Services activity in Brazil slumped 11.7% in April, figures showed on Wednesday, the biggest fall since comparable record-keeping began nearly a decade ago as social isolation measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak slammed the economy into reverse.
Peru topped 240,000 total cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, surpassing hard-hit Italy, government data showed, even as the pace of infections has begun to moderate in the Andean nation.
Chinese and Norwegian authorities have concluded that Norwegian salmon was likely not the source of the novel coronavirus that was found at cutting boards in a Beijing food market, the Norwegian fisheries and seafood minister said on Wednesday.
The Honduran president has said he and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus. The Central American nation has registered just under 10,000 COVID-19 infections, according to the health ministry, and 330 deaths.
Chile’s government reached a deal with opposition lawmakers for a US$ 12 billion stimulus package over the weekend as infections hit a record and the health minister quit.
Peru´s economic activity sank 40.49% year-on-year in April, its worst-ever percentage drop in output, as a national lockdown to combat the coronavirus slammed the brakes on industry across the country, the government said.
Brazil reported a record 34,918 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the same day that one of the senior officials leading the country’s widely criticized response to the crisis said the outbreak was under control.
Scientists at Imperial College London will start the first clinical trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine this week with more than 45 million pounds (US$56.50 million) in backing from the UK government and philanthropic donors.
Brazil's Attorney General has called for an investigation into several invasions of hospitals in the country after its President called on Brazilians to inspect the conditions of medical wards treating Covid-19 patients.
A study carried out by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Unctad, pointed out that disruptions to the economic and social sectors by the pandemic have caused a dramatic decline in trade.