the three African lions that exhibited a cough have also tested positive for COVID-19," the zoo said in a statement on Wednesday.

The test was done by using a faecal sample so that the animals did not have to be placed under anesthesia, as with the Malayan tiger. "The faecal tests confirmed our suspicion that all seven cats had the infection, and also determined that one tiger at Tiger Mountain that never developed a cough was also positive for the disease," it added. The wildlife centre said that "all eight cats continue to do well. They are behaving normally, eating well, and their coughing is greatly reduced".

"We tested the tigers and lions out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world's continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus," said the zoo officials. "The testing of these cats was done in veterinary laboratories and resources used did not take from those being used for human testing," they added.

It is still believed that the animals were infected by an asymptomatic staff member who had contact with the animals before developing symptoms. As of Wednesday, two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first domestic animal cases detected in the US. Both animals live in different areas of New York state, the current epicentre of the pandemic not only in the US but worldwide.

They have mild respiratory problems and are expected to recover soon, according to a statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture.

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A photo of a sad bulldog looking at children playing from the balcony and not being able to join them in their games has gone viral amid the Coronavirus lockdown and is breaking hearts online.

Rebecca Ellis, the owner of the dog named Big Poppa said on Twitter that he loves playing with children and he is sad that he is not able to play with them due to the lockdown imposed to contain the deadly virus, but she has been trying to cheer him up.  "I've been trying but he loves children more than anything and not being able to play with them daily but he can see them... I think its taking a toll on him," she said.

In the caption of the photo, Ellis said, "Big Poppa has been so sad today, I think he miss(es) playing with the kids in the building.  He just watches them from the patio." The photo that has attracted attention from international celebrities too, got more than 656,100 likes and was retweeted over 72,300 times.

Big Poppa has been so sad today, I think he miss playing with the kids in the building. He just watches them from the patio pic.twitter.com/gVooqvZ5oI

— Rae Elle (@RaeElle) April 22, 2020

Among the users commenting on the photo is Game-of-Thrones fame Maisie Williams and popular TV show host Ellen Degeneres. The photo has been melting hearts with many asking the owner to hug the dog to cheer him up and introducing their pets to him.

not being dramatic but I would literally die for big poppa

— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) April 22, 2020

Stay inside. Flatten this curve. Do it for Big Poppa. https://t.co/q2c9GYZMgN

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 22, 2020

Pls hug that dog for me oh man 😔

— Joe Dan Tony (@slowhnds) April 22, 2020

We know a little chihuahua who would love to be friends! 🐶♥ï¸ÂðŸ¶ #BigPoppa pic.twitter.com/q8Q9RKz4z0

— MGM Studios (@MGM_Studios) April 22, 2020

My bulldog is also kinda bored but is enjoying the quarantine cuddles. But on HIS terms. pic.twitter.com/xGnfZeKAmv

— Dis-gusted (@SkipTrollington) April 22, 2020

Larry the newbie is 9months and wants to say hi to #bigpoppa pic.twitter.com/SmYZApRU1A

— Nicky (@darlinNicky) April 22, 2020

here’s a flower for Big Poppa, I hope it makes him feel better 🥺 pic.twitter.com/a9OWMfkZVe

— 𝖕𝖆𝖛𝖑𝖔𝖛 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖗𝖌𝖎 🐶 (@PAVGOD) April 22, 2020

What do you think about the dog’s photo?

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With the Coronavirus lockdown being the only pressing issue one can think of right now, one can have a constant fear of contracting the deadly virus and taking precautions to protect oneself from it. The pandemic can even takeover one’s thoughts to an extend that it feels that even asteroids are wearing face masks.

A 1.5 km wide asteroid, which is almost half the size of Mount Everest is set to fly by Earth next week, and its shape has already generated curiosity among netizens. The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico tweeted about the asteroid saying that it looks like it wearing a face mask. The observatory also shared a picture of the asteroid it snapped recently. The team researching about the asteroid in the observatory has been wearing the protective masks while at work as a precaution for the Coronavirus pandemic. They have likening the asteroid’s appearance to themselves in the hilarious tweet.

“#TeamRadar and the @NAICobservatory staff are taking the proper safety measures as we continue observations. This week we have been observing near-Earth asteroid 1998 OR2, which looks like it's wearing a mask! It's at least 1.5 km across and is passing 16 lunar distances away!” read the tweet. The team also shared pictures of their members wear masks and posing against the picture of the asteroid.

#TeamRadar and the @NAICobservatory staff are taking the proper safety measures as we continue observations. This week we have been observing near-Earth asteroid 1998 OR2, which looks like it's wearing a mask! It's at least 1.5 km across and is passing 16 lunar distances away! pic.twitter.com/X2mQJCT2Qg

— Arecibo Radar (@AreciboRadar) April 18, 2020

In a statement to CNN, Anne Virkki, head of the planetary radar at the Observatory said that the small-scale topographic features of the asteroid such as the hills and ridges are 'fascinating scientifically'. "But since we are all thinking about Covid-19, these features make it look like 1998 OR2 remembered to wear a mask," she added.

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China has approved its third Coronavirus vaccine for the second phase of clinical trials as it reported 12 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections in the country to 82,816. The approved vaccine also includes one developed by Chinese military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for clinical trials. An "inactivated" vaccine developed by Wuhan Institute of Biological Products under the China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) and the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) started its clinical trials, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The inactivated vaccine consists of virus particles, bacteria, or other pathogens that have been grown in culture and then lose disease producing capacity. In contrast, live vaccines use pathogens that are still alive. WIV has been in the eye of the storm in recent weeks as US President Donald Trump and top American officials alleged that the Coronavirus may have escaped from there and demanded a probe into it. An official of the WIV denied it, terming the allegation "entirely based on speculation".

A total of 96 persons in three age groups have received the vaccine in the first phase of clinical trial as of April 23. The vaccine has shown good safety results so far and vaccine receivers are still under observation, said the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm.

72 therapeutics trial underway, 211 in planning stages in the US

A top Trump administration health official has said that as many as 19 therapeutics trial are underway and 211 in planning stages in a bid to find the cure for Coronavirus. "We are leaving no stone unturned to find the antidote for Coronavirus... We don't have any approved therapeutics for the virus but we are actively involved with the academic, commercial and private sector to find it," FDA commissioner Stephen M Hahn told reporters at a White House news conference.

"Seventy-two trials of therapeutics are underway in the United States under FDA oversight and 211 are in the planning stages, so we expect to see more. This includes convalescent plasma as well as antiviral therapies," Hahn added. According to Hahn, work is continuing on finding a vaccine. FDA has authorised two firms on vaccine trials. Hahn said that the FDA has told manufacturers that in order to market anti-body tests in the US, they have to validate their tests.

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We may have all heard that miracles do happen, but sadly not all of us have the chance to witness them in our daily lives, especially during a pandemic today which brings the world to a standstill. Citing a similar story of survival, The Olive Press, a Spain-based English newspaper, reported that it was 1918, when Ana del Valle, a kid then, suffered and recovered from the Spanish Flu - an unusually deadly influenza pandemic which lasting for almost 36 months (from January 1918 to December 1920) and it infected as many as 500 million people - about a third of the world's population at the time. And now, 102 years later, the old grandmother has miraculously beaten the coronavirus pandemic to the joy of her family in Ronda.

The media reported that Valle lived at a nursing home in Alcala del Valle, where she contracted the virus along with 60 other residents. She was then transferred to a hospital in La Linea and was discharged a few days ago, as she had overcome the contagion. Ana was born in October 1913 and in less than six months she will turn 107. That makes her the oldest survivor of the pandemic outbreaks in Spain, along with one of the oldest worldwide, behind the likes of 107-year-old Dutch survivor, Cornelia Ras. Her daughter-in-law, Paqui Sanchez was further quoted by Malaga Hoy, another local media source, that her family was very grateful for everything the hospital staff had done. But, she said that authorities were taking it slow and being cautious with her mother-in-law's health, due to her old age.

"Her doctors tell us that she has very good results, but you have to be very careful," she told the Malaga-based news paper. "She eats alone, some days more and other days less" "She also goes on short walks with her walker," she said further. According to other media reports, two other 101-year-old women have also recovered from disease in Spain. There have been a total of 22,524 official Covid-19-related fatalities since the pandemic hit Spain, while 92,355 patients have recovered from the illness and have been discharged from hospital. However, the health ministry reported on Friday that the tally of daily Covid-19- related deaths was registered at 367, which is the lowest number since March 21, when there were 324 fatalities. As per the data cited by US-based Johns Hopkins University, more than 195,000 people have died due to the pandemic, with 2.7 million infected globally, out of whom almost some 781,000 have recovered.

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More than 900,000 people were infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as of Saturday in the United States, with the death toll exceeding 52,000, while a new study indicated that the virus was likely to be spreading in multiple US cities "far earlier" than Americans knew.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 905,364 as of 10.30 a.m. (1430 GMT), and a total of 52,042 deaths related to the disease were recorded, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, Xinhua news agency reported.

New York remains the hardest-hit state, with 271,590 cases and 21,411 deaths. New Jersey follows, with 102,196 cases and 5,683 deaths. Other states with over 40,000 cases include Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania.

Worldwide, more than 200,000 people died of the disease as of Saturday, among over 2.8 million cases, showed the CSSE data.

The United States suffered the most fatalities. Italy followed with 26,384 deaths. Spain reported 22,902 deaths, France and Britain also reported over 20,000 deaths.

The US states and federal government are trying very hard to balance the public health risk posed by the virus with the severe cost of month-odd shutting down of the country's economy.

The Congressional Budget Office said Friday that the unemployment rate around the country, which was near a 50-year low before the coronavirus struck, will surge to 16 per cent by September as the economy withers under the impact of the outbreak.

More than 26 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits since March. White House unveiled on April 16 three-phase guidelines for reopening the US economy, putting the onus on governors of making decisions about their states' economies.

Over a dozen states, including Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Colorado and Iowa, are moving toward restarting their economies this weekend with some restrictions.

Many other states remain hesitant to take such steps without more robust testing capacity. New York, California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Michigan have already extended their stay-at-home orders.

Several states have announced plans to coordinate their response with neighbours. California is moving forward in coordination with Washington and Oregon while governors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island announced plans to form a joint task force.

A CBS News poll published Thursday said that 70 per cent of respondents believed the country's top priority should be trying to "slow the spread of coronavirus by keeping people home and social distancing, even if the economy is hurt in the short term."

The virus was likely to be spreading in multiple US cities "far earlier" than Americans knew, according to a new research.

"Even in early February -- while the world focused on China -- the virus was not only likely to be spreading in multiple American cities, but also seeding blooms of infection elsewhere in the United States, the researchers found," said a report by The New York Times on Thursday.

In the five major US cities -- New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle, as of March 1, there were only 23 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

However, according to a model of the spread of the disease by researchers at Northeastern University, "there could have actually been about 28,000 infections in those cities by then," the report said.

The virus spread on the West Coast of the United States weeks earlier than initially believed, according to new information released by Santa Clara county, California on Tuesday.

Patricia Dowd, a 57-year-old San Jose woman, died at home on February 6. Jeffrey V. Smith, Santa Clara county executive, told Xinhua in an email interview that "so far, this is the earliest death in the United States."

Dowd and another 69-year-old man who died at home on Feb. 17 had no "significant travel history," and they presumably caught the virus through community spread, said the county's public health officer Dr. Sara Cody.

"These patients apparently contracted the illness from community spread. This suggests that the virus was circulating in the Bay Area in January at least, probably earlier," Smith told Xinhua. Previously, the first known US death from the virus was on February 29 in Kirkland in Washington state.

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A four-year-old Indian girl in Dubai has become one of the youngest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to have recovered from the novel coronavirus after walking free from hospital last week, it was reported.

The girl, known only as Sivani, was given a fitting send off by medical staff at Al Futtaim Health Hub on April 20, 20 days after being admitted on April 1, the Gulf News report said.

Sivani contracted the virus from her mother - a front line health worker - who fell ill in March.

Both Sivani and father dad were also tested despite not having any symptoms and, unlike her father, Sivani was found to be positive.

The girl and her mother were kept in the same facility, but concern was greater for the minor who had also fought off a rare type of kidney cancer last year called ganglioneuroblastoma.

Being a cancer survivor, doctors made extra precautions.

"Sivani had undergone chemotherapy sessions only last year and hence her immune system was still weak," Gulf News reported citing Tholfkar Al Baaj, group medical director at Al Futtaim Health Hub and the consultant in family medicine who treated Sivani, as saying.

"The doctors were concerned as she was at higher risk of developing a severe form of the disease and therefore, we had put her under close monitoring. Fortunately, she did not develop any complications from the infection," he added.

Sivani remained under treatment for 20 days before two consecutive negative swab tests rendered her all clear. She will now undergo 14-days quarantine at home.

Her mother remains under observation and was expected to be released soon.

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The number of the novel Coronavirus cases in Russia has surpassed that of China, where the disease originated. The country on Monday reported 6,198 new confirmed infections, taking the tally to 87,147, reported the Moscow Times.

China has recorded 84,500 confirmed cases since the outbreak last year. The Russian authorities on Monday confirmed 50 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total toll to 794.

Russia is now the ninth country to be worst hit by the pandemic. The virus has spread to all of Russia's 85 regions, but has affected the capital, Moscow, the most. Of all the 6,198 new cases, 2,971 have been registered in Moscow, 576 in the Moscow region and 153 in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

The virus has affected the country's military as well. A total of 874 servicemen in the military have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, Russia's Defence Ministry has said. Four people are in grave condition, including one on a ventilator.

The vast majority of the country has been on lockdown since late March, with only essential businesses — grocery shops, pharmacies, banks — operating and people ordered to stay at home. Military units have already rehearsed the parade -- footage of these rehearsals showed hundreds of servicemen drilling outside Moscow without observing social distancing. A Kremlin spokesman said that the military had their own isolation and distancing protocols which allowed them more freedom.

Spain sees slight spike in daily cases

Spain recorded 331 new deaths in the past 24 hours, up from Sunday's 288, while the political and social debate focuses on the way out of the seven-week lockdown. The total death toll stands on Monday over 23,500, while the number of infections is over 2,00,000.From Friday, people of all ages will be allowed to go on walks or practice sports outdoors, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced.

Singapore records drop in new infections

The tally in Singapore, which for long recorded over 1,000 cases daily, reached 14,423 on Monday after 799 new infections were reported with majority of them being foreign workers residing in dormitories. Around 3,00,000 low-wage workers, mostly from South Asia, work in Singapore in construction and maintenance. Most of them live together in huge dormitory complexes.

After being the epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak, China is final limping back into normalcy and the citizens, government, and public institutions are taking the necessary steps to avert another outbreak. And while the country is at it, a school in Hanzhou came with a creative idea to ensure children thoroughly follow social distancing norms.

Eileen Chengyin Chow, a professor at the Duke University posted pictures of first graders at the Yangzheng Elementary School in Hanzhou on her Twitter account on April 27. What’s striking about the pictures is the headgears the students are wearing in class, that bears resemblance to that of the soldiers belonging to the Song Dynasty. The colourful head gear, that teaches the historical context it has in the country and also helps maintain social distance,  has a 3 feet-long rod made of  soft materials such as cardboard or foam, attached on the sides.

Chow explains the  historical context of the headgears’ designs in the tweet, that reads, “The long horizontal plumes on Song Dynasty toppers were supposedly to prevent officials from conspiring sotto voce with one another while at court—so social distancing was in fact their original function!”

First graders back to school in Hangzhou, with social distancing headgear

The long horizontal plumes on Song Dynasty toppers were supposedly to prevent officials from conspiring sotto voce with one another while at court—so social distancing was in fact their original function! pic.twitter.com/0AOKsWE1xH

— eileen chengyin chow (@chowleen) April 27, 2020

The professor’s post garnered more than 17,300 likes and was retweeted over 8,300 times. The users commenting on the posts lauded the teacher who used a smart way to designed these headgears that has a historical significance.

Historical precedents used. Clever on the part of the teacher to be able to incorporate a history lesson and maintain social distancing.

— Olga Sadowy (@OSadowy) April 27, 2020

Wow! This is adorable and really interesting. I hope they are safe enough...

— Tristan Felix 🏳️‍🌈 (@tiger) April 27, 2020

This is ridiculously cute! Did they make the hats themselves? 😄

— Heather Jean Bruskay (@HBruskay) April 27, 2020

for all the nerds saying "but they can just get close face to face so this doesn't help"

making and decorating hats was obviously a fun thing for the kids to do while also learning some history

— bieb (@red_bieb) April 27, 2020

Wow I always thought it was a fashion choice

— josué (@joshnekoff) April 27, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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The US Government, through its aid agency USAID, has announced a grant of an additional USD 3 million to India to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In coordination with the Indian government, the USAID is providing these funds to the Partnerships for Affordable Healthcare Access and Longevity (PAHAL) project, an innovative financing platform of IPE Global, USAID said in a statement on Wednesday. US Ambassador to India, Kenneth Juster, stated: "This additional funding to support India in its continuing efforts to combat COVID-19 is yet another example of the strong and enduring partnership between the United States and India."

To date, the USAID has provided USD 5.9 million to assist India in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. This assistance will help India slow the spread of COVID-19, provide care for the affected, disseminate essential public health messages to communities, and strengthen case finding and surveillance. Through the PAHAL project, the USAID will support the National Health Authority to establish a financing facility that can mobilize resources from the private sector to assist over 20,000 health facilities enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), India's health insurance scheme for 500 million poor and vulnerable people.

During the talks on April 04, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had agreed to deploy the full strength of the India-US partnership to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Early this month, India, at the request of President Donald Trump, had exported 35.82 lakh tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the US along with active pharmaceutical ingredient or API required in the manufacturing of the drug.

Trump had thanked India for its decision to export hydroxychloroquine to fight coronavirus and lauded Prime Minister Modi for his "strong leadership" in helping "not just India, but humanity" in this fight.

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A six-year-old boy has been cheering up his neighbours with one joke at a time amid the distressful Coronavirus pandemic and the agonizing lockdown that followed, by putting up a joke stand outside his home in Saanich, a town in Canada's British Colombia.

A picture of Callaghan McLaughlin, sitting at his 'Drive-by, walk-by joke stand' with a wide smile was shared by his mother Kelsea on Instagram, where he has earned praises for his adorable efforts to make people smile. His mother requests in the caption to listen to a joke from him.

According to the CBC, Callaghan only knows 16-17 jokes which he learned from a joke book his mother gave him, and with these jokes, he does the best he can to make people have a hearty laugh.  The mother-son duo missed interacting with their neighbours due to the lockdown and came up with this idea that helps people cheer up.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Please drive by and hear a joke from this kid 🥰 . . . #driveby #walkby #kidhumour #togetheryetapart #cadborobay

A post shared by Kelsea Murray-Roxburgh (@kelseamclaughlin) onApr 14, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

The post shared on Instagram received 188 likes with many users lauding him for his adorable effort to bring a smile on the faces of people. One user said, "What a sweet thing to do. You are a blessing." Another user said, "This is actually amazing! Well done Callaghan." A user commented, "This is so precious."

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Almost 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, nearly half of the global workforce, face an immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the continued sharp decline in working hours because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said. Over 430 million enterprises in hard-hit sectors such as retail and manufacturing risk "serious disruption", the UN agency added. The findings appear in the ILO Monitor third edition released on Wednesday.

Globally, there are some 3.3 billion workers. Two billion have jobs in the informal economy, the most vulnerable workers in the labour market. ILO said 1.6 billion in the informal economy "have suffered massive damage to their capacity to earn a living" as a result of the economic meltdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to lockdowns or because they work in hard-hit sectors, these workers globally have seen a 60 per cent drop in income during the first month of the crisis. This translates into a over 80 per cent decline in Africa and the Americas, 70 per cent in Europe and Central Asia, and 21.6 per cent in Asia and the Pacific, the ILO said.

The ILO called for "urgent, targeted and flexible measures" to support both workers and business, particularly smaller enterprises and those in the informal economy.

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With the Coronavirus outbreak wreaking havoc across the globe with millions of people being infected and scores of lives claimed, government have made wearing face masks mandatory for people. The decision has made face masks a prized commodity for people.

Traffic in California came to brief halt after drivers had stopped to pick up face masks that were littered on the road. Although it is not clear how the masks ended up spilled on the highway, CBS reported that a man was spotted throwing boxes of masks on the road from a white truck.

The California Highway Patrol-Hayward posted pictures of the incident on their Facebook page where scores of masks were found lying on the southbound lanes of Interstate 880. “Multiple individuals stopped in lanes and stepped out of their vehicles to pick up masks,” read the post, adding that debris has been cleared and the lanes were opened.

The post also appealed drivers not to step out of their vehicle on an active freeway. Many users commenting on the post criticized the driver who reportedly threw the mask on the road, instead of donating it. One user said, “Just terrible! That person has no respect.” Another user said, “The highway does not have a need for medical masks. Therefore, I would have donated to an entity that did! A user said, “What a waste of something necessary now.”

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China, where the deadly coronavirus first emerged in December last, reported just one COVID-19 case, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Saturday. The death toll remained at 4,633 with no new fatality. As of Friday, the total confirmed cases on the mainland were 82,875. As many as 77,685 patients have been recovered, the NHC said.

One new imported coronavirus case was reported on Friday with no new local infection, it said. China has reported a total of 1,671 imported COVID-19 cases, including seven in critical condition. The Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, have not reported any coronavirus case for 28 consecutive days since April 4, local health commission said on Saturday. Hubei also lowered its COVID-19 emergency response from the highest level to the second-highest on Saturday.

The lowering of the emergency level shows a major breakthrough in Hubei's prevention and control against the coronavirus, Hubei Vice-Governor Yang Yunyan told media. Meanwhile, 20 new asymptomatic cases were reported on Friday, taking the total number of such patients to 989. Asymptomatic cases refer to people who are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others.

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Russia reported more than 10,000 new cases of coronavirus infections on Sunday, the first time the country's daily tally reached five figures."More than half of the 10,633 new cases reported were in Moscow, where concern is rising about whether the capital's medical facilities will be overwhelmed. Russia has recorded more than 1,34,000 coronavirus infections overall and 1,420 deaths."

150 test positive in Kabul
Afghanistan's public health ministry announced Sunday that 500 random Coronavirus tests in the capital revealed more than 150 positive results, raising fears that the virus may be spreading faster than originally thought.

Ministry spokesman Wahid Mayar called the results from Kabul "concerning" and said people must remain in their homes to slow the spread. He said the country's actual infection rate would likely increase as testing becomes more available. Afghanistan has thus far taken close to 12,000 samples, of which over 2,700 have been positive, and 85 have died.

Kabul and most other cities are in lockdown. Afghanistan has also received more than 250,000 refugees who have returned from Iran, the country hardest hit by coronavirus in the region. There are growing fears that the country's health care system, devastated by four decades of war, will be woefully unprepared for a major outbreak.

Pakistan's COVID-19 tally crosses 19,000

Pakistan's COVID-19 tally crossed 19,000 on Sunday after 989 new patients were diagnosed in the past 24 hours. The Ministry of National Health Services said 23 patients died in this period, taking the total toll to 440. The authorities so far have conducted 2,03,025 tests, including 8,716 in the last 24 hours. Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said he was not sure when the anti-COVID-19 vaccine will be available and expressed fears that "we may have to live with the virus for six months or (even) a year". He said the war against the pandemic can be won by wisdom and not by using force to shut down the masses.

657 more infected in Singapore

Singapore on Sunday recorded 657 new cases, over 600 of whom are foreign workers, taking the total number of COVID-19 infections to 18,205. "The number of cases among migrant workers has been fluctuating in recent days due to clearance of backlogged cases by one laboratory," the Health Ministry said. Singapore will allow some businesses to reopen from May 12.

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Australian flag carrier, Qantas on Tuesday extended international flight cancellations till the end of July, but said that it was in a strong position to endure disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said that domestic flights would be cancelled till the end of June and international services until the end of July, adding that domestic and trans-Tasman services could be quickly reinstated should restrictions ease in coming weeks, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Australia has done an amazing job of flattening the curve and we're optimistic that domestic travel will start returning earlier than first thought, but we clearly won't be back to pre-coronavirus levels anytime soon," Group CEO Alan Joyce said.

"With the possible exception of New Zealand, international travel demand could take years to return to what it was."

The company, which includes budget branch Jetstar, also revealed it had secured a further A$550 million ($354 million) in debt funding, placing it in a stronger position to endure the COVID-19 crisis.

According to Qantas, by reducing expenditure and borrowing against its fleet of aircraft, the company could survive several recovery scenarios, including one where current travel restrictions persisted until December 2021.

The reduction in expenditure is largely due to the standing down of more than 25,000 staff who were forced to use leave entitlements before receiving delayed financial assistance from the government.

"The impact of this stand down is deeply regrettable but has been greatly softened by the Australian Government's JobKeeper program, which the Group commenced paying several weeks ahead of the official payment start date," the airline said in a statement.

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Four top Republican senators have urged President Donald Trump to suspend all new guest worker visas for 60 days and certain categories of new guest worker visas, including the H-1B, for at least a year or until unemployment figures return to normal levels in the US amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic, which has so far claimed 76,000 lives and infected over 1,256,000 in the US, has ravaged the labour market, and 1 in 5 American workers have filed for first-time unemployment benefits since mid-March, when the lockdown hit businesses across the country, the world's largest economy.

1/5th workforce out of work

The letter to president Trump, dated May 7, has been signed by Senators Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Chuck Grassley and Josh Hawley. "More than 33 million Americans have filed for unemployment coverage just since mid-March, and approximately one-fifth of the American workforce is currently out of work. "This is a stunning difference compared with the historically-low nationwide unemployment rate of just 3.5 per cent in February this year," the senators said in their letter.

"To protect unemployed Americans in the early stages of economic recovery, we urge you to suspend all non-immigrant guest worker visas for the next 60 days," the senators said.

'Suspend EB-5 visa too'

"That suspension should, at a minimum, include H-2B visas (non-agricultural seasonal workers), H-1B visas (specialty occupation workers) and the Optional Practical Training programme (extension of foreign student visas after graduation). We also urge you to suspend the EB-5 immigrant visa programme, effective immediately," the lawmakers wrote. The H-1B work visa for foreign technology professionals is highly popular among Indians and a large number of Indians also opt for the EB-5 investors visa.

Worst monthly record

The US unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy.

The collapse of the job market has occurred with stunning speed. The government's report Friday noted that many people who lost jobs in April but didn't look for another one weren't even counted in the unemployment rate. The impact of those losses was reflected in the drop in the proportion of working-age Americans who have jobs: Just 51.3%, the lowest on record.

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[Source: Research & Innovation] ‘For Europe to come out stronger after the Corona crisis, we need to already direct our investments towards game-changing innovations that create a sustainable and human centric digital future’, according to the vision statement of the European Innovation Council Advisory Board published today.

[Source: Research & Innovation] A total of 117 innovative solutions to tackle the coronavirus have been selected as winners of the European Innovation Council-led #EUvsVirus Hackathon.

[Source: Research & Innovation] The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot will work with an extra €150 million to support game-changing innovations to tackle the coronavirus crisis. The additional budget, approved by the European Commission today, will fund the best start-ups and SMEs who applied under the March cut-off.

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