April 7 coronavirus news

The chief minister of India's capital territory Delhi announced that the government will ramp up its testing to mimic South Korea's strategy.

Kejriwal acknowledged that the administration was dealing with a shortage of testing kits, adding that their orders for almost 50,000 kits are finally being delivered.

The Delhi government will start rapid testing for about 100,000 people starting this Friday.

The government has also provided local police with the contact information of 27,702 people who have been placed under self-quarantine, to ensure there are no violations.

Delhi is "fully prepared" to handle up to 30,000 patients across 8,000 hospitals, Kejriwal said.

Delhi currently has one of highest concentrations of infections in the country, with 523 confirmed cases and seven deaths. The national total stands at 4,778 cases and 136 deaths.

South Korea has been regarded as a model for testing. The country implemented widespread, aggressive testing when the outbreak hit, setting up drive-through test sites. It led to a lot of early detection, which experts say has helped the government stem the spread of the virus.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally declared a one-month state of emergency just now at a task force meeting.

The state of emergency will last from today through May 6, and be in place across seven virus-hit prefectures, including Tokyo.

Abe had announced yesterday that he would make the declaration today, as the country sees increasing spikes in cases.

Under the declaration, "basic economic activity" will still continue, with public transport and supermarkets remaining open. People are urged to stay at home and not make unnecessary trips.

The New York City Police Department has lost its 12th member to a suspected case of coronavirus.

NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer Ramon Roman died on Sunday from coronavirus-related complications, according to a daily coronavirus report from the NYPD.

Nearly 20% of its uniformed workforce is out sick.

The city is a hot spot for the virus, with more than 68,000 cases and 2,700 fatalities. The city's hospitals have been struggling to maintain the space, personnel and equipment to treat the growing number of patients.

Yesterday, 6,974 uniformed members of the NYPD were out sick, accounting for 19.3% of the department's uniformed workforce, according to the report. That number has jumped from 12% on March 28.

Currently, 1,935 uniformed members and 293 civilian members tested positive for the coronavirus, the NYPD said.

Read more here.

UK cabinet ministers were not told about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s deteriorating condition until nearly an hour after he was taken into intensive care, said Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Appearing on Sky News, Gove was asked whether the government had been upfront with the public about Johnson’s condition, and whether it too was taken by surprise.

Johnson is still in intensive care, and has received oxygen support.

If you're just joining us, here are the latest developments since our last catch-up.

Concern in Britain: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in intensive care with coronavirus and has been treated with oxygen, said Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office. He is not on a ventilator, according to Gove.

US braces for worst: State and health officials have warned that this week may be the hardest yet, and that the coming weeks will be crucial in stemming the virus' spread. The situation is most dire in New York, where at least 4,758 people have died, according to the latest data. Funeral homes have been overwhelmed because of increased demand.

France outbreak worsens: France has not yet reached the peak of its coronavirus outbreak, according to health minister Olivier Veran, who said "we are still in a worsening phase of the epidemic." Deaths have spiked dramatically in the country -- 833 people died from the virus within 24 hours, Veran said yesterday.

Milestone in China: The country where the pandemic began recorded no new deaths yesterday for the first time since January. There were also no locally transmitted infections found yesterday; all new cases were imported from abroad. And tomorrow, the epicenter city of Wuhan will finally lift its lockdown after three months.

India relaxes drug export: India has partially lifted export restrictions on the drug hydroxychloroquine, after imposing a blanket export ban on the drug on Saturday -- just as President Donald Trump requested more to be released to the US.

Doctors attacked: Meanwhile, frontline doctors in India are being attacked and harassed by their communities, due to fears that they may be infected after working with coronavirus patients.

New Zealand controversy: The health minister was demoted and called himself "an idiot" after breaking nationwide lockdown rules by driving to the beach with his family.

Fear in Japan: The country recorded another 252 cases yesterday, and the Prime Minister is expected to declare a state of emergency today. Doctors warn that there isn't enough testing, and many say the emergency declaration may be coming too late.

Doctors in India are being attacked and harassed by their communities, due to fears that they may be infected after working with coronavirus patients.

Last week, a mob in the central state of Madhya Pradesh pelted doctors with stones while they were treating a suspected coronavirus patient. 

And a doctor in the city of Surat, in the western state of Gujarat, was harassed by her neighbors on Saturday, according to a senior police official.

"The doctor claims that the neighbors accused her of having the coronavirus and were yelling at her, but the neighbors say that they were angry because the doctor's dog had attacked them," said police commissioner R B Brahmabhatt.

The neighbors were arrested on Sunday and released on bail.

Medical staff in the capital New Delhi also say they have been ostracized and discriminated against. Some doctors have even reported being evicted, or faced threats that their electricity will be cut off.

For weeks, state and federal authorities have urged the public to avoid violence or stigmatizing medical staff, and have praised frontline workers -- but the attacks have continued.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to an intensive care unit on Monday after his condition with coronavirus symptoms "worsened," his office said.

By Tuesday morning, Johnson, 55, was still in the ICU and had received oxygen support, Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said in an interview with the BBC.

Here's everything we know:

Not on a ventilator: While Johnson has been treated with oxygen, the prime minister is not on a ventilator, according to Gove.

“One of the reasons for being in intensive care is to make sure that whatever support the medical team consider to be appropriate, can be provided,” Gove said.

Hospitalized on Sunday: Johnson was first admitted to St Thomas' Hospital in London on Sunday evening for what he said were "routine tests" after his coronavirus symptoms persisted 10 days after testing positive.

Intensive care: He was moved to the intensive care unit on Monday at around 7 p.m., Downing Street said. The decision was made by the leader's medical team after his condition worsened over the afternoon on Monday.

Change in condition: The move strikes a sharp contrast to earlier reports on Johnson's condition. During his period of self-isolation, Downing Street had said that Johnson's symptoms were "mild," and on Sunday said his hospitalization was just a "precautionary step."

Who is running the country? While Johnson is in hospital, Foreign Minister Dominic Raab is deputizing for the prime minister "where necessary."

Johnson was working less last week: The prime minister had a “stripped back diary” last week and was following the medical advice of his doctors, Gove told BBC Radio.

“And all last week he was following the advice he was being given by his doctors -- he had a stripped back diary in order to make sure the appropriate medical advice could be followed.”

Japanese automaker Toyota announced that it will start producing 500-600 medical face shields per week using injection molds and 3D-printing, with plans to ramp up production over time.

These measures will be largely carried out in Japan, though there are also similar efforts being made in overseas factories and branches.

The statement said Toyota will leverage its supply chain to distribute thermometers and other protective equipment. The firm is also working with ventilator manufacturers to try and increase productivity.

Toyota is also considering using its vehicles to transport people from their homes to medical facilities or quarantine centers, so fewer potentially infected people are on public transit or taxis.

As the US military was embroiled in controversy over its handling of an outbreak of coronavirus on one of its Pacific aircraft carriers, China was resuming operations in the South China Sea.

In the past week, the English language website of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has posted stories on large-scale naval exercises and the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat. In addition, it also announced the ramping up of military industries in Wuhan, the original Chinese epicenter of the pandemic.

US military controversy: The US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt passed through the South China Sea on its way to Guam, where it is now docked after more than 170 Covid-19 cases were reported on board.

The Roosevelt's commander, Capt. Brett Crozier, was stripped of his command last week after a memo he wrote warning that urgent action was needed to protect the lives of his crew was leaked to the media.

This could be an opportunity for China: Some analysts have suggested that in the South China Sea, even short-term pullbacks can create an opening the PLA could take advantage of.

China has consistently pushed back at the suggestion it is attempting to use the pandemic to gain geopolitical influence.

Read the full analysis here:

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