India saw another record daily jump in coronavirus cases while Russia reported a steady increase in its caseload even as it moved to swiftly ease restrictions in sync with the Kremlin’s ambitious political plans.
The developments come as the United States crossed a somber landmark of 100,000 coronavirus fatalities, meaning more Americans have died from the virus than were killed in the Vietnam and Korean wars combined.
South Korea reported its biggest jump in coronavirus cases in more than 50 days, a setback that could erase some of the hard-won gains that have made it a model for the rest of the world.
A Thai classical dancer wearing face shield to help curb the spread of the coronavirus performs at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, May 28, 2020. Thai government continues to ease restrictions related to running business in capital Bangkok that were imposed weeks ago to combat the spread of COVID-19. (AP PhotoSakchai Lalit)
Here are some of AP’s top stories Thursday on the world’s coronavirus pandemic. Follow APNews.com/VirusOutbreak for updates through the day and APNews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak for stories explaining some of its complexities.
WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:
— The president has been claiming extraordinarily sweeping powers during the coronavirus crisis that constitutional and legal scholars say Trump simply doesn’t have. He has threatened to shut down Twitter for flagging false content. He has claimed he can “override” governors who dare to keep churches closed to congregants. And he has asserted the “absolute authority” to force states to reopen.
Disinfection team disinfect the premises of the grand mosque in capital Pristina, Kosovo on Thursday, May 28, 2020. Kosovo's mosques reopened on Thursday after more than two months of the virus lockdown. (AP PhotoVisar Kryeziu)
— Global markets were mostly higher on Thursday as investors pinned their hopes on an economic rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. As investors prepared for latest weekly report on U.S. jobless claims, shares rose in Paris, London and Tokyo but dropped in Hong Kong, where tensions are flaring about Beijing’s effort to exert more control over the former British colony.
— Spain’s more than 19,000 nursing home deaths are the most across Europe. It’s led to soul-searching over its elder-care system, particularly public nursing homes operated by private firms that seek to turn profits quickly by cutting staff, expenses and, some say, care to the bone.
— As the coronavirus spreads into indigenous lands in Brazil, a leader of the Kayapo indigenous group tells The Associated Press he wants President Jair Bolsonaro to stop loggers, miners and fishermen from illegally entering the territory, incursions he believes have spread of the virus.
A woman walks past a mural honoring health care workers during the new coronavirus outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, May 28, 2020. (AP PhotoDita Alangkara)
— The postponed Tokyo Olympics face lots of questions. Organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto says many of them will not find answers until the coronavirus pandemic becomes clearer.
— The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross says it has recorded 208 COVID-19-related attacks against health workers and installations when they are needed most in 13 countries since March.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Activists of the Generation-Foundation hold symbolic rescue umbrellas in their hands during a protest in front of the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, May 28, 2020. The Generation-Foundation is focusing on climate change and social justice and demand a change of the system for the further generations. The inscriptions on the umbrellas read: 'Generation Rescue Umbrella' - 'Climate Justice Democracy'. (AP PhotoMarkus Schreiber)
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Here are the symptoms of the virus compared with the common flu.
One of the best ways to prevent spread of the virus is washing your hands with soap and water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends first washing with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under fingernails before rinsing off.
You should wash your phone, too. Here’s how.
TRACKING THE VIRUS: Drill down and zoom in at the individual county level, and you can access numbers that will show you the situation where you are, and where loved ones or people you’re worried about live.
ONE NUMBER:
— 14 million: The U.N. World Food Program is warning that at least 14 million people could go hungry in Latin America as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. The new projections represent a startling increase, more than four times the 3.4 million who experienced severe food insecurity in 2019.
IN OTHER NEWS:
— FUTURE OF DINING: Some restaurant owners are seeking to welcome back in-person dining and adhere to social distancing rules. One Parisian restaurant is trying out enclosing each diner at a table in clear plastic shields suspended from the ceiling.
— ONE GOOD THING: If it hadn’t been for Igor Loparic and his charity, many in the northern Croatian Istria region would've had a hard time coping with the crisis brought on by the coronavirus.
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak