COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 13 April

Apr 13, 2020

Workers wear protective face masks as they work on a construction site during a lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 13, 2020. REUTERS/Jon Nazca - RC2N3G9WHE2L

Work has restarted at some construction sites in Spain Image: REUTERS/Jon Nazca - RC2N3G9WHE2L

Briony Harris

Senior Writer, Formative Content

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COVID-19

This daily round-up brings you some of the latest news about the coronavirus pandemic.
Today's most important stories include fears over a second wave of coronavirus in China, some Spanish workers are now heading back to work, and how to prevent a global depression.

1. How COVID-19 is impacting the globe

Confirmed deaths caused by the COVID-19 reached 114,800, while worldwide cases climbed above 1.86 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.
New York City alone has suffered almost 7,000 deaths.
In Africa, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Niger all have around 500 confirmed cases.
The number of confirmed cases is approaching 10,000 in India.

These are the countries with the greatest number of confirmed cases Image: Johns Hopkins

2. How to prevent a global depression

The world must make fundamental changes to its economic system, according to the founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Professor Klaus Schwab.

To prevent an economic collapse, governments will need to take on large and unprecedented roles in securing business continuity and jobs, he writes.

And the resulting public debt should be carried by the companies and individuals who are most able to do so.

The crucial principle, that everyone will need to subscribe to, is that we’re all in this together for the long haul, and we must all come out of it together, he concludes.

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What is the World Economic Forum doing about the coronavirus outbreak?

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic requires global cooperation among governments, international organizations and the business community, which is at the centre of the World Economic Forum’s mission as the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.

Since its launch on 11 March, the Forum’s COVID Action Platform has brought together 1,667 stakeholders from 1,106 businesses and organizations to mitigate the risk and impact of the unprecedented global health emergency that is COVID-19.

The platform is created with the support of the World Health Organization and is open to all businesses and industry groups, as well as other stakeholders, aiming to integrate and inform joint action.

As an organization, the Forum has a track record of supporting efforts to contain epidemics. In 2017, at our Annual Meeting, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) was launched – bringing together experts from government, business, health, academia and civil society to accelerate the development of vaccines. CEPI is currently supporting the race to develop a vaccine against this strand of the coronavirus.

3. China's border with Russia in the spotlight

China is tackling a resurgence of the Coronavirus epidemic, after new daily infections rose to 108 - the highest number in almost six weeks.

90% of those infected came from abroad, with China's northeastern border with Russia the new frontline.

Having largely stamped out domestic transmission of the disease, some Chinese people are now returning home from abroad.

Towns close to the border crossings in Heilongjiang province are now subject to similar restrictions as in Wuhan during the original outbreak.

4. Spain and India to restart certain industries

Spain is allowing some businesses to resume operations as its death toll continues to fall.

This includes construction and manufacturing where it is impossible to work remotely.

The companies must provide protective equipment and ensure employees are able to stay two metres apart, while security forces will distribute 10 million masks at public transport hubs.

Government sources in India also say the country will restart some crucial manufacturing in order to help the poor cope with the crisis.

5. Major pork processor shuts down in US

Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, is to shut a plant in the US indefinitely after more than 200 of its employees contracted the coronavirus.

The news comes amid increasing concern over disruptions to the food supply chain in the US.

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