(Bloomberg) — There’s no evidence that having the coronavirus protects patients from a second infection, the World Health Organization said. Global cases surpassed 2.8 million, with the U.S. now accounting for more than a quarter of all fatalities after topping 50,000.Deaths in Spain remained under 400 for a second day and Germany posted its lowest fatality rate in five days. Singapore had its smallest case increase in at least six days.Key DevelopmentsVirus Tracker: Cases top 2.8 million; deaths exceed 197,000There’s ‘no evidence’ people recovered from disease are safe: WHOTrump’s riff on disinfectant shows peril of improvised briefingsThe world’s highest death rate is in Europe’s capitalFixing nursing home death traps is top priorityCoronavirus will forever change airlines and the way we flySubscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus. For a look back at this week’s top stories from QuickTake, click here.Spanish Deaths Under 400 for Second Day (6:21 a.m. NY)Spain recorded fewer than 400 deaths from coronavirus for the second day in row, a sign that the epidemic may be stabilizing in the country as it grapples with Europe’s worst outbreak. Fatalities increased by 378, for a total of 22,902, according to Health Ministry data published Saturday. That compared with an increase of 367 on Friday. This week Spain partially relaxed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns.Latest Iran Figures (6 a.m. NY)Fatalities from coronavirus in Iran rose to 5,650 with 76 deaths overnight. Total cases reached 89,328 as a further 1,134 tested positive for the virus since Friday.Infection May Not Give Immunity, WHO Says (4:30 p.m. HK)Catching Covid-19 once may not protect you from getting it again, according to the World Health Organization. “There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection,” the United Nations agency said in an April 24 statement.So-called immunity passports could lead holders to ignore public-health guidelines and risk spreading the disease.German Deaths, Cases Slow (3 p.m. HK)Fatalities from the virus in Germany were the lowest in five days. Deaths rose by 148 to 5,723 in the 24 hours through Saturday morning, a smaller increase than Friday’s daily rise of 260, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There were 1,416 new cases, bringing the total to 154,545, the fourth-highest in Europe.Singapore Has Smallest Increase in Almost a Week (2:45 p.m. HK)Singapore reported 618 more cases of the coronavirus as of noon local time on Saturday, the smallest increase in six days. The majority of infections remain among foreign workers residing in dormitories, while only seven are Singaporeans or permanent residents, the government said.Thailand Reports Spike in Cases Among Migrant Workers (2:30 p.m. HK)Thailand reported 53 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the highest in more than two weeks, after a cluster of infections emerged among migrant workers detained in the south, according to the Covid-19 Center’s spokesman Taweesilp Witsanuyotin.Among the new cases, 42 are “illegal” foreign workers, mainly from Myanmar, currently in a detention center in Songkhla province, Taweeslip told a news briefing Saturday. The reported total increased after the government stepped up testing for the virus, he said.World’s Highest Death Rate Is in Belgium (2:15 p.m. HK)Despite having only 11 million people, Belgium has reported more deaths from the disease than China. With 55 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, it has the highest per-capita death rate in the world — more than four times that of the U.S.According to Belgian officials, the reason for the grisly figures isn’t overwhelmed hospitals — 43% of intensive-care beds were vacant even at the peak of the crisis — but the country’s bureaucratic rigor. Unlike many other countries, the home of the European Union’s top institutions counts deaths at nursing homes even if there wasn’t a confirmed infection.India Allows Neighborhood Stores to Reopen (12:05 p.m. HK)India’s government is allowing smaller neighborhood stores to reopen, bringing relief to residents after a month into the world’s biggest lockdown that’s restricting 1.3 billion people.The shops can deploy a maximum of 50% of their staff, all wearing masks and following social distancing rules, according to the order issued Friday night by the home ministry. The order includes standalone stores in housing complexes in municipal areas, while shops in market places within municipal areas and all malls will remain closed until May 3.Trump Sued Over Immigrant Aid Package (11:40 a.m. HK)Trump was sued over a provision of the coronavirus relief package that could deny $1,200 stimulus checks to more than 1 million Americans married to immigrants without Social Security Numbers.The suit was filed Friday by an Illinois man using the pseudonym John Doe, who seeks to represent all others in his position. Doe claims a carve-out in the relief package discriminates against him “based solely on whom he chose to marry.”South Korean Movie Theaters Set to Reopen (10:30 a.m. HK)Movie lovers in South Korea will soon have more options. CJ CGV Co., a major cinema operator, said it will re-open 36 theaters that had been closed since the end of March, including in the capital Seoul and Daegu city, according to a statement posted on its website.Although the company says it will be still difficult for most people to venture out to see a movie, it may provide a boost to the economy and help cafes and restaurants, according to a text message Saturday. The theaters will open April 29.Gilead Poised to Upend Market With Covid-19 Study Data (10:05 a.m. HK)Gilead Sciences Inc., whose Covid-19 treatment has whipsawed markets amid conflicting early reports about its efficacy, is set to report the first results from a company-sponsored study of the experimental drug.Data from the first 400 severely ill coronavirus patients being treated with remdesivir in an open-label study are expected before the end of next week. While not expected to provide a definitive answer on efficacy, the report is likely to again trigger wide swings in Gilead’s shares and the broader market. Options prices show investors expect a more than 9% move in the drugmaker’s stock price over the next week.Mysterious Outbreak Grows on Cruise Ship in Japan (8:55 a.m. HK)Coronavirus cases are mounting among crew on a passenger-less cruise ship docked in Nagasaki, Japan, raising alarm among local health officials just months after another large outbreak in their waters.The number of confirmed Covid-19 infections on the Costa Atlantica had climbed to 91 as of Thursday from 48 a day earlier, the Nagasaki prefecture said.The Atlantica is operated by CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping, a partnership between Carnival Corp. and state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corp. The Chinese entity is the majority owner.Cruise Lines Get Relief From Germany (8:45 a.m. HK)After missing out on U.S. emergency aid, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. are benefiting from a debt-holiday initiative by Germany’s export credit agency, Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft.Norwegian said the 12-month debt holiday — which applies to debt used to finance ships — will provide about $386 million in additional liquidity through April 2021. Royal Caribbean said it will add $250 million through debt holiday agreements with Euler.Air France-KLM to Get $12 Billion State Rescue (8:05 a.m. HK)Air France-KLM became the latest carrier to get a state-backed bailout, with the French and Dutch government shareholders pledging as much as 11 billion euros ($11.9 billion) in loans and guarantees to help it weather the coronavirus pandemic that has brought global air travel to a near standstill.France agreed to extend 4 billion euros of state-backed commercial funding and 3 billion euros of direct government loans, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on TF1 television Friday. The funds will be destined for the French arm, Air France, the group said in a statement.Japan Airlines Co. meanwhile is seeking 300 billion yen ($2.8 billion) in financing from banks as it braces for the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on travel, the Asahi newspaper reported without citing anyone.Dyson Says U.K. No Longer Needs Its Ventilators (6:44 a.m. HK)The company owned by billionaire James Dyson won’t supply the U.K. government with medical ventilators it was developing because they’re no longer required.Dyson Ltd. had spent 20 million pounds ($25 million) on the project and won’t be seeking any government money to pay for it, the founder said in a statement. The company didn’t explain why the order, which it said last month was for 10,000 units of a prototype ventilator called the CoVent, was canceled.Small Business Relief Resumes Monday (4:40 p.m. NY)The U.S. Small Business Administration will restart a government coronavirus relief loan program for small businesses Monday morning with an additional $320 billion, after the first round of funding was exhausted in just 13 days.“We encourage all approved lenders to process loan applications previously submitted by eligible borrowers and disburse funds expeditiously,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza said in a joint statement.Many small business owners were shut out from financial aid after the Paycheck Protection Program, launched April 3 with an initial $349 billion, was depleted in less than two weeks. Congress passed a relief bill that President Donald Trump signed Friday with more funding for the program and a separate disaster loan and grant initiative whose funding also expired last week.U.S. Cases Rise 3.5% (4 p.m. NY)U.S. cases rose 3.5% from the day before to 886,213, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. That was higher than Thursday’s growth rate of 2.5% but below the average daily increase of 3.8% of the past week. Deaths reported over the past 24 hours rose 7.4% to 50,780.New York’s cases rose 0.7%, according to the Johns Hopkins and Bloomberg News data.New Jersey reported 3,047 new cases, pushing its total past 100,000, according to the state’s health department. Deaths increased by 253, to 5,617.Texas cases rose to 22,806, up 3.9% from Thursday, according to the state’s Health and Human Services division. The 862 new cases represented the first daily decline this week.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
