China

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was previously used to quarantine SARS patients in Beijing, cleared all COVID-19 cases Tuesday and is scheduled to cease operation Wednesday.

The hospital, located in the city's northern suburb, was renovated and put into operation on March 16 for the screening and treatment of imported mild and common confirmed COVID-19 cases, suspected cases and those who need to be tested.

BEIJING, April 27 (APP): A Chinese expert of infectious disease Monday said it was not likely that the number of COVID-19 cases would drop significantly in the summer worldwide.

Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus disappeared in the summer in 2003, this novel coronavirus, which had killed over 200,000 people so far across the globe, appeared to be very different from the past viruses, Director of the Infectious Disease Department at the Peking University First Hospital Wang Guiqiang said at a news briefing held here.

Beijing, Apr 27 (AP/PTI) China is fighting back against calls for an investigation into its role in the global coronavirus pandemic, citing faults with the U.S. response to the outbreak and calling for Washington itself to admit error.

We hope the U.S. will respond to people's concern from the U.S. and the international community. Perhaps the World Health Organization can also be invited in to assist in the investigation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily briefing on Monday.

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland has dropped below 100, Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission, said Monday.

There were still over 600 imported cases undergoing treatment, according to a daily report issued by the commission earlier on Monday.

The health authority received reports of two new imported COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total imported cases to 1,636.

Of the imported cases, over 1,000 have been cured and discharged from hospital, Mi said. 

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Multiple countries are easing or considering easing restrictions gradually for social and economic recovery although the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide is nearing 3 million.

Global caseload at 0000 GMT on Monday hit 2,968,627, with the United States standing first at 964,937, followed by Spain with 226,629, and Italy with 197,675, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock prices gained Monday after Japan’s central bank boosted support for financial markets as more governments prepared to reopen economies that were shut down to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Tokyo’s benchmark surged 2.7% and European markets opened higher. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney also gained.

Investors are looking ahead to meetings of U.S. and European central bankers this week for additional measures to reverse the deepest global slump since the 1930s. Evidence is mounting that the damage is even worse than expected.

Beijing/Wuhan, Apr 26 (PTI) The number of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in China's Wuhan, where the virus first emerged before turning out to be a pandemic, on Sunday dropped to zero for the first time, marking yet another milestone for the city which was opened up on April 8 after a 76-day lockdown.

BEIJING, Apr 26 (APP): Beijing, capital of China, decided to root out any consumption and trade of wildlife in the city by passing a new regulation, imposing even harsher punishments on violators.

Complying with an earlier notice issued by China’s top legislature in February, the new regulation is a prudent response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is believed to be caused by the virus linked to bats, China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported on Sunday.

HOHHOT, Apr 26 (NNN-XINHUA) – A total of 537 China-Europe freight trains passed through the port of Erenhot in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as of Thursday, according to customs.

The customs adopted various measures, to raise efficiency and ensure the safety and stability of the freight trains, amid the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, said Nie Weidong, an officer with the customs department.

The customs also improved the customs clearance and other services, relying on the internet and other platforms.

BEIJING (AP) — Hawaii extended its stay-at-home order until the end of May, and California police closed a park because it got too crowded as U.S. states and nations around the world took divergent paths on when to reopen their economies and communities.

The number of deaths officially attributed to the new coronavirus topped 200,000 globally, a figure widely believed to understate the actual total. A second U.S. Navy ship, a destroyer off the coast of South America, reported an outbreak on board.