World News in Brief: May 30

Singapore's health ministry said on Saturday (May 30) it had confirmed 506 more coronavirus cases, making a total 34,366 infections. The vast majority of the newly infected people are migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said in a statement.

A woman takes photos outside an empty shopping mall, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Singapore May 27, 2020. (Photo: Reuters)
A woman takes photos outside an empty shopping mall, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Singapore May 27, 2020. (Photo: Reuters)

* Thailand reported one new coronavirus case on Saturday and no new deaths, taking the total number of infections to 3,077 as local transmission of the new virus appears to wane. The coronavirus has killed 57 people in Thailand since it was first detected in January.

* Russia on Saturday reported 181 deaths from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, down from the record 232 deaths registered the previous day and pushing the nationwide death toll to 4,555. Officials said 8,952 new infections had been confirmed, bringing the national tally to 396,575, the third highest reported total in the world after the United States and Brazil.

* The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 738 to 181,196, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday. The reported death toll rose by 39 to 8,489, the tally showed.

* Mexico on Friday registered 3,227 new cases of the coronavirus and 371 more deaths, bringing the total numbers to 84,627 cases and 9,415 fatalities, according to data from health authorities.

* The United States will end its relationship with the World Health Organization over the body's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (May 29).

* Coronavirus deaths in Brazil reached 27,878, the Health Ministry said on Friday, surpassing Spain to become the fifth ranking nation in the number of dead. In the last 24 hours, Brazil, which now has the second-largest outbreak in the world, registered 1,124 deaths from the virus and 26,928 additional cases of the novel coronavirus.

* Costa Rica will extend the closure of its borders until June 30, Health Minister Daniel Salas said on Friday, prolonging one measure in its effort to contain the novel coronavirus. The border closure was due to expire June 15. Costa Rica on Friday reported 22 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total to 1,022. Ten people have died.

* Egypt registered 1,289 new coronavirus cases and 34 deaths, the health ministry said on Friday, marking another record of daily increases on both counts despite stricter curfew rules. That brought the total number of fatalities to 879 and confirmed cases to 22,082, of which 5,511 people have recovered.

* Belgium will allow cross-border travel to visit family members in neighbouring countries from Saturday, in a slight easing of travel restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus, the interior minister said on Friday. Belgium has been among the worst-affected countries in Europe with 58,061 COVID-19 cases and 9,430 deaths, although the number of cases, hospital admissions and fatalities has declined since peaking in early April.

* France's coronavirus deaths rose by less than 100 for the ninth day running on Friday and new confirmed cases slowed again as the country gears up for easing lockdown. France is to allow restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen from June 2 - though with more restrictions in Paris than elsewhere - while the government is also lifting a nationwide 100 km (60 mile) travel restriction.

* Portugal gave the green light on Friday to the third phase of its lockdown exit, but some restrictions will remain in Lisbon due to localised outbreaks in industrial hubs and outskirts. From June 1, shopping malls, childcare centres, gyms, cinemas, theatres and other cultural venues can reopen across most of the country but with capacity restrictions. Portugal, which has recorded 31,946 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,383 deaths backed by Europe's fourth highest testing rate, began lifting a handful of restrictions imposed during a six-week lockdown from May 4.

* Government employees went back to work in Iran on Saturday and President Hassan Rouhani said mosques are to resume daily prayers throughout the country, even though some areas are seeing high levels of coronavirus infections.

* Uzbekistan has extended measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus until June 15, but relaxed some restrictions, allowing the resumption of domestic tourism and soccer games, the authorities said on Saturday. Uzbekistan had locked down all its provinces and closed all non-essential businesses in March.

* Ethiopian security forces in the Oromiya region have executed 39 opposition supporters and arrested at least 10,000 others accused of being members of an armed group since early 2019, Amnesty International said on Friday.

* Costa Rica will extend the closure of its borders until June 30, Health Minister Daniel Salas said Friday, prolonging a key element of the country's effort to contain the coronavirus. The border closure was due to expire June 15.

Reuters